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Why no $50/$60 Unlimited Plan?

Dorv

Dorv

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 11, 2008
375
431
Count me in as one of those bitter old men (if you can be an bitter old man at 30) about this whole AT&T rate change cluster.

First, let me say that I see the upside to it. Limiting data usage will probably increase network stability across the board. From my perspective, I could care less, as my service in Albuquerque is outstanding (for both my iPhone and iPad), but, as I said, I see the upside.

For me, though, one of the main selling points was an unlimited data plan that could be turned on and off. I'd say 95% of my time, I've got WiFi access, and that's all I'd need. Its when I travel, which is every couple of months, that I looked forward to turning on the UDP. Now, I won't have that option.

Based on their philosophy with this whole change, I don't see why AT&T couldn't offer a $50-$60 UDP with the same ability to turn it on and off on the fly. The "superusers" would pay for that right, and AT&T could invest more into their network infrastructure.

(On a related note, I think its bad pool for people to blame these so called "superusers" for all of the problems. If AT&T sells unlimited data, they need to have a network that can handle such loads. Period. From my perspective, AT&T couldn't handle the massive influx of iPhone users, and blame the "superusers" for the network trouble that iPhone and its many users, have created).

But to change that plan, and take away the main selling point for my upgrade from a WiFi to a 3G model less than a month after its release? Just another in the long list of reasons that I'll be moving my cellular service away from AT&T later this year, iPhone 4 be damned.
 
Agreed with the original post, not the price plan, which wow, that would be something! You'd think people would react strongly to something like that..

It seems the moderators have no stomach for anyone choosing to debate the issue.

Fact remains 35 days into a product sold with a feature has been retracted and revised. It's a shame because if people were a little more together they would realize they were sold a bill of goods by a CEO who was in all likelihood part of the plan all along. Corporate greed is one thing and I have come to expect that from ATT ,but not from Apple. I now know better.

Consumers have the power ot change anything, but that would mean doing something about it, not likely with this crowd unfortunately!
 
They don't want you to have unlimited data. They WANT you to go over the 2GB limit and throw those $10 overages charges at you.
 
Dorv said:
Count me in as one of those bitter old men (if you can be an bitter old man at 30) about this whole AT&T rate change cluster.

First, let me say that I see the upside to it. Limiting data usage will probably increase network stability across the board. From my perspective, I could care less, as my service in Albuquerque is outstanding (for both my iPhone and iPad), but, as I said, I see the upside.

For me, though, one of the main selling points was an unlimited data plan that could be turned on and off. I'd say 95% of my time, I've got WiFi access, and that's all I'd need. Its when I travel, which is every couple of months, that I looked forward to turning on the UDP. Now, I won't have that option.

Based on their philosophy with this whole change, I don't see why AT&T couldn't offer a $50-$60 UDP with the same ability to turn it on and off on the fly. The "superusers" would pay for that right, and AT&T could invest more into their network infrastructure.

(On a related note, I think its bad pool for people to blame these so called "superusers" for all of the problems. If AT&T sells unlimited data, they need to have a network that can handle such loads. Period. From my perspective, AT&T couldn't handle the massive influx of iPhone users, and blame the "superusers" for the network trouble that iPhone and its many users, have created).

But to change that plan, and take away the main selling point for my upgrade from a WiFi to a 3G model less than a month after its release? Just another in the long list of reasons that I'll be moving my cellular service away from AT&T later this year, iPhone 4 be damned.
Click to expand...


Sure, why not? I'd like to double my monthly cost! Geez
 
In this topic: Wealthy people who are ignorant or just plain indifferent to the financial status of other people, the majority of America, and assume that everybody would jump at the chance to increase their current bill by 100% each month. :rolleyes:
 
Technically you can pay $60 a month for 5gb which is the soft cap on most unlimited mobile plans anyways.. Added bonus, if you use less than 5gb you get a discount!
 
I think 5 gigs a month at $35-$40 would be nice. It's still a worse deal than we have now but at least I wouldn't have to worry about web browsing pushing me over the limit.
 
$30 really is the right price for unlimited b/c you have limited ways to use the bandwidth compared to a desktop computer. Also for $50 you can get a MiFi which works with multiple devices. Now maybe if ATT offered a $50 "unlimited" (5GB) data package where you could share data b/t the iPhone and iPad & maybe tether too, otherwise I don't see the value.

What I wish ATT really offered was a 1 day/1GB package for say $10.
 
I think $60 a month for unlimited 3G data would be a fair price.

But they should still keep the $30 plan and put a 5gb cap.

The reason I say $60 for unlimited is because it would people to actually buy a wired broadband Internet and use wifi.

Seriously if you are going over 5GB on the iPad you either are tethering with mywi and don't have wired broadband.

Or you are streaming constantly while at work cause you bosses have disabled or severly restricted Internet use on your work computers.
 
People are still failing to acknowledge that this is a rate reduction for the vast majority of AT&T data users. Look around the net, you will be hard pressed, even on the most techy of tech sites to find a poll where users average more than 500MB a month of data. The absolutely highest estimates show 10-15% of users will go over 2GB. This is all an argument over principle. Let's imagine you had unlimited voice for $99 a month, but now, it gets capped at 5000 minutes and the price becomes $85. If you talk 1500 min a month, why are you whining? That's what we have here. A lot of noise from people who this will have absolutely ZERO impact on.

It's worth noting that the $25 a month also gets you unlimited access to all the AT&T hotspots.




ash =o)
 
Quite frankly AT&T's new data plans are APPALLING. Simply giving people 2 options (250mb or 2GB) and for the ridiculous rates that they're charging just doesn't cut it. This decision truly was made by a bunch of goats in a boardroom who are disconnected from the lifestyles of mobile users.

The way I see it they're going to make clients who have smartphones and DONT NEED THEM very happy by the 250mb/$15 offering, and they're going to make everyone else panic when using Pandora, Youtube, Netflix, or even sending a simple e-mail with an attachment.

Btw if I read ONE MORE THREAD where people are overjoyed at being 'grandfathered' i think i'll scream LOL. (Yes I'm also grandfathered into both iPhone and iPad unlimited data). :)
 
The thing is, why would you pay for a data plan that is $50/60 when you could get a wifi version and get a mifi?
 
nick1516 said:
The thing is, why would you pay for a data plan that is $50/60 when you could get a wifi version and get a mifi?
Click to expand...

Agreed. Ultimately it sounds like Apple did a sloppy job with securing these data plans. The ones who are most affected by this are the Apple fanboys :apple:

We're left with either sucking it up and dealing with AT&T's ******** in order to enjoy our Apple goodies, or finding creative alternatives (Mifi, jailbreaking 3GS and running MyWi, etc)
 
ashVID said:
People are still failing to acknowledge that this is a rate reduction for the vast majority of AT&T data users. Look around the net, you will be hard pressed, even on the most techy of tech sites to find a poll where users average more than 500MB a month of data. The absolutely highest estimates show 10-15% of users will go over 2GB. This is all an argument over principle. Let's imagine you had unlimited voice for $99 a month, but now, it gets capped at 5000 minutes and the price becomes $85. If you talk 1500 min a month, why are you whining? That's what we have here. A lot of noise from people who this will have absolutely ZERO impact on.

It's worth noting that the $25 a month also gets you unlimited access to all the AT&T hotspots.




ash =o)
Click to expand...

While that may be true for the iPhone, I don't think it is for the iPad.

The average size of any given modern web page in my experience hovers between 600kb to just over a Meg. You dont have to be a 'data hog' to break their highest tier cap with simple web browsing - one of the key features of the iPad. The basis for these universal plans ignores the fact that different devices have entirely different usage patterns and roles. The average user stats for the iPhone have nothing to do with the average user stats for the iPad, yet they're shoehorning them both into the same plan using the only stats from iPhone users.
 
nick1516 said:
The thing is, why would you pay for a data plan that is $50/60 when you could get a wifi version and get a mifi?
Click to expand...

Cause the mifi device will die in about 4-5 hours so you better be near a power outlet. And it's antihero device to carry with.

The iPad 3G will last about 9 hours on 3g, twice the amount of the mifi device.
 
XciteMe said:
In this topic: Wealthy people who are ignorant or just plain indifferent to the financial status of other people, the majority of America, and assume that everybody would jump at the chance to increase their current bill by 100% each month. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

It's not about wealth, it's about options. Would I pay $60/monthly? Hell no. But do I want that option for when I travel? Hell yes.

Thank you for completely missing my point.
 
ashVID said:
People are still failing to acknowledge that this is a rate reduction for the vast majority of AT&T data users. Look around the net, you will be hard pressed, even on the most techy of tech sites to find a poll where users average more than 500MB a month of data. The absolutely highest estimates show 10-15% of users will go over 2GB. This is all an argument over principle. Let's imagine you had unlimited voice for $99 a month, but now, it gets capped at 5000 minutes and the price becomes $85. If you talk 1500 min a month, why are you whining? That's what we have here. A lot of noise from people who this will have absolutely ZERO impact on.
Click to expand...

No, you're absolutely right. I think, in the grand scheme, this is a good move by AT&T. But, if I'm traveling, and want to leave my MBP at home, then I'll probably use more data than the average user, and would love the option
 
Just to give you an idea of what other pay as you go plans cost.


Virgin Mobile (sprint network) Pay as you go:

$10 - 10 days - 100mb
$20 - 30 days - 300mb
$40 - 30 days - 1GB
$60 - 30 days - 5GB


Verizon pay as you go(can be used with mifi):

$15 - 1 day - 100mb
$30 - 7 days- 300mb
$50 - 30 days - 1GB


Edit: There are no overages for either of these, when you use up your allotment or time it cuts off and you re-up.
 
Dorv said:
But, if I'm traveling, and want to leave my MBP at home, then I'll probably use more data than the average user, and would love the option
Click to expand...
Even if you're not grandfathered with the original iPad data plan, I don't think any other carrier offer a less-expensive data plan than the new AT&T ones. :confused:

When you're not traveling, you'd paying either $15 or $25 a month.

And when you do travel (and use more data), you'd switch over to the $25/month plan and pay $10 per GB you use after the initial two. That'd put you at $55/month for 5GB of data. IIRC, other carriers typically charge $60/month for 5GB of data, and their overage rates are usually a lot more than $10 per GB. Plus they usually don't have a less expensive plan (for the months you don't travel), and you'll almost always have to sign a 2-year contract.

It still rubs me the wrong way that AT&T changed the plans so quickly after the iPad was out of the gate, but what they offer still appear to be pretty competitive.
 
Dorv said:
The "superusers" would pay for that right, and AT&T could invest more into their network infrastructure.
Click to expand...

They "could" have been investing in their network ever since they started rolling in money from the iPhone, but it hasn't happened for 3 years. Why start now? They clearly have the upper hand, and have now shown that they dictate the terms of data usage and not Apple.
 
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