Poll: AT&T Double Mobile Data

[barkomatic]

I'd give it up if AT&T expanded the promo to the smaller plans. I'd love to get 8GB for the price of 4. For a single line unlimited with 5GB full speed is still a better deal for now.

Of course, the unlimited data lines shouldn't be throttled at all and the FCC agrees -- so maybe that agency will put pressure on them ahead of the spectrum auction.

 

[franpincho]

I still won't give up my unlimited. Even for the 30GB plan, I'd be paying at least $40 more a month than my unlimited plan. Maybe if I had more lines or devices it would be worth it, but with just two smartphones (not on Next plans), it's not.

This. I only have two phones on my plan, and I'm at $130 a month. My other line only gets 300mb per month, and while that sucks, my gf rarely ever uses data outside of wifi. Mine is "unlimited", and while 30GB would be nice, I just don't think it's worth the extra $40.

Why do they need to charge to "add" a smartphone to the plan? I just don't understand it. Fine, I'll move over to NEXT. But why the hell do I need to pay on top of that to use the damn phone?

 

[jcrmrr]

I'm on an older family talk nation plan with 550 minutes for 50.00, family text messaging 30.00, and unlimited data for 30.00 for 2 lines. My monthly bill comes out to about 151. a month after 15% discount. I was thinking of changing to the new next plan but my husband uses a large amount of data, around 20 gb a month to stream movies and music. He used 28.7 gb last month and has never received any warning texts from att or throttled. I typically use no more than 3 gb a month. I just recently upgraded to the 6+ with a 2 yr contract. Would next plan be a better option? I figured since att wasn't throttling our data that I would just keep the same plan. Any thoughts?

 

[itjw]

I just don't like the idea of having to turn in my old working phone to upgrade to a new one under Next


In the past I've sold my device reaping more cash then their trade in value or getting credit with family using it as a hand me down.

God forbid it's broken after the Next interval is up

You don't have to. You can sell it, or give it to a family member and just pay the remaining payments OR pay it in a lump sum.

Yep, it's true if you break it you're hosed, but that's true in a 2 year contract too. What are your options there besides an early upgrade (IF you even have that option) or a full price replacement?

At least with Next, 12 months in you can re-up a brand new 0% financing contract. Only way to do that on contract is to ETF and start a new line (or go elsewhere).

I pay cash for everything, but 0% is 0%.

The $15 per line sucks, but it's a small price to pay overall for 40GB a month.

 

[rui no onna]

I just don't like the idea of having to turn in my old working phone to upgrade to a new one under Next

In the past I've sold my device reaping more cash then their trade in value or getting credit with family using it as a hand me down.

God forbid it's broken after the Next interval is up

Please note the Next trade in is entirely optional. If you get more cash selling it, you can do that and use the money you made to pay off your remaining Next balance and pocket the difference.

We have 4 smartphones in our family account and get 2 new phones every year, 2 1-year-old phones handed down within the account and 2 2-year-old phones given away to family members or sold.

Old plans $240/mo (700 mins, unlimited text, unlimited data x4)
Year 1: $240 * 12 mos = $2,880, $300 * 2 = $600, TOTAL $3,480
Year 2: $240 * 12 mos = $2,880, $300 * 2 = $600, TOTAL $3,480
Year 3: $240 * 12 mos = $2,880, $300 * 2 = $600, TOTAL $3,480
Year 4: $240 * 12 mos = $2,880, $300 * 2 = $600, TOTAL $3,480

MSVP 10GB $235/mo
Year 1: $160 * 12 mos = $1,920, $37.50 * 2 * 12 mos = $900, TOTAL $2,820
Year 2: $160 * 12 mos = $1,920, $37.50 * 2 * 12 mos = $900, $300 * 2 = $600 (payoff), TOTAL $3,420
Year 3: $160 * 12 mos = $1,920, $37.50 * 2 * 12 mos = $900, $300 * 2 = $600 (payoff), TOTAL $3,420
Year 4: $160 * 12 mos = $1,920, $37.50 * 2 * 12 mos = $900, $300 * 2 = $600 (payoff), TOTAL $3,420

For someone who upgrades every 1-2 years, the MSVP 15/30GB and above are definitely more expensive than old unlimited data plans. The question is whether the flexibility (e.g. shared data pool instead of individual limits, $10 add-on for tablets, tethering) outweighs the additional cost.

 

[snowcrash]

I was paying about $350 for two phones with unlimited data and two without. We have averaged about 12gb a month (looking back for the year and me using close to half that myself a month and always throttled after 5GB) and decided that for $145 less a month ($205) we now get 30gb, unlimited texts, unlimited calls and tethering, it was a no brainer.

 

[bradl]

I'm on an older family talk nation plan with 550 minutes for 50.00, family text messaging 30.00, and unlimited data for 30.00 for 2 lines. My monthly bill comes out to about 151. a month after 15% discount. I was thinking of changing to the new next plan but my husband uses a large amount of data, around 20 gb a month to stream movies and music. He used 28.7 gb last month and has never received any warning texts from att or throttled. I typically use no more than 3 gb a month. I just recently upgraded to the 6+ with a 2 yr contract. Would next plan be a better option? I figured since att wasn't throttling our data that I would just keep the same plan. Any thoughts?

I'm wondering the same, because I'm in a similar boat.

2 phones.
Family Talk nation plan, 700 minutes.
Unlimited Text.
Unlimited Data.
Free international Roaming (have no idea how I got that, but I have it and free, so I'll take it).
15% discount through FAN.

This runs me $170/month. The NEXT offer would drop our plan down $40/month, so I could pocket that (and give up both of our 4Ses, one of them refurb/factory unlocked), or go with the 2-year on it again and break even.

Am I reading that offer right?

BL.

 

[myscrnnm]

Anyone else never been throttled by AT&T? I average 8GB a month, and for the past few months have gone well over 20GB and not experienced throttling. The only instance was when I received two warnings from AT&T two years ago saying I had reached 3GB. I feel like they've moved back to the top 5% rule rather than the 3GB/5GB rule.

 

[SheepNutz]

Anyone else never been throttled by AT&T? I average 8GB a month, and for the past few months have gone well over 20GB and not experienced throttling. The only instance was when I received two warnings from AT&T two years ago saying I had reached 3GB. I feel like they've moved back to the top 5% rule rather than the 3GB/5GB rule.

Last month I wasn't throttled for some reason, but the other 5 of the past 6 months, I've been throttled right at 5GB exactly.