Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
AT&T to Begin Offering Shared Data Plans in Late August
Following Verizon's move to shared data plans last month, AT&T announced its own shift scheduled for late August. The new system offers a similar setup to Verizon's, with all plans including unlimited talk and text and monthly service pricing being based simply on the total data allotment and number and type of devices being used.
One wrinkle for AT&T's plans is a decreasing monthly smartphone device access cost as customers step up to higher data plans. While Verizon charges a flat $40 per month per smartphone, AT&T's starts at $45 for customers using just 1 GB of data but decreases to as low as $30 for accounts with 10 GB of data or more per month. Access costs for other devices are the same between AT&T and Verizon, with feature phones requiring a flat fee of $30 per month, laptop connections $20, and tablets $10.
AT&T undercuts Verizon at the simplest level with a single smartphone on a 1 GB data plan costing $85 per month ($40 data + $45 device), compared to $90 on Verizon ($50 data + $40 device), but adding additional smartphones to that 1 GB plan is more expensive on AT&T ($45 versus $40). Verizon's and AT&T's pricing are identical at the 4 GB level, while AT&T again takes the lead on higher-level plans with more data and devices. As an example, an account with four smartphones sharing 10 GB of data would cost $240 per month on AT&T ($120 data + 4 x $30 devices) versus $260 on Verizon ($100 data + 4 x $40 devices).
AT&T is launching its new plans as of "late August", and current customers will not be required to switch to shared data, although they may do so without extending the length of their contracts. New customers will have the option of selecting from the new shared data plans or the carrier's existing individual or family plans.
With AT&T Mobile Share plans, customers start by choosing how much data they want each month, then choose up to 10 devices to attach to their shared plan, one of which must be a smartphone. Each plan includes tethering and unlimited domestic calls and texts for smartphones and basic or quick messaging phones. The larger the data bucket you choose, the less you pay per gigabyte and the less you pay for each smartphone added to the shared plan
One wrinkle for AT&T's plans is a decreasing monthly smartphone device access cost as customers step up to higher data plans. While Verizon charges a flat $40 per month per smartphone, AT&T's starts at $45 for customers using just 1 GB of data but decreases to as low as $30 for accounts with 10 GB of data or more per month. Access costs for other devices are the same between AT&T and Verizon, with feature phones requiring a flat fee of $30 per month, laptop connections $20, and tablets $10.
AT&T undercuts Verizon at the simplest level with a single smartphone on a 1 GB data plan costing $85 per month ($40 data + $45 device), compared to $90 on Verizon ($50 data + $40 device), but adding additional smartphones to that 1 GB plan is more expensive on AT&T ($45 versus $40). Verizon's and AT&T's pricing are identical at the 4 GB level, while AT&T again takes the lead on higher-level plans with more data and devices. As an example, an account with four smartphones sharing 10 GB of data would cost $240 per month on AT&T ($120 data + 4 x $30 devices) versus $260 on Verizon ($100 data + 4 x $40 devices).
AT&T is launching its new plans as of "late August", and current customers will not be required to switch to shared data, although they may do so without extending the length of their contracts. New customers will have the option of selecting from the new shared data plans or the carrier's existing individual or family plans.
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93 months ago
So if you're on the 450 Minutes plan, with unlimited text and 3GB of data, your bill just went up $20/month.
Awesome.
Can someone please make a prepaid that doesn't suck?
Awesome.
Can someone please make a prepaid that doesn't suck?
93 months ago
I *think* I am saving money by going with the shared data if this truly does include unlimited minutes and messaging from reading this post. There has to be a gotcha, seems to good to be true.
Currently we pay for two lines:
700 minutes - $70, unlimited messaging - $30, 1st iPhone w/2gb of data - $25, 2nd iPhone w/300mb of data - $20, Total bill is $145.
So with the shared data plans I could go with the 4gb plan for $110 for two iPhones, correct?
Incorrect. You would be paying $70 + $40 + $40 = total of $150. Didja really think AT&T would allow you to save money?
This is price signaling/collusion at its finest folks. Welcome to corporate America.
93 months ago
So if you're on the 450 Minutes plan, with unlimited text and 3GB of data, your bill just went up $20/month.
Awesome.
No, it didn't. If you're on the 450 minute plan with unlimited text and 3GB of data, you're *still* on the 450 minute plan with unlimited text and 3GB of data at exactly the same price.
These are additional options, they're not replacing the existing plans.
93 months ago
HOW MUCH? ha u guys are getting screwed from both ends! Such a big market yet everything seems so expensive. Wheres the competition?
93 months ago
I *think* I am saving money by going with the shared data if this truly does include unlimited minutes and messaging from reading this post. There has to be a gotcha, seems to good to be true.
Currently we pay for two lines:
700 minutes - $70, unlimited messaging - $30, 1st iPhone w/2gb of data - $25, 2nd iPhone w/300mb of data - $20, Total bill is $145.
So with the shared data plans I could go with the 4gb plan for $110 for two iPhones, correct?
It would be $70+40+40 = $150
93 months ago
At least AT&T is offering this as an option....I like choices.
Verizon is forcing this onto their customers.
Verizon is forcing this onto their customers.
93 months ago
So I can pay $25 more a month and have less data. Right now I pay $90 for an iphone with unlimited data 1000txt, and a basic phone. I'd pay $40+$45+30 = $105. What a deal.
93 months ago
Holy hell, I've said it before but I'll say it again; prices for cellular service in the US are really high, at least on AT&T and Verizon.
Here in the UK, I can get 250 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited data (with no throttling) for £10 per month, which is $15.60.
:eek:
Here in the UK, I can get 250 minutes, unlimited texts and unlimited data (with no throttling) for £10 per month, which is $15.60.
:eek:
93 months ago
The real value seems to be in having a bunch of devices. My breakdowns:
Our current bill (4 iPhones, 1 dumbphone) is $230. Split 5 ways is $45 a person. The 4 iPhones use roughly 6GB a month, split between one unlimited plan and three 2GB plans. Say I want to add an iPad to the mix, it would be $30 for 3GB bringing my monthly total to $270, split 5 ways is $54.
If we add a four more, low bandwidth users it breaks down to:
10GB: $120
User 1: $30
User 2: $30
User 3: $30
User 4: $30
User 5: $30
User 6: $30
User 7: $30
User 8: $30
User 9: $30
iPad: $10
Total: $400
minus discount (24%): $96
Grand total: $304
Divided 10 ways: $30.40 + a few bucks in taxes
That's EXACTLY correct, and more insidious. Having so many devices means are ingrained deeper into AT&T and less likely to switch. Because with so many devices the odds are there are several people sharing that plan. Which seems great. Until one person wants to leave, it makes it financially more painful for everyone left behind. And if a device is replaced mid-contract then keeping everyone on the same contract end date is increasingly less possible, and thus less likely to break away.
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