And you can still use one month, cancel the next and sign up again. Just like they said.
They did not say the plans would always be the same.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
AT&T Replaces iPad Unlimited Data Plan with 2GB Capped Plan for New Customers
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
And you can still use one month, cancel the next and sign up again. Just like they said.
They did not say the plans would always be the same.
In addition to what others have said, by limiting the bandwidth, they're suppressing iPad demand (which impacts the willingness of companies to invest in iPad apps) and suppressing bandwidth intensive apps.
I have one particular friend who just ordered an iPad 3G JUST so he could watch netflix and other videos during work (he has lots of downtime apparently and no wifi connection available). Now he's f-ed, unless i give him mine this weekend and he sets up the unlimited plan. The only question for me is--do i still want his new 3G iPad when it arrives? I may pass now--because one of the major reasons i bought one was for the video capabilities while traveling. Since i travel infrequently, I don't want to pay $30 per month--because i wont' use it. My magical, revolutionary iPad has turned into something that pisses me off--and that is very disappointing to this self-admitted apple fanboy.
I may just get the wifi version and jailbreak my iphone to tether---but i'm not sure about the battery life issue. Anyone have an idea how long an iPhone battery would last? Grrr... it pisses me off just thinking about needing to use my iPhone and iPad at the same time just to use the effing internet while traveling. I loved the fact that i could entertain myself w/o killing my phone.
Now, if AT&T just upped the limit to 5GB, i'd be thrilled. That, at least, is par with the other corporate thieves, i mean cell phone companies.
I gotcha now. I was about to ask that same question about the existing iPad users. But please man, be a bit more sensitive to some of us that haven't got an iPad as of yet and won't have the chance at the $30 unlimited plan, at least you do and the rest of you guys that currently have an iPad. You're not as screwed as the rest of us that were planning to get an iPad later than June 7th.
What is outrageous?
Dave
Many of us will be paying less per month, nothing out rageous there! Is the plan perfect - no - but then again what in life is. However this plan does one thing for all AT&T customers, it puts the burden of high bandwidth usage onto the actual users. If you don't use the bandwidth then you have no problem and actually save money. Plus you get the satsfaction that you are no longer paying for somebody elses network hogging behaviour.
Dave
Well it affects me, since that was exactly what I planned to use it for. I don't know how many others.
For the record I have no problem with AT&T setting whatever limits they want on their network. Just don't sell me a $629 device leading me to believe I'll be able to use it a certain way when I won't.
How is iPad demand being supressed when one of the highest selling models was one of the wi-fi only models?
Maybe AT&T will give those who are recieiving their iPad on the 7th an extension
That was my question.
Has anyone seen this documented explicitly? I was hoping that simply "pausing" the service without terminating the account would preserve the old plan
That must be some kind of job.
But for $5/gb over the allowance - can he afford it?
Or maybe he could read more?
===================
Anyway - This is how the deal was probably done.
SJ - I want to launch the iPad with unlimited 3G
At&T - H ha, no seriously, the system cannae take it! What kind of limit do you want?
SJ - Don't make me repeat myself
At&T - You cannot change the laws of telecommunications!
SJ - You are making me angry now
At&T - Ok, how about we say "the first million 3g pads get unlimited wi-fi for life". Isn't that a great marketing slogan?
SJ - You are saying this thing will need marketing - are you new? Just change the tariff when you have enough data hogs.
At&T - But that will make us look like A***OLES!
SJ - Well, you ARE a telecoms company
At&T - Touché!
The demand hasn't been suppressed yet, but it will be. Lets face it---with a 2GB limit on 3G usage, people attracted to the iPad for its high bandwitdth applications such as ABC.com, slingbox (when that comes out), Netflix, iChat (when that comes out), etc.---probably aren't going to purchase it now. In addition, the common consumer isn't going to know how much bandwidth they'll use and the uncertainty might sway them away in fear of getting the $10,000 phone bill that hits the news every so often. IMO, this is a real big problem for the iPad right now. It presents a huge opportunity for other tablet devices to grab a huge chunk of the market share.
People have already asked AT&T about extending the program through the 7th if purchased earlier. Answer: NO.
This is exactly why we need more than 1 provider.
Gizmodo just published this little chart. Yup, knee jerk reactions are pretty accurate it would seem.
He does IT--Citrix stuff. Lots of down time when things aren't going wrong. Tis the nature of the business, from what i hear.
He'll afford it because i'm giving him my iPad so he can get grandfathered in. He's lucky he has a good friend like me
Otherwise, he was going to cancel his order.
Ok, how many have to be affected before it becomes wrong?
As to the rest of your post you are joking right?
A service is advertised as unlimited. I use the unlimited service and I am a bandwidth hog? WTF is wrong with people today. I thought only Steve had the ability to project a RDF.
I bought it with particular purposes in mind, the unlimited data COUPLED with the turn on and off at will was the attraction. I have had no need to turn it on so how can I keep what I havent got. I am certainly not willing to pay for it every month just to keep an unlimited plan.
AT&T charge for a service, it is not up to the customer to limit the usage, it is up to the service provider to sell a plan that works.
AT&T have decided to change to a plan that works for them barely 1 month after touting an unrealistic plan. How is that my fault? I am not a bandwidth hog, its just that sometimes I am in a position that I may want to do some streaming. My iPad 3G was bought with that purpose in mind because it had such an attractive plan to go with it.
What I don't understand is... okay, AT&T wants tiered pricing. $25 per 2GB and you pay more if you use more data.
But... why are they charging more for tethering? I already bought my 2GB of data. Why does it matter if I'm using it on my device or if I'm tethering it to my laptop?
But... why are they charging more for tethering? I already bought my 2GB of data. Why does it matter if I'm using it on my device or if I'm tethering it to my laptop?
Well i disagree that people were attracted to the iPad intially because of high bandwith apps. Because if it that was the case then the Wi-Fi i pad wouldnt have sold as good as it has.
i know alot of people who prefer the wifi ipad over the 3G.
Also you mention we need more than 1 provider. That's not going to fix anything because Verizon is going to charge the same data rates. It is only a matter of time yet people seem to think they are going to be a Data oasis but i suppose blindness is bliss for some.
...well...
Okay this does suck, and hopefully something will be done I'm with you guys.
Before I have to choose the unlimited plan and be stuck with it, can someone calculate how many uses of netflix, abc, and other massive apps would hit 2GB?
I try to learn all this stuff but I never really understood how many GB would be needed each month for movies, and tv shows....plus all the other little goodies such my .me account.
This does suck, AT&T should have legally had to keep their word for at least 2 years, this is way to early for this!
Okay this does suck, and hopefully something will be done I'm with you guys.
Before I have to choose the unlimited plan and be stuck with it, can someone calculate how many uses of netflix, abc, and other massive apps would hit 2GB?
I try to learn all this stuff but I never really understood how many GB would be needed each month for movies, and tv shows....plus all the other little goodies such my .me account.
This does suck, AT&T should have legally had to keep their word for at least 2 years, this is way to early for this!
guess you missed the 1 million units sold and counting that are wifi only.
for many, it won't matter.
This new AT&T data plan is totally stupid. So, Apple is saying access data from anywhere on your iPad, but AT&T is saying don't access data. I was going to sell my Wifi and buy and 3g, but does'nt really make sense. The only reason I was going to buy the 3g was for the unlimited data plan. In the long run, AT&T is shooting itself in the foot. People will go to sprint, or tmobile. Hopefully Google comes out with some nice Android tablets. I think this will definitely hurt the app store, people will be less likely to use apps since they know they have limited data. Apple should just buy tmobile or sprint, and let real mobile innovation happen. Internet did'nt success because there was a data cap. If our home internet had data caps the starting, internet would not have been successfull.
Most people won't reach the 2 GB just through "regular" iPhone usage, unless you stream stuff, which most people won't because the network sucks. Maybe more on the iPad, but it's essentially the same thing.
Tethering will allow people to use more of the 2 GB slice, which is why AT$T wants more money for essentially providing zero value.
FU AT$T
Why so soon?
It's a bit odd that they're changing the iPad plans along with the iPhone.
It's not like the iPad 3G has been out for 1.5 years and they've collected all sorts of data indicating people are swamping the 3G network with their iPads!
Sort of amazing how quickly they are doubling back on the "unlimited" promise for the iPad 3G users.
iPhone.... Different story....
But the poor iPad 3G early adopters need some vaseline for their rear end it would seem.
Ouch.
It's a bit odd that they're changing the iPad plans along with the iPhone.
It's not like the iPad 3G has been out for 1.5 years and they've collected all sorts of data indicating people are swamping the 3G network with their iPads!
Sort of amazing how quickly they are doubling back on the "unlimited" promise for the iPad 3G users.
iPhone.... Different story....
But the poor iPad 3G early adopters need some vaseline for their rear end it would seem.
Ouch.
I totally agree with this.
Only explanation: ATT wants to rip us off.
JB...more reason to JB now than EVER.
Classic, and quite possibly accurate. The other way it could have gone would have been something like this:
SJ - I want to sell iPads with unlimited 3G data plans
AT&T- Uhhhhh....ok
SJ - Can your network handle it?
AT&T - Uhhhhhh....handle what?
SJ - The additional data a few million tablets will add to the 3G load.
AT&T - Uhhhhhh....a few million whats...?
SJ - Tablets. you know, like netbooks.
AT&T - Ah, yeah, and, so, what about them now?
SJ - Just forget it. Can I offer 3G data plans for $30 per month?
AT&T - Uh...... sure, if we can be exclusive....Offer them for what again?
I agree, lets see what happens at the WWDC in a couple of weeks. If there is no announcement of carrier expansion, I suspect Apple will lose major ground in the mobile device market.