AfterDawn: Tech news

Reminder: AT&T ending $30 unlimited data plans tonight

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Jun 2010 7:10 User comments (10)

Reminder: AT&T ending $30 unlimited data plans tonight Last week, AT&T announced that they were dropping their $30 unlimited data plans for smartphones and netbook new users, while creating cheaper plans at the same time.
Existing subscribers can keep the unlimited plan but anyone signing up with the carrier after tonight cannot sign up for the $30 all-you-can-eat package.

The cheapest new plan is $15 per month, but will only include 200MB of data. If customers go over the limit, they will be charged $15 extra for every 200MB of data, a very expensive proposition.

A more reasonable plan is $25 per month and will give smartphone, tablet, netbook users 2GB of data for the month. For every 1GB over the cap they go, they will be charged $10, another expensive proposition.

The carrier says, however, that 65 percent of smartphone owners use less than 200MB of data per month, and 98 percent use less than 2GB. For the most part, the only people who need unlimited are iPhone users, a significant number of which will surpass 2GB monthly.



It should be interesting to see the horror stories coming from iPad and iPhone users when they have to pay over $50 per month for bandwidth.

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10 user comments

16.6.2010 19:29

Well thank God then that I already have my unlimited plan, incase I were to ever decide to purchase an Iphone. Won't hapen, but if it hell freezes over and I do, I won't be experiencing these predicted horror stories.

26.6.2010 22:49

WOW! AT&T is so bad that they can't offer an unlimited plan, even on a network that averages 1/2 the speed of the next slowest 3G network.

Today I saw a AT&T billboard claiming that they had the nation's fastest 3G...is that even legal? I mean, multiple surveys have shown that they have the slowest 3G network, how can they just flat out lie in 1,000pt font?

I'm sure new buyers will be pissed, but they will end up paying it for the chance to use Apple's latest phone/tablet/feminine hygiene product. Besides, most apps are speed limited to the point that their internet-based functions don't work, and there is no flash support, plus the network is so slow that browsing the web is no fun...so I can see how most iPhone users wouldn't need much bandwidth...these numbers seem like proof that the iPhone is downright useless...I think my laser printer uses more than 200MB bandwidth per month.

36.6.2010 22:52

Originally posted by KillerBug:
WOW! AT&T is so bad that they can't offer an unlimited plan, even on a network that averages 1/2 the speed of the next slowest 3G network.

Today I saw a AT&T billboard claiming that they had the nation's fastest 3G...is that even legal? I mean, multiple surveys have shown that they have the slowest 3G network, how can they just flat out lie in 1,000pt font?

I'm sure new buyers will be pissed, but they will end up paying it for the chance to use Apple's latest phone/tablet/feminine hygiene product. Besides, most apps are speed limited to the point that their internet-based functions don't work, and there is no flash support, plus the network is so slow that browsing the web is no fun...so I can see how most iPhone users wouldn't need much bandwidth...these numbers seem like proof that the iPhone is downright useless...I think my laser printer uses more than 200MB bandwidth per month.
Not lying.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cf...y_3g_speed_test

46.6.2010 22:54

Wow, Att does this the same month that Sprint uncaps their network.

57.6.2010 02:05

So there is no unlimited plan at all now?? All this just before the iphone 4g is released. I already have the 30$ plan thankfully, but still, screwing over new customers? Really?

67.6.2010 04:53

Originally posted by DVDBack23:
Originally posted by KillerBug:
WOW! AT&T is so bad that they can't offer an unlimited plan, even on a network that averages 1/2 the speed of the next slowest 3G network.

Today I saw a AT&T billboard claiming that they had the nation's fastest 3G...is that even legal? I mean, multiple surveys have shown that they have the slowest 3G network, how can they just flat out lie in 1,000pt font?

I'm sure new buyers will be pissed, but they will end up paying it for the chance to use Apple's latest phone/tablet/feminine hygiene product. Besides, most apps are speed limited to the point that their internet-based functions don't work, and there is no flash support, plus the network is so slow that browsing the web is no fun...so I can see how most iPhone users wouldn't need much bandwidth...these numbers seem like proof that the iPhone is downright useless...I think my laser printer uses more than 200MB bandwidth per month.
Not lying.
http://www.afterdawn.com/news/article.cf...y_3g_speed_test
That PC world article where they claim 3G is faster than 4G? Then they complain that all the networks are unreliable (Other than AT&T), then they admit that AT&T had the most dropped connections? That article? Don't believe everything that the corporate media tells you...PC magazine also claims that HP has the most reliable computers...and guess who their biggest sponsor is...

The really sickening part is that all the news leaches reposted that crap all over the internet, to the point that a web search for "verizon vs AT&T speed" gets you 20 pages of nothing but the copies of this one article...I guess that is why apple choose them to write the article.

BTW...a few words on their testing techniques:
-AT&T was tested with the USBConnect Lightning...the fasted 3G device on their network. Verizon was tested with the 727...a device that they wrote this about, "It may not be the fastest USB modem on the Verizon Wireless EV-DO Rev A network" They claim they also tried the U760...a better device, but this is from their review of that one: "the Sierra Wireless 598U is less expensive and a little faster"
-All tests were done in just 18 cities...more than half of them with 4G. No rural testing, and only a tiny number of cities were tested. They had planned to test in 20 cities, but "technical difficulties" made it impossible to test AT&T speeds in some cities; translation: They could not connect.

So, if you don't mind getting dropped, and you will not be making calls, and all you want to do is to access the 3G in those 18 specific cities, and from the airport...then AT&T might be a good choice for you.
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 07 Jun 2010 @ 5:08

77.6.2010 09:21

I had ATT once....for about a week. Dropped calls all the time during that week. could hardly make any phone calls. I'll never use ATT again. I'll be LMAO when we start hearing about those iPhone users with massive data bills.

87.6.2010 13:11

AT&T network sucks for smart phones. Why doesn't Apple realize it?

97.6.2010 17:49

This got me thinking, so I looked up my account for my iPhone and I've NEVER went over 200mb of data. That includes all of the email, web browsing, online gaming, etc. that I do on my phone, which shocked me. Might be time to save a few bucks on my plan.

Now, they need to stop overcharging for freakin' text messages! Why do I pay when someone sends me a text? Not like I asked for it. Being in international roaming was killing me and there's no way to disable 3G and use only WiFi (Airplane mode turns off both.) That SUCKED!

109.6.2010 00:32

Originally posted by SProdigy:
Now, they need to stop overcharging for freakin' text messages! Why do I pay when someone sends me a text? Not like I asked for it. Being in international roaming was killing me and there's no way to disable 3G and use only WiFi (Airplane mode turns off both.) That SUCKED!
If you had android, you could completely remove the messaging app...so you would not have to worry about receiving them. This is one of my favorite parts of root.

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