AT&T Rolls Out Cheaper Unlimited Plans, iPhone Monthly Rate Drops $30

[ToroidalZeus]

I'm also now firmly in the "bring on the tiered pricing" camp. I looked at our past 12 months of usage, and the most data my wife and I (combined) have used is 150MB. I'm paying $60/month for that. I love having it, because we use it all the time, but it's just email/web stuff, so the data is minimal. But I'm paying a ton per MB for it right now.

Be careful for what you ask for....

If at&t offered a 512mb 5 dollar a month plan, i could easily see the vast majority (90%) of iPhone subscribers switching to that. Which means AT&T would getting ~1/6th the money they received before. So they would need to add 6x the data subscribers they have now to recoup the costs. Now the bad part, i could actually see thing happening. If people are complaining about having 1000kbps less speed right now, imagine what having 6 times as many users would do?

The way that i see it is that high data rate is to keep the subscribers relatively low until the current wireless carriers can upgrade their networks to support larger bandwidth.

 

[Marvin1379]

More like:
10MB - $10
100MB - $20
Unlimited - $30

Else practically everyone would get the 1GB for $10 option.
1GB is A LOT of data usage. Even at this pricing tier I think a good number of people could probably stay in that 100MB category without any real problems.

Last month I used 389MB of data on my iPhone and i use data everyday. Not streaming and downloading, but email, apps, weather, searches, internet, etc...i don't think i could get to 5GB if i tried!!!

 

[iSaint]

All this talk about plenty of rollover minutes leads me to my own story. Wife goes off on alcoholic binges this summer, leaving kids and me at home. Finally rescue her from crazy people in the middle of the night after calling her all night. No problem with minutes there, but get her into rehab, then call hospitals, relatives, insurance, employer for help and information. Wife gets out after six weeks and starts calling friends and family. After all this - rollover minutes gone, 400 or more over first month, 300 the next. $500, $660, and $320 bills in consecutive months.

Save 'em for that emergency you think will never happen.

FML

 

[alannala]

AT&T data plan too expensive

many people don't use much of their data plans on AT&T... but we pay a lot for the unlimited plan. Why not use it? why not stream audio or video all the time? see what happens when we actually start using it on an unlimited basis....

 

[marksman]

Nice. Reduction of fees and then they can pop in tethering for $25 a month.

 

[marksman]

With Sprint I get an unlimited data and text plan with 1400 minutes, free nights and weekends starting at 7, and free calling to any other cell phone 24/7, which is virtually unlimited because only calls to land lines during peak hours actually deduct from my 1400 plan minutes.

For two phones, that's $129. For the two-line "unlimited" plan with text on AT&T, it's $209.

Once you say "With Sprint" it doesn't matter what follows.

They could pay you $50 a month to use their unlimited service on unlimited lines with unlimited free phones and it would not be worth it.

 

[butterfly0fdoom]

i don't think i could get to 5GB if i tried!!!

I've tethered with my dumbphone at least 5 times in the last month. My dad with his non-tethering iPhone still managed to use more data than me. Neither of us has used anywhere near 1GB of data, either, not even combined.

All this tiered plan talk makes me think about 4 years ago, when data plans were tiered, at least for dumbphones (even ATT dumbphones now are stuck with pay-as-you-go or unlimited data, I think, since the latter is what I have). I think they had 10MB, 50MB, 100MB, 500MB, and 1GB tiers back then.

 

[Steve686]

Voice minutes on ATT is tiered according to how much is included in each plan. These plans also have rollover minutes included.

IF...ATT does do a tiered data plan, does anyone see "Rollover Megabytes"? This would be an interesting alternative to unlimited data plans. On that note, I would love to have "Rollover Messaging". I have Unlimited Messaging and average about 1200 messages a month. I would choose the 1500 plan but sometimes I hit 1700.

Also. Seeing as ATT has adjusted their voice plans more in line with other carriers, especially Verizon, is it possible they are readying for a Verizon iPhone being announced in the near future and trying to keep and attract subscribers?

 

[Rocketman]

My first impression is, "that's what they LOWERED it to?!"

I have an iPhone 2(.75)G (EDGE) on paygo (past the original contract) and it is FAR cheaper. AT&T claims it cannot be "released" so I can put a T-mobile SIM in it part of the time. Further they warn quite vigerously that changing SIMs could and likely would DAMAGE the phone. So I asked, oh, you mean like an SD card in a camera, eh? Silence was golden.

I get the impression that being beyond contract and on paygo I am "released" and I should do as I choose.

I could be wrong, but I so rarely am, and wish to be informed when it is the case. Fast.

Rocketman

 

[Melodeath]

Further they warn quite vigerously that changing SIMs could and likely would DAMAGE the phone. So I asked, oh, you mean like an SD card in a camera, eh? Silence was golden.

Hmmm?

 

[thor48]

My first impression is, "that's what they LOWERED it to?!"

I have an iPhone 2(.75)G (EDGE) on paygo (past the original contract) and it is FAR cheaper. AT&T claims it cannot be "released" so I can put a T-mobile SIM in it part of the time. Further they warn quite vigerously that changing SIMs could and likely would DAMAGE the phone. So I asked, oh, you mean like an SD card in a camera, eh? Silence was golden.

I get the impression that being beyond contract and on paygo I am "released" and I should do as I choose.

I could be wrong, but I so rarely am, and wish to be informed when it is the case. Fast.

Rocketman

Very good question. I am also beyond the contract and would like to know my legal options.

 

[macdaddy57]

AT&T Are STILL Jerks!!!

How about cutting the price for those of us who don't come anywhere *close* to using a lot of data instead of insuring that you now have a regular $99.99 monthly revenue stream from X number of your customers???

I HATE AT&T AND I WISH THE COMPANY WOULD GO BANKRUPT!!!

 

[diamond.g]

How about cutting the price for those of us who don't come anywhere *close* to using a lot of data instead of insuring that you now have a regular $99.99 monthly revenue stream from X number of your customers???

I HATE AT&T AND I WISH THE COMPANY WOULD GO BANKRUPT!!!

With all the profit that would be impressive.

 

[krye]

Thanks for lowering the price, but you'd think that unlimited dropped calls would be free.

 

[125037]

Every texting plan remains at 99.9% profit.

I don't understand how it is 99.9% profit when they have to pay for and maintain all of the "servers" (I don't know how cell networks function or if that term even makes sense with the situation) to handle all of the data transfer... I don't know.


PS: Why are so many people complaining. They've done something good (better). Price change or not your satisfaction and the quality of service they provide is still the same as it was last week only it's cheaper now. Even if you feel you were getting ripped off before, either way the price has been decreased.

 

[aberjohnny24]

This new plan doesn't make any sense to me and doesn't look like it is going to save much money, unless I'm missing something. I currently spend $110.00 per month for 900 minutes with, of course unlimited data which I don't even use much of (I'm one of the lucky customers who lives in a NON 3G area that doesn't have the time to sit and wait for a video to load or some big file to open. I'm sorry, but us EDGE using customers should be compensated in some way for not being able to use the full potential of a $300 3G device that relies on a fast network. AT&T drops the ball once again!) and then unlimited text messaging. Like I said, all that adds up to $110.00 a month. This new unlimited plan is $99.00 a month but doesn't include unlimited text? If I were to add unlimited texts, that would bring the price up to $120.00. Where am I saving any money? I'm spending $10 more per month. And I never come close to using all of my 900 minutes and my 1500 roll over minutes. In essence, I already have a unlimited minutes plan and a unlimited data plan. Am I not making any sense here. Include the text messaging in your new plan AT&T and we have a deal!!

 

[Steve686]

This new plan doesn't make any sense to me and doesn't look like it is going to save much money, unless I'm missing something. I currently spend $110.00 per month for 900 minutes with, of course unlimited data which I don't even use much of (I'm one of the lucky customers who lives in a NON 3G area that doesn't have the time to sit and wait for a video to load or some big file to open. I'm sorry, but us EDGE using customers should be compensated in some way for not being able to use the full potential of a $300 3G device that relies on a fast network. AT&T drops the ball once again!) and then unlimited text messaging. Like I said, all that adds up to $110.00 a month. This new unlimited plan is $99.00 a month but doesn't include unlimited text? If I were to add unlimited texts, that would bring the price up to $120.00. Where am I saving any money? I'm spending $10 more per month. And I never come close to using all of my 900 minutes and my 1500 roll over minutes. In essence, I already have a unlimited minutes plan and a unlimited data plan. Am I not making any sense here. Include the text messaging in your new plan AT&T and we have a deal!!

Why don't you wait until the official plans are announced before you get too irate? You may be in for some good news about your current plan with 900 minutes. Since they are dropping the price on the unlimited voice minutes, the other plans may have price drops also. Tomorrow we'll all know.

 

[Iso79]

Not much of price savings if you ask me. It's still cheaper to get an Android phone with unlimited data plan plus texting with better 3g network service on Verizon and Sprint.

 

[OneMike]

many people don't use much of their data plans on AT&T... but we pay a lot for the unlimited plan. Why not use it? why not stream audio or video all the time? see what happens when we actually start using it on an unlimited basis....

That's what I started doing.. to an extent.

When I first got iPhone 3GS I noticed first month I used like 200mb of data maybe.

The major problem is unless your phone is jailbroken and you use backgrounder it's almost impossible to use a large amount of data and actually use your phone.

I use RadioBox backgrounded on my trip to and from work 5x a week, and misc times throughout the week. That's really my biggest used app on the data end. I also don't put my iPhone on wifi unless I'm connecting to my mac through JaaduVNC or something. Have to set simplify music back up. That way I can at least access my library.

I'm using 2GB+ a month now, but in reality that's still not much. Only real way to take advantage of iPhone / data with current policy is to be jailbroken.

 

[JeffDM]

I don't understand how it is 99.9% profit when they have to pay for and maintain all of the "servers" (I don't know how cell networks function or if that term even makes sense with the situation) to handle all of the data transfer... I don't know.

To me, the demands of SMS don't seem any more stringent than email, but I've never been charged a per-email fee, it's always built into the service. I'm not sure why people are willing to pay so much, I avoid it and I tend to give SMS senders an earful after I get one.

PS: Why are so many people complaining. They've done something good (better). Price change or not your satisfaction and the quality of service they provide is still the same as it was last week only it's cheaper now. Even if you feel you were getting ripped off before, either way the price has been decreased.

The satisfaction wasn't very high that I recall, so that's not saying much.

many people don't use much of their data plans on AT&T... but we pay a lot for the unlimited plan. Why not use it? why not stream audio or video all the time? see what happens when we actually start using it on an unlimited basis....

WiFi is generally faster & has less latency than cellular data. Usually, I'm near a WiFi point that I can use. Due to high use of metal for construction (siding, roofs & structure), reception indoors tends to be poor, making cellular data a little frustrating.

 

[raccoontail]

I've never upgraded my 4GB EDGE iPhone because AT&T's initial iPhone plan is still the best value they've offered. Unlimited EDGE data, 200 texts, and 400 minutes, and my bill is under $70/month including taxes. Yes edge is slow and no GPS is a pain sometimes, but even this new "discount" plan is over $400 a year more.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I don't understand how it is 99.9% profit when they have to pay for and maintain all of the "servers" (I don't know how cell networks function or if that term even makes sense with the situation) to handle all of the data transfer... I don't know.


PS: Why are so many people complaining. They've done something good (better). Price change or not your satisfaction and the quality of service they provide is still the same as it was last week only it's cheaper now. Even if you feel you were getting ripped off before, either way the price has been decreased.

To understand why it is 99.9% profit on SMS is it takes to understand how SMS works.
SMS piggy backs on the signal your phone uses to talk with the tower to tell it were it is and that it is receiving a signal. This is a lower power mode for the phone and is on a different channel than with voice and data (hence the reason you can receive a text when on a phone call on Edge or lower one). It is very basic.

The only added cost for ATT is having a few servers to handle the messages and on the back end it would be like an Email server at most. Those things can handle HUGE amounts of SMS because they are such small data packets. All it has to do is put out a singal for *Phone number* and it goes out to said phone.

It has very little cost to AT&T since it does not suck up tower band withe, the .1% not profit is what it cost to maintain the servers and even then those server are more than likely just the *Here I am servers* so again a non issue making it almost pure profit.

 

[deepen03]

How about for non-unlimited customers?

I currently have a 2-line plan with AT&T with One Iphone and one regular phone with 550 minutes and 200 texts on one line and we pay $110 per month. Thats pretty ridiculous.. How about they lower the prices for regular customers too?

 

[twoodcc]

i'm glad to see them lower the price, but what about the other plans? the text plans need to be lowered

 

[gadgetguy08]

Sorry, maybe I'm missing something, but AT&T's site still says monthly fees for an unlimited plan are $99 plus $30 for data. That makes $129/mo for unlimited voice and data. Not $99. Am I just confused?

EDIT: Never mind. Just saw the "effective Monday" in the OP.