AT&T updating their data plan prices and allotment

[ViRGE]

As an existing AT&T customer I couldn't imagine getting an iPhone on AT&T now. The minimum cost for any kind of real service is a $40 voice plan, a $25 data plan, and a $20 texting plan. That's $85/month, before the taxes and fees.

 

[ponyo]

As an existing AT&T customer I couldn't imagine getting an iPhone on AT&T now. The minimum cost for any kind of real service is a $40 voice plan, a $25 data plan, and a $20 texting plan. That's $85/month, before the taxes and fees.

$65 since people can get by without texting plan. Google voice works fine.

 

[Red Storm]

$65 since people can get by without texting plan. Google voice works fine.

Unfortunately I don't think we're there just yet. That's why I have the 250 texts for $5 on my Verizon plan. A lot of people either don't have smartphones or they do and for some reason still use aging sms compared to email or chat.

 

[Headcase_Fargone]

What a scam. I've had a 2gb plan for years, and never gone over 500mb a month, typical usage is less than 200mb a month (with a Windows Phone 7.) Data is so ridiculously overpriced in the US.

Fixed that for you. I'm unaware of any other country in the world that gets raped as hard as we do when it comes to cellular everything.

 

[ponyo]

Unfortunately I don't think we're there just yet. That's why I have the 250 texts for $5 on my Verizon plan. A lot of people either don't have smartphones or they do and for some reason still use aging sms compared to email or chat.

I don't understand. Google Voice does everything except picture MMS. If they don't have smartphone, they wouldn't have data plan so they save on data. Google Voice is sms. It's not email or chat.

 

[lothar]

As an existing AT&T customer I couldn't imagine getting an iPhone on AT&T now. The minimum cost for any kind of real service is a $40 voice plan, a $25 data plan, and a $20 texting plan. That's $85/month, before the taxes and fees.

Funny thing about this is AT&T still comes out cheaper for me than Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint.
Text messaging plans are a fraud...I've already ported my number to Google Voice.

$40+$25 = $65 before 22% corporate discount.

 

[alent1234]

been on at&t since 2009

my wife has an iphone 4 since august 2010. this month she came up eligible for an upgrade. can't beat that

 

[Dulanic]

been on at&t since 2009

my wife has an iphone 4 since august 2010. this month she came up eligible for an upgrade. can't beat that

What does this have to do with data pricing?

 

[Red Storm]

I don't understand. Google Voice does everything except picture MMS. If they don't have smartphone, they wouldn't have data plan so they save on data. Google Voice is sms. It's not email or chat.

For people that have a GV number and port it to use directly, yes. I got my GV number way way after my Verizon number, and I'm on an unlimited plan, so I don't see how I can do a change over without losing that. Also only a few friends know my GV number, and I'm just lazy about telling everyone I know my new number. 😛

 

[Deeko]

Fixed that for you. I'm unaware of any other country in the world that gets raped as hard as we do when it comes to cellular everything.

Meh, I don't think data is all that bad. Its the rest of the plan that's ridiculous. I have to have a minimum $39.99 voice plan, even though I only use about 15 minutes a month. And $20 for text messaging? That's well over half of my bill that the carrier is getting, even though I'm costing them next to nothing for those services.

 

[alent1234]

What does this have to do with data pricing?

you get something back for what you pay. all the stories i read about verizon and sprint are that you actually have to wait 2 years for another subsidy on a new phone. my experience with AT&T is anywhere from 6-18 months

 

[zerogear]

So... why don't text messages roll over? 😛

 

[Red Storm]

So... why don't text messages roll over? 😛

Because they're from the stone age; the wheel wasn't invented yet. 😉

 

[lothar]

Fixed that for you. I'm unaware of any other country in the world that gets raped as hard as we do when it comes to cellular everything.

Canada gets raped far more than we do.

 

[Dulanic]

you get something back for what you pay. all the stories i read about verizon and sprint are that you actually have to wait 2 years for another subsidy on a new phone. my experience with AT&T is anywhere from 6-18 months

All 3 major carriers are a 20 month upgrade cycle. AT&T is no exception. There are always exceptions to the rule like I got sprint to give me 2 upgrades after only 10 months.

Back to the topic at hand... Data pricing sucks. If Sprint raises my price or cuts my unlimited I will cut smartphones out of my life or try something cheaper like Boost or some other shit.

 

[dfuze]

Does anyone know if they also plan on increasing the data amounts on the pay as you go side?

 

[lothar]

that overage charge on the lower plan is ridiculous. they should just up you to the 3gb plan if you happen to go over for that month

There's a lot of money to be made in overage fees.

 

[ponyo]

There's a lot of money to be made in overage fees.

Exactly. You think the carriers came up with 200mb or 300mb out of thin air? It's slightly less than what an average person would use. They want people to choose the more expensive higher tier plan. And if you don't and opt for the cheaper plan, they still got you since most people will be borderline under/over. It's win-win for the carriers.

 

[Hogan773]

that overage charge on the lower plan is ridiculous. they should just up you to the 3gb plan if you happen to go over for that month

Its for people who are pretty sure they won't use much data. I agree it seems crazy to charge that much for overage, but it allows AT&T to offer a "lower" headline price but recoup some of that for anyone who trips over the monthly limit. If you know you don't use much data then its still better to take the lower monthly charge.

 

[Hogan773]

Meh, I don't think data is all that bad. Its the rest of the plan that's ridiculous. I have to have a minimum $39.99 voice plan, even though I only use about 15 minutes a month. And $20 for text messaging? That's well over half of my bill that the carrier is getting, even though I'm costing them next to nothing for those services.

I use Google Voice for texting and its free. 20 cents per text or 20 dollars per month for unlimited is ridiculous when there are perfectly good free options.

 

[Hogan773]

I don't understand. Google Voice does everything except picture MMS. If they don't have smartphone, they wouldn't have data plan so they save on data. Google Voice is sms. It's not email or chat.

I thought GV used internet data as it must avoid actually using the carrier's SMS (hence you don't get charged for texting by the carrier)

 

[Red Storm]

I thought GV used internet data as it must avoid actually using the carrier's SMS (hence you don't get charged for texting by the carrier)

It's a bit confusing to be honest. From what I understand, if you enable text forwarding to your phone in GV settings, you will be charged sms messages from your carrier plan.

Or something like that.

Would be nice to get a clear explanation on how GV works for non GV numbers.

 

[Deeko]

I use Google Voice for texting and its free. 20 cents per text or 20 dollars per month for unlimited is ridiculous when there are perfectly good free options.

I tried Google Voice before - it just never worked fairly well for me. There was often a delay between when a message happened and when I got it. There's other free options - I do WhatsApp with some people, Google Talk with some, MSN Messenger with some...but nothing as universal as regular SMS, so for now, I'm stuck with a ridiculous SMS plan.

 

[Headcase_Fargone]

Too bad Google Voice's interface is absolute rubbish. Even on Android. Seriously, the app is just bad. And wtf at no Empty Trash option still?

Until that sort of thing is no longer an issue SMS will continue to be necessary for most of us.

 

[cronos]

Meh, I don't think data is all that bad. Its the rest of the plan that's ridiculous. I have to have a minimum $39.99 voice plan, even though I only use about 15 minutes a month. And $20 for text messaging? That's well over half of my bill that the carrier is getting, even though I'm costing them next to nothing for those services.

This 100%.

This is why I'm on prepaid. We have three lines in our household, all are smartphones with pay-to-go data (which we smartly turned off if we don't need it or there's wifi around). The total monthly fee for all three lines is around ~$30.

Sure, we had to buy our handsets for full price, but we also have the satisfaction of only paying minutes/text/data that we actually use. Plus obviously there's no postpaid plan anywhere in the US that can beat that price.