AT&T to Revamp Data Plans With More Bang for Your Buck

[Anthony Bouchard]

AT&T wants to offer you more data: for just a little bit more money.

Here is an odd turn of events from AT&T - in what seems like a strange move by them, they are going to start offering you higher data caps so that you can use more data per month without overages. The only prerequisite? You'll have to shell out an extra five dollars per month. Now before you pre-judge the fact that it will cost more, you should take note that for just five dollars, you are getting a rather large data increase. It's actually a pretty good deal compared to what you're paying for now if you're on the tiered plans.

Currently, if you are paying monthly for a capped data plan from AT&T, then you are on one of the following plans:

• $15/month gets you 200MB/month
• $25/month gets you 2GB/month
• $45/month gets you 4GB/month with tethering

The new data plans that AT&T will be offering are as follows:

• $20/month gets you 300MB/month
• $30/month gets you 3GB/month
• $50/month gets you 5GB/month with tethering

If you're on the 256MB plan already, then upgrading to the 300MB plan for $5 more per month doesn't make much sense. But if you're on either of the other two plans, then $5 gives you a whole extra gigabyte to play around with. I think that is a pretty good deal, considering the fact that 2GB = $25 meaning that you're paying around $12.50 per gigabyte. So getting an extra one for $5 is a steal. I currently have the 2GB plan and I will be upgrading to the 3GB plan as soon as I get the chance to.

These new tiers will become available to you beginning January 22nd. You can upgrade online, over the phone, or through an AT&T store near you. If you are grandfathered into the unlimited data plan, then this change will not affect you and you can keep your unlimited data. If you are on the current AT&T plans and you plan to upgrade to the new plans on January 22nd, you can upgrade without renewing your contract for another two years. So you can upgrade and cancel your contract one month after you upgrade without paying a cent more for early termination fees (assuming that you've completed 2 years of your contract already).

Will you upgrade to the new AT&T data plans if you're currently tiered on AT&T's network? Share in the comments.

Sources: Cowboy (AT&T employee)

[ikesmasher]

Why is there not an unlimited plan still? no one even likes even thinking about having to worry about data...at least no one who uses more than 2GB.

[reanimationxp]

Let's be clear, none of this is a "steal". The only one stealing anything is ATT with their ridiculous charges. To hell with giving your loyal customers a break and upping the limit, it's only $5 more a month, right? Stop being a sheep, unless you're on their payroll. Wouldn't surprise me.

[Doran]

@ikesmasher: Because they can't make as much money from you if they do.....

[ericmac017]

Hmm AT&T must be able to support the increase in caps from all the grandfathered unlimited plans they slashed... Fortunately I don't have a JB for my 4S so I haven't been able to tether hehe I still wish the govt wouldve allowed the acquisition of Tmobile... :/

[Doran]

*mod edit*

For some reason, all the comments don't show up on the "posted" article. You have to click "View Original Post" to see them.

[jaydeff]

It's 200mb currently, not 256mb...

[Ardivian]

I'll just stick with my $30 unlimited data plan.

[jdjatt]

Let's be clear, none of this is a "steal". The only one stealing anything is ATT with their ridiculous charges. To hell with giving your loyal customers a break and upping the limit, it's only $5 more a month, right? Stop being a sheep, unless you're on their payroll. Wouldn't surprise me.

Agreed

[R.Mortera]

I'll just stick with my $30 unlimited data plan.

Same here. Really worth it.

[Michael O'Morah]

Let's be clear, none of this is a "steal". The only one stealing anything is ATT with their ridiculous charges. To hell with giving your loyal customers a break and upping the limit, it's only $5 more a month, right? Stop being a sheep, unless you're on their payroll. Wouldn't surprise me.

I am in total agreement. I would love to know what AT+T's Base cost including R&D and Maintenance for the Bandwidth they offer you. Just like the cost of production on any product or service. I jail broke and jumped to T-Mobile because I have no bandwidth limits! I believe it cost them very little to give you this extra bandwidth and therefore believe this is a mere game of Three Card Monte performed by these Mountebanks for the Sheeple to be Bilked of yet another 5 Dollars for Services Un-Rendered.

[Stray]

Bring on the 3GB's. Hopefully they'll let me upgrade since I got AT&T like 4 days ago.

[toawkanavngthded]

The moment they stop honoring unlimited data on AT&T I'm out!!

[Jj2345]

I wonder if they will start throttling us unlimited data users at 3 gigs instead of 2 gigs?!
That would be kinda nice

[theroyalwe]

Does it actually cost any cell provider money to give different tiers of data? Besides electricity costs and paying for their staff, beyond the original cost of the network equipment and infrastructure there's nothing to pay for between allowing a customer to use 1Gb and 10Gb.. The amount is just an amount and doesn't refer to anything that can even be measured conventionally.. Consider the fact that all the data on the Internet weighs approximately 70g.. Besides the infrastructure required (which is already there) there's almost nothing.

[shawn o]

Since its $30/3GB and $50/5GB....

WHERE IS THE $10/1GB PLAN????????

The average data useage is 492MB/month for smartphone users. If they wanted to "help" consumers by offering better plans, they would offer a 1GB plan, not a B.S. 300mb plan.

This change is nothing more than a way to make more money. They can try and spin it all the want but people are already seeing right through it and its going to backfire just like it did for Netflix.

Average U.S. Smartphone Data Usage Up 89% as Cost per MB Goes Down 46% | Nielsen Wire

[Justin13]

I'll just stick with my $30 unlimited data plan.

Unfortunately it's no longer unlimited. If you use too much they will throttled your connection rendering your phone's data connection useless.

[punjabi212]

I'll just stick with my $30 unlimited data plan.

+1

[atorres062]

Exactly! I'm still on the unlimited plan but in the top 5% which is bull💩! I'm already out of my contract so in a couple of months I'll be leaving to Verizon. I know I'll lose my unlimited data but @ least I won't be capped out & more options as far as 4G LTE & phones... I'm kind of getting bored with the iPhone, I've had it since day 1.

[A3gOwner]

Unfortunately it's no longer unlimited. If you use too much they will throttled your connection rendering your phone's data connection useless.

This is the truth. I averaged like 30-40gb of data per month the last 5 months, last month they throttled me back at ~2.4gb, then this month already right at 3.1gb used. It's total bs. Half tempted to take my iPhone to straight talk but I'm sure theyll throttle that too once enough people go that route.