AT&T Introduces New Data Plans Without Overage Charges

AT&T has introduced new Mobile Share Advantage plans that eliminate data overage charges. Instead, after customers use all of their high-speed data amounts, all data usage will be reduced to a maximum of 128 kbps for the rest of their bill cycle, akin to what T-Mobile has offered for several years.

40GB, 50GB, 60GB, 80GB, and 100GB data tiers are also available, while business customers can choose plans with between 25GB and 200GB of data shared across up to 25 lines. The new plans continue to include unlimited U.S. talk and text, rollover data, sharable data, and Mobile Hotspot tethering.

AT&T charges an additional $20 access charge per smartphone per month for each plan. The carrier previously charged $25 per month for 5GB or lower plans and $15 per month for 15GB and above plans. Overage charges, meanwhile, were previously $15/GB or $20 per 300MB for customers on the now-eliminated 300MB plan.

AT&T boasts that many of its new plans include more data at a lower cost per megabyte than some plans it offers today.

If you have 2 smartphone lines on a current Mobile Share Value 5GB plan for $100 per month, you can now get the new Mobile Share Advantage 6GB plan – 1 additional GB of data for the same price, plus no overages. If you need more data, for $20 more a month, you can get 10GB of data.

We’ve also revised our 25GB and higher plans. We now offer a new 25GB plan for $190 per month for 4 smartphone lines (previously $235 per month) and our 30GB plan is now $215 per month for 4 smartphone lines (previously $285 per month). Customers can add up to 10 lines on both plans.

The new Mobile Share Advantage plans are available August 21. Existing AT&T customers will not be automatically migrated to the new plans, so those interested in switching should inquire with the carrier next week.

AT&T follows in the footsteps of Verizon's new data plans introduced last month.