Reminder: Revised AT&T Data Plans Takes Effect On Sunday

[Richard Chao]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.anandtech.com/show/5443/att-to-launch-new-data-plans-for-smartphones-tablets' target='_blank'>http://www.anandtech.com/show/5443/...tphones-tablets</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Beginning this Sunday, January 22, AT&amp;T will begin offering new data plans to its US smartphone and tablet customers, its first change to the plans since June 2010."</em></p><p><img height="346" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1327206178.usr117680.jpg" style="border: 0;" width="600" /></p><p>If you are constantly finding yourself using just a tick over your data plan allowances and thereby incurring overages, AT&amp;T's new data plans may be for you. &nbsp;Smartphone plans are now available in either 300MB ($20), 3GB ($30) and 5GB ($50). &nbsp;Subscribers of the 5GB plan will get tethering tossed in for free. &nbsp;Tablet plans have also been revised to 3GB ($30) and 5GB ($50). &nbsp;The low end 250MB tablet plan for $14.99 is the only plan that remains unchanged. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Of course if you are happy with your current plan, you may elect to stay with it but new subscribers will have to choose from one of the new plans. &nbsp;</p>

[Sven Johannsen]

I remember a few years ago having an 'unlimited' data plan with AT&T. There was something about 5G in the fine print. It was $30. Then they came out with their 2G for $25 bucks, insisting that the cap would only affect about 2% of their users. Think about that. They said 98% of their users never went over 2G. So....has the usage changed dramatically, or is AT&T scamming another $5 and expecting to actually provide no more data than they did before? We all know they can't even provide the 2G they currently promise, if everyone were to actually use it.

Tethering isn't tossed in for free. It used to cost $20 more to get tethering and they tossed in an extra 2Gig...now it costs $20 bucks more and they toss in an extra 2G...sounds like the same tethering scam they always had. It is absolutely no different, as far as the network goes, whether my bits stop at my phone or get passed on to a tablet or laptop. There aren't any more of them, and they don't move any faster. It should be my decision what I do with the bits once they get to the phone, and if I use up my allotment earlier in the month, it should be my problem. My phone is displaying the exact same pages, e-mail and streaming products as my tablet/laptop does. The days of stripped down mobile pages are all but gone. Imagine if your cable company chaged more based on the size screen you displayed your programs on, or if KFC charged you more if you were going to share your bucket of chicken rather than eat it yourself. (Oh, sir, if you are going to share your chicken, we have to charge you more and give you two buckets) Charging for tethering really ticks me off...there is no valid reason for it, and they all do it. I was OK with it when it when data was 'unlimited', because it could easily be abused. Not super easily, because half a dozen folks on a 2G connection wasn't very satisfying. Now that everyone caps your monthly data, there is no reason to police what the customer does with it. ARRRRGGGGHHH