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AT&T to offer "incentives" to customers willing to limit data use

A

Andronicus

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 1, 2008
819
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Delete if this has been posted before...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004574600381410694794.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

"A senior AT&T Inc. executive dismissed speculation that the telecommunications carrier is planning to change the way it prices data plans for its wireless customers, but said it will give customers incentives to limit their use of its wireless network for surfing the Internet or downloading mobile applications."

I dont know about you guys, but I don't think I like this...it just sounds too...I don't know what the word is, can you help me out?
 
Andronicus said:
Delete if this has been posted before...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004574600381410694794.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

"A senior AT&T Inc. executive dismissed speculation that the telecommunications carrier is planning to change the way it prices data plans for its wireless customers, but said it will give customers incentives to limit their use of its wireless network for surfing the Internet or downloading mobile applications."

I dont know about you guys, but I don't think I like this...it just sounds too...I don't know what the word is, can you help me out?
Click to expand...

Depends on if the incentives are positive or negative. If the incentives are positive, for example $5 or $10 off your data charges for staying under XX mb per month, then I would use smart, logical, or win/win to describe it. As it is not hurting or penalizing anyone.

If they implement a negative incentive say an extra charge for using more than X GB per month then my description would depend at what level they start charging. My description would range from smart, ok, too much, ridiculous, or cancel my service.
 
can we get out of our contract for at&t changing the contract? we didnt agree to this when we signed the original contract.
 
MTI said:
Welcome to Last Week.
Click to expand...

Well this WSJ article was written Dec 16, which was yesterday. So, I'm not sure what you are referring to? Unless maybe you're like the Early Edition guy & you get tomorrows news today.... :rolleyes:
 
SpaceKitty said:
This is old news. It was posted about last week.
Click to expand...

Last week's news was the report that this de la Vega was hinting at the possibility at AT&T enticements for limited data usage. It was covered in at least one thread here. This week's announcement is that he is downplaying its effects on iPhone users. You may discuss that here or in this official thread (which is also new for today).
 
schwell said:
Depends on if the incentives are positive or negative. If the incentives are positive, for example $5 or $10 off your data charges for staying under XX mb per month, then I would use smart, logical, or win/win to describe it. As it is not hurting or penalizing anyone.

If they implement a negative incentive say an extra charge for using more than X GB per month then my description would depend at what level they start charging. My description would range from smart, ok, too much, ridiculous, or cancel my service.
Click to expand...

I don't know because I think a lot of people may take this the wrong way (maybe I'm one of those people), but it seems trying to bribe your customers to use less of your service is not a good buisness scheme. Especially since all the heat AT&T has been taking lately concerning their network & of course they defend the hell out of it "fastest 3g network" now it sounds like "fastest 3g network....but please don't use it!!"
 
mkrishnan said:
Last week's news was the report that this de la Vega was hinting at the possibility at AT&T enticements for limited data usage. It was covered in at least one thread here. This week's announcement is that he is downplaying its effects on iPhone users. You may discuss that here or in this official thread (which is also new for today).
Click to expand...

Gotcha. Thanks for the link, you can delete this thread if you need to.
 
schwell said:
Depends on if the incentives are positive or negative. If the incentives are positive, for example $5 or $10 off your data charges for staying under XX mb per month, then I would use smart, logical, or win/win to describe it. As it is not hurting or penalizing anyone.
Click to expand...

Knowing corporations they will raise your monthly bill by $20, but offer you a $20 discount to limit your consumption.
 
x-evil-x said:
can we get out of our contract for at&t changing the contract? we didnt agree to this when we signed the original contract.
Click to expand...

A) There's no guarantee that such a change is actually going to happen.

B) Even if they do make such a change, there is no guarantee that they would make it applicable to existing customers, or limit it only to new activations after the date of the change.

C) If they do make a change, and if it is applicable to existing customers, then there is no guarantee whether it would be "positive incentives" or "negative incentives". If it is a "positive incentive" (ie rebates for low usage rather than penalties for high usage) then the change would not directly result in any higher costs to the consumer than they had already agreed to. Changes typically have to be demonstrably to the customer's detriment in order for them to count towards eligibility for waiving the ETF.

Positive incentives happen all the time in the provision of services. For example, my insurance company offers me a partial rebate of my premiums if I haven't needed to make any claims over the course of the year.
 
I would personally be very glad to have a discount for low-use accounts. I rarely go over 100 MB myself, since I have WiFi both at home and at work and only use 3G/Edge when on the road or around town. If they were to charge $10 less for people who use less than 250 MB/mo, my wife and I could save $240 a year!
 
I'd love to get a cheaper data plan. We already get whatever % off for having a Premier account, but it'd be nice to get a little more off. In the week I've had it I don't thnk I've used that much. I'll use youtube once in a while and maybe google maps but thats about it.
 
Good idea if they kick back $5-10 back to low data usage customers.
I barelly use 60-100mb per month.
And to those that go over 5GB per month its only fair to tuck in something extra on their bills.
 
thelatinist said:
I would personally be very glad to have a discount for low-use accounts. I rarely go over 100 MB myself, since I have WiFi both at home and at work and only use 3G/Edge when on the road or around town. If they were to charge $10 less for people who use less than 250 MB/mo, my wife and I could save $240 a year!
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I'd be very surprised. This means less revenue for them which they don't take lightly. Unless they are figuring on competition changing the landscape enough to the point where the $120/year from you and a lot of other people is far less of a loss than a bunch of people moving.

In any case, I'm not very hopeful...
 
Applejuiced said:
Good idea if they kick back $5-10 back to low data usage customers.
I barelly use 60-100mb per month.
And to those that go over 5GB per month its only fair to tuck in something extra on their bills.
Click to expand...

It would make more sense to throttle their speed down for a period of time than for them to pay more. After all, AT&T’s data package for the iPhone is “unlimited.”

I wonder how anyone even gets to 5GB because AT&T won’t even let you download a 15MB podcast via 3G! AT&T needs to learn how to manage its network properly.
 
I use less then 500MB per month since I use WiFi 75% OF THE TIME, but they would have to cut my bill down to about $10 per month for data before I see an advantage. If your going to limit or request a reduction give ppl a good incentive, unlike say $5 off your bill.

I do not ever see this going anywhere, we all know they are just going to charge ppl more money and you will get less services, it is just a fact.
 
jaw04005 said:
It would make more sense to throttle their speed down for a period of time than for them to pay more. After all, AT&T’s data package for the iPhone is “unlimited.”

I wonder how anyone even gets to 5GB because AT&T won’t even let you download a 15MB podcast via 3G! AT&T needs to learn how to manage its network properly.
Click to expand...


True, that's a good idea also.
 
jaw04005 said:
It would make more sense to throttle their speed down for a period of time than for them to pay more. After all, AT&T’s data package for the iPhone is “unlimited.”

I wonder how anyone even gets to 5GB because AT&T won’t even let you download a 15MB podcast via 3G! AT&T needs to learn how to manage its network properly.
Click to expand...

legit way is to stream pandora or slacker all day long. few other apps like MobileRSS can also do it

otherwise most of the heavy users are JB'd and they either tether or use video streaming apps. they are already complaining how they are in the right and AT&T is wrong in defining unlimited
 
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