AT&T's Plans for Shared Data Packages Firming Up

[garylapointe]

Unlimited Data? NO WAY!

And to sign up for this offer, most likely you'll need to give up your unlimited data too...

Gary

 

[CmdrThor]

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.

With a family plan AT&T can be similar price. I am not going to compare your tethering because you are probably violating your terms of service, whether StraightTalk is checking or not.

Family plan 2000 voice minutes with rollover: $99
4 extra lines at $10 each: $40
Unlimited text (also gets us unlimited voice minutes to ANY mobile): $30
3GB data plan at $30 each: $150

Monthly cost: $320
2 years service: $7,680
iPhone 4s: $199 * 5 = $955

Total for 5 phones: $8,675
2 year price per line: $1,735

This is pretty much what my actual family plan looks like except our data plans are 2 GB, 2 GB, 300 MB, Unlimited, and 4 GB w/ tethering for a total of $145 monthly for our data plans. With unlimited mobile to mobile we never use many of our minutes, we currently have 11,000+ rollover minutes, so that is practically unlimited voice.

Not everyone can get the ideal 5 people on one plan, but the per line cost is pretty much the same as your StraightTalk example.

 

[nutmac]

I strongly suspect the pricing and feature will be identical to DataPro 5GB Personal plan. Share 5GB across family for $50/month, with hotspot capability thrown in. And pay $10 for each additional GB.

This price would be identical to having DataPro (3GB) and DataPlus (300MB) features, but you get more bandwidth shared across two or more iPhones, with option to use Hotspot.

 

[AWallen90]

Currently have 5 iPhones each with the 200MB plan. If shared data was priced the same we could have 3 times the data, 3GB, for less than half the price.

 

[aajeev]

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.

I like this idea, it's simply and save money (depends on you I guess). I'm lucky, I have 4 VZW phone lines that is grandfather into the unlimited data plan right now. However, looking at our data usage over the last 6 months, the most we have ever got close to was the 4Gb (about 200mb under). But it is also currently running me $120+tax for the 4 lines. Now, I have the iPhone and use it mostly for email, social networking, web surfing, and very rarely Skype with people overseas. I personally average about 400-500mb per month, over 6 months period. That means if we adopt the penny/mb plan, I'd be paying about 4-5 dollars a month and I think that is a lot better than paying $30 monthly. Even for the most heavy user in my plan, about 1.5Gb per month, that will still run me $15 vs. $30 dollars. So I'd say the penny/mb plan would certainly benefit a certain group of people.

I think the analogy is like going to a buffet. Most people are full after about the second or third plate, they simply won't and don't want to eat more. But the idea of knowing that you can have what you want and how much you want plays a funny thing with your brain. I for one would gladly give up my unlimited plan to adopt this one, if I can save close to $80 a month (assume I use 4Gb on average). But again, I do agree with most people here, that these companies are not out to help us they are out to get us...

 

[Ingot]

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.

This is how it is with Bell. I have 3 iphones and paying the same price for 5 gb of data. I think about $65 each. They are a shared plan but all that means is that if I go over the 5gb in a month I can use either the data from my wife or daughters' iphone plan. No savings but up to 15 gb of data a month.

 

[ixodes]

Times change & things change. It's just a fact. Some people embrace change without getting emotional and enraged. Others? Well perhaps owning a smartphone is not for you.

I've enjoyed stellar service from AT&T and nearly equal service from Verizon. I thoroughly enjoy my iPhones. The cost to operate them is simply a part of smartphone ownership.

If you can't afford it, that's not the carriers problem. Nor has crying about it, ever solved anything.

This moment of honesty, brought to you by one happy iPhone owner

 

[chairguru22]

They can charge a LOT less and still make money.

Or they can charge you what they are now and still make money. Businesses are in the business to make money first, not to help customers or create a better world. Don't forget that.

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Times change & things change. It's just a fact. Some people embrace change without getting emotional and enraged. Others? Well perhaps owning a smartphone is not for you.

And people need to remember that these smartphones (iPhones) are still just beta. The Nokia Lumia is out now.

 

[Herdfan]

I strongly suspect the pricing and feature will be identical to DataPro 5GB Personal plan. Share 5GB across family for $50/month, with hotspot capability thrown in. And pay $10 for each additional GB.

I am paying $100/mo now for data (2x30+25+15) There is no way way AT&T is going to cut my data bill in half. Even to get rid of 2 unlimited data plans.

 

[dstankus]

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!

More likely you will get one 400mb plan for what you're paying now for two 200mb plans. But they'll tell you you're coming out ahead because you can share the mb's between the two of you.

While this is technically true, it's not going to be some huge windfall for people. That's probably what's taking them so long to figure out; how to make it look like we're "getting something," with minimal impact to their revenue...

 

[canman4PM]

Canada Rocks!

This is how it is with Bell. I have 3 iphones and paying the same price for 5 gb of data. I think about $65 each. They are a shared plan but all that means is that if I go over the 5gb in a month I can use either the data from my wife or daughters' iphone plan. No savings but up to 15 gb of data a month.

And on the down side we have 3 year plans for fully subsidized phones.

However, data sharing and tethering are included, no charge with Rogers (for sure), Bell and Telus (I think). And have been for over a year. When the iPad first came out I was like "no way I'm paying an extra $150 for the 3G capability just to pay my carrier extra every month for a data plan. By the time iPad 2 came out, the big 3 up here were all offerening data sharing and tethering for free.

I have watched a hockey game on my iMac, when my internet/cable was out, buy plugging my iPhone into the computer. It was only a tiny bit laggy.

EDIT: probably 6 of one, half dozen of the other...

 

[k1121j]

good excuse for a price hike

good excuse for a price hike seeing how they like to hide things the will make it as hard to understand as possible

 

[tido2012]

I agree with your statement of having to pick on what is best for you in the areas you are in the most. Although, the part where you refer to one tower in the downtown area and hint at this being a marketing gimmick that only Verizon is capable of doing seems flawed. I do not doubt that AT&T has not tried the same marketing gimmick. One bigger one that is somewhat irritating to me is the fact that my iphone 4s HSPA+ has a 4G on the top left hand corner. Is it faster than Verizon's 3G...yes. But to state it being 4G is in my opinion false advertising.

Having both AT&T iPhones (4) and a Verizon LTE iPad they are not the same. This past weekend we took a trip that had us in every state in the Southeast US (x FL). In some areas the iPad showed LTE coverage but would not connect. And in others it was slow. (It did absolutely rock on the Auburn campus). And places where AT&T sucked, Verizon LTE was great.

You need to pick a carrier based on what is best for you in the areas you are in most. Verizon technically has my market lit if you count one tower in the downtown area, but AT&T is stronger overall.

As for the tiered data plan, with the 4 iPhones we have 2 are on unlimited, 1 on the 2GB plan and one on the 200 MB plan. So we pay 30+30+25+15 or $100 month. Even if the price stays at $100 and I am limited to 8.25GB, that is better than what I have. My wife is grandfathered on the unlimited plan, but may use 500MB. My daughter on the 2GB plan uses 2 GB. If it wasn't for WiFi at the house, she would blow 2GB away. So being able to just combine our current total data into one pool would be beneficial.

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I agree with choosing what works in your area, but with LTE being the next thing it seems stupid to stick with a company (once the new phones come out) that is years behind Verizon with regards to their LTE rollout. I'm stuck with AT&T and have not really had problems with them, but as a customer I will not stick with a company simply because they have been nice. I will leave them for being unpleasant (yes i know this is a double standard..but let's face it, you're paying for the service). Either way, the first rule of choosing what works in your area is a smart one, but once technology changes you have to re-evaluate. For now AT&T has my business, but in a couple of years when it's time to upgrade to LTE, I seriously doubt they will have the best option in my area.

umm lets see. They hate Verizon more,
Or AT&T service is better were they are and works for them great.
I have no reason to leave AT&T. It is not like I get a cost saving to go to Verizon and I never have had an issue with AT&T.

First rule of choosing cell service. CHOOSE WHAT WORKS IN YOUR AREA.
Rule 2. See rule 1.
Rule 3. See rule 2.

Break rule 1 2 or 3, you are stupid.

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I could see them using this to help kill off the grandfathers unlimited plans they do want to get ride of. They removed a huge incentive by having the only 1g+ plan at 30 dollars. No reason to give it up for 0 in savings.

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Best point yet...I do love my watchespn app...even though they disabled airplay to apple tv recently.

i have a verizon phone for work and both carriers about the same

i use only 1GB a month or so on my iphone and don't care about LTE

ESPN gamecast does not need LTE

 

[tqmcguire]

There's no way any power user will save money. Right now I'm paying $50 for 5GB and tethering and $30 for my wife's 2GB. I see the pricing going something like this:

$50 for 5GB for up to 2 devices
$60 for 5GB for up to 3 devices
$80 for 8GB for up to 3 devices
$90 for 8GB for up to 4 devices
$100 for 10GB for up to 5 devices


Plus $20 and 2GB for each device you want Personal Hotspot/Tethering on.
Plus $10 for each additional 1GB overage.
This stays in line with their $10/GB pricing scheme.

So don't think you're gonna sign up a family of 5 for 5GB for $50. They'll have a maximum number of devices you can have sharing a certain amount of data and the lowest will be 2 but I'm thinking possibly 3 sharing 5GB but that's pushing it. If they let 3 devices share 5GB it'll be $60. There's no way they're losing money on this. They'll make more off of Power Users and less off the couples or 3 phone families.

 

[mytakeontech]

Let's pretend that we work for ATT and...

the CEO of ATT has asked us to come up with the Shared Data Plan feature that will...


1. Show a carrot to customers and make them feel that the plan is good
2. Make more money to ATT on Data than the current structure.
3. Has better future growth in revenue than the current plan.

Okay not let's see what we can do.

-------------------------------
Let's start...

Usually the goal of such companies is, give customers more even though they don't need it and use it and charge them more i.e. force them to buy something that they don't need and don't leave any option where they can purchase the same product for cheap.

 

[nutmac]

I am paying $100/mo now for data (2x30+25+15) There is no way way AT&T is going to cut my data bill in half. Even to get rid of 2 unlimited data plans.

There probably will be usually $10 per line surcharge (with second line possibly free), but I don't think the plan will be significantly differently priced than DataPro Personal.

The goal is to attract more customers adding data feature to their plan, while still making enough revenue and profit to balance out subscribers that will be saving money.

 

[Snowy_River]

There probably will be usually $10 per line surcharge (with second line possibly free), but I don't think the plan will be significantly differently priced than DataPro Personal.

The goal is to attract more customers adding data feature to their plan, while still making enough revenue and profit to balance out subscribers that will be saving money.

I was wondering why no one seemed to get that this wasn't just about saving money for existing customers. Right now, my wife and I would love to both have iPhones. What holds us back is the data cost. I have a 3G iPad 2, which I sometimes purchase data for, but I buy the 250MB package. There's just no way that, even if we both had iPhones and put my iPad onto our account, we would ever exceed 2 GB in a month altogether, let alone individually. Wifi is just too ubiquitous to need data that much. But, if they allowed us to get a 2GB plan that could be shared, we could probably justify the cost.

Thus, while they might be giving some customers a price break by allowing them to have shared data, they'd also be gaining new (data) customers like me and my wife. So, of course it's a balancing act. If there's effectively no price break with a shared plan, then there's no motivation for new customers (like me and my wife) to sign up. Thus there is, in essence, lost revenue.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I agree with choosing what works in your area, but with LTE being the next thing it seems stupid to stick with a company (once the new phones come out) that is years behind Verizon with regards to their LTE rollout. I'm stuck with AT&T and have not really had problems with them, but as a customer I will not stick with a company simply because they have been nice. I will leave them for being unpleasant (yes i know this is a double standard..but let's face it, you're paying for the service). Either way, the first rule of choosing what works in your area is a smart one, but once technology changes you have to re-evaluate. For now AT&T has my business, but in a couple of years when it's time to upgrade to LTE, I seriously doubt they will have the best option in my area.

See rule 1, 2 and 3.

It does not matter if LTE is coming for Verizon. If Verizon service is not as good as AT&T where you live then what makes you think it will get better with LTE.

As for LTE and AT&T. Sorry not a reason for me yet again. AT&T LTE is faster than Verizon and I was in one of the first cities (Houston) AT&T turned it on in. Future improvements get turned on here first as well. So As I pointed out I followed 3 basic rules and where I live and spend my tim.

Never count on "promises" from any of the companies. Verizon for example "promised" to be in Lubbock in 6 months at one point to keep my family on them. That 6 months turned into 4 years and even then it was crap at best. Mind you we left them after as our contracts start coming up.

 

[Dionte]

How about just include tethering with all data plans.

 

[zync]

If he is "comfortable" then that is not good news for us.

That is exactly what popped into my head when I read that quote. Anything that guy is comfortable with isn't good for consumers. Shared plans usually equate to less service for just a bit more money for the privilege of "sharing" it.

 

[ericrwalker]

Any chance AT&T wants to offer rollover data as well? That would be sweet.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Any chance AT&T wants to offer rollover data as well? That would be sweet.

see roll over data and family plan might push me over the edge to give up my unlimited since my data usage and my families data usage has huge swings in it. Some months it is fairly low other months it is very high.

 

[ericrwalker]

see roll over data and family plan might push me over the edge to give up my unlimited since my data usage and my families data usage has huge swings in it. Some months it is fairly low other months it is very high.

Same here, depends on how much a travel for work. When I was traveling a lot I almost always went over 2 gigs. Now it's rare, I am hoping the family plans are attractive, if not I'd love for a rollover option.

 

[NAG]

See rule 1, 2 and 3.

It does not matter if LTE is coming for Verizon. If Verizon service is not as good as AT&T where you live then what makes you think it will get better with LTE.

As for LTE and AT&T. Sorry not a reason for me yet again. AT&T LTE is faster than Verizon and I was in one of the first cities (Houston) AT&T turned it on in. Future improvements get turned on here first as well. So As I pointed out I followed 3 basic rules and where I live and spend my tim.

Never count on "promises" from any of the companies. Verizon for example "promised" to be in Lubbock in 6 months at one point to keep my family on them. That 6 months turned into 4 years and even then it was crap at best. Mind you we left them after as our contracts start coming up.

Um, dude. I didn't say any of what you quoted. I request you correct your attribution because frankly the quote was kind of stupid.

I believe this is the correct post.

Edit: Thanks for the quote fix.

 

[khkman22]

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.

This is not appealing to carriers for two reasons:
(1) Wall Street - Wall Street likes to see smooth predictable results. If you went to pay per use, carriers could not forecast future results as easily and there could be huge swings in stock price as a result of down quarters and up quarters.
(2) Network capacity- Carriers like to know that the customers will stick to whatever their limit is and rarely go over that. If you let customers vary their usage, you are less likely to predict when they may decide to spike their usage. The current tiered model probably helps them predict a little more accurately how much capacity is needed in various locations.