New AT&T data plans/ rates coming...

[KGB7]

People don't bat an eye when Apple blatantly overprices the iPhone. But they are ready to grab torches and pitchforks is a service provider makes a buck.

I'm WAY more dissapointed about the reported price increase on the 8 and same price changed for a 3rd generation spec bump 7 than squabbling about carriers.

On a cantract for $65 with taxes, not including the payment for the phone I would get 1gb a month. But on prepaid I pay $50 and get 10gb a month.
Wouldn't you be pissed as well at contract pricing??

With phones, there are ton of options; used and new. So there is really no reason to be pissed off.
I don't have to buy a $1000 phone, but carriers have us but the throats with their overpriced limited contracts.

 

[democracyrules]

How did Verizon change their plans? I have an account with them and with AT&T.

With any luck AT&T will be releasing a lower price unlimited plan with the release of the new iPhone.

If not...well...I agree with QueenTyrone...T-Mobile may overtake everyone.

Because T-Mobile is like Samsung. It is cheap but it comes with a lot of inconveniences. Sure, they have excellent signal and speed but in certain areas. T-Mobile keeps giving gimmicks to retain their customers from leaving them due to many inconveniences like weak or no signal outside metro areas, weak or no signal building penetration, narrow coverage, headaches during annual iPhone upgrade via Apple or the carrier themselves, etc. Verizon is like Apple, T-Mobile is likeSamsung or android. Fortunate for those who can afford Verizon/ Apple Wireless, including myself.

AT&T already have their unlimited unlimited and then a crappy unlimited where your speeds are at 3 Mbps indefinitely for like 20 less. I swear T-Mobile is going to take over soon

T-mobile takes over soon? Because T-Mobile is like Samsung. It is cheap so all people can get it but it comes with a lot of inconveniences. Sure, they have excellent signal and speed but only in certain areas and narrow coverage.

T-Mobile keeps giving gimmicks to retain their customers from leaving them due to many inconveniences like weak or no signal outside metro areas, weak or no signal building penetration, narrow coverage, headaches during annual iPhone upgrade via Apple or the carrier themselves, etc.

Verizon is like Apple. They are premium wireless service provider . Fortunate for those who can afford Verizon/ Apple Wireless, including myself. A lot of complaints blasted to Verizon are somewhat similar to complaints toward Apple.

 

[Applejuiced]

Offcourse they have to make a buck to stay in business.
I'm just not a fan of or choose to do business or support shady carriers with outrageous fee's, high monthly plans and made up charges that's all.
Tmobiles monthly plans are very reasonable and they are the only pro-consumer carrier the way I see it.
They give extra to their customers instead of coming up with new ways to give them less and charge more.
They just announced they're giving free Netflix service to their subscribers. When was the last time Verizon or AT&T gave something free or extra? Try never.

Show me a wireless carrier who isn't "making a buck" and I'll show you a wireless carrier that will soon be going out of business. Wireless carriers don't exist to be a charity. They're a business and one of their goals, like Apple's, is to have the highest profit margin possible.

Don't think for one second that T-Mobile doesn't charge their customers extra fees just like the other carriers do. T-Mobile just builds the cost of the fees into the price of the service instead of listing the surcharges out fee-by-fee. Just because the price of T-Mobile service is a nice round number doesn't mean the customer isn't paying additional fees.

 

[KGB7]

Offcourse they have to make a buck to stay in business.
I'm just not a fan of shady carriers with outrages fee's, high monthly plans and made up charges that's all.
Tmobiles monthly plans are very reasonable and they are the only pro-consumer carrier the way I see it.
They give extra to their customers instead of coming up with new ways to give them less and charge more.
They just announced they're giving free Netflix service to their subscribers. When was the last time Verizon or AT&T gave something free or extra? Try never.

You can listen to Spotify on T-mobile with out using up your data and that's on the prepaid plan.

The only reason i found a contract to be useful with AT&T, is i got free batteries for my phones, if the phone had a removable battery. Besides that i see no difference between prepaid and a contract.
There is no reactivation fees on a prepaid plan. But on contract, i had to pay $40 a few times to reactivate my phone because my payment was late, even though i was with AT&T since 1996.

 

[TrainFromUkraine]

Just yesterday I asked AT&T how much an all-in plan for four lines would run me and it turns out after taxes and fees I'll pay about $70 more each month compared to T-Mobile. Needless to say I won't be switching any time soon.

 

[rui no onna]

Just yesterday I asked AT&T how much an all-in plan for four lines would run me and it turns out after taxes and fees I'll pay about $70 more each month compared to T-Mobile. Needless to say I won't be switching any time soon.

I'm grandfathered to a 20GB AT&T Mobile Share plan which works quite comfortably for our family's usage.

When I look at current plans, sure they have unlimited data (which we don't need) but they all just seem to be either the same price (for worse coverage, got poor T-Mo and Sprint signal at work) or more expensive than what I'm paying now.

 

[0928001]

I'm grandfathered to a 20GB AT&T Mobile Share plan which works quite comfortably for our family's usage.

When I look at current plans, sure they have unlimited data (which we don't need) but they all just seem to be either the same price (for worse coverage, got poor T-Mo and Sprint signal at work) or more expensive than what I'm paying now.

Same AT&T situation here. After 23% FAN discount, and plus taxes and fees, 3 lines with 20GB+ rollover (which we always get 5-10GB) is $138. No device payments included. Had this for 2 years, review options every few months, still nothing better. Well, Sprint has good offers but there is no way I am taking my service to that company.

 

[Peter K.]

It depends on who is giving the discount. Some apply. Mine does, thankfully. So I now have AT&T Unlimited Plus with DTVNow and HBO for less than I was paying for AT&T Prepaid with Youtube TV (which honestly I still somewhat prefer for infinite DVR, but after the trial live locals miraculously no longer worked where I live) and HBO.

That's some BS right there!

People don't bat an eye when Apple blatantly overprices the iPhone. But they are ready to grab torches and pitchforks is a service provider makes a buck.

I'm WAY more dissapointed about the reported price increase on the 8 and same price changed for a 3rd generation spec bump 7 than squabbling about carriers.

Hey if you're happy with wireless carriers "making a buck" then you should donate some extra money each month on top of your monthly bill. Im sure they will appreciate something extra added to the billions of profits they rack up every year. You are Verizon's and AT&T's dream come true customer.
Sure let them keep racking up added fee's, overages and keep coming up with more ways to take advantage of you the consumer.
Create a duopoly that copies each others plans, fees and finding out more ways to offer you less for more along with more restrictions and less options.
I feel so bad for the poor carriers, they just want to make a buck. Not
Not to say that device manufacturers are any better and you shouldn't consider your options.
Find out what you can afford or what you're willing to spend on what and if you feel something is overpriced or the value it brings to you is not worth the price tag then off course dont spend the money on it.
If the rumors are true that the next iphone will start at $1000 I will not be purchasing it.

You both have some good points, there.

Maybe it's because carriers are licensed monopolies by the government so when they overcharge people get mad. They are just buying equipment from company X to transmit a signal on spectrum they got a license from the govt for.

Apple actaully created the iphoen and it's software. I don't mind if they make a nice profit for something that had such a big impact on the world

I can't argue with you there.
[doublepost=1504803468][/doublepost]LOL, it seems I like saying "there", today.

 

[Jdhommert]

So has anyone other than the OP heard anything about this at all?

 

[Breaking Good]

So to summarize, my experience with TMob in the DC area, eastern WVA/western VA, ATL, FL Panhandle -- TMob is spotty to non-existent.

I live in the D.C. Metro area and I've used Mint SIM which is an MVNO on T-Mobile. I did this for a time for my personal phone and the coverage was just as good as with my work phone which is on AT&T.

The only place I had trouble was when I was in the southern part of Delaware which to my surprise is very, very rural.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I live in the D.C. Metro area and I've used Mint SIM which is an MVNO on T-Mobile. I did this for a time for my personal phone and the coverage was just as good as with my work phone which is on AT&T.

The only place I had trouble was when I was in the southern part of Delaware which to my surprise is very, very rural.

Well your experience is different than mine, what can I say. DC Metro is a big area though that effectively reaches S to Manassas, N to Laurel, W to Leesburg, E to PG county, so our hangouts easily could be different. I don't wander into the MD side much. Metro stations, upper floors of buildings in DC, and back of big box stores, are esp. spotty for me where I had zero issues w/ ATT.

 

[gsmornot]

I'm grandfathered to a 20GB AT&T Mobile Share plan which works quite comfortably for our family's usage.

When I look at current plans, sure they have unlimited data (which we don't need) but they all just seem to be either the same price (for worse coverage, got poor T-Mo and Sprint signal at work) or more expensive than what I'm paying now.

We fit into a 10GB plan pretty well before we went to Unlimited. Now we average about 80GB a month. Turns out we were always nervous about using our devices for anything but basic use. Once we allowed ourselves to use them for all the features we started racking up data. Not a point against staying on the plan you have, just saying we fit too but only because we had to babysit the plan all the time. No babysitting anymore.

 

[rui no onna]

We fit into a 10GB plan pretty well before we went to Unlimited. Now we average about 80GB a month. Turns out we were always nervous about using our devices for anything but basic use. Once we allowed ourselves to use them for all the features we started racking up data. Not a point against staying on the plan you have, just saying we fit too but only because we had to babysit the plan all the time. No babysitting anymore.

We don't quite babysit it although we do have a no-streaming-video rule. Music is fine. Granted, we'd probably chafe at 10GB. The 20GB is pretty comfortable enough for us with ~2-5GB rollover. Heck, I've often updated apps on LTE. Would Unlimited be convenient? Probably. I just don't consider the convenience to be worth $65/mo. That's $780 per yr or $1560 for 2 years. More than enough to pay for storage upgrades.

T-Mobile Unlimited is the same cost as my current AT&T plan, iirc, but pointless as they have poor coverage where I use data the most (intermittent connection, dial-up speed if it connects).

 

[Rigby]

Maybe it's because carriers are licensed monopolies by the government so when they overcharge people get mad.

How is it a monopoly if there are at least 3 major players fighting for market share?

They are just buying equipment from company X to transmit a signal on spectrum they got a license from the govt for.

There is a lot more to operating a large-scale network with a nation-wide footprint and tens of millions of users than just buying some equipment.

Apple actaully created the iphoen and it's software. I don't mind if they make a nice profit for something that had such a big impact on the world

And mobile networks didn't have a big impact on the world? Without these networks, the iPhone and all the apps that we have gotten used to wouldn't exist.

Personally, I'm pretty amazed how far mobile networks have come. People seem to forget that just a few years ago we could only dream of the data rates and volumes that we have today, and the next generation is already in the making. There is an immense amount of work going on behind the scenes to make all this happen.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

How is it a monopoly if there are at least 3 major players fighting for market share?
There is a lot more to operating a large-scale network with a nation-wide footprint and tens of millions of users than just buying some equipment.
And mobile networks didn't have a big impact on the world? Without these networks, the iPhone and all the apps that we have gotten used to wouldn't exist.

Personally, I'm pretty amazed how far mobile networks have come. People seem to forget that just a few years ago we could only dream of the data rates and volumes that we have today, and the next generation is already in the making. There is an immense amount of work going on behind the scenes to make all this happen.

- They have a monopoly on that spectrum but yeah it's more accurate to say an oligopoly since there are 4 of them.
- And no- there was no innovation in wireless until Apple forced open the devices with the iPhone. Cos like Verizon killed anyone who tried to build a business on top of the devices. Apple found a way to do pry things open. So no - I give them about 0% credit for any of the innovation and give Apple and google the credit.

 

[Rigby]

Tmobiles monthly plans are very reasonable and they are the only pro-consumer carrier the way I see it.

T-Mobiles prices are actually pretty similar to those of comparable plans from Verizon or AT&T. And once they catch up in terms of coverage, so will their prices.

One thing I really don't like is that T-Mobile has no good option for customers like me who don't watch video on their phones and only need a couple GB per month. They only have a (for me) useless "unlimited" plan.

They just announced they're giving free Netflix service to their subscribers. When was the last time Verizon or AT&T gave something free or extra? Try never.

AT&T has bumped up my data volume by 1GB two times in the last few years without increasing the price. T-Mobile doesn't even have a plan for the price I pay.

 

[kazmac]

No T-Mobile service in my area (always non-existent and worse at my old job etc.), plus their customer service is awful. Ditto for Sprint.

And Verizon has slowed down seriously since all these unlimited plans kicked in. I had a major falling out with AT&T as they screwed me over with my iPhone 5 trade in and it went down from there.

 

[Rigby]

- And no- there was no innovation in wireless until Apple forced open the devices with the iPhone.

Seriously? The first iPhone didn't even support the then state-of-the-art wireless technology (3G). And it had no app store, while others already did. Apple drastically improved the user interface of mobile devices, but they certainly didn't push wireless technology. All the hard work on the infrastructure was done by the network equipment vendors and operators.

 

[Applejuiced]

They're not similar. They're still more expensive and with way less perks and added features than what T-Mobile offers.
If you only use 1-2GB's you're better off with a prepaid carrier.

T-Mobiles prices are actually pretty similar to those of comparable plans from Verizon or AT&T. And once they catch up in terms of coverage, so will their prices.

One thing I really don't like is that T-Mobile has no good option for customers like me who don't watch video on their phones and only need a couple GB per month. They only have a (for me) useless "unlimited" plan.
AT&T has bumped up my data volume by 1GB two times in the last few years without increasing the price. T-Mobile doesn't even have a plan for the price I pay.

[doublepost=1504919548][/doublepost]Apple changed the wireless manufacturer market since the release of the iPhone.
What AppStore others had before them?
Apple was 20 years ahead from all other so called smartphones and touchscreen devices. I agree they didn't invented or were the first but they perfected the user friendly graphical interface. Then everyone else tried to copy.

Seriously? The first iPhone didn't even support the then state-of-the-art wireless technology (3G). And it had no app store, while others already did. Apple drastically improved the user interface of mobile devices, but they certainly didn't push wireless technology. All the hard work on the infrastructure was done by the network equipment vendors and operators.

 

[gadgetfreaky]

Seriously? The first iPhone didn't even support the then state-of-the-art wireless technology (3G). And it had no app store, while others already did. Apple drastically improved the user interface of mobile devices, but they certainly didn't push wireless technology. All the hard work on the infrastructure was done by the network equipment vendors and operators.

Yes. Seriosly.
The evolution of US wireless technology has followed a fairly standardized path using GSM which is a European standard. It wasn't the carriers that did that- hardware and chip makers did. Ericcson. nokia, qualcomm etc. NOT THE CARRIERS and surely not Verizon or ATT.

 

[KGB7]

One thing I really don't like is that T-Mobile has no good option for customers like me who don't watch video on their phones and only need a couple GB per month. They only have a (for me) useless "unlimited" plan.
.

Prepaid plan starting at $45 for 4GB.... and 4 other prepaid options. If you go to the local store, they have a $40 for 6GB a month prepaid plan. $50 for 10GB.

Or pay as you go starting at $8 for 500MB of data.

There are options if you dig around and you will find many options past the front page.

 

[iapplelove]

I'm still on the original iPhone unlimited plan. I use about 10GB of data a month so I've yet to change. Plus 30% off my bill through work does help.

 

[Legionnaire]

I used to have unlim data, text, and like 300 mins month for some 70sh bucks month att.
Dropped down to prepaid gophone 40month 6 gb data (then throttles) and unlim text and unlim calling. Love it, 0 difference in anything.

Wish i did this way longer ago. I've driven around the usa and had signal 90% of time. afew drop outs in the middle of country, but doesnt matter to me for my daily life.

 

[Rigby]

Prepaid plan starting at $45 for 4GB.... and 4 other prepaid options. If you go to the local store, they have a $40 for 6GB a month prepaid plan. $50 for 10GB.

Prepaid plans are are not an option for me because they are crippled (e.g. they have no international roaming).
[doublepost=1505007500][/doublepost]

Yes. Seriosly.
The evolution of US wireless technology has followed a fairly standardized path using GSM which is a European standard. It wasn't the carriers that did that- hardware and chip makers did. Ericcson. nokia, qualcomm etc. NOT THE CARRIERS and surely not Verizon or ATT.

It's a collaborative process between equipment vendors and carriers. Rolling out and maintaining large-scale networks is not a trivial task. The carriers are also the ones who pay for the technical development.

Ericcson. nokia, qualcomm etc. NOT THE CARRIERS and surely not Verizon or ATT.

They deserve a lot more credit for it than Apple.
[doublepost=1505007919][/doublepost]

Apple changed the wireless manufacturer market since the release of the iPhone.

They changed the device market. They have done very little to further the wireless network technologies that make mobile devices useful in the first place. They let others do the development and financing required to build up the infrastructure, and then profit big time from it, with far bigger profit margins than the carriers.

What AppStore others had before them?

For example NTT Docomo's i-mode (1999) and Handango (early 2000s).

 

[KGB7]

Prepaid plans are are not an option for me because they are crippled (e.g. they have no international roaming).
[doublepost=1505007500][/doublepost]It's a collaborative process between equipment vendors and carriers. Rolling out and maintaining large-scale networks is not a trivial task. The carriers are also the ones who pay for the technical development.
They deserve a lot more credit for it than Apple.
[doublepost=1505007919][/doublepost]They changed the device market. They have done very little to further the wireless network technologies that makes mobile devices useful in the first place. They let others do the development and financing required to build up the infrastructure.
For example NTT Docomo's i-mode (1999) and Handango (early 2000s).

You can add international roaming to prepaid plans on month to month basis or as you need it.