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AT&T Replaces iPad Unlimited Data Plan with 2GB Capped Plan for New Customers

Grandfather yourself by grabbing a MicroSIM from an AT&T store, borrow someone's iPad 3G, activate your MicroSIM with the current unlimited plan, then hang out for a week until your own iPad 3G arrives. Enough said.

It took me from 3G launch day to now to hit 2.1GB, according to my stats. I currently don't have an iPhone and I carry this device with me everywhere. I've streamed SlingPlayer and Air Video Server hardly used Wi-Fi, even when I was at free hotspots.

I think I'll be fine if I had to drop to the $25/2GB plan, but I'll probably turn it off completely when I get the next iPhone. What bothers me is that we may not be able to tether the iPad to the iPhone without some sort of software update. There isn't an iPhone-to-iPhone cable, not that I'd want one, but the iPhone, from what I know, doesn't create a Wi-Fi hotspot, but a one-to-one connection with another device. It would have to be via Bluetooth, and the iPad has to support that profile...

Hope we have some definite answers soon.
 
BeyondtheTech said:
Grandfather yourself by grabbing a MicroSIM from an AT&T store, borrow someone's iPad 3G, activate your MicroSIM with the current unlimited plan, then hang out for a week until your own iPad 3G arrives. Enough said.

It took me from 3G launch day to now to hit 2.1GB, according to my stats. I currently don't have an iPhone and I carry this device with me everywhere. I've streamed SlingPlayer and Air Video Server hardly used Wi-Fi, even when I was at free hotspots.

I think I'll be fine if I had to drop to the $25/2GB plan, but I'll probably turn it off completely when I get the next iPhone. What bothers me is that we may not be able to tether the iPad to the iPhone without some sort of software update. There isn't an iPhone-to-iPhone cable, not that I'd want one, but the iPhone, from what I know, doesn't create a Wi-Fi hotspot, but a one-to-one connection with another device. It would have to be via Bluetooth, and the iPad has to support that profile...

Hope we have some definite answers soon.
Click to expand...

JB your iphone. Create a Wifi hotspot. Problem solved.
 
btcutter said:
Can some of the iPad 3G owners post their usage number???

I love to see what percentage of iPad 3G user goes above 2GB per month.

This plan change will affect lot more iPad owners than iPhone owners IMO.
Click to expand...

I don't think looking at the usage now would accurately reflect the "average" future usage. Remember that future iPad apps are likely to be even more data intensive (imagine a future Hulu app, CBS video streaming, etc).

GL
 
At the D8 conference, Steve Jobs described wanting the print industry to use electronic transmission more. This may retard that effort. If I have, say 10 magazine apps, how much of my 2gb bandwidth will that use?
 
GroundLoop said:
I don't think looking at the usage now would accurately reflect the "average" future usage. Remember that future iPad apps are likely to be even more data intensive (imagine a future Hulu app, CBS video streaming, etc).

GL
Click to expand...

Uh, I think you've got that backwards.

Given the introduction of lower data caps, I imagine most data-intensive iPad apps that were under development just imploded. You'll likely see them delayed while they re-work their app feature set to work with the restricted data models, if not scrapped entirely.
 
APPLENEWBIE said:
At the D8 conference, Steve Jobs described wanting the print industry to use electronic transmission more. This may retard that effort. If I have, say 10 magazine apps, how much of my 2gb bandwidth will that use?
Click to expand...

Essentially making the iPad more of a wi-fi device
 
ReallyBigFeet said:
Uh, I think you've got that backwards.

Given the introduction of lower data caps, I imagine most data-intensive iPad apps that were under development just imploded. You'll likely see them delayed while they re-work their app feature set to work with the restricted data models, if not scrapped entirely.
Click to expand...

That is a very good possibility. This decision will either:

a - rape end users on data charges
or
b - stifle innovation.

Neither of which are good for the end user

I am going to sell my 64GB 3G iPad after my trip this weekend. I am sure that I can get a decent price on CraigsList.

What makes this even more interesting is the HTML5 video iAds that will eat at these caps.

GL
 
Wait....I thought about something while in the middle of deciding to keep my iPad or not....

They say as long as you sign up before the 7th you will keep unlimited data for 30.00 a month ( as long as you auto renew and dont stop services ) ok fine...

but whats not saying next month AT&T doesn't pull the unlimited all together? Can they do that? since its pay as you go technically? and your not on contract?

I am just worried if i do sign up for the unlimited data today, whats not saying they wont pull it next month?

Because if there capable of doing something like this to people after only 2 months, then i am sure there capable of doing A LOT more
 
maf2k8 said:
Wait....I thought about something while in the middle of deciding to keep my iPad or not....

They say as long as you sign up before the 7th you will keep unlimited data for 30.00 a month ( as long as you auto renew and dont stop services ) ok fine...

but whats not saying next month AT&T doesn't pull the unlimited all together? Can they do that? since its pay as you go technically? and your not on contract?

I am just worried if i do sign up for the unlimited data today, whats not saying they wont pull it next month?

Because if there capable of doing something like this to people after only 2 months, then i am sure there capable of doing A LOT more
Click to expand...

AT&T can remove the unlimited option whenever they please.

GL
 
stephg said:
I have had my 3G iPad since 4/30. I waited for the 3G release to have the option of using 3G as I needed it, with the option of unlimited use, even though I use my iPad mostly at home with wifi. Although I'm sure there is something in the fine print that says the terms can be changed at any time, I think it's a real breach of trust to do so this soon. I haven't even activated my 3G yet. I'm not a heavy data user, but I liked the idea of having unlimited data if I needed it. So I am angry about this change in terms - I feel that AT&T should have stuck to the original terms for a year at least. The only upside is that I can probably save money on my iPhone bill now, since I don't use it for data much. I'm surprised Apple didn't make AT&T guarantee they would keep those rates for a specified period of time.
Click to expand...

I'm in the same position. I waited for the 3G to be released because the 'unlimited w/o contact for 29.99' fit my lifestyle / use-case. I'm wondering if Apple will extend the time they will take back the iPad, given the terms changed so quickly. I'm not saying they are legally obligated to do so; but it would nice.

Before I was kind of agnostic on carriers; however after this, I''m moving on from ATT.
 
JohnDoe98 said:
For those on pre-order, you can still get the unlimited 30$ plan for you will need to pay an extra one time 10$ fee. It's not ideal but its a work-around for the time being. Go to a ATT store, ask for an ipad sim card. Said you lost your original and never had time to activate it yet. After they sell it to you, go to the Apple store with a small pin, pop out the sim tray, swap the sims and activate your sim card. Voila... Just make sure you auto-renew and never forget.

I sure hope Apple wasn't in the loop, and from the fact they are so slow to update their web page I suspect they were blind-sided by this too.
Click to expand...

Very clever!
 
TraceyS/FL said:
Why all the iPhone posts in the iPad thread?

The iPad uses more data than the iPhone apparently - people that never went over 250 on the iPhone have done so easily on the iPad.

But, this isn't the iPhone thread!
Click to expand...

This is what I'm wondering...the iPhone data plan is a whole different issue. This thread is supposed to be about the new data plans for the iPad.
 
I'm seriously hoping that Apple does something about this and this get's fixed soon. This is outrageous of AT&T. It wouldn't be so bad if they had have kept it the same until the end of the year but a month after the 3G iPad was released? Are they crazy?
 
mambodancer said:
Except for the month to month renewal for the iPad, the data plans are now the same thing.
Click to expand...

Except the devices are different and apparently the iPad sucks more data than the iPhone.

Given what people said they were doing on the iphone and the amount they used in a month, i should have been able to go with the 250mg plan.

Ha. Not!

The postings of what people are doing/using on their iPhone aren't relevant.
 
TraceyS/FL said:
Except the devices are different and apparently the iPad sucks more data than the iPhone.

Given what people said they were doing on the iphone and the amount they used in a month, i should have been able to go with the 250mg plan.

Ha. Not!

The postings of what people are doing/using on their iPhone aren't relevant.
Click to expand...

Exactly!
 
I will be tethering my iPad with my EVO, so long AT&T!

And I was very close to getting a 3G iPad to use the unlimited plan, but 2GB when I can get truly unlimited from Sprint?? No thanks.
 
robgreene said:
I bought the 3G model of the iPad with the understanding that "unlimited" data would be $30.00/month. 1 month in to it's existence, and AT&T changes that to $25/2GB/month?????? You can't use a video streaming app (Netflix/ABC/MLB) without chewing through that in no time. I used up 250MB in ONE DAY using streaming video apps. Some quick math:

250MB x 30days = 7.5 GB
7.5 GB = $30 on the old plan
7.5 GB = $75 on the new plan
($25 (first 2GB) + $10 (1GB) + $10 (1GB) + $10 (1GB) + $10 (1GB) + $10 (1GB))

This is the original iPhone price drop all over again.

I know Apple's not responsible for AT&T's decisions, but they better be ready for some backlash for this one. I know I'd have saved my $130 and gone with a Wifi model if I'd known this change was coming.
Click to expand...

QFT
 
2GB isn't much at all if you consider the modern services that could run on iPad.

fox777 said:
People just think about how much you use your data BEFORE bitching about these changes. Also, more than 2GB/month is nuts anyways. Try using your PC/laptop for that and it will also download much faster
Click to expand...
Or iPhone for that matter. Just about every month I surpass 1GB on my current iPhone.

As to a PC being faster that is BS. It is far faster to follow my E-Mail on an iPhone. The only way a PC would be faster is to have it running all the time with a network connection. That is hard to do with a laptop.

You can say that 2GB a month is crazy but yet I've already exceeded that on my iPhone. I'd have to say it is an extremely limited allotment of data especially for the new devices.



Dave
 
Makes me glad I did not give in to my urges and buy an iPad. Now there is no reason for me to fork over the extra money for the 3g model. I rather get stuck with wifi only then get bent over like that. Sad thing is that it is not Apple's fault and AT&T is screwing them over. That is why Job's is thinking it is a good idea to open up his products to other cell companies.
 
cwwilson said:
I will be tethering my iPad with my EVO, so long AT&T!

And I was very close to getting a 3G iPad to use the unlimited plan, but 2GB when I can get truly unlimited from Sprint?? No thanks.
Click to expand...

How does Sprint pricing work out?

Buy a HTC EVO

$30/month Hotspot feature
$59.99/month "Unlimited" usage...and most users at the EVDO forums for Sprint claim the unlimited only applies to 4G access...you are still capped at 5G/month while using the 3G spectrum.

That's $89.99/month on top of your voice/text plan?

How is this a great deal?

And lets not forget Sprint is already out there throttling people to slower speeds if they think you are being too liberal with your own interpretation of "unlimited." Direct from their own plan contracts:

Sprint reserves the right to limit throughput speeds or amount of data transferred
 
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