I don't know about the rest of you but I think my current plan is much
more affordable as it is on VZW
Sent to you by Bill Boulware via Google Reader: AT&T announces
simplified shared bucket data plans for late August via 9to5Mac by Seth
Weintraub on 7/18/12
AT&T today announced its shared data plans for smartphone, tablet
(phablet?), and Mac/PC users. Current and new customers will be able to
choose plans for all of their devices with one with a fairly simple
matrix. Current customers will not be forced into these plans (ahem
Verizon!), but many with multiple devices/family members might jump at
the opportunity.
Bucket plans start at $45 a month (but drop to $30 a month at higher
data tiers) + $40 for 1GB of data. Tablets like the iPad will cost $10
a month to add to a smartphone plan. PCs and Macs will be an additional
$20 each via LaptopConnect cards, MiFi, or built-in modems. Adding an
extra smartphone with unlimited talk and text will be $30 a month.
Interestingly, MiFis are grouped with PCs, so that might be better than
getting a separate tablet and PC charge, but it also is another device
to carry/charge. Moreover, the extra hop often slows down the speed of
the network.
Below is the cost matrix:
Let's say you have an iPhone and an iPad that you want to put on AT&T's
network with 10GB of data per month. It would be $120+$30 for the
iPhone and an additional $10/month for the iPad. That is $160 a month.
Adding a Mac data card would bring the total to $180 a month.
This shared bucket plan will particularly appeal to folks with lots of
devices/family members and probably most of all businesses that want
simplified billing and bucket data. Whether customers use the bucket
for a bunch of co-workers or one businessperson with like three biz
devices, billing will be simplified for IT.
"We offer customers a broad choice and the best lineup of plans, now
enhanced by Mobile Share," said AT&T Chief Marketing Officer David
Christopher. "With these new plans, the more you share, the more you
save. They will be a good fit for a variety of new and existing
customers. However, if customers want to stay on their current plan or
choose from our existing plans, they can do that, too. It is their
choice.
"Today we think of people's smartphones and tablets sharing a bucket of
data. But in the future we'll see health care monitors, connected cars,
security systems and other devices in the home all connected to the
mobile Internet," said Christopher. "Our Mobile Share plans are simple,
easy and a great value for individuals or families with multiple mobile
Internet devices."
You need to activate a smartphone with these plans. You cannot go data
only. I would have liked a data-only share plan where I could just buy
data for a few iPads and Macs to share.
The full release follows:
AT&T GIVES CUSTOMERS MORE CHOICE WITH NEW
SHARED WIRELESS DATA PLANS
New Mobile Share Plans Allow Customers to Easily Share Data Across
Smartphones, Tablets and Other Devices
New and Current Customers Not Required To Choose or Switch to Shared
Plans
DALLAS, JULY 18, 2012 — AT&T* customers will soon have more options in
choosing the plan that's right for them and their mobile devices. With
new AT&T Mobile Share plans, available in late August, new and existing
customers can share a single bucket of data acrosssmartphones, tablets,
and other compatible devices, plus get unlimited talk and text. AT&T
Mobile Share plans make it easy for customers to manage their data,
voice minutes and texting, without needing to keep track of multiple
plans.
Customers can select one of the new shared data plans or choose one of
AT&T's existing individual or family plans. Current customers are not
required to switch to the new plans, but can choose to do so without a
contract extension. There are no changes to AT&T's device upgrade
policy, which means customers eligible to upgrade to AT&T's best device
price are not required to switch plans. The new plans will also be
available for business customers.
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.
First, choose your monthly data amount.
Per Month
Mobile Share with Unlimited Talk & Text
1 GB
$40
+
$45
4 GB
$70
+
$40
6 GB
$90
+
$35
10 GB
$120
+
$30
15 GB
$160
+
$30
20 GB
$200
+
$30
Each Smartphone
Additional data: $15 per GB
Next, add more devices to your plan.
Basic and quick messaging phones
Laptops, LaptopConnect cards, and netbooks
Tablets and gaming devices
$30 each per month
$20 each per month
$10 each per month
AT&T Mobile Share allows customers to essentially build a plan to fit
their devices and usage. Customers who are more data-centric can choose
a larger data bucket. Customers who typically use more voice than data
can add multiple smartphones and basic phones and opt for a smaller
data bucket.
"We offer customers a broad choice and the best lineup of plans, now
enhanced by Mobile Share," said David Christopher, chief marketing
officer, AT&T Mobility. "With these new plans, the more you share, the
more you save. They'll be a good fit for a variety of new and existing
customers. But if customers want to stay on their current plan or
choose from our existing plans, they can do that, too. It's their
choice.
"Today we think of people's smartphones and tablets sharing a bucket of
data. But in the future we'll see health care monitors, connected cars,
security systems and other devices in the home all connected to the
mobile Internet," said Christopher. "Our Mobile Share plans are simple,
easy and a great value for individuals or families with multiple mobile
Internet devices."
Mobile Share plans give customers more control over how, where and on
what device they use data — which has become more important as people
use more data devices. You can choose to use more of your data bucket
on your tablet, for example, or tap into your databucket only when
needed for devices you use occassionally. And by consolidating data
plans, you can take advantage of any data you currently have unused
each month by efficiently sharing it across devices.
"The 'more you share, the more you save' concept is one that will
resonate well with customers because of the value provided through the
Mobile Share data plans themselves and in smartphone connection fees,"
said Roger Entner, Founder and Lead Analyst of Recon Analytics. "AT&T
also is providing its customers with flexibility and choice by keeping
its existing data plans and not requiring customers to move to Mobile
Share unless they want to. It's a win-win for both AT&T and its
customers."
To help customers track their data usage, AT&T keeps users informed
with courtesy alerts as they near their data allowance for the month.
Also, customers can check their usage at anytime online, through the
myAT&T mobile app, or by calling *DATA# from their mobile phone.
Each data plan also includes access to more than 30,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot
Spots — the nation's largest Wi-Fi network** among wireless carriers —
at no additional charge. Wi-Fi usage at public hotspots, home or office
does not count toward the monthly wireless data plan usage.
Customers can learn more about the new plans and determine which plan
is best for them at www.att.com/mobileshare.
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