Which I understand the question for clarification. My reply was mainly directed at the person who said I didn't know what I was talking about. I shouldn't have multi quoted. I apologize.
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Future of AT&T UNLIMITED DATA plans
- Thread starter Swampthing
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Your original post is indeed confusingly worded ...more than one person thinks that way.
Which I get. But saying I don't know what I am talking about is a little over the top.
Thank you! I asked a few friends and they understood what I was saying. So oh well.
I finally parted ways with my UDP last month. On average I was using < 10GB per month and had data available that I simply would never use. I am around WiFi 95% of the time and when not usually for a short time. I really wanted to be able to tether my device and the other benefits of a tiered plan. Also allowed me to dump my WiFi card, so I actually saved some money with the switch. It's subjective on how you use data like all other decisions. I have been really happy with the switch.
I can certainly understand the importance of the UDP for those who need a lot of mobile data.
However, with the loss of the $450 subsidy, and the impending $5/month price increase, it made sense for me to give up my old UDP, too. I liked the idea of never worrying about my data usage, but in reality, my record month was 1.3 GB. Wi-Fi is available almost everywhere I go. I'm a Comcast customer, and in my area, Comcast not only has a massive indoor Wi-Fi presence, but also has even started putting up outdoor Wi-Fi antennas.
I've switched to the 2 GB MSP, and will save about $4+/month initially - $19+ when my wife's phone comes off-contract. (She's been on the $15/month 200 MB data plan for the past four years, and never went over!)
The "+" represents two costs:
- We never texted enough to justify adding a text message plan (thanks iMessage!), but a la carte text messaging was adding $4-$6/month (worst month $15) to our bill, which is now covered by the unlimited text messaging on the MSP. Added bonus - telling family and friends without iPhones that it's now okay to text us.
- My wife was buying, on a semi-regular basis, the $25/1GB/3 month PAYGO data plan for her iPad, and typically using only 300 - 400 MB over that three month period. Now she can tether the iPad from her iPhone. That should add approximately $80/year to our savings.
I think that your scenario makes a lot of sense. I'm on an Unlimited Data Plan that I intend to keep but everyone's situation is different.
My only question to you is why didn't you get a subsidized smartphone prior to January 8th and *then* given up unlimited data when the price increased? Just one more month and AT&T would have let you out of your contract with no ETF. That means, you would have gotten a subsided phone and then had the ETF immediately forgiven!
I read that you have to pay the ETF if you start a contract after they announced the increase.
Technically, it's my wife's phone on contract, but actually, I used her upgrade last year to get a 6 Plus. I tried to convince her, using the well-known arguments, that it was wise to upgrade her iPhone 5 to a 6S 64 GB while it would cost $300, instead of $750. All she heard was that I wanted her to spend $300 on a phone, when she is still perfectly happy with her iPhone 5. (And she did get a new battery installed by Apple just this past September, under extended warranty.) Thus, no new phone. Knowing my wife, she'll hold out until the iPhone 8.
As to the ETF-free argument: that's only useful if I want to leave AT&T - I don't. I've been an AT&T customer since I got my 3G in 2008, and, believe it or not, I've been really happy with them.
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The email AT&T sent me said:
"If you choose to cancel your unlimited data plan and you're under a two-year service contract, we'll waive your early termination fee.Just cancel your unlimited data plan line(s) within 60 days after the price increase first appears on your bill. Cancellations made after that time will be subject to the usual early termination fee"
I interpreted that to mean I could get a subsidized phone right up to the January 7 deadline, and cancel the line ETF-free anytime up to April 2 (60 days after my February bill would be cut). Have you seen official AT&T statements contrary to that?
someone who gets it!
Gets what?
He wanted tethering and left UDP.
Pretty much the only reason to leave.
First step in pahsing the plan out completely. I suspect they will either make the plan cost prohibitive by hiking prices (how quickly is a big question) or just kill the plan all together (how soon, another question).
I see the "Unlimited Data Plan" as more of an insurance policy, and was seeking pricing on that insurance policy. This whole thesis that U should see how much u use and then optimize costs that so many people on here use(that ATT pushes) I think is short sighted, because people r missing that unlimited is really just an insurance policy, that you either r willing to pay for or you or not, unless you can foresee the future or you just assume that your current data usage rate will never increase. For $15-20 a month that insurance policy for the future is worth it for me. I foresee data usage increasing for most people including me in the next 5 years...I understand if you use virtually no data then UDP is worthless, but I use my phone more and more. You guys have co-opted the ATT argument, which they probably want you to do. You need to look forward in decisions like this and not backward. IMHO