AT&T will only offer unlimited & pay-per-use texting after Aug. 21
Beginning August 21, new AT&T customers will only be able to choose between unlimited text messaging plans starting at $20, or pay 20 cents for each text message and 30 cents for a picture or video message.
AT&T confirmed to AppleInsider on Thursday that existing customers with other text messaging plans, such as $10-per-month for 1,000 messages, will be grandfathered in. Customers who switch to a new phone will also be able to retain their old text messaging plan.
The carrier also confirmed that new AT&T customers who buy an unlimited plan starting at $20-per-month will still receive unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes to any other U.S. cellphone customer. The "Mobile to Any Mobile" offer launched in February, coinciding with the launch of the Verizon iPhone.
"We regularly evaluate our offers and are making some adjustments to our data and messaging lineup," a company spokesperson said. "Starting August 21, we're streamlining our text messaging plans for new customers and will offer and unlimited plan for individuals for $20 per month and an unlimited plan for families of up to five lines for $30 per month.
"The vast majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among new customers. Existing customers don't have to change any messaging plan they have today, even when changing handsets."
AT&T text message plan changes originally leaked to Engadget, have since been confirmed.
For those who opt to not buy an unlimited messaging plan, AT&T charges 20 cents per text message sent, while picture and video messages run 30 cents on a pay-per-use pricing system.
The last major change to AT&T's plans came in 2010 just before the iPhone 4 launched. The carrier began capping new data plans at 2GB for $25 per month, though like with the upcoming text messaging change, legacy customers with unlimited plans have been grandfathered in.
AT&T confirmed to AppleInsider on Thursday that existing customers with other text messaging plans, such as $10-per-month for 1,000 messages, will be grandfathered in. Customers who switch to a new phone will also be able to retain their old text messaging plan.
The carrier also confirmed that new AT&T customers who buy an unlimited plan starting at $20-per-month will still receive unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes to any other U.S. cellphone customer. The "Mobile to Any Mobile" offer launched in February, coinciding with the launch of the Verizon iPhone.
"We regularly evaluate our offers and are making some adjustments to our data and messaging lineup," a company spokesperson said. "Starting August 21, we're streamlining our text messaging plans for new customers and will offer and unlimited plan for individuals for $20 per month and an unlimited plan for families of up to five lines for $30 per month.
"The vast majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among new customers. Existing customers don't have to change any messaging plan they have today, even when changing handsets."
AT&T text message plan changes originally leaked to Engadget, have since been confirmed.
For those who opt to not buy an unlimited messaging plan, AT&T charges 20 cents per text message sent, while picture and video messages run 30 cents on a pay-per-use pricing system.
The last major change to AT&T's plans came in 2010 just before the iPhone 4 launched. The carrier began capping new data plans at 2GB for $25 per month, though like with the upcoming text messaging change, legacy customers with unlimited plans have been grandfathered in.
Comments
i've told as many that will listen about the texting issue with ios5.0 and seems many are switching just to get away from this texting hostage taking.
apple should become a mvno so i can just deal with apple
i think iMessage will be an apple game changer especially in enterprise as RIM circles the rim (cute pun, just realized it ha ha)
Telco text messaging (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint) is device agnostic....this is a great feature and they know it...which is why they continue to raise prices.
I guess I can always use iMessage and join a pay-per-use text plan.
I can't believe how many suckers are willing to pay these ridiculous prices.
Yup. I am one of those suckers. I have four on my family plan, including 2 children. Two iPhones, 2 dumbphones. I have no choice but to get the unlimited family texting plan for $30/mo. Both my children are heavy texters on dumbphones. I have tried to find a way to eliminate this $30/mo. expense. No luck, so far.
Get a google voice account and never pay for texting again.
GV interface sucks compared the Messages. I used it for a long time, but now that I got text messaging I could never go back. (That said, I don't pay for my phone plan, and if I did I would probably choose GV over $20/mo.)
One big problem with iMessage: It is only on IOS devices. Most of the world is still not on IOS (though IOS market share continues to improve). iMessage only makes sense when you know that everyone you text with (now and in the future) is on IOS. That will never happen.
Telco text messaging (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint) is device agnostic....this is a great feature and they know it...which is why they continue to raise prices.
I guess I can always use iMessage and join a pay-per-use text plan.
That's exactly why AT&T changed their plan. Even though most of the world may not be iPhone users, most of AT&T's user base are. They want to make sure that people aren't canceling their text plans altogether when iMessage comes out. Being that a lot of people outside AT&T aren't iPhone users, they jack up the price of individual texts sky high to force you into an unlimited plan. IMO AT&T will only have the advantage until apple opens the iPhone up to more carriers in the us so that iOS can gain market share. I actually think the numbers are going to change dramatically once iPhone 5 comes out. I think verizon will be an even contender to AT&T.
One big problem with iMessage: It is only on IOS devices. Most of the world is still not on IOS (though IOS market share continues to improve). iMessage only makes sense when you know that everyone you text with (now and in the future) is on IOS. That will never happen.
Telco text messaging (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint) is device agnostic....this is a great feature and they know it...which is why they continue to raise prices.
I guess I can always use iMessage and join a pay-per-use text plan.
get textnow app i've been using for some time i have a number in my signiture i include my name cell num and text number 99% of my people have no trouble with it
granted my "num" has a non local area code, but its not that big a deal
my friend uses textfree has a local area code.
my issue with text free, is that when the person replies it come back to my regular messaging app costing me. so i switched to textnow
if textfree changed and i could get a local areacode maybe but still use an app
so $5 a year vs tons to ATT,
i just tell people to move to iphone
That's exactly why AT&T changed their plan. Even though most of the world may not be iPhone users, most of AT&T's user base are. They want to make sure that people aren't canceling their text plans altogether when iMessage comes out. Being that a lot of people outside AT&T aren't iPhone users, they jack up the price of individual texts sky high to force you into an unlimited plan. IMO AT&T will only have the advantage until apple opens the iPhone up to more carriers in the us so that iOS can gain market share. I actually think the numbers are going to change dramatically once iPhone 5 comes out. I think verizon will be an even contender to AT&T.
I wonder what they'll get rid of next, PPU texting or the unlimited plan.
APPLE, PLEASE come out with your telco network....AppleNet, iNet...hell...SkyNet. Something!
I'd dump ATT faster than a bean burrito lunch with a colon cleanser to wash it down
It might be awesome, but it sure won't be cheap...
Get a google voice account and never pay for texting again.
And let Google have a copy of every text you've ever sent or received?
at least with iMessage the messages are encrypted.