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AT&T's Plans for Shared Data Packages Firming Up
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im all for it... this is the main reason why i didnt by the 3g/4g ipad 3.... because of a lack of shared data plan option..
and to the people who ask "why would i need a data plan on a tablet"... if you actually use your tablet for work, it would be great to have push email and internet to a tablet with a blutooth keyboard instead of having to type on the small iphone keyboard...
if i could have a data plan for the ipad, the iphone would really just become a phone... and i'd be willing to decrease my iphone data plan if i could get a substantial ipad data plan...
I have 3 iphones and 3 ipads. Would give up my unlimited plans in a heart beat, for a decent family shared plan.
For those of you that are getting excited, I hate to be one who bursts your bubble. You won't be "saving" anything.
For instance, let's take two people that are on a family plan and each have data on their lines at $30/each. You won't be able to save $30 by cutting out one plan and using the other plan to share. It would be awesome for us, but ATT & VZ aren't cutting their revenue streams like that.
What I believe we'll see are higher prices. Instead, you'll pay $60 for the same data plan and have the ability to share data. If you save anything, it will definitely be miniscule.
For instance, let's take two people that are on a family plan and each have data on their lines at $30/each. You won't be able to save $30 by cutting out one plan and using the other plan to share. It would be awesome for us, but ATT & VZ aren't cutting their revenue streams like that.
What I believe we'll see are higher prices. Instead, you'll pay $60 for the same data plan and have the ability to share data. If you save anything, it will definitely be miniscule.
Ralph de la Gougeya
I bet he's comfortable. Collapsing the plans gives them:
--the appearance of being responsive to consumer desires
--the opportunity to generate increased revenue with significant per kilobyte overage charges
We'll see...
I bet he's comfortable. Collapsing the plans gives them:
--the appearance of being responsive to consumer desires
--the opportunity to generate increased revenue with significant per kilobyte overage charges
We'll see...
Straight Talk, Bring your own Phone SIM Card - $15
$45 monthly for unlimited (Soft cap 2G) 3G; Talk, Text (Yes Text, unlimited too)
All using ATT's post-paid network antennas.
Oh, and if you JB and install Tetherme, you can use Native Hotspot Feature for free, and provide wifi to other devices.
ST Sim: $15
ST monthly: $45 (x 2 years) = $1080
TetherMe - $10 one time
iPhone 4S = $649.
Total 2yr Package w/ hotspot= $1754
ATT Total 2 yr package with hotspot: $1,000,000,000.
$45 monthly for unlimited (Soft cap 2G) 3G; Talk, Text (Yes Text, unlimited too)
All using ATT's post-paid network antennas.
Oh, and if you JB and install Tetherme, you can use Native Hotspot Feature for free, and provide wifi to other devices.
ST Sim: $15
ST monthly: $45 (x 2 years) = $1080
TetherMe - $10 one time
iPhone 4S = $649.
Total 2yr Package w/ hotspot= $1754
ATT Total 2 yr package with hotspot: $1,000,000,000.
I'm currently paying $50 for my 5GB + tethering plan (for iPhone/iPad) plus $30 ea for two other unlimited plans. $110/mo for 11GB/mo. I bet it'll be 10GB shared for $100. Or maybe the same for mine ($50/5GB) + $10 for ea additional 1GB per phone ($70/7GB). My point: I'm paying $10/GB today, and I bet it's unchanged with the shared plans. (Considerig "unlimited" plans as 3GB.)
Switching Carriers for Shared Data
Now that 3 major carriers in the US have the iPhone, I'm seriously considering switching my family from AT&T to Verizon when the iPhone 5 comes out. Primarily because I want:
This is important for all the carriers as a loyal customer who's been with them for a very long time (15 years in my case) can easily switch.
Now that 3 major carriers in the US have the iPhone, I'm seriously considering switching my family from AT&T to Verizon when the iPhone 5 comes out. Primarily because I want:
- Family Shared Data Plan
- Free Hotspot where the data usage comes from the family data plan (similar to what Verizon is doing for the new iPad).
This is important for all the carriers as a loyal customer who's been with them for a very long time (15 years in my case) can easily switch.
My wife and I have iPhones. I have tethering enabled, but never get above 2GB/month while her only data use is for iCloud contacts sync. If a family plan is less than our individual data cost, then I am all in.
Indeed - I'm on the lowest voice plan possible, and have so many roll over minutes, it's ridiculous. I'm at work all day long, and barely make phone calls as it is, and with the "unlimited mobile to any mobile" rolled into the cost of the text messaging plan, 450 minutes is way more than I need. I could easily get by with half.
ETA: I just checked. I have 4200 roll over minutes. Seriously?
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No it wouldn't for the exact reason (capacity) that I outlined. There is a very real issue keeping the networks from handing out large quantities of data besides wanting money.
Yes. Which is why my new iPad is Verizon based. Free hotspotting. Now if they do launch this, I may try and sell my Verizon iPad and get an AT&T one, but it will need to include tethering and hotspotting.
AT&T wants to curb our data usage. Simple as that. Less usage means less network stress. The more money they make off of faux-tiered plans is a big bonus to them but it also curbs usage.
If you have a $30 3GB plan then there is this little dance where you want to get as close to 3GB as you can without going over so you get your moneys worth, after all, you pay for 3GB whether you use it or not, and you don't want to have any overages by going over. That system sucks.
I'm all for fairness but I really think they should introduce real tiered pricing. Make it $10 per GB and allow that 1GB to be shared among all my plans devices. Why does it matter where that 1GB goes as long as I pay for it and if I need more then its just $10 per additional GB. Then, suddenly, a 3G iPad becomes more appealing, using WiFi as much as possible also becomes more appealing. Isn't that what they really want, to curb usage and push us onto WiFi as much as possible?
I can see a tiered pricing plan start to heavily compete on price or GB allotments. Down the road we might see $5 per GB then eventually $1 per GB. Data is going to become cheaper for them to "produce" and it should become cheaper for us eventually. I'm talking 10 years+ down the road but why wait to have actual tiered pricing.
Just my 2cp.
My data estimates are based on this article http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/29/2910355/dollar-per-gigabyte-mobile-data-2020-hossein-moiin
If you have a $30 3GB plan then there is this little dance where you want to get as close to 3GB as you can without going over so you get your moneys worth, after all, you pay for 3GB whether you use it or not, and you don't want to have any overages by going over. That system sucks.
I'm all for fairness but I really think they should introduce real tiered pricing. Make it $10 per GB and allow that 1GB to be shared among all my plans devices. Why does it matter where that 1GB goes as long as I pay for it and if I need more then its just $10 per additional GB. Then, suddenly, a 3G iPad becomes more appealing, using WiFi as much as possible also becomes more appealing. Isn't that what they really want, to curb usage and push us onto WiFi as much as possible?
I can see a tiered pricing plan start to heavily compete on price or GB allotments. Down the road we might see $5 per GB then eventually $1 per GB. Data is going to become cheaper for them to "produce" and it should become cheaper for us eventually. I'm talking 10 years+ down the road but why wait to have actual tiered pricing.
Just my 2cp.
My data estimates are based on this article http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/29/2910355/dollar-per-gigabyte-mobile-data-2020-hossein-moiin
Don't get your hopes up... these d-bags will find a way to make "shared data" MORE expensive for the majority of subscribers.
I have a simple solution. I doubt the carriers would go for it, but it makes the most sense to me:
1 penny per megabyte. Flat rate. Doesn't matter what device or how many you have.
No data caps, no ridiculous overage charges, no getting suckered in to buying way more data than you use (what about people who would use 1 GB/month? AT&T currently has nothing for them - it's either 250MB or 3 GB - too low or waste fully high).
This would be excellent for customers, and the reason I think AT&T (and other companies) might buy it is this: when you're charged by the megabyte, you'll try harder to conserve. This will take strain off the network because the "well if I paid for XX GB I might as well use it" mentality will go away. The only people this would not be a good option for are people with grandfathered unlimited plans who use hoards of data, and it's pretty obvious the carriers hate them anyway.
1 penny per megabyte. Flat rate. Doesn't matter what device or how many you have.
No data caps, no ridiculous overage charges, no getting suckered in to buying way more data than you use (what about people who would use 1 GB/month? AT&T currently has nothing for them - it's either 250MB or 3 GB - too low or waste fully high).
This would be excellent for customers, and the reason I think AT&T (and other companies) might buy it is this: when you're charged by the megabyte, you'll try harder to conserve. This will take strain off the network because the "well if I paid for XX GB I might as well use it" mentality will go away. The only people this would not be a good option for are people with grandfathered unlimited plans who use hoards of data, and it's pretty obvious the carriers hate them anyway.
Can't wait!
I'm really looking forward to this. I use just under 200MBs per month, and my mom (who's on my plan) uses 1-2MBs a month. Unfortunately the smallest plan is 200MBs, so she's a waste of money.
I'll either save $180 a year putting her and I under one 200MB plan, or get a little more value for the month I get close to my limit if they offer a 250/300MB family plan.
Can't wait!
I'm really looking forward to this. I use just under 200MBs per month, and my mom (who's on my plan) uses 1-2MBs a month. Unfortunately the smallest plan is 200MBs, so she's a waste of money.
I'll either save $180 a year putting her and I under one 200MB plan, or get a little more value for the month I get close to my limit if they offer a 250/300MB family plan.
Can't wait!
Any savings (probably minimal, if any) will be offset by overage charges unless carriers provided tools and safeguards to prevent you from going over. But the dirty secret is that they WANT you to go over because the marginal increase is big bucks. Approaching the cap should trigger anything from alerts to prioritized cut-off (kids phones cap first, of course). I should be able to assure that we never go over.
Four iPhones on a Family Plan
We currently have 4 iPhones on a family plan. The adults each have 2GB data plans, and the children each have 200MB plan; we're spending $80. If we can get a reasonable shared data plan for less than $80, or heck, even an $80 shared plan where we don't have to worry about the kids exceeding their 200MB allotment, I'm all in.
This doesn't include the $10 "Unlimited" data on my other child's non-smartphone.
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1 penny per MB is ~ $10/GB, which is close to what AT&T and Verizon charges now for their "largest" and and overages.
So, while I like this, it means that AT&T and Verizon lose their lowest tier, where they charge the most money. Companies like to know what their income is going to be, having tiered plans allow them to do this.
We currently have 4 iPhones on a family plan. The adults each have 2GB data plans, and the children each have 200MB plan; we're spending $80. If we can get a reasonable shared data plan for less than $80, or heck, even an $80 shared plan where we don't have to worry about the kids exceeding their 200MB allotment, I'm all in.
This doesn't include the $10 "Unlimited" data on my other child's non-smartphone.
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1 penny per MB is ~ $10/GB, which is close to what AT&T and Verizon charges now for their "largest" and and overages.
So, while I like this, it means that AT&T and Verizon lose their lowest tier, where they charge the most money. Companies like to know what their income is going to be, having tiered plans allow them to do this.
Or my situation. I have a Verizon iPhone with "unlimited" (5GB) data. I pay $30 a month for it. My fiancee has an AT&T iPhone with the minimum data play (I think it's 250 MB but i'm not sure). Either way, she doesn't use a lot of data. If we could only combine these two plans into some viable shared plan, maybe my fiancee wouldn't be getting totally ripped off.
But who am I kidding? My situation is what wireless providers want.
That's the whole idea for ATT. They made a mistake in offering the unlimited plans and really want to correct that mistake.
Why would anyone stay with AT&T with expectations of the next iPhone having LTE. Just doesn't seem reasonable. I know that AT&T's fallback HSPA+ is faster than Verizon's but that is supposed to be a fallback so technically you should not be using that very often, especially with all the money Verizon is putting into their network, it should only get better from here. With that said, I do have AT&T and will have to stay with it for another year since I'm on the iPhone 4s contract, but more importantly since I will be moving to a location where they don't have Verizon's LTE yet. As soon as that comes though I'll be purchasing my LTE iPad. Definitely looking forward to a 5-10 fb data plan and taking my iPad to the gym and being able to watch Netflix on a reasonable size screen.