AT&T has rolled out new mobile data plans for users of its smartphones and tablets. Starting next Monday -- the same day that Apple is widely expected to unveil a new iPhone -- AT&T will no longer offer its $30-per-month unlimited data plan to new users. Instead, customers will have to pick between plans that allow them a certain amount of data access each month.
In a statement announcing the new plans, AT&T says the new options will "make it more affordable for more people to enjoy the benefits of the mobile Internet." The new data plans include three options:
- DataPlus: This $15-per-month plan allows users to access 200MB of data per month. If customers go over the 200MB limit, they will receive another 200MB for an additional $15 per month. AT&T says that 65 percent of its smartphone customers currently use less than 200MB of data per month on average, so this plan should save them money.
- DataPro: This $25-per-month plan allows users to access 2GB of data per month. If you go over that limit, each additional GB of data will cost $10. AT&T says that 98 percent of its smartphone customers user less than 2GB of data a month.
- Tethering: If you choose to use your smartphone as tethered modem, you'll have to spring for the tethering plan in addition to the DataPro plan. Tethering costs an extra $20 per month. AT&T says that tethering for iPhones will be available this summer, when Apple releases the iPhone OS 4 update.
Current AT&T smartphone customers will be able to keep their unlimited data plans, for now, at least. But users of the iPad 3G may see a change in their plan: iPad users who currently subscribe to the $29.99-per-month unlimited plan will be switched to the DataPro plan.
Image © AT&T
Comments
When your network sucks, you can just charge more to use it! Combined with the exclusive agreement with Apple, this will drag them both down.
Maybe AT&T can merge with BP to become the Dumbest Company in the World.
You have got to be kidding. This is the same trick Comcast tried–reducing service and charging more–guess I’ll be bailing on ATT too.
Service is ridiculous in New York. Probably get a few less customers with this tactic. Maybe they are trying to chase us away.
My 80yr old father had been with ATT/Cingular for 16 years as of last week. He was paying over $50/month with tax for 400 minutes and no data or txting. He didn’t know any better to look around for other services. I had personal experience with the Straight Talk $30/month plan where he would have 1000mins, 1000txts and 30mb of data. I talked to him about it and he asked if I could call ATT and see if they could offer him close to the same thing…..they didn’t. They didn’t even try!! 16 YEARS PEOPLE!!!!….AND THEY DIDN’T EVEN TRY TO KEEP HIM AS A CUSTOMER!!! Needless to say, we ported his number to Straight Talk (which runs on Verizon service) and he is very happy saving the money and gets better sounding calls than the garbled GSM ATT service. We are still both kinda stunned ATT didn’t try to work with us in any way to save him as such a long time customer. I guess thats what the mobile business has come to. I used to have ATT a couple of years ago but had to drop them due to poor call quality. To watch all their “ATT covers 98% of America” is a joke. With these kinds of business practices no wonder they are going to start rising the consumer cost.
One more reason to dislike ATT. First when you get a new phone you have to sign another contract and in the process lose services you already had (no more ulimites texting). Second it’s their horrible service. Third it’s their very slow (but supposedly the fastest in the nation) 3G network. Fourth, it’s this crappy iPhone ( oh wait, that’s Apple). Fifth is the new higher cancellation fees (gee is that because everyone is dumping ATT?). And now no more unlimited data plans. Only reason I switched from Alltell (now Verizon) was because my work only supports ATT – well, I’m retired now so as soon as o can, goodbye ATT. I’m back to Verizon. They treat you with respect!!
I was going to switch from Verizon to ATT to get the iphone, ‘Thanks ATT, you have made my decision for me, I’ll stick with Verizon and get the HTC Incredible’.
Hmm. if such a small number of users go over the new limits why are they changing the rates. Or maybe this numbers are a lie. If only 2% use lots of data why charge more. Isn’t this the same idea for a buffet, most people can’t eat less than they charge for the meal.
I think the telephone companies are ready to make some real money charging premiums for data usage. How about we all start asking for rebates for the % of time we can’t use our service and we still pay!
Apple needs to dump AT&T and quickly… AT&T can’t handle the load that the iPhone currently puts on in let alone what the new phone is offering. The phone can do way more than it is currently allowed to by the AT&T network. There are a lot of carriers that are foaming at the mouth to carry that phone. I know there are some Apple haters out there but they make a very stable product that works better than anything else out there so it sucks being stuck with AT&T…
I recently switched from ATT to Verizon due to there billing practices which are horrible. I had an Iphone and switched to the HTC increadible I placed my mother in laws iphone 3GS next to my phone and did the same google search on both phones simultaneously the iphone took an extra 10 seconds to pull up the same site I tried this multiple times with the same result a full 10 Mississippi count to pull up the same page. So go ahead and pay more for a slower network if you got money to burn.