AT&T shared data plans launch late August, start at $45 per smartphone - Page 2

You guys make it sound so simple to push data. it's not a downstream only service. 1,000 devices on a node sending 1MB of data at the same time is more difficult than one device sending 1,000MB of data. Are the plans excessive? I think so, but that doesn't mean there is no additional cost and overhead when you add more devices to a network.

 

Which is precisely what a bundling plan like this addresses: you buy one bucket of data and subscribe any/all of your devices to that.

 

Today your iPad costs either $15 for 250MB or $25 for 2GB of cellular data. Now you can subscribe it to your umbrella data plan for $10. Whether that's a better or worse deal depends on your own usage needs and number of devices.

Lot of dumb assumptions here.

 

Best check out AT&T's site, particularly the See FAQs about AT&T Mobile Share section.

Unless AT&T persists in charging separately for tethering. Then it's smartphone + laptop fees...

Ahem....

 

BOOOOOOOOO!

 

Sticking with our 'unlimited' plans or jumping to Verizon.

Looks like a ripoff. I pay €5 ($6.12 at today's exchange rate) per month in Ireland for unlimited data on my iPhone. In fairness, I had to buy the iPhone unsubsidised.

Last month I switched my iPhone over to straight talk (www.straighttalksim.com) and I get unlimited talk/text & 2Gb of Data for $45.00 / month...no contract...no hidden fees, taxes, etc...works perfectly for me and uses the AT&T Towers!

There is an aspect of this plan that is being missed. This is the carrier's way of forcing users to pay for text and voice on devices that have outgrown those services. iMessage for an iPhone household eliminates the need for text services. This is a huge revenue loss for carriers. Highly disruptive! I have personally used FaceTime over 3G. the voice quality was so good, it puts every cell call to shame. People do not want to pay for voice or texting, nor do they have to anymore. These plans are a way for the carriers to artificially prolong the life of a business model long overdue for the grave.

On the shared plan you would pay the same $260($70 + 40 * 4 + $30) before taxes if you choose the 4gb data plan. I think I read somewhere that there is a $15/Gb charge for going over your data plan. The benefit on share is the unlimited talk and text.

Not sure I agree.  I think the carriers realize that many people will merge their data plans.  So, to me, this is like neighbors sharing the same Water Plan but the water is going to different homes.

This mostly comes out sixes for me.

 

Current

2 iPhones, 550 shared minutes, unlimited texts on both, 2gb per phone for a total of about $128 a month (national corporate partner discount included, 20%ish)

 

On the new plan

2iPhones, Unlimited text and talk, tethering included, 4gb shared for about $150 a month - discount = $120ish plus taxes brings me to the $130ish range.

 

 

With the addition of tethering I guess I could be coming out ahead. It is a feature I've wanted to add but didn't value it at the amount they would have charged. I'll probably make the move so long as they don't take away my discount.

"additional data will be charged at a rate of $15 per GB"

This is a little better (for many) than Verizon's new plans.

 

I have 5 iPhones on my account. We share 700 minutes and unlimited messaging: (breakdown as shown on my bill)

Primary: 700 Minutes ($60) + Family Messaging Unlimited ($30) + DataPro 3GB ($30) = $120

Line 2: ($9.99 + $25 2GB) = $34.99

Line 3: ($9.99 + $25 2GB) = $34.99

Line 4: ($9.99 + $25 2GB) = $34.99

Line 5: ($9.99 + $15 200MB) = $24.99

                                          $249.96

                                 + Taxes & Fees

                                          $278.70

 

We could get by with 6GB of data shared. Data overages are charged at $15 per GB as stated on AT&T's website. 

Our new proposed bill will look like:

6GB $90

5 @ $35 = $175

                $265

 

OR

 

10GB $120

5 @ $30 = $150

                $270

 

So, we'd gain unlimited voice and tethering for $15 - $20 more total (plus taxes & fees). We really don't need it, but I'm sure a few of us would benefit from it. 

 

OR

 

We go with Straight Talk:

4 @ $45 for unlimited talk, text & web (capped around 2GB each) = $180

1 @ $30 (1000 minutes & texts and 30MB data) = $30

                                                                       $210

 

Granted, we'll have to pay full-price for unlocked iPhones if we want them @ $650 + tax each, but we could sell our old iPhones in good condition for nearly half that price, making our upgrade charge around $300 +/- each. Roughly only $100 more than the subsidized price from AT&T, and NO CONTRACT.

 

Since Straight Talk uses AT&T's network (all 4 carriers, actually, depending on the phone you use), no jailbreaking/unlocking required to get them working. We just have to buy the SIM cards for $15 each, and change a few settings via the iPhone Config. Utility. Officially unlocked iPhones should be even easier to setup. 

Edited by RedGeminiPA - 7/18/12 at 7:17am

Hmmm...I might be better off.   I have 4 iPhones and 4 iPads.  If I get the 10GB plan, total cost is $280.....which is what I am paying for now but with limited voice minutes and much smaller data plans that I can't share between devices.

But typically you can call the carrier during that billing cycle to get the plan adjusted thus removing egregious overage costs.

Personally, I think it would go a long way to give customers peace of mind and to increase overall usage by auto-adjusting plans for customers that do go over their plan limits so they are charged something "fair" on each bill cycle. Even if the increased plan was automatic but going to a decreased plan required a user to request it at least they'd know they'd never be charged, at most and only if they used it, more than the Unlimited/Unlimited/Unlimited plan in a month instead of thousands of dollars.

Well, these new plans will save me some significant money - about $40/month. I currently have 2 iPhones on the $80/month 1400 minute family share plan ($90 total because you pay $10 for the second line access) plus $30/month for umilimited text and any mobile to any mobile plus $25/month for data on one iPhone and $45/month on the other iPhone. That's a total monthly cost of $190 before taxes and fees. We need the minutes because my wife works from home and comes close to using all 1400 minutes every month and I need the $45/month data plan to tether my wifi only iPad. The 6gb of data is way more than we need - have never gone above 2gb combined in a single month.

On the new plans, I would go with the 4gb plan. That's $70 plus $40 for each iPhone for a total of $150. Plus, now we would get unlimited minutes and my wife would be able to use her iPhone for tethering. Sign me up. I only wish the plans were available sooner.

Plus, I will be much more likely to buy my next iPad with wireless access. One of the reasons I didn't in the first place is because I didn't want to pay an extra $30/month for data. It was cheaper to go with the $45/month tethering plan. I would gladly pay an extra $10/month to have the convenience of not always having to tether my iPad to my iPhone when I don't have wifi access.

I currently have two iPhones and a dumb phone on my plan. We have FamilyTalk Nation 700 + unlimited text + unlimited data on my iPhone and 200MB on my wife's iPhone = $154.98 (right off my bill) before taxes.

 

With a new plan, I would get the 4GB data plan ($70) + 2 iPhones ($40/ea. x 2 = $80) + 1 dumb phone ($30) = $180 before taxes.

 

So what do I get for the extra $25 that the shared data plan would cost me? I get unlimited voice, unlimited text (which I already had), more data for my wife but less for me and tethering. Question is, do I need unlimited voice and tethering?
 

Given how much confusion there is around pricing and features of both these plans and Verizon's, I think both carriers need to offer an "Understand our service" web page (or online video or something), so consumers can really see what they are getting and how much it actually costs.  From skimming this thread, and others when VZW changed their plans, it's clear that consumers have very little understanding about what they will pay in the future on plans like this.  Not to mention these "simple" plans make it hard to compare to regional carriers who are often less expensive.

 

For what it's worth, I'm a VZW subscriber and have zero interest in moving to any shared plan because it would cost me more $$$ (my wife and I each have an iPhone 4S with 2 GB data, which is plenty for our needs).

At least AT&T is offering this plan as an option.....existing data plans remain.

 

Verizon is forcing users to their new shared data plans.

 

 

Data Hogs ruin it for the rest of us.  They slow down the network and use more than their fair share.

The key thing for people to do is just compare what you currently pay and would pay under the new plan. If you are comfortable with your current plan and it is cheaper than the new shared plan, keep the old plan. If you feel you don't have enough

data on your old plan or are going over every month, you should seriously consider the new plan that you can afford. Unlike Verizon that makes you take the shared plan when you go to a new device, here you can keep your old as long

as you want. There is a lot of flexabilty here.

I pitty you Americans. Those prices are a rape to everyone's ass! Look at what I spend for UNLIMITED internet in Ireland:



I need to top up by €20 once every month and I get:

1) UNLIMITED internet
2) Free Skype to Skype calls/messages (which makes no sense after it's already unlimited)
3) By toping up over internet I get extra €2 and at the end of each month I get free €10 credit
4) Hotspot is enabled and I don't need to pay extra

I managed to use that much over one month only by using iPad over iPhone's hotspot feature. Streaming videos from my laptop via Air Video app watching Netflix and so on...

Do you really think Verizon's new shared plan is any better? Depending on how many devices you have, and how much data you choose, Verizon's is probably worse. New customers are forced into the Share Everything plan.

 

You'd be better off going with Straight Talk. That's what I'll be doing very soon. 

We have the family plan for 550 minutes of which we use about 100 per month for talk and about 150 MB data.

2 iPhones $50 + $10 no texting no tethering, data $30 + $30 unlimited. Total is $120 + taxes.

2 iPads 4G, one unlimited $30, one occasional use $15. Cellular iPad use is 3GB over 4 months. Total with phones and iPads is $165.

 

Under the new plan, with 1GB data shared, including unlimited texting and tethering, which could be used with the iPads, as well as a MacBook Pro.

$40 + $45 + $45 =$130

With 4GB data shared, including both iPads

$70 + $40 + $40 + $10 + $10 = $170

 

Tethering is useful for iPad use in the car, but my car has a wifi hotspot from T-Mobile for $30 per month, so we probably don't need the iPads enrolled.

The problem with that is the prorated change on the next bill. It isn't like it used to be, back in the days of the old Cellular One before the old AT&T bought them out and screwed over everyone. 

I don't think 9GB is unfathomable. I've used as much as 100GB in a month back when I had Unlimited access. AT&T did drop me to a tiered plan after warning me not to tether. I tried to find ways around it but I can't fault them for find ways around my ways. After all I did agree to not tether to a PC when I signed up.

Even without tethering streaming video from Dropbox, Netflix or other places could give you 9GB. Imagine if this guy has a dull job, like a night door guard. There might not be WiFi available and being able to stream media for all those hours might be a way to pass the time.

You lost me. Prorated? Whenever I've called they've asked me if I wanted to start it today, next billing cycle or backdate it to the beginning of the billing cycle.

I really feel robbed by AT&T.

 

I bought a smartphone, thus I'm FORCED to buy a data plan.

 

The past months data prices had skyrocketed.

 

So, they get $40 for voice, but then they charge another 20$. That is 50%. If I had it my will I would just get voice, and use data on wifi. Can I do that? No.

 

It is like buying a car and being forced to just fill it with gas at the dealer.

 

I had a jailbroken iPhone once. All I had to do was get to AT&T and ask them for a SIM card with the phone number. I wish I could do that again, to be totally honest.

Of course they didn't note anything about charging for Facetime - perhaps an extra $20 per month to enable it over cellular :(

I am assuming if I have an iPad Wifi, I could use this plan using the HOTSPOT plan, 

however if i have an iPAD 3G, then Id need the tablet plan. Correct?

 

anyone?

 

You are right if the United States was the size of the state of West Virginia. Otherwise, you should keep your sorry ass out of the conversation.

I can see how these plans might help for those users with smartphones and iPads but I'm not there yet so all of these plans will be more expensive than what I now pay. I understand this includes unlimited talk so no more worrying about rollover minutes. The problem is, I don't care about rollover minutes because once AT&T added any cellular to any cellular to the Family Plan shared messaging, we dropped our plan to 700 minutes and haven't gone anywhere near that many minutes since. Of course, I really should think about dropping my land line since I wouldn't have to worry about using our cell phones for everything.

 

Currently, my Family Plan monthly cost is around $267.43 (it varies for unknown reasons as do all utility bills). This includes 4 iPhones (1-unl, 3x2GB data) and one simple phone. I calculated my taxes and other non-phone charges at 12% ($32.47/mo).

 

This works out to the following:

1GB w/tax $280/mo

4GB w/tax $291.20/mo

6GB w/tax $291.20/mo

10GB w/tax 302.40/mo

rest are higher still

 

Currently, I use Comcast for everything so dropping voice, which would cause internet and TV to increase, would save me (maybe) $20-$30 (just checked and Comcast has a promotion for current users so I need to call them).

 

None of the phones have used more than 1GB in their lifetime since we try and use WiFi as much as possible. The 1GB plan would be too low and since the 4 and 6GB plans come out the same, I would be looking at the 6GB plan for future growth. This means my "cost savings" using AT&T's new and improved shared data, even including dropping Comcast voice, would still be no batter than a wash but probably $20/mo more. 

Guys just check out ATT's website it clarifies everything.

 

 

 

 

*Smartphone required. 3G, HSPA+, LTE devices only. Up to ten devices per plan. Additional monthly charge per device. Tablets sold at a discounted,
2-year contract price not eligible. $15 per GB for add'l data. Activation fee may apply. Additional deposits and other restrictions may apply. Access to
corporate email, company intranet sites and/or business applications requires an Enterprise DataPro plan.

 

A cellphone also shouldn't cost $600 or more...

 

How on earth do you feel that they should provide you with unlimited data, text, and talk for $50 per month? Are you out of your mind? 

While I agree... I think 120/month is a bit steep (one iPhone, 4GB of data, iPad) for one person.

The question is, will they spend it to make their network better, or will they spend it on bonuses and dividends?

 

If I got 3-5mb/sec download on my 3G usage everywhere and 1-4mb/s upload... I'd might say it's worth it.   I don't, so it isn't.  

 

They've basically eliminated the family plan for calling, and wrapped us around sharing data, and then get us from both ends...  the per month per phone cost (sans data), is for the privilege of using their spectrum, and to make calls.   That used to be $9.99 for an 'add a line'  It's apparent that like the 'landline'  they want to charge $30-45 for the line you may never use.

You do not have to pay another $30 for unlimited text as that comes with the plan.

 

For me currently:

 

two iPhones comes to about $240 with taxes (unlimited text, voice and data, throttled at 3GB which happens to me most of the time since I tether my iPad)

 

New plan would be

 

6GB plan with unlimited text and voice = 90+35+35 = $160 plus taxes

 

This to me seems like a better deal (as I do not think I will use more than 6GB a month) and I can add my iPad for another $10

 

I do not think it is that bad actually.

 

-Rippey

 

It says right on the chart in the description of the $90 "Mobile Share with Unlimited Talk and Text" so I have no idea how you could have interpreted that. It's even repeated a few times, including...

 

 

 

...in the fifth paragraph: "The plans include tethering and unlimited domestic calls and texts for smartphones."

 

Yeah, that's entirely not right at all. You'd be paying $70 for voice, text, and 1GB shared amongst however many phones are on your plan, plus $40 x 2 for your two phones, for a total of $150. So that's the same as you're paying now, plus you would also be getting tethering and unlimited SMS which you're not getting now.

He as and uses Wifi, but he uses his phone like some people use a computer. When he's t school, the wifi network would be overloaded and almost crawling on the web. I used to have AT&T DSL and I can tell you, the phone was faster off the wifi.

A surpringly large number of people don't name their wifi network and they don't change the password. So when visiting them, it's a pain in the butt to join their networks. When I changed to Comcast as an ISP, the dude who installed it swore to me that you couldn't change the network name or the password. And he swore it up and down. Before he left I had chaned the SSID and the password.

I say that to say, when he would visit friends, they didn't know their SSID or password to log into their networks. We live on the south side of Chicago and there's not nearly as much free wifi in our community as there are in other communities. No Apple Stores, a few McDonalds, two Starbucks (about 4miles apart), no Argo Tea houses, it simply isn't as ubiquitous as it is in other communities.