attlogo375wide.jpgAT&T senior vice president Chris Penrose today announced that AT&T plans to introduce a new $5 daily 250MB data plan for tablet users who want to use cellular data occasionally, reports AllThingsD. Penrose announced the news at today’s GigaOM Mobilize conference in San Francisco and the company hopes the offering will entice users to purchase cellular devices over Wi-Fi models.

"We really think that a Wi-Fi only tablet is good, but it is not good enough," said AT&T senior VP Chris Penrose, speaking at the event. The cost of adding a cellular module to tablets is also going down, Penrose said.

"We’ve seen that price go down substantially over the past several years,” Penrose said. “Ultimately we’d like to see tablet manufacturers build just one tablet."

Along with $5 day passes, the company also plans to introduce a $25 plan that provides 1GB of data that can be used over a three month period. The two new plans will be offered in addition to AT&T's existing $10 Mobile Share data plan for iPads.

Top Rated Comments

osofast240sx Avatar
156 months ago
They just don't get it
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
i-John Avatar
156 months ago
They just don't get it

Oh, I get it. You want everything for nothing.

I think you don't get the idea why they are offering it. It's for an occasional user, who may just need access for a day. It's not designed for a heavy user, it's for someone who only needs access now and again and doesn't need a hefty plan with GBs of data they don't use. If you want that, you get the share plan and include your iPad.

----------

$5 for 250MB is ridiculous. You can't even watch a single movie on Netflix with 250MB. What garbage.

----------



Because AT&T makes you pay twice to use the same data.

It's not for someone who wants to be streaming movies.

If you want more data, get the mobile share plan, add your iPad and done. Not making you pay twice for anything.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bushido Avatar
156 months ago
meanwhile europe is laughing at this. i just got a prepaid rechargable sim with 1GB for 9€ in spain
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
guspasho Avatar
156 months ago
$5 for 250MB is ridiculous. You can't even watch a single movie on Netflix with 250MB. What garbage.

----------

Why not just Hotspot to your iPad from your iPhone :D

Because AT&T makes you pay twice to use the same data.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aindik Avatar
156 months ago
The "cost" of adding cellular to a tablet had gone down. Meanwhile the "price" of doing so has not.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmcrutch Avatar
156 months ago
I currently pay $15/mo for 250mb of data for an iPad I use as a cash register. If I'm able to switch to the $25 3-month 1GB plan, I'll save $80/year and actually have more data available
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
Apple More Personal Siri Ad

Apple Responds to U.S. Class Action Lawsuit Over Delayed Siri Features

Friday September 26, 2025 6:57 am PDT by
In March, Apple delayed the launch of its personalized Siri features, and soon after the company was hit with multiple class action lawsuits over the situation. The plaintiffs said they never would have purchased an iPhone 16, or would have paid less, had they known Apple's marketing about the Siri features was false. In the U.S., all of the complaints were consolidated into one class...
iphone 17 ceramic shield

Regular iPhone 17's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Friday September 26, 2025 9:01 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the standard iPhone 17 model's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 27W to 28W with these Apple chargers:29W USB-C Power Adapter 30W USB-C Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter 35W Dual USB-C Port Compact Power Adapter 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
maxresdefault

Review: A Week With the iPhone 17 Pro

Friday September 26, 2025 12:51 pm PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 models have been out for a week now, so we thought we'd do a longer-term review of the flagship iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max now that we've been able to spend more time with them. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera has a Silver iPhone 17 Pro and a Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max, and despite a lot of concern over...