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AT&T Introduces New Smartphone Data Plans w/3GB and 5GB Options
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Pay for even more unused data!
So... if the top 5% of users use 2GB of data, then (excepting the lowest tier users) the other 95% will pay more money so that they can purchase even more unused data! Great for AT&T's wallet - not so great for mine! At least we get to keep our current plans.
So... if the top 5% of users use 2GB of data, then (excepting the lowest tier users) the other 95% will pay more money so that they can purchase even more unused data! Great for AT&T's wallet - not so great for mine! At least we get to keep our current plans.
I would add something to the "how good your sales associate is" part- it also matters if you are a dick. I have found that there is a universal law I try to follow. When someone goes in to Best Buy on a Saturday 'huge sale' weekend day, at like 11:00 am, and acts like an entitled dick, oddly enough they do not get extra help. But when you go in during a typically not-busy time and treat people with respect and you don't act like you are entitled to things, they tend to help you more. I have always had great Experiences at Best Buy because I have followed the law, "Don't be a dick."
That's what it should be in theory, but somehow the competition aspect of pricing is opposite. Carrier A decides they want to charge $5 more for whatever reason, so Carrier B does the same "to stay competitive."
Ideally, it should be that Carrier A lowers the price by $5 "to stay competitive."
I have no idea how much my 3Gs uses. Hardly any I suspect since I barely use my iPhone for other than email, phone, weather and stocks. In spite of that I'm still glad I have an unlimited data plan. It's just one less thing in the world to worry about.
it doesn't matter if you have verizon or AT&T they will all follow suit. the US cell market is screwed.
you can go into your att wireless account @att.com and find out how much used per month.
Seriously?
No one forces you to be an AT&T customer. You are completely and legally allowed to purchase good&services from an AT&T competitor or to even simply go without a mobile phone of any kind.
You are not exactly being raped in the a$$ - unless maybe your AT&T store is in the local jail?
The hyperbole gets thick in these discussions. If you don't like the products AT&T sells - don't buy it. Problem solved.
Do you guys think this will hurt the sale of smart phones? The price increase may make people decide to keep their phones a while longer because they don't want to loose their current plan. I can see this hurting Apple and Google with smart phone sales. If I have to pay more for data when I am eligible for an upgrade then I may just keep my current phone until it dies.
nice philosophy ... just because a company gets away with it doesnt mean its right. People flipped out about tmobile charging extra for tethering over here, now its back for free. If people keep their mouth shut and just go with it, nothing will ever change.
it depends on the people. there are plenty of people that don't care and fork over the money no matter what. I quit playing that game with AT&T and do prepaid...it's the only way to go. cheapest iphone plan now would be $80 PLUS taxes....that's ridiculous!
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exactly. and 1 company gets away with it and another company watches and does the same thing. How do you go from having unlimited data to now making awesome phones and limiting them with data packages. it's crazy.
AT&T has to pay for their new LTE network somehow. They already spent all that money they made off of the iPhone exclusivity between 2007 and 2010. AT&T knows full well that most users don't use more than 300mb per month, but don't want to be capped at 300mb because of overage charges. Hence, they are now going to get $30 per month (like they did on the old unlimited plans) but now with a 3GB data cap. They *should* have offered tethering on all plans. It seems to me if your data is limited then why not let me use it however I want. I might even find I'd like to have more data if the tethering is so great. The only reason to not offer tethering on all plans is because they count on most folks going for the 3GB option and only using 300mb of data -- they know that if they allowed tethering then the average actual usage would go up.
If I wanted tethering I would be switching to it before Sunday so I could get 4GB for $45 since I'd probably never exceed 1GB of usage. I'm glad I am still grandfathered on my unlimited plan. I might have switched to limited if they offered 1GB for $20.
If I wanted tethering I would be switching to it before Sunday so I could get 4GB for $45 since I'd probably never exceed 1GB of usage. I'm glad I am still grandfathered on my unlimited plan. I might have switched to limited if they offered 1GB for $20.
I really don't know how they continue to get away with this. Tethering should be included on all limited plans. Charging you extra to use the data you pay for with a function that is already included on the phone is ridiculous. It would be like buying a 32oz drink and told "no, you can't use a straw to drink it". It is my freaking drink - if I want to pour it over my head I should be able to. 
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Just talked to AT&T customer service
Take this with a grain of salt as it did come from AT&T, but I did confirm with 2 different service agents that,
1) The unlimited plan will stay with you if you are grandfathered in (which I believe is everyone that has an unlimited plan) and
2) the unlimited plan will also stay with you after you upgrade the phone next.
Take this with a grain of salt as it did come from AT&T, but I did confirm with 2 different service agents that,
1) The unlimited plan will stay with you if you are grandfathered in (which I believe is everyone that has an unlimited plan) and
2) the unlimited plan will also stay with you after you upgrade the phone next.
I never understood why people didn't make a bigger fuss over AT&T getting rid of unlimited data plans. Some people even willingly chose to go over to a tiered pricing plan just to save a couple bucks a month on the basis that they didn't use more than 2GB anyways.
Yeah, you didn't use more than 2GB THEN, but did you really think you weren't going to use more than 2GB in the future when devices are even more advanced and everything becomes digital?
AT&T and the other wireless companies have their customers right where they want them now. Customers now have to watch how much data they use and how often they use their devices so AT&T wins in both regards. Customers are using their devices less while paying even more for data and the ability to even use their devices in the first place.
Yeah, you didn't use more than 2GB THEN, but did you really think you weren't going to use more than 2GB in the future when devices are even more advanced and everything becomes digital?
AT&T and the other wireless companies have their customers right where they want them now. Customers now have to watch how much data they use and how often they use their devices so AT&T wins in both regards. Customers are using their devices less while paying even more for data and the ability to even use their devices in the first place.
OK, you have no idea what you're talking about.
You let it happen once, it'll happen again ... all across the industry. There's no justification for limiting the options they once had. The only reason they're doing it is to pocket more $$.
I'm still on the $30 unlimited plan grandfathered in from the 3GS days. Even tho I use very little 3G internet because I'm usually near wifi I don't want to give up the unlimited data plan. So far Ive had the unlimited plan on the 3GS, 4 and 4s....lets see how many generations I can hold onto it for.
My bad. I was referring to the threats to throttle at 1.5 gigs, then enforcing a throttle at 2gigs, unless people switch to an unlimited plan. Sorry for not being clear.
Funny that the unlimited plans are throttled beneath plans at the same price point.
Ugh... 300MB is not enough, but 3GB is WAY too much. I'll go through about 250MB a week on my iPad when I activate it, which is usually only around vacations when it would be nice to have some data on the go.
This is exactly why I don't have an iPhone, I just can't justify paying so much money just to have an internet connection on the go when I have one at home with my computer that I also pay for. I'll stick with my Sprint feature phone that gives me basic access to e-mail and Oprah Mini for $10 a month, and when they decide to drop my data plan then maybe I'll consider getting a smart phone one of these days.
This is exactly why I don't have an iPhone, I just can't justify paying so much money just to have an internet connection on the go when I have one at home with my computer that I also pay for. I'll stick with my Sprint feature phone that gives me basic access to e-mail and Oprah Mini for $10 a month, and when they decide to drop my data plan then maybe I'll consider getting a smart phone one of these days.