Today, AT&T announced their new tiered and capped iPhone (and iPad) data plan subscription options. New options include Data Plus, $15 per month for 200MB of data, and Data Pro, $25 per month for 2GB of data. Data Pro plans can add a tethering option for $20 a month. Starting June 7th, unlimited plans, which used to cost $30 a month, will no longer be an option for new customers.
Before you get too worried, AT&T has already addressed what happens with the iPhone unlimited data plans. They’ve stated on their Facebook page:
The good news for current customers who love their unlimited plan is this: they are not reguired to switch, even when it’s time to upgrade to a new phone. So you are welcome to keep your unlimited plan
The bad news is you can’t use it for tethering. So, while you can elect to pay an extra $5 a month to avoid a data cap, you can’t use it on anything other than your iPhone. And if you have AT&T’s unlimited plan for iPad, you’ll have to keep your subscription live to keep that option. Otherwise, when you come back to buy data again, you’ll find the only options available are the 200MB and 2GB data plans. This is sure to upset many iPad 3G users. To change the data subscription terms this quickly after the launch of the iPad 3G is downright dishonest.
Going forward, if you have one of these plans and you’re close to your data limit, you’ll be notified. If you’ve exceed it, DataPlus users will be charged $15 per addition 200MB and Data Pro users will be charged $10 per additional 1GB.
AT&T states that 98% of current users don’t use over 2GB of data anyway. So, I guess AT&T would like you to view this awful restriction on data as a good thing. Honestly, if AT&T would have capped their highest data plan at a more reasonable 4GB, I wouldn’t be offended by this press release. If 98% of users don’t use more than 2GB of data, what are you worried about AT&T?
I consider myself a power user when it comes to the iPhone. I’m constantly checking things on the Internet, but like AT&T states, I use much less than 2GB of data. I might top 1GB on a good month. But I also don’t currently stream video to my iPhone (or iPad), from sources like Netflix, ABC, or Slingbox. Many users do. In fact, just yesterday I made numerous recommendations based on the fact that the iPad is the perfect device for Slingbox and Netflix users. Thanks to AT&T, that’s not really true anymore. Sure, both of these services work better over WiFi anyway, but that’s beyond the point.
AT&T should be treating their customers like an asset, not a liability. This news is nothing more than a slap in the face to all iPhone and iPad users. Remember all of those thousands of dollars that you’ve basically given to AT&T over the past few years? Yeah, that’s apparently meaningless. AT&T seems to think that punishing 98% of users to control 2% is appropriate behavior.
Whenever AT&T finally loses exclusivity in the US, maybe then they will finally see where iPhone users’ loyalties lie. I’ll give you a hint: it’s with Apple, not AT&T.
Read [AT&T]
This is just plain EVIL…AT&T is the DEVIL and should be BANISHED to the depths of HELL
oh I feel better now that that is out
Actually, it works out better for me. I just checked my data usage for the first time, and I'm well under 200MB per month. My wife will be, too, once she quits letting the kids watch YouTube in the car. We'll be saving $30 a month between us! Go AT&T!
"AT&T seems to think that punishing 98% of users to control 2% is appropriate behavior."
Actually AT&T is rewarding 98% by giving them a price break.
You know, I really think the DataPlus option is long overdue and a good feature overall. But what they did concerning the iPad is cold. It's barely been out for 2 months and they already modify their plans? I reallly think 2GB is too low of a data cap. 4GB is a fair compromise for both AT&T and their customers.
Agreed on the iPad. If I had a 3G iPad, I'd be nervous about the stability of even the new price. Such is the danger of not locking in at a fixed rate. As for the 4GB, I won't be surprised if that eventually rolls out, but it'll likely be pretty expensive. Verizon charges, what? $45 for that? iPhone users would've freaked at that price considering unlimited had been remove.