AT&T phases out unlimited data plans....iphone users not too happy.

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And if the Road Warrior says it, it must be true..
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AT&T phases out unlimited data plans

1 hr 3 mins ago
AT&T just did away with its all-you-can-eat smartphone data plans — bad news for those who stream video on their iPhones all day, but potentially good news for the rest of us, given that the cheapest of the new capped plans goes for just $15 (rather than $30) a month. Also: AT&T is finally ready to offer iPhone tethering.
First, a little background. Up until now, AT&T was charging all of its smartphone customers — including iPhone users — $30 a month for unlimited data usage. Starting Monday, June 7, the unlimited data option will be going away for new subscribers, to be replaced by two cheaper, capped plans. (If you're currently on an unlimited AT&T smartphone data plan, you don't have to switch to the new, capped options, which are required for new subscribers only. But AT&T says you can opt to make the switch without extending your contract.)

DataPro: Heavy smartphone users will probably opt for this $25-a-month plan, which offers up to 2GB of data a month at a $5 savings over the current unlimited plan. If you go over your 2GB monthly allotment, AT&T will charge you $10 for an additional gigabyte. No, overage charges are never fun, but it's certainly better than typical per-MB overage rates, which result in those catastrophic $50,000 cell phone bills you see on CNN.

DataPlus: A $15-a-month option that offers 200MB of monthly data, good for (as AT&T puts it) 1,000 e-mails without attachments, plus 150 messages with attachments, plus 400 Web pages, plus about 20 minutes of streaming video. If you crack the 200MB monthly cap, you get another 200MB for $15.

So, which plan is right for you? That depends on how much data you're using a month, which you can typically check on your smartphone's settings menu (for the iPhone, tap "settings," then "general," then "usage," then scroll down to the "cellular network data" heading).

I consider myself a pretty heavy iPhone user, so I was leaning toward the $25-a-month DataPro plan. But to my great surprise, I found that I'd used barely a gigabyte of AT&T 3G data in the past seven — count 'em, seven — months, or about 133MB of data every 30 days. I guess that means I do the majority of my iPhone browsing and streaming over Wi-Fi. So I just might switch to DataPlus rather than to DataPro. I'd save $15 a month over my current $30-a-month unlimited plan, give or take the occasional overage charge.

To help keep track of your data usage, AT&T says it will send you up to three text-message warnings when you approach your monthly cap: when you've used 65 percent of your data, then 90 percent, then when you've run dry. You can also check your data usage using the myWireless app for the iPhone or by calling *DATA#.

What about those $30-a-month unlimited prepaid plans for the iPad? They're going away too, unfortunately, to be replaced by the $25-a-month DataPro plan — and that's a bummer, considering the iPad's aptitude at streaming video. But at least AT&T is offering up free, unlimited use of its 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots.

Last but not least: Almost a full year after Apple first announced that the iPhone would support Internet tethering, AT&T is finally set to offering a tethering plan for U.S. iPhone users (starting "when Apple releases iPhone OS 4 this summer"). Welcome news, but keep in mind that you'll fork over $20 a month extra to tether your iPhone (via USB or Bluetooth) to your laptop.

Overall, I have to say that I'm disappointed to see AT&T dumping its unlimited data plans, especially for iPad users — and don't be surprised if the other big U.S. carriers follow suit. Then again, depending on how much data you use on your smartphone, you actually might end up saving money on a cheaper, capped plan without feeling a thing. Indeed, based on my surprisingly low monthly data usage, I might fall into the latter category.
 

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will be switching to the $ 15.00 plan for 2 phoenes; as only use a small portition on my time now and have to pay $ 30.00 for each phone. saves me $ 30.00 a month which is a good bottle of liquor free each month.
 

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$50,000 phone bills are outrageous and ought to be illegal. It's totally predatory to charge someone for usage they cannot see.

The phone ought to tell you at all times you present usage and real-time billing is. There should be a non-optional billing cap that you set (e.g. $50 extra) that once hit cuts off all premium billed services (international, text messaging, data overage) until you increase the cap. You could have different caps for each service category.

This is *intentionally bad programming* on behalf of the phone companies.
 

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worse for iPad 3g users... think how they feel... I can't see a lot of iPhone users streaming video all day long, BUT iPad users sure do. talk about bait 'n switch.
 

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No one should complain - existing users can keep their unlimited plans... Im on an unlimited Sprint PCS card plan... Have had it for like 5 years. Now I can never change companies...

I think with ATT you can even sign up till June 7 for the unlimited plan. Then it is gone
 

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Was planning to buy my wife an Ipad for her birthday shortly but it is after June 7. Just spoke with AT&T and they said as long as she activates the Ipad by the end of the day on June 6, then the unlimited plan will be available. So we are going to buy it tomorrow or the next day. Just want to thank you for sharing the information. Had we waited just a few more days, we would have been stuck with one of the other plans.

Sincere appreciation.....................OMT :toast:
 

And if the Road Warrior says it, it must be true..
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Was planning to buy my wife an Ipad for her birthday shortly but it is after June 7. Just spoke with AT&T and they said as long as she activates the Ipad by the end of the day on June 6, then the unlimited plan will be available. So we are going to buy it tomorrow or the next day. Just want to thank you for sharing the information. Had we waited just a few more days, we would have been stuck with one of the other plans.

Sincere appreciation.....................OMT :toast:


Thats awesome....:toast:

sean1

No one should complain - existing users can keep their unlimited plans... Im on an unlimited Sprint PCS card plan... Have had it for like 5 years. Now I can never change companies...

I have t/mobile but have an iphone that i unlocked. The problem w me is that I have the unlimited sidekick plan and some functions dont work. I have had the plan for over 6 yrs and pay $20 for unlimited data. I wont change also
 

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