Thoughts on the new AT&T data plans?

[disneysteve]

AT&T just announced they are repricing their data plans for the iPhone and iPad as of June 7. The new plans will me $15 for 200MB and $25 for 2GB instead of the current $30 for unlimited use.

I have an iPhone and just reviewed my last 3 bills. The most data I've used was 0.75GB and last month was only 0.52GB so it seems like it would work for me to drop to the $25 plan and save $5/month. Am I missing anything here? Even if I use double the data or more, I'd still be within the new 2GB limit.

 

[sixbits8]

I will be curious to see how much data users use each month? I've wanted an iphone for a long time now.

 

[disneysteve]

I will be curious to see how much data users use each month? I've wanted an iphone for a long time now.

AT&T says that 98% of its users use less than 2GB/month. What I wonder, though, is with more and more people getting smart phones and iPads, will the average data usage climb?

 

[cyberbox2]

Yeah, when I first read this I thought, well the "unlimited" label is nice but I don't think I have ever gone over 1 gig in a months time. So a 2 gig limit is more than enough especially since I find myself in WiFi hotspots enough that I can do any heavy downloading through that. Also since I have a family plan with 2 iPhones, that's $10 a month I'll be saving. Of course for existing iPhone owners, we get to keep our "unlimited" data until contract renewal.

What upsets me most is the cost of tethering, I mean we're paying for 2 gigs right, then why do they get to tell us how we can use it. It's not right!

 

[mikelan6]

There's something fishy going on and I'm not sure what it is. If most people don't use more than 2Gigs, then what's all the hubbub about? I think for me, it will lower my cost a bit, so I'm happy about it.

 

[disneysteve]

There's something fishy going on and I'm not sure what it is. If most people don't use more than 2Gigs, then what's all the hubbub about?

I think that the 2% of users who use more than 2GB use WAY more than 2GB and AT&T wants a way to ding those people for the heavy usage. Apparently, even though they state that the plan is "unlimited" currently, they have actually imposed overage charges on some really heavy users. This way, it will legitimize that by having set limits and set fees for those who exceed that usage. Most of us will never notice the change. In fact, it will save most of us money.

 

[ADP]

Well, this sort of complicates things doesn't it.

I can understand why AT&T is doing this, but I'm still not a fan. Basically, with 3G and the advent of 4G on the horizon AT&T is fearing many of it's users will be going to tethering technology. Hooking up your IPhone to your PC/laptop for Internet connectivity will become popular increasing the amount of data usage on their network.

some users may even choose to eliminate their home Internet connection to save money and just use the 3G/4G tethered connection from their IPhone. Very possible.

I could be way off here, but Just my 2 cents.

 

[Golf4food]

some users may even choose to eliminate their home Internet connection to save money and just use the 3G/4G tethered connection from their IPhone. Very possible.

I could be way off here, but Just my 2 cents.

In which case those users should be charged for tethering compirable to the cost of hone internet service.

 

[GuySmiley]

Is this only for iPhone and iPad or is it for all AT&T data plans?

 

[disneysteve]

Is this only for iPhone and iPad or is it for all AT&T data plans?

As I read it, it is for all devices.

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

Is this only for iPhone and iPad or is it for all AT&T data plans?

According to the press release:
The new $25-per-month plan will replace the current $30 plan with unlimited usage that is available for the iPad, the tablet computer Apple Inc. released just a few months ago, though iPad owners can keep the old plan as long as they keep paying $30 per month, AT&T said.

 

[mikelan6]

If they would have a rollover program for the data plan, I'd be all for it!

 

[DiRTyBuNNy]

What upsets me most is the cost of tethering, I mean we're paying for 2 gigs right, then why do they get to tell us how we can use it. It's not right!

Because they can and they know you will pay. That's the Ma Bell way...

--DB

 

[Renysmom]

I am going to be watching and reading about this very closely over the next few months so I can decide when my contract comes up for renewal in November.

 

[tlcoke]

Our Corporate contract requires Unlimited Data - I wonder how this will affect my plan - since it is through our corporate enterprise plan.

 

[FozzieFan]

I looked at my past bills and the most I have ever used is 142MB... so I'm going to save myself $15 a month when I get my new iphone in a few weeks !

As someone said 98% of smartphone users are under 2GB and they said somewhere in the 65% range was below 200MB a month. The 2% above 2G are WAY above and ATT wants to charge them for usage because they believe people are abusing their network....in in their mind causing issues with network speed for others. I believe in rare cases for extreme usage they have been charging because although it says unlimited it's not really unlimited there is a * in there somewhere.

 

[sunshine girl]

I don't like that there's no unlimited option anymore. I used their data calculator (http://www.att.com/standalone/data-calculator/index.html ) and just by doing a little math I calculated that one can reach 2GB by streaming music for about 71.5 hours per month (without doing anything else whatsoever -- no email, apps, web surfing beyond the music streaming).

I dunno. I do like the music streaming on long car rides, which I do often. I can see myself maxing out a 2GB plan every now and then, when I factor in other things beyond the music streaming.

I don't have an iPhone yet but am planning on buying one once the new model comes out. Hmmm.

 

[Disneygeek714]

I went thru 4.7 GB last month on my Ipad, which I take everywhere. I stream music at work (Big Brother has barriers on our work computers) for approximately 20-25 hours per week, plus e-mail and app store, etc. It seemed to me that at first I could download anything on 3G, but the last couple of weeks larger DL's like the DIS podcast and some Apps had to be downloaded on a Wi-Fi or computer and transferred. A good bit of that usage was on my home WiFi, and I don't see a way to single out how much of the usage was on the 3G network, but I am sure I was getting my $$$ worth. With the new plan, I would have spent $50.00. It appears that I have a choice of sticking with the original plan the way I read it

 

[jediobiwan]

I went thru 4.7 GB last month on my Ipad, which I take everywhere. I stream music at work (Big Brother has barriers on our work computers) for approximately 20-25 hours per week, plus e-mail and app store, etc. It seemed to me that at first I could download anything on 3G, but the last couple of weeks larger DL's like the DIS podcast and some Apps had to be downloaded on a Wi-Fi or computer and transferred. A good bit of that usage was on my home WiFi, and I don't see a way to single out how much of the usage was on the 3G network, but I am sure I was getting my $$$ worth. With the new plan, I would have spent $50.00. It appears that I have a choice of sticking with the original plan the way I read it

I don't have an iPad myself, but I am guessing the 4.7gb is your 3g data amount. As for downloads, unless there was a bug in the download limits for iPad, the cap is 20mb per file. It used to be 10mb but they upped it a little recently. As for keeping your unlimited pla, IF you keep your plan current, you can be grandfathered in at $30/unlimited. If you do not keep it up to date, you will be able to manually start a new month once you reach the 2gb cap. So if you used 4gb a month, you would start another $25 plan every fifteen days. Still much more expensive, so I would reccomentd keeping it current.

 

[lady danger]

I went thru 4.7 GB last month on my Ipad, which I take everywhere. I stream music at work (Big Brother has barriers on our work computers) for approximately 20-25 hours per week, plus e-mail and app store, etc. It seemed to me that at first I could download anything on 3G, but the last couple of weeks larger DL's like the DIS podcast and some Apps had to be downloaded on a Wi-Fi or computer and transferred. A good bit of that usage was on my home WiFi, and I don't see a way to single out how much of the usage was on the 3G network, but I am sure I was getting my $$$ worth. With the new plan, I would have spent $50.00.

I'm very similar on my iphone. I'm not sure how much I used last month, but I'm currently at just under a gig of data usage right now with half of my billing period to go. I might squeak by under 2GB a month, but I'm guessing I fluctuate between 2-2.5GB a month. If I was forced out of an unlimited plan, I'd have really rethink how I use my iPhone.