AT&T intros two new unlimited plans including $60, 3Mbps 'Unlimited Choice'
AT&T will on Thursday launch two more unlimited data plans available to Apple iPhone owners, Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Choice, hoping to steer people away from similar plans recently offered by its rivals.
The first of the plans, Unlimited Plus, costs $90 per month for a single line. By default streaming video is scaled back to 480p resolution, but HD can be turned back on through the myAT&T app or Web portal.
The plan also includes 10 gigabytes of full-speed hotspot data, after which it's throttled back to 128 kilobits per second. The plan as a whole may be throttled after the 22-gigabyte mark.
A multi-line option costs $145 for two smartphones, with additional devices (up to 8 more) costing $20 per month each. For a limited time both single- and multi-line customers can get a $25 monthly credit towards DirecTV or DirecTV Now, though there are some limitations -- the credit only starts within 2-3 billing periods, for instance, and it can't be used in tandem with Now's $35 "Go Big" tier.
The other new plan, Unlimited Choice, starts at $60 per month for a single line or $115 for going multi-line, with the same $20-per-device add-on rule. All Choice customers are limited to a top speed of 3 megabits per second though, and video is capped even tighter at 1.5 megabits, just enough for 480p.
Choice customers also get no hotspot support or discounts on DirecTV service.
Just a little over a week ago, AT&T unveiled an unlimited plan costing at least $100 per month, with four lines priced at $180. The plan didn't offer any hotspot tethering.
All four major U.S. carriers recently launched new unlimited plans in an intensifying battle over subscribers. The companies appear to be reacting almost instantly to each other, with T-Mobile for example offering free HD and 10 gigabytes of hotspot data in response to Verizon.
The first of the plans, Unlimited Plus, costs $90 per month for a single line. By default streaming video is scaled back to 480p resolution, but HD can be turned back on through the myAT&T app or Web portal.
The plan also includes 10 gigabytes of full-speed hotspot data, after which it's throttled back to 128 kilobits per second. The plan as a whole may be throttled after the 22-gigabyte mark.
A multi-line option costs $145 for two smartphones, with additional devices (up to 8 more) costing $20 per month each. For a limited time both single- and multi-line customers can get a $25 monthly credit towards DirecTV or DirecTV Now, though there are some limitations -- the credit only starts within 2-3 billing periods, for instance, and it can't be used in tandem with Now's $35 "Go Big" tier.
The other new plan, Unlimited Choice, starts at $60 per month for a single line or $115 for going multi-line, with the same $20-per-device add-on rule. All Choice customers are limited to a top speed of 3 megabits per second though, and video is capped even tighter at 1.5 megabits, just enough for 480p.
Choice customers also get no hotspot support or discounts on DirecTV service.
Just a little over a week ago, AT&T unveiled an unlimited plan costing at least $100 per month, with four lines priced at $180. The plan didn't offer any hotspot tethering.
All four major U.S. carriers recently launched new unlimited plans in an intensifying battle over subscribers. The companies appear to be reacting almost instantly to each other, with T-Mobile for example offering free HD and 10 gigabytes of hotspot data in response to Verizon.
Comments
I gave that up for Mobile Share many years ago and get way more for my money than anyone holding on to that legacy plan.
Regarding these new plans, it is very difficult to ascertain actual costs since AT&T is all about fees, and no one can possibly predict or understand a bill until it is issued.
It is incomprehensible to me that AT&T would, in 2017, issue a plan that is universally limited to 3G speeds, even if it is only base "option".
The fine print of the Plus plan reveals that DIRECTVNOW discount excludes already on the $35/GoBig plan...which is what 99% of users are on.
As an aside, we are now Verizon unlimited customers. We're now paying $150 per month for two lines, and so far we have experienced enough examples to believe that Verizon has the much better network in the real world.
After this last $5 bump I have been contemplating switching, possible to a pre-paid H2O Wireless plan.
I don't have a single care about it either, because I have one of those old unlimited plans that you say has no benefits. The benefit is that it costs me the same as changing myself and spouse over to a 15gb plan, but right now if I go over I don't care. If AT&T had a plan that gave me more for the same money I would switch, but they haven't to date.
My plan is so old I still have rollover voice minutes. Never get close to my allotted 850 a month.
You can't tether, or use FaceTime, and I'm sure there other restrictions. Plus in the past you have been throttled pas 3 GBs. Then it was moved to 5 GBs. Not sure what it is at now, but you are throttled well before the 22 GB of this plan.
The value is not there.
I'm also on the grandfathered plan with the corporate discount, but am looking to switch to T-Mobile now that the $5/mo bump is set to kick in (again). I use a fair amount of data ~16GB/mo, and have gotten the occasional SMS from AT&T warning me about throttling, but if they've gone through with it I've never noticed a dramatic change in speed. I can absolutely use FaceTime on LTE, no problems there...AT&T reversed their policy on that a long time back. But ultimately I miss out on tethering, so am ready to make the switch to T-Mobile.
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Introducing the new AT&T All-You-Can-Eat* Buffet!
From AT&T's site directly: "Tethering and Mobile Hotspot: Includes up to 10GB per line per month. After 10GB, tethering speed will be slowed to a max of 128Kbps for the rest of the bill cycle"
Also this: "10 devices per plan. UNLIMITED DATA: For use in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (the "Domestic Coverage Area" or "DCA"). Data Restrictions: After 22GB of any data usage on a line in a bill cycle, AT&T may slow the data on that line during periods of network congestion for the remainder of that cycle."
In short, 10gb Hotspot is 10gb PER LINE per month, and high speed data is also 22gb PER LINE per month, after which AT&T reserves the right to throttle for both.
http://gizmodo.com/at-t-is-improving-its-unlimited-data-policy-but-its-1731014660
As far as tethering, it's not something I really have a need for, and I've been able to FaceTime on LTE for years on AT&T. Some people are posting fairly dated information. For my needs, keeping my grandfathered unlimited plan has been the best option until AT&T started jacking up the price ($5 a year or two ago, and another $5 a month or two ago). And now that other companies have introduced new unlimited plans I have started to shop around for a better deal. But up until the recent price increases I was paying just over $60/month for my grandfathered unlimited plan, which I think was a better deal than most people were getting for a single-line plan.
So instead of $70 (for one line) I'm at $56/mo with all taxes and fees included for unlimited everything (potential de-prioritization after 28GB but doubt I'll ever get close to that), 10GB of LTE tethering, free international data roaming... what's not to like?
Smell ya later, AT&T!