iPhone AT&T Unlimited Data vs. Family Shared Plan

[Kanadaz]

I am in quite a dilemma and I need some guidance from members. I have a grandfathered "Unlimited Data" plan on my iPhone but I'm not yet enrolled into a shared family data plan yet as I am on FamilyTalk Nation 700 with Rollover. My daughter has an iPhone and is on a 300 MB plan. I have trained my daughter to use her data responsibly so she is 99% using Wi-Fi access only, which puts her data usage incredibly low (on an average of 50 MB per month). My son has been patiently waiting to get an iPhone and I plan to put him on 300 MB too and he will be trained to use Wi-Fi also. I have unlimited data plan and have not exceeded more than 400 MB on an average (recently checked with AT&T rep and went as far as 6 months back to track my usage). However, my bill is exceeding over $170 a month and recently I spoke to an AT&T rep who advised that if I switch to a family shared plan, then I would lower my bill by $60 a month if I go for 1GB shared data with unlimited talk and text.

I am so confused because I don't know if leaving my unlimited data plan and going to 1GB should be the decision. Of course by speaking to AT&T rep, they are trained to get all "grandfathered plan" off their plate.

Any guidance? Anyone in my similar situation has made a decision and felt it would a good decision or a bad decision?

Any advice is welcome. Thank you all.

 

[greytmom]

With as little data as you use, you probably would save money on the shared data plan. If you are paying for a separate data plan for a tablet, do take that into consideration as well.

I don't know if I'd do 1gb, though. That's not much for 3 people, especially if one person's usage spikes at all.

 

[mac.cali]

Are you looking into the AT&t Double data promo? That way all of use have a generous amount of data to share.

 

[Kanadaz]

Are you looking into the AT&t Double data promo? That way all of use have a generous amount of data to share.

Yes, I have but this starts with 15GB plan only, which is $130.

 

[jlake02]

I'm just amazed you manage to use such little data. Kudos to your daughter, as well, because that 300mb plan didn't work for mine. She went over it 2-3x before I switched my "unlimited" to a mobile share plan. Now we have 30GB for the family and I told the kids they can use all the data they want.

 

[Vertigo50]

The thing to ask them about is the device fees. If you get a new phone, you end up paying $15 or $40 more per month to cover those costs. They don't make this clear when they tell you you're "saving $60 a month" and then this hits later and people lose their minds.

Personally, I have two phones on my plan, and the subsidized 2-year contract is much less for us than the shared plans would be. I also like not having to worry about losing the different "discounts" when I upgrade. My bill stays the same, we get new iPhones for "free" every two years (selling the old ones for the cost of the new ones) and I'm happy.

 

[0928001]

Are you looking into the AT&t Double data promo? That way all of use have a generous amount of data to share.

You must have missed the part where he said his combined usage is around 500MB a month. He doesn't need 15GB.

OP, you have no reason whatsoever to keep your unlimited data. You don't seem to use it. Save money ($60) - Get the shared 1GB plan.

Or you can have your bill at $145, saving money and sharing 10GB, and not have to worry about having to "train" your kids to use WiFi all the time. That is the plan I use, and after FAN discount of 23%, my final bill is $136 monthly for 3 lines with 10GB.