AT&T caps new iPhone, iPad data plans at 2GB, announces tethering - Page 3

because people WANT tethering. I switched to sprint for 4G with tethering all for cheaper than my current AT&T bill. Screw AT&T. Always ALWAYS hated them.

Only the true data hogs will be paying more. On another web site some poster was lamenting that he used something like 60GB/mo all the time. That's the type that needs to pay a lot more. That's a real data hog.

let's do a quick poll of the majority user population on the iPhone on ATT. How many do you think require/want tethering? Remember the MAJORITY of users, not just you ubergeeks - anyone? Yeah that's right - only a very small percentage actually want or need tethering. Stupid ATT for playing to the majority user profile!

OK - next question. How many current iPhone on ATT users actually need unlimited data? Anyone - OK wait - put down the "freedom for the packets" signs you geeks. Again - look at the majority of users. They gain from this. ATT is just assigning costs where costs are actually incurred, after 3 years of "unlimited" data (OK yeah we know about the actual cap - stop being such a bloody pedant). Foolish ATT for saving the majority a little change!

Now you all should have been on one network or other for some time - while they throw discounts out from time to time - how long do you think it will take for Verizon to change their tune and start charging more for their data plans? Especially if Apple releases an iPhone for Verizon (or the other networks for that matter)? Data is a cash cow for all of them and while they throw out the odd discount now and again, as smartphones become more generally popular they are going to line up to start milking the cow big time.

There is no savior, there is no altruism when it comes to gouging the consumer - and they all will do it, it's just a matter of when, not if. If the iPhone (or Android as well for that matter) moves across all the platforms watch your cost for data go up - especially for uberusers who are much higher than the average majority user profile.

Use your brains. There is no free ride - everything has a cost and the carriers only offer discounts in order to get you to switch to them - so they can jack you downstream.

Uh, making calls? What? That's actually the app I use least on my iPhone, which is what makes it so awesome! It isn't just a phone I can check e-mail on, it is a pocket computer that I use for a massive array of tasks. From GPS directions to RDP connections to our company servers the iPhone has replaced my laptop as the device I have to carry around for support. So much so that now I find myself weighing whether or not I really need tethering since I'd only carry it for the purpose of support anyway.

The iPhone will be leaving it's exclusivity soon, and when it does you watch the price wars begin. I think really the tethering limitations & changes were really just a way for them to get tethering out the door ahead of their network actually being ready for the additional data load. They are encouraging tetherors to use wifi where possible. If the tether addition comes with free AT&T wifi for my laptop then I might consider it, otherwise it is a waste for me.

I welcome the tiered data plans with grateful open arms. I've been wanting this for a long time. I'm almost always on a wi-fi network so my 3G data usage is shockingly low. It irked me to no end that I was required to pay so much for a service that I didn't even use. Now at least the fees are more manageable. $15 a month for 200MB is more than sufficient for my uses and I doubt I'll ever come close to reaching the limit.

I also think these new plans will curtail usage by the fringe who are using 3G data at insane levels.

My big gripe is that tethering costs so darn much. Why a monthly charge? Shouldn't it be like the iPad plan be an opt in at any time thing? I might be willing to pay the $20 to tether my wi-fi iPad to my iPhone 3G if I was going on a trip where I knew there wouldn't be wi-fi access. But I'm not paying $20 a month even if I don't use tethering. Also it seems insane that tethering would cost me more than the $15 a month data plan on my iPhone. Shouldn't tethering cost less than your data plan?

So not perfect, but still a welcome change.

Yes, it is unfortunate. Fortunately, I got my iPad 3G in April and have the unlimited plan. However, I'm not sure that I won't change, anyway. I'm almost always using my iPad where there's WiFi and I suspect that my 3G usage is minimal. The new plan might save me money, anyway.


Who's going to return it? Anyone who signed up for the old plan gets to keep the old plan. No reason for complaints (except the incessant whiners on AI, of course).

New purchasers will be presented with the new plan - and make their choice of whether to buy or not. But considering that the majority of users will actually see a price cut, it's not likely to hurt Apple. In fact, if it gets some of the super-heavy downloaders off AT&T, it might HELP service for everyone.


Oh, yeah. I'll just never use my laptop on the road. If I'm in Japan, I'll just wait until I'm home to check my email. Real smart.

In reality, for a very small number of people, tethering makes sense. For most, it doesn't. I can check my email on my phone or iPad without tethering. I can use WiFi in most places without tethering. If you need tethering, though, it's probably worth $20.


It's because some people just have to complain or they're not happy. Particularly if they can complain about Apple.


Yeah. Darned AT&T lowered prices for most customers and decided that the superdownloaders who are downloading hundreds of GB of data and slowing down the rest of the network should have to pay for their usage. Pure evil.


People are able to keep their existing plans. According to AT&T, even if you switch to a new iPhone you can keep the old plan. I don't know about the iPad, though.


But does it play Flash?

Seriously, comparing the Kindle's internet access to iPad or iPhone access is absurd. Can you check your email? Browse the web? Watch a movie?

Besides, so far, every book I've purchased for my iPad was bought at home and then read while traveling. I would rarely need to buy one somewhere that doesn't have WiFi.


Then you keep your old plan. Problem solved.


Actually, you do. When you get close to your limit, you'll get a notice that you're approaching the limit and how much the charge will be.

Mostly this change screams that AT&T has been overcharging 98% of smartphone users.

My guess is that changing plans will forfeit your right to the grandfathering. Anyone know for sure?

you don't get unlimited data - you just haven't hit the real cap. And what percent of the market do you represent? a very, very small one. What will you do when they all are charging and arm and a leg - because you know very well that that is where this is going to go. Period. So go ahead and abandon Apple. It's your choice and bounce all you want - but know in the end your choices will eventually run out. Why don't you start up an UBERUSERS consumer group and start petitioning the FCC for pricing regulations on the carriers? If enough highend data users make enough noise you will attract some attention from the politicos and bureaucrats. Be proactive instead of reactive? Oh wait that would require some effort on your part - sorry - what was I thinking....

well, i know everyone is calling foul at the part of ATT. And I know it's not going to kill me to have a hard cap on my iPhone, should I upgrade to the Gen 4. And yes, I know this is total BS to have a hard cap on data. BUT...Have any of you out there actually checked your data usage stats on your iPhone account? I'm a pretty average to regular user of Mobile data for work and home use on the go. Today is my 28th out of 31st day of my billing cycle and my data usage is 161 mb! I was as shocked as you might be if you knew me. My work doesn't have WiFi available to anyone so i have to use the iPhone in 3G mode all day and my battery is nearly dead every day. So, much to my suprise, I'm happy to upgrade because it's going to mean a 15$/mo. decrease in my phone bill. For all you that think you need more than 2GB, you might not. Either way your bill would drop by $5/mo. regardless. So quit with the winning already. If you need more than 2GB and you are NOT teathering, you have a serious problem or need to switch to the Enterprise plan, which it $45/Mo. and i think it does have unlimited usage, but i could be wrong on that.

Same here. My wife and I can save $30/month combined. Vast majority of my data is via wifi anyway. I rarely come close to 200MG, and if I do, I can retroactively bump up to the $25 plan in any given month.

Seems reasonable for me.

Maybe instead of using your unlimited downloads for entertainment purposes you should actually do some work? You got yourself into this mess, i'm sure you'll find an unsatisfying way out of it.

Agreed. A buddy of mine just got a Palm Pre Plus on Verizon. He can make a free WiFi Hot Spot with his phone and tether several devices at once. For free.

And you think another carrier, um...Verizon?, is going to offer more generous terms? That's a little naive on your part.

Wait and see if Verizon follows suit. After all, these guys tend to copycat each other. Just like AT&T bumped up the cancellation charges last week, etc.

Exactly. The 3G iPad has been out a month, there is no way AT$T can know how much data that thing will generate. To say only 2% use more than 5 GB is old news. The technology is only getting better and faster and now AT$T is trying to slow it down. Bottom line is if another carrier had the iPhone they wouldn't try this, when your customers have no other option they can do what ever they want. As soon as another carrier gets the iPhone and offers unlimited AT$T will be stuck.

What did you guys expect? Free unlimited tethering?! We all knew this was coming. You want tethering then pay for it. This might save me $30/month for both iPhone on my family plan. I have WiFi everywhere and I use less than 200MB cellular data.

To me, it sounds that AT&T will lose its iPhone exclusivity this Jun.

I believe it was said a while back that the rational behind the extra charge is because tethered notebook/laptop can use more data by virtue of being able to multitask - multiple simultaneous downloads/uploads unlike the iPhone thus potentially overloading the available bandwidth. Therefore they charge for that.

I have a 3G express card for my MBP with unlimited data so I won't be tethering anyway.

You do realize that Verizon's CEO said they are looking to do the same thing?

I am using an average of 360mb per month over the last 18 months, my wife who is in WIFI range more often than I am is using even less. This new plan looks like it will save me $120 per year, even if the new cameras cause me to quadruple my data usage. If the new plans cause data hogs to actually turn on their WIFI antennas and make use of the hot spots available to them, perhaps the other 97% of us will see better performance. Boy this is really gunna suck huh?

So you spent (whatever hundreds) for a smart phone and eighty bucks a month for a phone plan and you hardly use it for a phone?


And the classic AI forum poster response to anything the we are denied (Flash, MMS, multi tasking) or overcharged for (Text, Tethering): "I don't really need it anyway."

I'm not trying to pick on you my friend, I'm just trying to understand it all. I want to "be there" when the next revolution happens, really I do. I can't figure out if Apple is insanely great or has just gone insane lately.

It's probably just me. No doubt people are going to stay up all night to get the new iPhone and will pay AT&T anything they want to tether it to the iPad.

And what if your in a dead zone and can't get a cell signal? Well then, I guess you didn't really need one anyway.

Are you sure that the iPad can be tethered? I've never seen any comments one way or the other, but it would not be surprising if it were somehow disabled.

Nexus One, here i come.

It was clear that the days of flat-rate unlimited data were over when Steve announced the new iPad data plans.

This shouldn't be any surprise.

Stop defending this Crap, if they realize they were over chairing, why didn't then KEEP the "unlimited" (really 5 gig) plan and make a new plan for 1 gig for $15 and keep the "unlimited" plan. Allot of people would have switched to that plan and people who wanted "unlimited" (5 gig) would still be happy. I love how people are like I do use much data. Yeah maybe NOW you don't, but what happens once video chat comes out, or Itunes cloud, Sling box over 3g, Hulu, SKYPE Etc.. You don't realize the data you will be using. The iPad plan change is a SLAP in the face. this weekend I downloaded a movie off itunes on my iPad(since i was not at home) it was 1.4 gigs, I streamed the Celtics game using sling box (600 mb). Downloaded a GPS app (1.7 gigs) downloaded the Wired magazine app (500 mb) This was just one weekend!!!

This is BULL CRAP. AT&T Should be expanding their capacity on their net work not lowing their CAPs and charging MORE. They are just gouging now.

The Tethering plan is a F'ING joke! pay extra $20 for the same bits but get NO more data.
WTF do they really think we are stupid. This is Bull its time to switch.

You are a moron. Most of us will save money on this plan, well if you count 98% as most. As for the iPad people, no one lied to them, anyone who purchased an iPad, or who buys one within the next week can keep the plans that were announced with the iPad release.

Lets do another poll, how many iPhone users also have wifi iPad? How many require/want tehering? The thing has only been out a few months so there are no real statistics other than the fact it is selling like mad. Tethering to most people before the iPad was taboo but now, who knows. Being able to tether through my iPhone with my iPad is fantastic (MYFI) and I still use less then 2 GB a month.


Again, prior to the iPad and the soon to launch OS4, many users didnt, now with a whole slew of technology just dropped on us or getting ready to drop on us it is fair to say the montly usage is going to go up, AT$T knows this and sees a way to make more money, they know that 2% is going to increase rapidly.



Not really. All it takes is one carrier to stay with unlimited and the others will soon have to go back. Back when cell phones first came out I paid $50 a month for 30 mins. As carriers increased data and eventually offered unlimited, all the rest had to follow suit. AT$T only gets away with this because they are the only ones carrying the iPhone, we have no other options if we want an iPhone. As soon as another carrier gets the iPhone they will want to draw customers, how will they do it, offer unlimited data and AT&T customers will flock. This is why AT$t raised the ETF and is trying hard to lock people into new two year contracts. They know customers do not have a choice but once they do they have allot to account for.

From a performance standpoint a wired connection is always better than wireless.


I'm not sure you understand how this works. AT&T is in this to make as much money as it can. Giving away a premium service for free does not accomplish that goal.

The US mobile phone market is nearly saturated. The carriers are loosing the ability to add subscribers as revenue growth. Data is the future of carrier revenue. They want to get as many of their subscribers on data plans as possible.


And somehow the world will keep spinning and life will go on.

Only through WIFI. Works great on my iPhone using MYFI.

Oh yeah, its was VERY CLEAR. when Steve took the stage and said UNLIMITED DATA for iPAD 3G on AT&T only $30. How could you think it he meant UNLIMITED DATA. I sure hell new he meant caped data for $25 a month. How could you not think that?

So good for AT&T for making the 2% pay more. If it improves the network, then great. Although I though they are shooting themselves in the foot. So in easy numbers 1.9 million people have been "overpaying" by only using 200MB of data but still paying 30.00 a month. .1 million people have been going over 5GB and only paying 30.00. From AT&T's profits perspective, doesn't it sound like they were making more from the 1.9 million people who were underutilizing what they were paying for, by an extreme amount (90%), which would easily offset the .1 million who go over the 5GB.

Now from a customer's perspective, going from 5GB at 30.00 to 2GB at 25.00. That's what I'm pissed about. Great most of us use a lot less data. the 15.00 for 200MB should work for most. But if you do the math, the 2GB is a 60% decrease in the amount of data were are allowed. The price for for that 60% decrease is only about 12% savings. The 2GB plans should be more like 15.00 which would still be only a 50% savings for the 60% decrease of product. I'll give AT&T that because they are still making more profits, and I as the customer are getting a fair deal.

The tethering charge is ridiculous. That extra 20.00 should buy me extra data (up to 5GB like the laptop connect plans). Like people have said, tethering doesn't cost AT&T anything. The software is built into the iphone and has been in there for months already.

As for the iPad bait and switch,
I bought a 3G iPad and now want to return it. It isn't clear but I"m sure as soon as I stop using the 3G for one month, I'll be on the new plan when I sign up again.

This screams of "booo, we lost our exclusivity". I could imagine that AT&T struck a deal with Apple to keep the exclusivity in return for these lower ipad plans, and then their service sucked so Apple was able to get out of that contract... and this is AT&T's way of sticking it to Apple for reneging. Piss of the apple customers and they'll buy different phones. Especially if Verizon doesn't see the phone until November. Plenty of time to get Apple customers pissed off so they can get you to switch to another phone.



I also see this as a way to get more money. As much as you think you only use 200MB a month now. wait until you can multi-task and do video chat. That's numbers going up! And you'll pay AT&T a lot more for the pleasure of using the features of your phone.


I live in SF and the AT&T service is such crap! I replied to their "we put up new towers in SF" email announcement with, "it didn't work, now the service is worse. I now have 5 bars and drop a call where at least before the new towers, I had 2 bars and dropped a call and might think it was acceptable." --No response from AT&T.

If you read the information presented in other comments, the negatively affected percentage is 35%, and not 2%.

IOW, if you are together with a couple of friends, look left and right, because one of them is a "heavy data user".

bait and switch.

So now your story becomes that you speculated that AT&T would change data price structure in any way. Even though your implication is that they would raise the price. Your speculation said nothing about lowering the price.

I guarantee you this is directly because of LTE. They are lowering the costs of 3G so that more people get smart phones and data plans become the norm. This sets up for them to charge a premium for 4G.

Think of ATT as Apple. Folks routinely laud Apple's gross margins. They say it is good for Apple customers, for various reasons, like the continued ability to fund R&D.

So too increased profits at ATT are good for ATT customers. If one subscribes to the Apple way of thinking.

Tethering should be free, there is no additional service provided. You could make an argument with an unlimited plan, but not for one with a hard cap.

Glad I'm in Canada. You guys should tell AT&T to shove it.

I just made a cool flash video of my kids. Want me to flip that to your iPad?

what do you need tethering for if you have a smartphone?
and do you really need to be online so much?

people, get your heads out of your laptops and enjoy the outdoors a little. talk to someone face to face. lose some weight!!

Absolutely not, in this case. USB limits performance to one device, that also has a USB port. Please see the infinite value in using WiFi tethering from an iPhone with a WiFi-only iPad....


I'm not sure you understand how this works. For 3 straight years AT&T has only offered and required Unlimited data, for 20, then $30/mon. This was prohibitive to many potential customers. What AT&T wants is more subscribers, not more dollars per user. The $15 option is supposed to lure the person who wants an iPhone, but isn't a power user. It's a good idea, but I do not think it's aggressive enough. Maybe not 200 mb, but at least 50 or 100 mb should be FREE. Exceeding that amount would result in a charge, but this would be very useful for signing up more and more and more people of diverse mobile phone usage. Critical thinking skills, buddy.


Yea, no kidding, see above.

Exactly. These new plans won't work for heavy data users.

They also just gave their competition an excellent marketing advantage.

My thoughts as well. It seems to me if you are going to have a data plan with caps then everything that uses data should be no extra charge, other than the data the services used out of your monthly allocation.

Tethering, texting, email, web browsing, etc., should all be free but the data they use would apply to your cap.

Hopefully, I can resist upgrading my iPhone when the 4G comes out. I will start shopping for Android phones on another carrier.

I love my iPhone. AT&T knows that others like me will pay their new fees to keep it. The only way to fight them is to prove them wrong. Android here I come.

-kpluck

That will NEVER happen. They get too much enjoyment out of the constant whining for any reason at all apparently