AT&T caps data usage with new wireless plans

[Drachen]

I have a $30 plan that has unlimited data and text bundled together. AT&T says that I have to have the $30 unlimited data plan coupled with the $20 unlimited text plan if I want a smart phone. They want to charge me $20 more to get the exact same I have now. Otherwise, a smart phone won't be "compatible" with my plan.

My brother has an iPhone. I threw my sim card in there and was using it without a single problem. ers just want more money.

I use quite a bit of data as I like to stream music off of YouTube when I hear a song that I don't have on my phone while I'm at work. I use some bluetooth headphones and just listen to music.

I don't know if it's 2 gigs worth of data but I'm using quite a but of data every month. Part of me was thinking of going back to Sprint because I can pay the same amount I'm paying now and I can get a smart phone. The problem I have is that I hate going through the process of switching phones when I can just pull out my sim card, put it in the new phone and keep going with AT&T.

This is what I am digging about Android. If I get a new phone, I just power it up, log into my gmail account, and all my contacts are there. Though, I think I see what you are saying. You can go get a phone and don't have to get it activated or anything, just move sim cards.. right??

[SourCandy]

I don't care for the iphone. I don't need it. I will also go out on a limb and say a lot of the people who have it don't need it either. More like "I got an iphone" horrrrayy!

[leemajors]

I use 3g to surf the internet quite a bit, but I checked my usage this morning and I'm at 150MB with 10 days left in the billing cycle.

[Cry Havoc]

The $25 plan is 2Gb, not 200Mb. That's like the $15 plan, and yes, it sucks.

I'm aware. If you'll notice, I said the "higher" of two data plans in my initial post. My point was the 200 mb isn't even enough for people who download music, and the 2 GB isn't enough for any serious smartphone user who wants to take advantage of the new technology.

This pretty much puts the nail in the coffin in the iPhone vs. Android debate. It's over. iPhone loses. They had better find another carrier, and quickly.

[leemajors]

I'm aware. If you'll notice, I said the "higher" of two data plans in my initial post. My point was the 200 mb isn't even enough for people who download music, and the 2 GB isn't enough for any serious smartphone user who wants to take advantage of the new technology.

This pretty much puts the nail in the coffin in the iPhone vs. Android debate. It's over. iPhone loses. They had better find another carrier, and quickly.

Every carrier is gonna end up doing this.

[ShoogarBear]

Sprint has no limits on their 4G use, and my understanding is that when Verizon and AT&T go from 3G to LTE there probably won't be limitations either (or the limitations will be significantly increased).

[Cry Havoc]

Every carrier is gonna end up doing this.

Don't bet on it. Why would you bring a high-bandwidth service to clients and then cap it at ~5 minutes of downloading? It makes no sense to waste the money to install the new towers if you aren't going to utilize them.

Sprint has been unlimited for a long time and will likely continue to be. Verizon will as well, most likely.

This bandwidth cap is absolutely ridiculous. Why do you need to cap a service if 98% of your demographic is using less than the cap? I mean, if 98 out of every 100 people you have is under the cap assigned, why cap it at all?

[leemajors]

Don't bet on it. Why would you bring a high-bandwidth service to clients and then cap it at ~5 minutes of downloading? It makes no sense to waste the money to install the new towers if you aren't going to utilize them.

Sprint has been unlimited for a long time and will likely continue to be. Verizon will as well, most likely.

This bandwidth cap is absolutely ridiculous. Why do you need to cap a service if 98% of your demographic is using less than the cap? I mean, if 98 out of every 100 people you have is under the cap assigned, why cap it at all?

All ISPs are moving towards it if they haven't. TWC backed off "for more study" because of outrage by their customers, but it's still coming. Sprint is probably unlimited because they do anything and everything to lure all the millions of customers they lose every quarter back. I wouldn't be shocked if they introduced soft caps like Comcast in the future. Any bandwidth provider is always looking to nickel and dime where they can.

[ShoogarBear]

With Sprint's EVO/4G plan, 3G is capped at 5 GB/month.

Like I said, this may be less of an issue when everyone goes to the higer-speed networks, but someone else with a better technical background will have to confirm.

[leemajors]

With Sprint's EVO/4G plan, 3G is capped at 5 GB/month.

Like I said, this may be less of an issue when everyone goes to the higer-speed networks, but someone else with a better technical background will have to confirm.

With their 4G coverage apparently quite limited (especially inside of buildings, the signal has a much harder time going through walls apparently) I am surprised there isn't more attention being brought to this. The MiFi hotspot is itself another $30 monthly, isn't it?

[Nathan Explosion]

I would be angry but I've never used more than 55 mb of data in a given month. I still think it sucks though, but oh well.

[Cry Havoc]

With Sprint's EVO/4G plan, 3G is capped at 5 GB/month.

Like I said, this may be less of an issue when everyone goes to the higer-speed networks, but someone else with a better technical background will have to confirm.

Um. This is completely false. I have unlimited 3g and 4g with my Evo 4g. So does everyone else. You are confusing a Sprint mobile broadband plan with their phone plans. 3g is unlimited with Sprint.

LOVING this phone so far. Using it to respond to spurstalk. I can type so ridiculously fast on this keyboard.

[Sisk]

soon they will limit what we eat and drink...............

A lot of Americans could use a ton of that...

[ShoogarBear]

Um. This is completely false. I have unlimited 3g and 4g with my Evo 4g. So does everyone else. You are confusing a Sprint mobile broadband plan with their phone plans. 3g is unlimited with Sprint.

I guess so.

LOVING this phone so far. Using it to respond to spurstalk. I can type so ridiculously fast on this keyboard.

Keyboard is tolerable for me. I can login and read ST but not post on it for some reason.

[Cry Havoc]

I guess so.


Keyboard is tolerable for me. I can login and read ST but not post on it for some reason.

Really??? That's bizarre. I loooooove this keyboard. Although I'm not sure the haptic feedback adds much to the phone.

[Fpoonsie]

[frustrated, impatient sigh]

Still charging mine, ya bunch a' assholes.

[Cry Havoc]

[frustrated, impatient sigh]

Still charging mine, ya bunch a' assholes.

[mookie2001]

what does "no packet data" mean?

[mookie2001]

"packet data not available"

keep getting that stuff when i try to connect to 3g now

[ShoogarBear]

It means your transformation to neocon is now complete.

[mookie2001]

yeah right youre the one with all the OnStar* threads

[SourCandy]

Um. This is completely false. I have unlimited 3g and 4g with my Evo 4g. So does everyone else. You are confusing a Sprint mobile broadband plan with their phone plans. 3g is unlimited with Sprint.

LOVING this phone so far. Using it to respond to spurstalk. I can type so ridiculously fast on this keyboard.

how much you pay a month? is it true it's slower indoors?

[scott]

I'm aware. If you'll notice, I said the "higher" of two data plans in my initial post. My point was the 200 mb isn't even enough for people who download music, and the 2 GB isn't enough for any serious smartphone user who wants to take advantage of the new technology.

This pretty much puts the nail in the coffin in the iPhone vs. Android debate. It's over. iPhone loses. They had better find another carrier, and quickly.

I checked my usage - and I'm on my iPhone using data intensive apps ALL THE TIME - and I haven't gone over 200 MB on a single phone in the 2+ years I've had 2 iPhones, both attached to my Exchange Server downloading 50-150 messages/day.

I attribute this to the fact I'm in WiFi zones a lot, and thus aren't using the carrier. I'll probably switch to 200 MB on one phone, 2 GB on the other for now.

[Cry Havoc]

I checked my usage - and I'm on my iPhone using data intensive apps ALL THE TIME - and I haven't gone over 200 MB on a single phone in the 2+ years I've had 2 iPhones, both attached to my Exchange Server downloading 50-150 messages/day.

I attribute this to the fact I'm in WiFi zones a lot, and thus aren't using the carrier. I'll probably switch to 200 MB on one phone, 2 GB on the other for now.

Then you aren't using data intensive apps, as that's a very relative definition. Ive hit over 2 gigs in a day. No joke. The point is that every day, more and more apps and programs are using huge amounts of data. Today, it might be tough for the average person to go over that... what about in a year? It's easy to say that's its no big deal, but AT&T is doing this to make money. Meaning they intend people to top the cap.

What I don't understand is how some people actually defend this policy... as if at&t would be completely honest in order to save it's customers money. Does that sound like a successful business model to anyone? They're doing this for a fairly obvious reason.

[scott]

Then you aren't using data intensive apps, as that's a very relative definition. Ive hit over 2 gigs in a day. No joke. The point is that every day, more and more apps and programs are using huge amounts of data. Today, it might be tough for the average person to go over that... what about in a year? It's easy to say that's its no big deal, but AT&T is doing this to make money. Meaning they intend people to top the cap.

What I don't understand is how some people actually defend this policy... as if at&t would be completely honest in order to save it's customers money. Does that sound like a successful business model to anyone? They're doing this for a fairly obvious reason.

Since everyone who has an unlimited data plan can keep it - and those who want to downgrade can do so and save money - sounds like there are potential wins for customers. Sure AT&T wins in the long run - but that's their job.

What apps are you using that you use 2GB in a day? Jeez.