AT&T to Begin Offering Shared Data Plans in Late August

[lifeinhd]

I'm praying the next iPhone will have WiMAX. A "cellular" network with the towers being the phones themselves-- how cool is that???

(Unfortunately, it's so cool it won't happen )

 

[Razeus]

Why does having a basic phone, which only requires text and voice minutes, cost $30 a month????????????????????????

These guys are playing games with the pricing.

 

[QCassidy352]

The key point about this, buried at the end of the article, is that AT&T, unlike vzn, is not killing its existing plans. That means that for a new user who just wants one iPhone, vzn has priced themselves way above AT&T.

The plans themselves look ok. I'm on a shared plan with 3 iPhones with 2gb each and one iphone that has 4gb with tether. 700 min that we never use (4000+ rollover) and unlimited text. Total cost: $240. Exactly the same as for 4 iPhones with 10 gb data.

The differences would be: would we all get tethering, or would the one person who has it, lose it? And the new plan would make getting a 4g iPad a lot more appealing. At $30 a month it's not worth it for the limited times I need cell data, but at $10/mo I'd do it.

 

[krashx7]

So basically if you only have two iphones on your plan your getting screwed.. awesome

 

[troop231]

I think I'll pass on these plans.

Currently paying $76 a month for 450 minutes + unlimited text + 2GB of data

 

[tasset]

True, but when you're bill is only $30ish a month for unlimited talk, text, and (seemingly) unlimited data who wants to leave? We've been on our current plan for 3 years and honestly, I have no idea when our contract expires. I keep track of when phone's are eligible for discounted upgrades but we're not leaving AT&T. It's my experience that everyone hates their ISP and cell phone company. They all suck, you just have to pick the one that sucks the less for you.

Oh, on your calculation. You can bank on your discount only applying to the data bucket of $120. Not each line's access charge. That discount will only be about $30.

 

[NoExpectations]

I have 4 iPhones, 4 iPads (4G). This is looking good for me.


Current Plan: Total Cost = $300. Limited minutes, can't share data.

New Plan: Total Cost = $280 (10GB Plan). Unlimited minutes, and I can share data.

 

[cvaldes]

I think I'll pass on these plans.

Currently paying $76 a month for 450 minutes + unlimited text + 2GB of data

I think I'll pass on these plans.

Currently paying $45 a month for unlimited minutes + unlimited text + 2GB of data

 

[NoExpectations]

I'm praying the next iPhone will have WiMAX. A "cellular" network with the towers being the phones themselves-- how cool is that???

(Unfortunately, it's so cool it won't happen )

I doubt it. Sprint is abandoning WIMAX as we speak.

 

[lou2ser]

Oh, on your calculation. You can bank on your discount only applying to the data bucket of $120. Not each line's access charge. That discount will only be about $30.

Do you have a source for that? Currently I'm discounted on everything except messaging.

EDIT: My mistake, you're right.

Monthly Charges - Jun 27 thru Jul 26
1. FamilyTalk Nation 1400 with Rollover 9.99
2. AT&T A-LIST 0.00
3. Family Messaging Unlimited with Mobile to 0.00
4. DataPro 2GB for iPhone 25.00
5. National Account Discount 6.00CR
Total Monthly Charges 28.99

But this is still a decent deal. My bill will only drop about $5 a month, but my mother-in-law and brother's bills will drop $30 a month, plus they get data plans.

 

[Josh125]

So, no answer on the Hotspot? Is it free or will it cost? Just curious.

I'm moving over to Verizon anyway, cuz AT&T still hasn't fixed their signal issues.

There is no mention of it in their press release. They do discuss that users have access to X number of AT&T hotspots, which of course is not the same as a personal hotspot. It seems they would have stated hotspots were included explicitly like VZ did. I'm going to say that no, they aren't included.

The VZ plan worked well for my family. We saved money and got personal hotspots.

 

[jman240]

This makes Sprints plans look awesome. Also Tmobile is now the cheapest for a smart phone owner I think. Here's hoping their networks get updated soon...

For instance. Sprint charges $130 for their family everything data plan with 1500 minutes and includes 2 lines. Each additional phone is $20 and if it's a smart phone it's an additional $10. This includes unlimited data and texting.

So
1st Phone $130 (its the family plan starting price but it includes 2 phones so...) +$10
2nd Phone $140 . +$10 for smart phone data
3rd Phone $150 + $20 + $10 (if its a smart phone = premium data)
4th Phone $180 + $20 + $10
5th Phone $210 + $20 + $10

5 iPhones on sprint with UNLIMITED data, UNLIMITED texting and 1500 minutes = $240. Probably hits $260 out the door with taxes, fees, and other bs. Winner is Sprint here lol, except their network likely sucks for most people....

 

[tigress666]

AT&T is launching its new plans as of "late August", and current customers will not be required to switch to shared data, although they may do so without extending the length of their contracts. New customers will have the option of selecting from the new shared data plans or the carrier's existing individual or family plans.

If I were a new customer, the fact I could still go with the existing plans would be a huge plus in AT&T's factor. And I'm very relieved they aren't going to force me on the new plans either (I'm not clear on that with Verizon. Would they grandfather old plans that weren't unlimited and subsidize your phone, or were you forced to go to a new plan if you wanted to get a subsidized phone?).

 

[ScottYelich]

Greed?

Can someone please explain to me why one must pay MONTHLY PER DEVICE to have access to a data stream that you're also paying for MONTHLY?

I could understand a one time registration fee per device, if you wanted to go there... but if I'm paying for, say, 10GB data -- and I have 10 slots where I can put in device IDs (pins? whatever) -- why do I also then have to pay MONTHLY for each of those devices -- what is the burden on the provider of keeping track of a device that seems to warrant this (insane?) cost point?

I have an LTE ipad3 -- no data plan. Why? I have unlimited data on my iphone. What I'd like to do is pay for some data amount and use it either on my ipad3 OR my iphone. But I have to pay basically $40 +/- a month PER DEVICE?

Am I crazy to think it should be something like:

$XXX base ($25? $50?)
$X per GB (where $X is far less than $15!)
20 devices [max] (free? or one time "association" fee?)
[20 devices -- family of 5 each with 2 devices still only means 10 devices]

I think I pay $85 or so a month now for my limited "unlimited" plan -- but only on my iphone. My ipad is data dead (thanks AT&T).

So, now I want to share both devices and use the LTE as a hotspot while doing 6 hrs a week on amtrak (Amtrak connect out of NYC gets 1 to 10KB down usually -- ie: 100% unusable).

$50 base
$30 10GB @ $3 per GB

$80 ...

That's close to what I pay now, both my devices would be usable, it's only 2X the "unlimited" amount (5GB, right?) and I can tether on my ipad3.

Why would this make AT&T go bankrupt? at $4 per GB it's $90 and they actually make $5 (or so) more from me.

Also, I'm interested in what happens when data reaches the limit. Are we back to insane data overage costs? or will data just be blocked unless we pony up more cash to "rectify" our data consumption addiction?

It's funny how with talk minutes, you can get some carry over -- but does this happen with data? If I'm paying for unlimited... ahem, I mean 10GB/mo and I only use < 1GB a month, can I get a bank of +10 (max?) in case I hit an overage? of course not -- there's no profit in that and I'm sure it would lead to the downfall of civilization as we know it.

Scott

 

[Jamesesesesess]

I can't believe how greedy US providers are prices in Europe are dirt cheap.

According to this, we'll be paying ~$10 more a month with our family plan with 3 iPhones. I guess it's not a horrible deal considering we'd be getting unlimited minutes, but we rarely make calls anyway, that's why we have 450 minutes/month

 

[tigress666]

So basically if you only have two iphones on your plan your getting screwed.. awesome

No, unlike Verizon you just keep your old plan . Even if you are a new customer you can pay the "old" way if you wish cause they plan on still offering the other type plans.

I agree, these family plans (Both AT&T and Verizon's) are a rip off for two phones.

 

[nick_elt]

Yes, but remind me, how much for 4 litres of petrol?

How many american soldiers died so you can get ur cheap petrol?

 

[dugbee]

I wish I could reduce my voice minutes. The 450 is a waste for me. Odds are if it's not iMessage or email, I'm not interested in talking unless it's in person. Just give me the data!

 

[QCassidy352]

This makes Sprints plans look awesome. Also Tmobile is now the cheapest for a smart phone owner I think. Here's hoping their networks get updated soon...

But sprint's coverage is terrible, and their iPhone speeds are criminal. I'd rather get gouged for service that works than get a good deal on service that doesn't.

 

[Lord Bodak]

How the FAN discount applies to these plans will be one of the keys for me. Wonder how/when we'll find out abou that.

 

[jayducharme]

People who felt AT&T wouldn't ever, ever go down this route can now see that the two big carriers are virtually price fixing.

I tend to agreed. But I too am going to have to research these prices more. On the surface, it looks like I could make out okay, though I'd have to relinquish my grandfathered unlimited data plan. We have the Family Plan, costing about $155 a month. But my wife and I rarely use over 250mb a month anyway. So if we switched to the 1 gb plan, we could conceivably shave quite a bit off our bill.

 

[Razeus]

A clever way to jack up prices.

I currently pay $155 for 2 iPhones and 1 basic phone, $180 after taxes and fees.
I have unlimited data on my iPhone, 2GB data on the other iPhone, unlimited texting and 450 minute plan, which I barely use and have accumulated thousands of rollover minutes - plus 9 out of 10 people I know use AT&T so my calls are free anyway.

With these new "scheme", I'd opt for 4GB, but that would cost me:
$70 (service) + $40 (iPhone 1) + $40 (iPhone 2) + $30 (basic phone fee) = $180, BEFORE the taxes and fees which would bump me up to ~$200.

For the $30 basic phone fee, I might as well get another smartphone for an extra $10! Then I have to wonder if 4GB of data is enough for the 3 of us and probably would have to bump to 6GB of data for an extra $5.

Clever way to force people into high prices, while still getting the service from a company that continues to tell me how I use the data I pay for. They BETTER not charge for Facetime over cellular, that's for damn sure.

 

[zin]

Yes, but remind me, how much for 4 litres of petrol?

You got me on that one.

 

[FSUSem1noles]

So my brother can close his account and my mother-in-law can close her account? Then they can both move to my new shared plan? With no additional fees?

This keeps getting better and better. These changes will probably shave $200 a month off my extended family's bills. :-D

Depending on the data plan you're sharing, you're going to be paying between $30-45 dollars per phone + taxes.. ATT isn't going to let you move 2 phones to a shared plan and not impose any monthly charges on it...

 

[AppleDroid]

Ah but what I haven't seen yet is how AT&T will handle discounts moving forward. Verizon is making more money off the same people because they now have their smartphone fee as a service charge which are exempt from discounts. AT&T looks to be doing the same thing so for the exact same plan we have now (1400/3B x2 phones) we will pay close to $24 more a month if that's true.

The real value seems to be in having a bunch of devices. My breakdowns:

Our current bill (4 iPhones, 1 dumbphone) is $230. Split 5 ways is $45 a person. The 4 iPhones use roughly 6GB a month, split between one unlimited plan and three 2GB plans. Say I want to add an iPad to the mix, it would be $30 for 3GB bringing my monthly total to $270, split 5 ways is $54.

If we add a four more, low bandwidth users it breaks down to:
10GB: $120
User 1: $30
User 2: $30
User 3: $30
User 4: $30
User 5: $30
User 6: $30
User 7: $30
User 8: $30
User 9: $30
iPad: $10
Total: $400
minus discount (24%): $96
Grand total: $304
Divided 10 ways: $30.40 + a few bucks in taxes

----------

For the $30 basic phone fee, I might as well get another smartphone for an extra $10! Then I have to wonder if 4GB of data is enough for the 3 of us and probably would have to bump to 6GB of data for an extra $5.

Clever way to force people into high prices, while still getting the service from a company that continues to tell me how I use the data I pay for. They BETTER not charge for Facetime over cellular, that's for damn sure.

Yep that's exactly what they want. Eat up that data NOMNOM!