Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Nhwhazup

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 2, 2010
3,474
1,718
New Hampshire
They've been raising the price of my grandfathered plan for years now and my coverage has gotten considerably worse that I get no data despite being at full bars in a damn parking lot and not hitting my limit before I start getting throttled. Last month I did the Verizon one month free trial and good lord the difference is night and day, and now I'm on T-Mobile's three month free trial and while it's not as good as Verizon's was it's still objectively better than AT&T's.

It's clear at this point AT&T doesn't want your business. Their coverage and network has gotten considerably worse and they've been jacking up prices to boot for worse connectivity. If they're gonna make you pay more, you might as well just switch to a different carrier and get better coverage.
What’s really weird is that the pricing they quoted me for an unlimited add on plan for my iPad was actually way cheaper than my grandfathered plan.
 

iommi

macrumors newbie
Mar 28, 2013
3
3
I got the same email for both my grandfathered unlimited and the Wife’s newer unlimited plan.

Waiting to see if AT&T rethinks this but will likely move to another carrier.
 

Edwardfla

macrumors newbie
Apr 18, 2015
3
0
I can understand the frustration of others as I've had the plan since it's inception and never abused it and only used it for travel. There's WiFi everywhere nowadays and it's seldom used. I wonder why I've kept it all these years. AT&T doesn't have the best coverage or service where I live in Florida and Verizon has excellent coverage. I've been thinking of dropping AT&T and switching or even dropping it completely and just tethering my phone. I could spend the monthly $35+ on a better phone plan. It is kind of Sh*tty of AT&T though to treat loyal customers like this. But they'll lose money in the end as I probably will drop this plan.
 

Edwardfla

macrumors newbie
Apr 18, 2015
3
0
I’ve had the unlimited ATT data plan since I got my first iPad. I got an email today saying that it was ending in March and I needed to click and sign up for a new SIM and plan.

Anyone else with the original unlimited grandfathered plan get this same email? If so, what option will you choose to replace?
Like you, I've had the plan since my first iPad. Kind of sad, but I'll probably drop the plan. It's not worth it anymore and the service sucks for where I live.
 

growlf

macrumors member
Aug 30, 2004
35
8
I'm not sure I understand the concern - and that may just be naïveté on my part.

I had 3 grandfathered unlimited plans and I was paying $35/each... up until 10 months into the pandemic. I used these cards inappropriately. I used them to keep my 84yo mother online and connected in the middle of nowhere. (1 active, 1 backup, 1 spare). Eventually ATT just killed them with no warning.

Then I signed up for the "add an unlimited tablet for $20 to your main ATT plan"... I have 3, they work identically to the grandfathered plan, I pay LESS for them, and I've never gotten a warning or anything. I just bought 2 more over the holidays to so my niece and nephew can stay connected.

I was mortified when the grandfathered plan was cut off.... but... I ended up with the same service, zero problems, and a significantly lower bill.

So... maybe it's because people want the standalone account? I don't really get it. Switching to the $20 unlimited tablet plan seems like the way to go.
 

LibbyLA

macrumors 6502a
Jun 16, 2017
825
857
I'm not sure I understand the concern - and that may just be naïveté on my part.

I had 3 grandfathered unlimited plans and I was paying $35/each... up until 10 months into the pandemic. I used these cards inappropriately. I used them to keep my 84yo mother online and connected in the middle of nowhere. (1 active, 1 backup, 1 spare). Eventually ATT just killed them with no warning.

Then I signed up for the "add an unlimited tablet for $20 to your main ATT plan"... I have 3, they work identically to the grandfathered plan, I pay LESS for them, and I've never gotten a warning or anything. I just bought 2 more over the holidays to so my niece and nephew can stay connected.

I was mortified when the grandfathered plan was cut off.... but... I ended up with the same service, zero problems, and a significantly lower bill.

So... maybe it's because people want the standalone account? I don't really get it. Switching to the $20 unlimited tablet plan seems like the way to go.
Some of us don’t have our cell phone service with AT&T…

My cell phone is with Verizon. I have a 2G data plan. Verizon service is more reliable where I live than AT&T but at our camp (where we have no electricity so no wifi, internet, TV, etc.), AT&T is better. It’s actually cheaper for me to keep my Verizon cell plan and pay for two iPad AT&T plans separately than it is for me to upgrade to unlimited service and add the iPads and I have access to both carriers.
 

growlf

macrumors member
Aug 30, 2004
35
8
Some of us don’t have our cell phone service with AT&T…

My cell phone is with Verizon. I have a 2G data plan. Verizon service is more reliable where I live than AT&T but at our camp (where we have no electricity so no wifi, internet, TV, etc.), AT&T is better. It’s actually cheaper for me to keep my Verizon cell plan and pay for two iPad AT&T plans separately than it is for me to upgrade to unlimited service and add the iPads and I have access to both carriers.
Okay - thank you - that makes total sense.
 

Nhwhazup

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 2, 2010
3,474
1,718
New Hampshire
I'm not sure I understand the concern - and that may just be naïveté on my part.

I had 3 grandfathered unlimited plans and I was paying $35/each... up until 10 months into the pandemic. I used these cards inappropriately. I used them to keep my 84yo mother online and connected in the middle of nowhere. (1 active, 1 backup, 1 spare). Eventually ATT just killed them with no warning.

Then I signed up for the "add an unlimited tablet for $20 to your main ATT plan"... I have 3, they work identically to the grandfathered plan, I pay LESS for them, and I've never gotten a warning or anything. I just bought 2 more over the holidays to so my niece and nephew can stay connected.

I was mortified when the grandfathered plan was cut off.... but... I ended up with the same service, zero problems, and a significantly lower bill.

So... maybe it's because people want the standalone account? I don't really get it. Switching to the $20 unlimited tablet plan seems like the way to go.
I’m going to do the same.
 

GLS

macrumors 6502a
Jun 26, 2010
574
671
FYI; I never had the original unlimited data plan for iPads. However, I'm paying $15 a month (discounted from $20) for unlimited for my iPad now.

Granted, you need to have one of ATT's phone plans to get this.
 

Pipper99

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2010
3,823
3,772
Fort Worth, TX
I got the notice yesterday. I switched my iphone to TMobile Magenta 5G plan a couple of years ago, and it’s been far superior to AT&T for much less money. I’ll likely drop AT&T and switch to T-Mobile Or Verizon.
 

arfung

macrumors member
Jun 27, 2015
92
45
I got the notice yesterday. I switched my iphone to TMobile Magenta 5G plan a couple of years ago, and it’s been far superior to AT&T for much less money. I’ll likely drop AT&T and switch to T-Mobile Or Verizon.
I just did the same thing today. I already had phones on T-Mobile, so adding the tablet to T-Mobile plan was way less ($20 after discount) that I was paying AT&T for my grandfathered plan ($35), and I get real 5G and better coverage.
 

Nhwhazup

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 2, 2010
3,474
1,718
New Hampshire
I switched to the $20/month plan with ATT. Makes no sense for them to do away with a plan and then offer a replacement that’s $15 cheaper. Just silly.
 
  • Like
Reactions: max2

Pipper99

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2010
3,823
3,772
Fort Worth, TX
I just did the same thing today. I already had phones on T-Mobile, so adding the tablet to T-Mobile plan was way less ($20 after discount) that I was paying AT&T for my grandfathered plan ($35), and I get real 5G and better coverage.
Did you have to pay an activation fee? I called Tmobile, and they said I'd be charged $35 to activate.
 

BeatCrazy

macrumors 603
Jul 20, 2011
5,123
4,480
I switched to the $20/month plan with ATT. Makes no sense for them to do away with a plan and then offer a replacement that’s $15 cheaper. Just silly.
The cheaper $20 plan is only available if you're adding onto an existing postpaid plan.

I agree, can you post a link for this?
To see that $20 unlimited tablet plan for AT&T, you need to go here, then sign in. https://www.att.com/buy/byod/
 
  • Like
Reactions: max2

Nhwhazup

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Sep 2, 2010
3,474
1,718
New Hampshire
Did you have to pay an activation fee? I called Tmobile, and they said I'd be charged $35 to activate.
They told me I would have to pay it but the woman said she would ask her manager. I explained that we had been with ATT for over 20 years and never paid an activation fee ever. I guess I’ll see when the bill comes through. I will call and argue with them if the fee is there.
 
  • Like
Reactions: max2 and Pipper99

MartyXB

macrumors member
Apr 16, 2011
77
2
Amusingly, I have had the AT&T Unlimited plan longer than I have owned iPads. We heard from a friend the plans were going to be discontinued and we wanted to wait until the first engineering rev of the iPad, so we bought 4 SIMs from AT&T and activated them using a friend's iPad.

Currently debating either switching to the $55/50GB plan with the $20 discount, or cancelling it altogether and using it only when we are traveling, while tethering the rest of the time. Overall, I think they will lose money by doing this and I am not clear why they think it benefits them to do it.
Hmmm, didn’t think about the tethering option. I may try the tethering option for a month and see how it impacts the performance and usability of my iPad and my iPhone.
 

HDFan

Contributor
Jun 30, 2007
7,290
3,341
Anyone else with the original unlimited grandfathered plan get this same email? If so, what option will you choose to replace?

I switched my iphone to TMobile Magenta 5G plan a couple of years ago, and it’s been far superior to AT&T for much less money.

Dropped my grandfathered iPad plan years ago. Would never go back.

1. AT&T keep increasing the price
2. They refused to allow new services such as airplay (I think that's the one) to the plan
3. Constantly trying to squeeze the last dollar from their customers
4. Poor 5G connectivity due to bad decisions about 5G frequency spectrums
5. T-Mobile now has the fastest average speeds in the country
6. iPad, Apple Watch add-ons $10 each

So if T-Mobile is an option, it tends to be cheaper, more customer friendly.
 

RevTEG

macrumors 65816
Oct 28, 2012
1,364
1,237
San Jose, Ca
I got the email as well. My wife and I are going to miss our iPad grandfathered plan. We’ve had it since iPad gen 1. We had the grandfathered iPhone plan for years too. I can tell the tell the difference in the quality of video stream between my current unlimited iPhone plan and my grandfathered iPad plan. iPad is always better. 😔
 
  • Like
Reactions: psingh01

sfphoto

macrumors 6502
Jun 10, 2010
453
28
FYI; I never had the original unlimited data plan for iPads. However, I'm paying $15 a month (discounted from $20) for unlimited for my iPad now.

Granted, you need to have one of ATT's phone plans to get this.
Postpaid plan only though.

Switching to the $20 unlimited tablet plan seems like the way to go.
But only offered if you have an AT&T postpaid wireless plan.

Currently my 2010 unlimited iPad DATA plan costs $34.99 /mo total (no additional taxes/fees) and has a 23gb cap.

As I understand it if one signs up for the $55/mo for 50gb the first mo. is $55, the second mo. free, then starting the third mo. $35 / mo. as a $20 /mo. discount is applied.

Based on the above (if correct) I have questions:

Are there taxes/fee additions and if so are they based on $55? (this could be another $5+/-)

Sim still work both in tablets and hotspots?

As to:
What happens after 50gb? (apparently stops, one can purchase more)

$20 / mo. discount ("Discount starts on third month and continues as long as plan is continuously renewed using AutoPay") Yeah well, we all know how that works.
 
Last edited:

sfphoto

macrumors 6502
Jun 10, 2010
453
28
Nhwhazup said:
Anyone else with the original unlimited grandfathered plan get this same email? If so, what option will you choose to replace?

----------

For me sort of depends on the answers to the above questions.

Using an iPhone as a hotspot can be an option however wireless speeds seem to be slower. Wired speeds are fine, i.e. MacBook<>iPhone.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.