— The current plan provides unlimited data usage for $30 per month. If you’re a current customer, you can keep it.
— A new plan called DataPlus will provide 200 megabytes of data for $15 per month. If you go over, you pay another $15 for 200 megabytes. AT&T says this plan will suffice for people who surf the Web, send e-mail and use applications like Facebook. The data allowance is enough for 1,000 e-mails without attachments, or 400 Web pages, but only 20 minutes of streaming video.
— A plan called DataPro will provide 2 gigabytes of data per month (10 times more than DataPlus) for $25 per month. If you go over, you pay another $10 for 1 gigabyte. AT&T says 98 percent of smart phone users use less than 2 gigabytes, which is the equivalent of more than three hours of streaming video.
The prices are in addition to the voice part of the plan, which costs at least $40 per month, plus taxes and fees that vary by jurisidiction. Data use over Wi-Fi does not count towards the limits.
Related news: AT&T announced they will be dropping their current unlimited data plan.
I have a novel idea how about upgrading your network to allow for the extra bandwith usage so that you don’t have to LIMIT any of your customers or make them jump through hoops? Sounds like AT&T simply doesn’t want to do that. But it’s all moot in a few months when Android overtakes the iPhone. Wonder what excuses we’ll hear then?
I’m not sure if this is the worst deal in the world. I send and receive countless emails, surf the web ALL the time (though I will admit I don’t stream video) and I average around 200MB a month of usage. Granted, on AT&T your average user has an iPhone and thus, probably uses a considerable amount of data but 2GB worth? I sincerely doubt it.
What I don’t get is why they’re doing this. Yes, you might save $5.00 a month but why not drop their unlimited data to $25 a month if truly only 3% of their users go over that limit. Are they just attempting to gouge people who go crazy with their bandwidth? In the world we live in, people don’t like the concept of limits and from a marketing stance, this is a horrible idea. Besides, if people are going to get a charged a bunch more, it’s likely they’ll stop going over the cap so AT&T will lose money and/or the people who go over will switch providers. I suppose I’d have to see a ratio between KB usage and cents to see the logic behind this.
What I don’t think AT&T gets is that their market share comes from the iPhone and that’s it. Once other smart phones become better than the iPhone or it finds its way to another carrier, what is AT&T going to offer? No unlimited data, no unique phone, a subpar 3G service?
You will have to pay more to tether your iPhone too. I forget the price, but I think its like $3-15/mo.
I’m not sure if this is the worst deal in the world. I send and receive countless emails, surf the web ALL the time (though I will admit I don’t stream video) and I average around 200MB a month of usage. Granted, on AT&T your average user has an iPhone and thus, probably uses a considerable amount of data but 2GB worth? I sincerely doubt it.
What I don’t get is why they’re doing this. Yes, you might save $5.00 a month but why not drop their unlimited data to $25 a month if truly only 3% of their users go over that limit. Are they just attempting to gouge people who go crazy with their bandwidth? In the world we live in, people don’t like the concept of limits and from a marketing stance, this is a horrible idea. Besides, if people are going to get a charged a bunch more, it’s likely they’ll stop going over the cap so AT&T will lose money and/or the people who go over will switch providers. I suppose I’d have to see a ratio between KB usage and cents to see the logic behind this.
What I don’t think AT&T gets is that their market share comes from the iPhone and that’s it. Once other smart phones become better than the iPhone or it finds its way to another carrier, what is AT&T going to offer? No unlimited data, no unique phone, a subpar 3G service?
Time to bolt … send a message, leave NOW
As if they don’t find enough ways to rip money from there customers get 15$ land line unlimited internet, or pay out the a$$ for 2gig?
more ways to screw people over thank god im not with them greedy sob
It’s actually a better deal for 90% of the users of the network. And greedy snobs? How dare a company whose goal it is to make money find a way to protect it’s interests.
This actually doesn't seem like a bad idea. I have an iPhone 3GS… so I already pay 30 bucks a month for the data. I'm not sure if I'll keep the plan or not, but I'll see how much data I use regularly and then make my decision from there.