AT&T Drops price of iPhone voice & data plan

[Jon]

AT&T drops price of iPhone's unlimited voice and data plan | Phones | iPhone Central | Macworld

In war, there are no winners—unless the war in question happens to be a price war, and the combatants happen to be Verizon and AT&T. In that case, customers tend to make out quite nicely.
Verizon Wireless on Friday cut the prices of its unlimited talk and text plans, so arch-rival AT&T immediately followed suit. And that benefits iPhone customers, who can now opt for an unlimited voice and data plan that costs $30 less per month.
Previously, iPhone users paid $100 per month for unlimited voice plan plus another $30 for unlimited data. Starting Monday, however, AT&T is charging $100 a month for unlimited voice and data. Family Talk plans feature unlimited voice and data for $180 (assuming two iPhones). Texting prices remain unchanged, at $20 for unlimited plans and $30 for Family Talk Plans.
An AT&T spokesman told me Friday afternoon that the pricing changes only affect unlimited voice and data plans. If I understand him correctly, that makes the Nation 1350 with Rollover Minutes especially unattractive come Monday. That plan costs $80 a month, plus the $30 data plan—in other words, $10 more than what iPhone users will be paying for unlimited voice and data starting next week. (You can read the full details of AT&T’s new prices, including pricing for feature phones and quick message devices, at the wireless provider’s Website.)
Want to switch over to the new unlimited voice and data plan? You can make the move on Monday without penalty or contract extension using AT&T’s online account management tool.

 

[AZDude]

Wow! That is awesome!

 

[Argji]

Wow, $100 for unlimited calls and data. What a bargain

$180 month for two Iphones with unlimited.....

$30 bucks a month for family text plans - holy cow!

How do people shell out money for this stuff!

I'm just too damn cheap for any of that!

 

[DAB]

I think the bigger question is how many actually need unlimited? I know I don't so for me this is no bargain. I will stay with my lowend voice, limited text plan and the forced upon me unlimited data plan. I am still paying $80 a month!

If I was doing unlimited though It would be $100 for voice and data, then another $15 or $20 for text. So it would end up being $40 a month more and I am rolling over minutes every month on my lowend voice plan!

 

[xan_user]

Who has time to use all that?!

Where's the 250 minutes with 50 texts and 1GB data plan for $30?... (with real roll over for all services)

 

[Argji]

Who has time to use all that?!

Where's the 250 minutes with 50 texts and 1GB data plan for $30?... (with real roll over for all services)

:bigthumbup:

 

[Jon]

I remember having a plan like that a LONG time ago (minus the data since smartphones didn't exist then).

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I pay $20 CDN / month for my cellphone. No texting. No data. 200 anytime minutes.

 

[ctkatz]

yeah, i'm still not switching.

where's teh unlimited data and text plan for those who don't talk? let's see, iphone 3g on t-mo with a 39.99 smartphone data plan, 3.95 for 300 texts and .40 a minute for talk vs. 100 for unlimited data, talk and no text when i have a handset that does talk quite fine thank you with a prepaid plan where $100 lasts me a year.

nope, at&t you're going to have to do much better.

 

[DAB]

I pay $20 CDN / month for my cellphone. No texting. No data. 200 anytime minutes.

I remember those days, but if you want to be connected these days it cost. I have no regrets having a smartphone. I use to have to lug multiple devices around including a laptop, which I no longer have to do. I've also had times when I've gone to locations where the internet was down for some technical reason or another and I was still able to do email and chat directly with my office. I also do about 1200 or so text message a month between staff, family and friends.

I was visiting an aunt in a nursing home last weekend. There was an old guy in the room next to hers. He was texting up a storm. I asked his relatives if he was texting, they said YES he text and emails. We figured if it kept his mind preoccupied why not. He drives them crazy of course! None the less I thought it was pretty cool this 80 year old man texting.

My previous carrier Centennial had the best plans $29 for 600 anytime minutes, unlimited incoming minutes, unlimited incoming text with $3.95 for unlimited outgoing text. So for about $40 with the taxes and add on fees I was very satisified, though not with the crappy phones they had. Thus AT&T got my business. Plus AT&T has since bought Centennial!

 

[limegrass69]

It's about time. AT&T needed to get more aggressive. Their iPhone exclusivity is going to run out soon, and they need a new trick if they are going to stay in the game.

My wife with her iPhone still is better off staying with her 1350 minute iPhone plan. She gets a 23% discount through her old job. If AT&T is like Sprint, they probably won't discount the unlimited plans.

 

[Jon]

I might see if it would be more cost effective for me, I have 450 minutes at $39.99 plus the mandatory rate plan, and Unlimited Texting. My bill per month is about $115. If I can pay the same and get unlimited talk time, that might be something to look at. And they're not requiring a contract extension which is a bonus.

 

[Casual Fan]

I'm just too damn cheap for any of that!

You and me both. I pay Verizon $57 a month for two lines sharing 450 voice minutes, and cringe when the bill comes. Plus that damn $10 I just sent to Haiti.

 

[DAB]

I might see if it would be more cost effective for me, I have 450 minutes at $39.99 plus the mandatory rate plan, and Unlimited Texting. My bill per month is about $115. If I can pay the same and get unlimited talk time, that might be something to look at. And they're not requiring a contract extension which is a bonus.

450 = $39.99, Unlimited Text $20.00 and Unlimited Data $30.00

Total! $89.99 plus FCC,911, etc add another $6.25 making a total of $96.24

So where do you get $115 you guys must have some outragous taxes or other charges that we don't have.

Unlimited $69.99, Unlimited Text and Data $50.00, plus other charges likely to be about $7.50 Which would mean a total of $ 127.49


That is $35.25 more per month! NO THANK YOU AT&T!

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I remember those days, but if you want to be connected these days it cost. I have no regrets having a smartphone. I use to have to lug multiple devices around including a laptop, which I no longer have to do. I've also had times when I've gone to locations where the internet was down for some technical reason or another and I was still able to do email and chat directly with my office. I also do about 1200 or so text message a month between staff, family and friends.

I was visiting an aunt in a nursing home last weekend. There was an old guy in the room next to hers. He was texting up a storm. I asked his relatives if he was texting, they said YES he text and emails. We figured if it kept his mind preoccupied why not. He drives them crazy of course! None the less I thought it was pretty cool this 80 year old man texting.

My previous carrier Centennial had the best plans $29 for 600 anytime minutes, unlimited incoming minutes, unlimited incoming text with $3.95 for unlimited outgoing text. So for about $40 with the taxes and add on fees I was very satisified, though not with the crappy phones they had. Thus AT&T got my business. Plus AT&T has since bought Centennial!

I don't want to be connected. I am connected at home and at work. If I am out somewhere, I don't have to be connected. If I was connected, my work would expect me to be available anywhere. I have my phone in my pocket and a music device with me usually. I also sometimes have my Palm. Thats it.

 

[DAB]

I don't want to be connected. I am connected at home and at work. If I am out somewhere, I don't have to be connected. If I was connected, my work would expect me to be available anywhere. I have my phone in my pocket and a music device with me usually. I also sometimes have my Palm. Thats it.

That of course is something one has to consider! Being in the position I am at work owning and operating my business I have to be connected. I have to make decisions on the spot sometimes with information being sent to me on the fly. To do this same thing before smartphones causes me to have to lug multiple devices.

Those that work for me that I require to be connected I pay for it and they consider it a perk.

Not everyone wants or needs to be connected that is well understood! I have a sister that has a $9.99 per month plan and she rarely uses those minutes!

The point is that AT&T and Verizon have seen a huge growth in this sector! So what are you even doing in this thread! hehehe

 

[Jon]

450 Anytime Minutes - $39.99
Unlimited Data $30.00
Unlimited Text & MMS - $20.00
AT&T Navigator $9.99
Roadside Assistance - $2.99
Total Taxes - $8.56

That comes to $111.53

Add in the Regulatory Charges and that comes pretty close. By my estimation Unlimited Talk and Data would be $99 + 20.00 for Unlimited Text, and $10 for Navigation, so it'd be slightly higher, but not by much.

 

[DAB]

450 Anytime Minutes - $39.99
Unlimited Data $30.00
Unlimited Text & MMS - $20.00
AT&T Navigator $9.99
Roadside Assistance - $2.99
Total Taxes - $8.56

That comes to $111.53

Add in the Regulatory Charges and that comes pretty close. By my estimation Unlimited Talk and Data would be $99 + 20.00 for Unlimited Text, and $10 for Navigation, so it'd be slightly higher, but not by much.

Ahh, I have no need for AT&T Navigator or Roadside assistance as I have a Garmin which stays in my car and business car insurance includes roadside assistance.

You'll still end up paying another $30.00 (which is the difference between the $39.99 and $69.99 per month plus additional taxes on the higher rate) and if you aren't already using all your minutes now what is the point?

I did do a trial of the navigation software on my iPhone, but those things are poor compared to my Garmin, but we'll save that for another topic!

 

[Jon]

Yeah, I'm rethinking that after doing the math. I was thinking it would be cheaper for me, but it's only going to cost more. And I'm not in a position where I need unlimited minutes for anything. Plus I've got a metric assload of rollover minutes should I ever exceed my alloted time.

 

[DAB]

Yeah, I'm rethinking that after doing the math. I was thinking it would be cheaper for me, but it's only going to cost more. And I'm not in a position where I need unlimited minutes for anything. Plus I've got a metric assload of rollover minutes should I ever exceed my alloted time.

Hey Jon, one thing to consider too and I am not sure how many know this. But of course anytime you change plans on AT&T you lose all your roll over minutes except the the amount of minutes that is in your plan.

For example say you are on a 900 minute plan and you drop to a 450 minute plan. You have 2500 rollover minutes, AT&T will only keep 450 of those minutes and you'll lose the rest. FREAKING AT&T! LOL

I would assume anyone going unlimited would lose their rollover minutes anyway since they would be irrelevant.