More Details on AT&T's Data Plan Changes for iPhone and iPad

[WANGOOROO]

yes



If you do a bad job and aren't punished for it, you won't improve, and competitors won't be motivated to do a better job, either.

COMPLETE BS.

AT&T takes on plenty of risk, and they are constantly reinvesting their profits to improve their service.

AT&T is investing billions annually. You evidently have no clue how much time, money, and infrastructure it takes to effect any change with such a large foot print.

Wishing them to lose money will only further delay their ability to improve service and reliability. If you don't like the level of service provided, vote with your wallet and move on to another carrier. I can assure you the grass is not greener elsewhere.

 

[SAPPete]

You miss the point. Profit is not evil. Profit allows these companies to invest in new risky ventures or technologies, and also to reinvest in their network infrastructure.

There is not a damned thing wrong with that. Nobody should have any problem with a company or person that makes a profit. I never knew a poor person to offer employment or opportunity to people.

Would you prefer AT&T lose money? Where is the advantage in that?

Profit is the incentive for growth, innovation, and improvement.

If you are such an anti capitalist, why don't you move to China?

Making a profit is fine. Even if you're a company with a history of overbilling, price gouging and *****ty customer service like AT$T.

It's also fine for the consumers to be p!ssed off about that, about them exploiting their iPhone / iPad monopoly, and to be p!ssed off at Steve for creating this situation.

As far as reinvesting, I've been waiting for that for a while now. In the Bay Area AT$T service is *****, their wi-fi hotspots are *****, and the call performance (drops, disconnects, unable to complete call etc) is *****.

One of the hotels I usually stay at used Wayport as their ISP and it was great. Until AT$T bought Wayport, now it's total crap. Yeah, let's use their hotspots !

 

[fonziesf]

If it's OK to charge the top 2% exorbitant amounts because they use the most data, then it must also be OK to tax the top 1% to death since they own 90% of the country then right?

Your arguement lacks very little sense, and in fact I think is further enhancing the reasoning of AT&T. Charging the top 2% more makes sense as they're using a substantial majority of the bandwith available. The argument AGAINST taxing the top 1% to death is not based on how much they own, but instead is made in regards to the amount of government benefit they recieve.

It is unfair for 98% of AT&T/iphone users to subsidize the data plans of the top 2%, just like in many peoples minds its unfair for the top 1% of income earners to pay 90% while over half the population is not paying any. In summary people should pay for what they use, and unlike taxes you don't have to write a check to AT&T if you dont like it.

 

[cmaier]

COMPLETE BS.

AT&T takes on plenty of risk, and they are constantly reinvesting their profits to improve their service.

AT&T is investing billions annually. You evidently have no clue how much time, money, and infrastructure it takes to effect any change with such a large foot print.

Wishing them to lose money will only further delay their ability to improve service and reliability. If you don't like the level of service provided, vote with your wallet and move on to another carrier. I can assure you the grass is not greener elsewhere.

Shouldn't you be busy trying to upsell someone on a u-verse package instead of posting here?

 

[Digipimp]

I will say this also looks to be part of the AT&T, Apple and Skype as well as other possible services conspiring together to give us new improved features with their apps and OS 4.0 but to also limit our ability to use them via the AT&T network and that does suck.

 

[sswanky]

Any ideas of how this will pan out for people with family plans?
My monthly is 500 MB, my wife is 100 MB.

If they let us have a single $25/2Gig between us, I'd be thrilled. And that would be fair.
If we can choose separate plans for each line, then that comes to $15 plus $25... 40 instead of the current 60. Less thrilling, but still saves us $20/mo.

But if they require 2 $25/2G plans, then I'll just stay with my current contract.

Currently, family plans apply to voice only. There are no shared data plans. Will AT&T change that? I doubt it. Also, currently, data plans are chosen idependently for each phone. Assuming AT&T doesn't change this, you'll be able to pick the 2GB plan for you and the 200MB plan for your wife.

Personally, I'm thrilled with the new data plan options. We don't have iPhones currently and I have been trying to convince my wife we should get them when the new iPhone arrives. The new plans just made our decision $30/mo easier!

 

[firewood]

Wait. Because AT&T thinks i won't use all of my 2GB, they have a right to charge me more for using it in a way that will use more of my already alloted (and paid for) data?

Absolutely. Businesses are allowed to discriminate for a whole bunch of statistical reasons, as long as those reasons don't include race, national origin, religion, and etc.

Insurance companies do it all the time. A super safe male teenage driver with a supercharged vehicle will pay more than a middle-age suburban housewife with a drinking problem who hasn't been caught yet, because teenage kids statistically have more and worse accidents than middle-aged housewives, even though quite a number of kids end up safely with none.

Insurance companies usually have the right to charge you statistically, even if you haven't had an accident yet and will never have an accident.

Phone companies seem to be exercising their right to charge customers statistically as well, even if a particular customer uses zero data, but only based on their risk to 3G system bandwidth, given their device type, and whether it can be tethered, etc.

 

[bergmef]

COMPLETE BS.

AT&T takes on plenty of risk, and they are constantly reinvesting their profits to improve their service.

AT&T is investing billions annually. You evidently have no clue how much time, money, and infrastructure it takes to effect any change with such a large foot print.

Wishing them to lose money will only further delay their ability to improve service and reliability. If you don't like the level of service provided, vote with your wallet and move on to another carrier. I can assure you the grass is not greener elsewhere.

Large footprint? There's a map for that.

 

[bergmef]

Someone should make an app the uses every last bit in the monthly cycle the night it changes over.

There's an app for that ... LOL

 

[firewood]

If you do a bad job and aren't punished for it, you won't improve, and competitors won't be motivated to do a better job, either.

So what's the market distortion? In an ideal free market, you haven't done a bad job unless you give your competitors a good enough motivation to have them incite your customers vote with their feet.

 

[cmaier]

So what's the market distortion? In an ideal free market, you haven't done a bad job unless you give your competitors a good enough motivation to have them incite your customers vote with their feet.

Many people make carrier decisions not based on the carrier but based on the device they want, particularly where the iPhone and iPad are concerned. It's not an "ideal free market" since choice of device is not orthogonal to choice of network.

A second distortion is the 2 year contracts with (now ridiculously huge) ETFs, of course.

 

[WANGOOROO]

Shouldn't you be busy trying to upsell someone on a u-verse package instead of posting here?

No. I am not an AT&T employee.

I am simply a happy customer, and I embrace free markets and capitalism.

If you are not happy with AT&T's product or services, simply vote with your wallet and go elsewhere.

 

[wovel]

If it's OK to charge the top 2% exorbitant amounts because they use the most data, then it must also be OK to tax the top 1% to death since they own 90% of the country then right?

Your analogy is absurd. The top 2% of data users are using the vast majority of the available resource pool. The top 1% of income earners make use of the same or less tax-supported services as everyone else.

This is really not hard to understand.

If you are not happy with AT&T's product or services, simply vote with your wallet and go elsewhere.

Indeed they should. If they plan to go to Verizon they better do it quick though or they will be paying the same or more. If they plan to go Sprint, prepare to deal with sub-edge speeds unless they live in a lucky 4G market (In which case they should expand and reinforce your pockets to hold the EVO).

I refuse to say bad things about T-Mobile. I always had a crush on Catherine Zeta Jones..

 

[butterfly0fdoom]

Currently, family plans apply to voice only. There are no shared data plans. Will AT&T change that? I doubt it. Also, currently, data plans are chosen idependently for each phone. Assuming AT&T doesn't change this, you'll be able to pick the 2GB plan for you and the 200MB plan for your wife.

Personally, I'm thrilled with the new data plan options. We don't have iPhones currently and I have been trying to convince my wife we should get them when the new iPhone arrives. The new plans just made our decision $30/mo easier!

They have family texting as well.

Honestly, this brought down one of the biggest barriers that stopped me from upgrading from a 2G iPhone to a 3G/3GS, that being how much more the monthly cost would be. That I can jump up from 200MB to 2GB during a heavier-use month is a plus for me, too, as long as I can do it through the myWireless app or website.

 

[SteveSparks]

Shouldn't you be busy trying to upsell someone on a u-verse package instead of posting here?

Made me laugh.

 

[Fant]

Ok so why doesnt everyone just get the 200mb plan and bump up when they get the alert that they are approaching their limit? Is the bump up to 2gb prorated based on the day you switch or is it retroactive for the month? And on which day do you bump back down ... the last day of your billing cycle or the 1st day of the next billing cycle? In fact why doesnt AT&T put everyone on the 200mb plan and if the user goes over automatically bump them to the 2gb plan for that month only .. that would certainly save alot of work for people ...

Regarding the data plans, AT&T needs to do the following since they seem to want to treat data like voice:

1) Offer rollover for unused data KB. If I get 200mb plan and only use 150mb ... gimme that 50mb so that if i go over the next month i can apply it

2) Offer a larger amount of data in a family plan like 2gb across 2 iphones so that data can be shared across families

3) Offer an option to cut off data after your threshold is reached so that you are not automatically charged more (ie to control kids that have an iphone from creating a large bill)

 

[modul8tr]

I don't get the $20 tether "unlock" fee or why Apple won't allow iPad tethering

Apple should allow this feature for people that own both iPhones and iPads, but don't necessarily have a need for the dedicated and more expensive 3G model. Some people don't have a need for 3G data on iPad regularly, but may need 3G data for short periods of time, randomly. Perhaps once or twice every other month.

Let's just imagine that iPad had launched in a world where tethering was available on iPhone/AT&T with the current data caps. For the type of user described above, to not allow it, makes little sense.

To me, it seems that whatever task you would normally have performed on your iPhone, would transfer to your iPad (e.g. reviewing, revising and uploading a file a colleague just sent you on Dropbox) while you're in a taxi, or on a construction site. Since the task is simply transfering from one machine to another, it's not as if you're suddenly using more data. You are simply accessing it on a bigger screen, within an app that's offering enhanced functionality beyond the iPhone version. Therefore it should be free, especially in light of the fact that their current $20 tether fee gives you NOTHING. No extra data bucket. NOTHING.

Putting the iPhone into hotspot/tether mode could be enabled with a simple toggle. Perhaps seamlessly by having iPad tell iPhone it needs a data connection. It adds value to the iPhone/iPad ecosystem and fits into Apple's design philosophy of simplicity, elegance, and ease.


How AT&T loses in any meaningful way....I don't see. The data caps are in place. If you abuse, you pay.

Some say they're a business and have a right to charge for this. Fine they're a company and have the right to charge (even though they're charging for nothing), well, they could offer a small opt in fee monthly for people that MAY need to use iPhone 3G data on their iPad once in a while.

People are going to use MyWi "for free" anyway. They might as well get what money they can, by offering a reasonable option.

 

[gimmeaipod]

I want to add an unlimited data plan on to my account before the 7th(I would be paying ~25 for unlimited data with discount, so I do not want to pay 25 for 2GB). I think AT&T has a 30 day return policy, so if I buy a 3G/GS now with a 2yr contract with unlimited data, would I be able to return it within 30 days, and buy the new model with 2yr discount, keeping unlimited data?

 

[Rad99004]

On the Apple site it says:

Unlimited* $29.99
* Available if ordering iPad from the Apple Online Store by June 6
One month is based on 30 consecutive days, and starts at the date and time of your purchase.

The Apple rep said that AT&T will honor this.

 

[stealthman1]

I just upgraded to unlimited. The TOS clearly state that AT&T can change the pricing and plan anytime they please. They will notify you by email if the TOS changes.

 

[cvaldes]

I just upgraded to unlimited. The TOS clearly state that AT&T can change the pricing and plan anytime they please. They will notify you by email if the TOS changes.

Sounds about right for a monthly consumer service with no long-term contract.

If they jack up the monthly fee to $250, you can quit without an Early Termination Fee.

Many of the people who have been moaning about the new data plans probably have poor reading comprehension, a deficiency all too common here at MacRumors.

 

[marksman]

Here is a thought I had about the iPad 3G customers.

What if AT&T gave each user like a three time credit they could use to turn their service on and off, and still keep the $30 unlimited plan.

Turn it on next month, that uses one of the credits. Turn it off the next month. Following month turn it back on, using another credit, and keep it on for three months. turn it off for four months, and then turn it back on for two months, using the final credit.

At least this would allow those people who bought in early to get some benefit from turning it on and off. I know it would require some effort on AT&T's part to pull that off potentially, but just a thought.

 

[unr1]

lol @ people defending AT&T's network

it sucks. Dropped and failed calls are a normal occurrence... for 1998

 

[marksman]

lol @ people defending AT&T's network

it sucks. Dropped and failed calls are a normal occurrence... for 1998

People who use their cell phones to make calls or communicate with other people via cellular voice ... so 2004.

 

[goosnarrggh]

Last i checked, the iPhone data plan that all you Americans are on does NOT include tethering. So according to what you just said, it does apply to the iPhone's data plan.

No, you simply misread what I said.

I said that the soft cap DOES apply to:
1) Laptop plans
2) Smartphone plans with tethering

I said that it does NOT apply to:
3) Smartphone plans without tethering.

iPhone plans in the US (for the time being) do not support tethering, therefore they are plans of category (3), therefore the soft cap (for the time being) does not apply.

The iPhone TOS does not have such a clause. Other ATT devices, such as laptop cards and their respective TOS's do

AT&T has one TOS that it applies to all of its postpaid customers. However, you are effectively correct, in that certain sections of the document are marked as only being relevant to people on some service plans, but not to other plans. The soft cap on data plans is one such item.