# AT&T Changes its Smartphone data pricing



## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

I know a few people who want a smartphone but don't want to pay $30/mo for a data plan. Maybe this will be inexpensive enough?

_"Newcomers will have two options: Under the DataPlus plan, subscribers can pay $15 a month for 200 megabytes of data; that would handle about 400 photos or 100 minutes of streaming video. The DataPro plan offers 10 times that capacity, 2 gigabytes, for $25."_​
http://www.usatoday.com/money/indus...-02-att-smartphone_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip

Mike


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

Here is some more info: http://i.engadget.com/2010/06/02/atandt-makes-sweeping-changes-to-data-plans-iphone-tethering-comi/2

You can also switch back and fourth between the two plans as your use changes without extending your contact. The new plans look pretty good.


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## Hansen (Jan 1, 2006)

I wonder if this will push the price down on the iPhone data plan.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Seems like a step towards cheaper data plans. I wonder how many actually truly go over 2GB, I know a lot will complain, but I bet many don't actually go over that number.

Plus the overages are not ridiculous at least.


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## kevinwmsn (Aug 19, 2006)

Its going in the right direction... I would like to upgrade to smart phone but I wouldn't plan on using ATT wireless internet, just the wifi part. I would like to see some flat rate like I do I pull the net on my razor.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

kevinwmsn said:


> Its going in the right direction... I would like to upgrade to smart phone but I wouldn't plan on using ATT wireless internet, just the wifi part. I would like to see some flat rate like I do I pull the net on my razor.


It's a whole different ballgame when you have a smart phone than you're razor. The flat rate per kb would easily get you over the data plan unless you micromanaged your phone all the time. So many applications pull data automatically now that's why companies require you to have the data plan. They got sick of people getting upset because they didn't know what the device they bought was doing. This caused a huge amount of billing disputes and the cell phone industry's ratings to tank. Ever since they have made that policy their ratings have gone back up. Don't get me wrong they're not looking out for anyone other than themself, but I saw some crazy bills when smart phones started to become the "norm" due to this.


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## dpfaunts (Oct 17, 2006)

And tethering will be allowed too... however you must change plans. If you do nothing currently everyone is grandfathered in on the unlimited plan. To get tethering you must 'un- grandfather' and pick the DataPro plan 

http://www.dailytech.com/ATT+Drops+...ustomers+Adds+200MB+2GB+Caps/article18590.htm


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Shades228 said:


> It's a whole different ballgame when you have a smart phone than you're razor. The flat rate per kb would easily get you over the data plan unless you micromanaged your phone all the time. So many applications pull data automatically now that's why companies require you to have the data plan. They got sick of people getting upset because they didn't know what the device they bought was doing. This caused a huge amount of billing disputes and the cell phone industry's ratings to tank. Ever since they have made that policy their ratings have gone back up. Don't get me wrong they're not looking out for anyone other than themself, but I saw some crazy bills when smart phones started to become the "norm" due to this.


I don't use my iPhone for data intensive activities. I've never used more than 200MB with my iPhone. Normally it's less than 125MB. I use it for email, as a PDA, and some light internet use, so in my case one of the lower data plans would be better.

Mike


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## raott (Nov 23, 2005)

dpfaunts said:


> And tethering will be allowed too... however you must change plans. If you do nothing currently everyone is grandfathered in on the unlimited plan. To get tethering you must 'un- grandfather' and pick the DataPro plan
> 
> http://www.dailytech.com/ATT+Drops+...ustomers+Adds+200MB+2GB+Caps/article18590.htm


The tethering is an extra $20 a month on top of the data plan.


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

Hansen said:


> I wonder if this will push the price down on the iPhone data plan.


Part of this change is the elimination of the iPhone Data plan, unless you stay with it and are grandfathered.

I don't love going away from Unlimited, but at least they did make it somewhat reasonable at 2gb and they lowered the price. So, most people will see a reduction in cost. I honestly would have expected they would try to cap it at 500mb to 1gb and keep the price the same. Plus, as mentioned, teh overage rates are not too terribly bad. Maybe the ATT wirelsss folks need to talk to teh ATT internet folks as this makes the aborted metered data trials from last year look even worse.

I use between 500-750 meg, but I use WIFI extensively. THose not on WIFI, I can see getting close to these caps in the right conditions.

One thing I will say is they need to fix the iPhone so that if you are associated with a WIFI access point, that it does not use cell data for anything until you move away from it. As it is now, I can have the phone at home all night long, get no texts or calls and it is still using data from the ATT cell network checking email and whatnot. For people who go to the $15 plan, this can actually be a significant amount of usage.

ALso, what happens to people with microcells? WIll they get charged for Data that goes over their landline internet connection anyway? I assume not.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

I don't see the point in using a phone to access the web or TV/video. The trend at home is to larger and larger screens. When even my netbook has a 10.1" screen, and most of my computers are clocking in at 20+ inches, why would I want to strain my eyes peering at a 3" phone (smart or otherwise) display? They are too small to do anything other than display caller ID info. I don't even text.


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## hookemfins (Jul 3, 2007)

4HiMarks said:


> I don't see the point in using a phone to access the web or TV/video. The trend at home is to larger and larger screens. When even my netbook has a 10.1" screen, and most of my computers are clocking in at 20+ inches, why would I want to strain my eyes peering at a 3" phone (smart or otherwise) display? They are too small to do anything other than display caller ID info. I don't even text.


Then it's not for you. But you are in the minority.

Where wireless isn't available (or don't want to lug around a computer) business people need to access email everywhere. Some need to access the web on the go. My mom finds it easier to get her email from her iphone then the computer.

I'll be at the ncaa baseball regionals this weekend and I'll be following the scores from around the country or MLB games.

Will it decrease the strain on the overloaded networks? I tend to still say no.
If 98% don't use more than 2GB/month, how will this decrease usage?


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

MicroBeta said:


> I know a few people who want a smartphone but don't want to pay $30/mo for a data plan. Maybe this will be inexpensive enough?
> 
> _"Newcomers will have two options: Under the DataPlus plan, subscribers can pay $15 a month for 200 megabytes of data; that would handle about 400 photos or 100 minutes of streaming video. The DataPro plan offers 10 times that capacity, 2 gigabytes, for $25."_​
> http://www.usatoday.com/money/indus...-02-att-smartphone_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
> ...


That's a very attractive plan. Now I could pay $15 a month for "no service" just about everywhere I go.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

4HiMarks said:


> I don't see the point in using a phone to access the web or TV/video. The trend at home is to larger and larger screens. When even my netbook has a 10.1" screen, and most of my computers are clocking in at 20+ inches, why would I want to strain my eyes peering at a 3" phone (smart or otherwise) display? They are too small to do anything other than display caller ID info. I don't even text.


Right now I don't have internet access in my home other than using my phone on the 3g network of my cell phone provider, and yes I'm using my phone right now for this. I can tether my lap top to my phone to surf the net at no cost. So a unlimited data plan is best for me as I often download programs and updates to my laptop and to my phone.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

phrelin said:


> That's a very attractive plan. Now I could pay $15 a month for "no service" just about everywhere I go.


I'm lucky here in the northeast. I have 3G service everywhere I go. 

Mike


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Actually I think it will work out well at my house.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

I'm just green with envy, actually.


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

OK, so I posted about the phone using Cell data in spite of Wifi Conections. I reset my stats on my iPhone after that post above, at 11:30 Eastern. The phone has been in the presence of WIFI the entire time.

Now its 3:00 and I've used 1.5 megabytes down and 258 k up according to the Usage screen on my phone. So, at that rate, you are looking at about 6 megs a day, which is about 180 megabytes for the month combining up and down and I had 32 minutes of usage time which means it was connecting with WIFI then instead of the cell network.

So, unless something is drastically wrong with my iPhone, it seems very likely that only the lowest of the low users will be able to deal with the $15 plan. Heck, even cut it in half and you are brning through almost half your cap without doing anythign active.

IT would be interesting to see what others are finding in this scenario.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Lee L said:


> OK, so I posted about the phone using Cell data in spite of Wifi Conections. I reset my stats on my iPhone after that post above, at 11:30 Eastern. The phone has been in the presence of WIFI the entire time.
> 
> Now its 3:00 and I've used 1.5 megabytes down and 258 k up according to the Usage screen on my phone. So, at that rate, you are looking at about 6 megs a day, which is about 180 megabytes for the month combining up and down and I had 32 minutes of usage time which means it was connecting with WIFI then instead of the cell network.
> 
> ...


I assume when you say "in the presence of" you mean connected to?

Mike


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## Karen (Oct 4, 2007)

My iPhone is connected to wifi whenever I'm in my house, and that is almost all day, every day. The most I've used in a month is 70 megs. I normally use between 20 and 40 megs per month. The $15 plan will be perfect for me.


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Now it's Verizon's turn...

~Alan<~~~~~~~~~Who is in a AT&T dead zone....


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

MicroBeta said:


> I assume when you say "in the presence of" you mean connected to?
> 
> Mike


Well, it was connected when I was using the phone and it reconnects when I unlock it again, but it seems to me that the entire time it is sitting there locked and unused, it is using Cellular data. Just had 1.7 meg down and 183 kb up since 3:10 and its 5:46 now.



Karen said:


> My iPhone is connected to wifi whenever I'm in my house, and that is almost all day, every day. The most I've used in a month is 70 megs. I normally use between 20 and 40 megs per month. The $15 plan will be perfect for me.


So, when you pick the phone up after being locked for a while, does it not start out on 3G, then after say 10-15 seconds the WIFI symbol comes up?



Alan Gordon said:


> Now it's Verizon's turn...
> 
> ~Alan<~~~~~~~~~Who is in a AT&T dead zone....


Have you thought about getting a Microcell? Maybe ATTs announcement will keep Verizon in check and they have to come out with a lower cost, but I would bet they try to go higher anyway.

I also have to wonder if some of this is due to Verizon potentially getting the iPhone and ATT wants to potentially have a lower cost option than Verizon (even if it is not actual depending on tehe situation, it may seem like it anyway)


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## Karen (Oct 4, 2007)

I've never noticed it showing 3G when I unlock it, except for after it's been charging all night. I haven't looked for it either tho... At one time, I was having a hard time connecting to wifi, but that stopped after I updated the firmware in my router.

Ok, just tried it and it shows 3G until I unlock it, then the wifi thingee shows up in less than a second.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Lee L said:


> Well, it was connected when I was using the phone and it reconnects when I unlock it again, but it seems to me that the entire time it is sitting there locked and unused, it is using Cellular data. Just had 1.7 meg down and 183 kb up since 3:10 and its 5:46 now.
> So, when you pick the phone up after being locked for a while, does it not start out on 3G, then after say 10-15 seconds the WIFI symbol comes up?
> <snip>


When my phone is locked it's not doing anything so I don't have any data transfer. :shrug:

When I unlock the phone it does say 3G for only for one or two seconds and then it's Wi-Fi.

Mike


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Lee L said:


> Have you thought about getting a Microcell? Maybe ATTs announcement will keep Verizon in check and they have to come out with a lower cost, but I would bet they try to go higher anyway.
> 
> I also have to wonder if some of this is due to Verizon potentially getting the iPhone and ATT wants to potentially have a lower cost option than Verizon (even if it is not actual depending on tehe situation, it may seem like it anyway)


If my memory is correct regarding what a Microcell is, then no, I haven't.

It honestly wouldn't do me any good because even if I have one at my house, I wouldn't have one at work, or any business, residence, etc. that I should happen to visit.

Plus, even if I got one, the changes in SmartPhone data prices wouldn't be that interesting to me since AT&T doesn't offer 3G here... 

~Alan


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

Alan Gordon said:


> Now it's Verizon's turn...
> 
> ~Alan<~~~~~~~~~Who is in a AT&T dead zone....


Alan I think most ATT customers would say the same thing about being in a dead zone.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Shades228 said:


> Alan I think most ATT customers would say the same thing about being in a dead zone.


I get better service with ATT than Verizon where I am.....


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Grentz said:


> I get better service with ATT than Verizon where I am.....


Same with me, but a friend who lives just across the CT/RI boarder (about 35 minutes from here) gets better signal with Verizon.

Location, location, location... 

Mike


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

I rarely use Edge or 3G as I try to use mostly when I'm able to connect to a WiFi hotspot (or of course at home). I don't know if I've ever topped 50MB in a month yet for data usage.

BUT...

Something you might want to check... something I strongly suspect but have not 100% proved yet.

With iPhone OS 3.0 and beyond we got "Push notification" services... where apps can get pushed info from the 'net.

I strongly suspect that while in "standby" mode (locked but not off), the "Push" notifications are active and will not use WiFi even if available.

So... your phone is probably regularly checking for data and then receiving that pushed data as well.

This means you could rack up some data IF you have apps installed that get a lot of push-notice updates while your iPhone is locked.


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

When I read about this, I reset the usage stats on my iPhone just to see what I actually do in a month. I know I used 1.7G from my last rest last August, so the 200Mb plan may work for me. I know it will work for my wife.

I do wonder if I will be charged data usage for downloading apps from the Apple Store?


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## Karen (Oct 4, 2007)

It's really easy to check online now. Just go to your account page, and click on the View Past Data Usage link. You will see a graph of your data usage the past few months.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Herdfan said:


> When I read about this, I reset the usage stats on my iPhone just to see what I actually do in a month. I know I used 1.7G from my last rest last August, so the 200Mb plan may work for me. I know it will work for my wife.
> 
> I do wonder if I will be charged data usage for downloading apps from the Apple Store?


Yes you would, unless you were connected to wifi. I believe the cap on apps downloaded through the network is 20 meg. But any apps, music etc downloaded over the AT&T network would count.


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

Stewart Vernon said:


> I rarely use Edge or 3G as I try to use mostly when I'm able to connect to a WiFi hotspot (or of course at home). I don't know if I've ever topped 50MB in a month yet for data usage.
> 
> BUT...
> 
> ...


I do have a few push notifications. Also, I have email checking every 15 minutes.

I was actually at the Apple store today getting my phone switched out due to crazy dust in the screen stack and horrible battery life (and of course they all suggested turning most of the features of the phone off to help with this) and they did confirm that the phone turns off WIFI when it is locked and will use the 3g data connection for stuff like that.

So, if you do have Push and get a decent about of email, you will rack up data charges even when using WIFI. I wonder if they will change this as they said that WIFI should be very similar batter drain-wise or actually slightly less than 3G, so it should not be a huge problem.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Lee L said:


> I do have a few push notifications. Also, I have email checking every 15 minutes.
> 
> I was actually at the Apple store today getting my phone switched out due to crazy dust in the screen stack and horrible battery life (and of course they all suggested turning most of the features of the phone off to help with this) and they did confirm that the phone turns off WIFI when it is locked and will use the 3g data connection for stuff like that.
> 
> So, if you do have Push and get a decent about of email, you will rack up data charges even when using WIFI. I wonder if they will change this as they said that WIFI should be very similar batter drain-wise or actually slightly less than 3G, so it should not be a huge problem.


Email checking is what's doing it. I don't have that and in ten hours of standby/locked (while at home on Wi-Fi) I had 3KB down and 4KB up...why more up. :scratchin

Mike


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## Karen (Oct 4, 2007)

I don't do email checking either, but do have push notifications and usually have at least one waiting for me when I wake up.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

Lee L said:


> I do have a few push notifications. Also, I have email checking every 15 minutes.
> 
> I was actually at the Apple store today getting my phone switched out due to crazy dust in the screen stack and horrible battery life (and of course they all suggested turning most of the features of the phone off to help with this) and they did confirm that the phone turns off WIFI when it is locked and will use the 3g data connection for stuff like that.
> 
> So, if you do have Push and get a decent about of email, you will rack up data charges even when using WIFI. I wonder if they will change this as they said that WIFI should be very similar batter drain-wise or actually slightly less than 3G, so it should not be a huge problem.


According to ATT WIFI usage does not affect the data limits and charges since you are not using their network

Glad I have the unlimited plan and they have stated that if you upgrade smartphone to smartphone you get to keep your unlimited plan. Between email pushes, and Webex conferences when I am on the road I easily hit 4-5 gb a month, rarely go over and never had a cease and desist comment from ATT


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

Lee L said:


> (...) the phone turns off WIFI when it is locked and will use the 3g data connection for stuff like that.
> 
> So, if you do have Push and get a decent about of email, you will rack up data charges even when using WIFI. I wonder if they will change this as they said that WIFI should be very similar batter drain-wise or actually slightly less than 3G, so it should not be a huge problem.


Now that's a shame. Something like that would make me want to turn off the phone completely when I don't need push e-mail.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

wingrider01 said:


> According to ATT WIFI usage does not affect the data limits and charges since you are not using their network
> 
> Glad I have the unlimited plan and they have stated that if you upgrade smartphone to smartphone you get to keep your unlimited plan. Between email pushes, and Webex conferences when I am on the road I easily hit 4-5 gb a month, rarely go over and never had a cease and desist comment from ATT


I'm staying with my unlimited plan since I tether my laptop to my Nexus 1, and don't pay extra to do that. Plus all the downloading and youtube watching I do on my phone I bet I would exceed several times over the max caps.


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

Grentz said:


> I get better service with ATT than Verizon where I am.....





MicroBeta said:


> Same with me, but a friend who lives just across the CT/RI boarder (about 35 minutes from here) gets better signal with Verizon.
> 
> Location, location, location...


Location, location, location is indeed VERY true...

In South Georgia, AT&T's coverage is *HORRIBLE*, and Verizon and Alltel are the only two (contract phone companies) with decent service.

However, I'm well aware that there are multiple areas where it's the exact opposite...

~Alan


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

BubblePuppy said:


> I'm staying with my unlimited plan since I tether my laptop to my Nexus 1, and don't pay extra to do that. Plus all the downloading and youtube watching I do on my phone I bet I would exceed several times over the max caps.


Insteresting, tethering was never included in the unlimited smartphone plans, always had to have a seperate tethering plan with a 5gb cap on it for windows mobile and blackberry phones with att, does it have a special data plan with ATT?


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

wingrider01 said:


> According to ATT WIFI usage does not affect the data limits and charges since you are not using their network


I know. THats why it would be nice if the phone would continue to use WIFI rather than jump back on the Cell data network when it is sitting ther ein your house with WIFI, working just fine two minutes before, but once it locks, it starts using the capped network. Of course Apple never had to worry about this before.

I am also thinking about keeping the $30 a month unlimited plan as while I max at about 600 meg now and it seems pretty safe to take the 2gig plan for $25, who knows what happens in a year or two or even next month after background applications come with 4.0



Stuart Sweet said:


> Now that's a shame. Something like that would make me want to turn off the phone completely when I don't need push e-mail.


HA, thats just what one of the Geniuses at teh apple store suggested when I was chatting with him about it. Just turn the phone off each night. I suppose I could do that, but whats the point of having the darn phone if I have to babysit everything. I thought I bought an Apple product for it to "just work"


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## Doug Brott (Jul 12, 2006)

Stuart Sweet said:


> Now that's a shame. Something like that would make me want to turn off the phone completely when I don't need push e-mail.


You can actually limit the size of the initial push now .. so it's not necessarily something that would rack up even if you received a large amount of messages.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

wingrider01 said:


> Insteresting, tethering was never included in the unlimited smartphone plans, always had to have a seperate tethering plan with a 5gb cap on it for windows mobile and blackberry phones with att, does it have a special data plan with ATT?


I had a tethering app with my blackberries, and tethering is built into the rom I have installed on my Nexus 1.


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## Stewart Vernon (Jan 7, 2005)

Hopefully Apple will take some suggestions and consider supporting use of Wifi in "locked" mode when you are able to connect to a local network.

Turning off a computer to avoid data usage is one thing... but if you had to turn off your phone, then it ceases to be most useful as a phone while off!

I actually had to disable email on my iPhone because I couldn't figure out a way to stop it from pushing/checking for emails. Even when I went and set it to not push email except when running the mail app... I periodically would see the email icon light up with a new message count as it had gone and checked anyway.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

Mine never checks my email unless I tell it to. 

I have the push set to manually. :shrug:


Mike


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## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

Interesting. So, I reset the phone usage stats last night and left it in the clock radio dock. I only had a few kb of up and down, but I had 8 or 10 emails when I woke up. SO, it seems that maybe while it is charging it uses WIFI, but on battery it goes into on.off connection mode and uses 3G.

I'll have to keep checking over the next few days.


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## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

Alan Gordon said:


> Now it's Verizon's turn...
> 
> ~Alan<~~~~~~~~~Who is in a AT&T dead zone....


What would be great was if you could just turn off 3G data use on the phone and use it exclusively with WiFi. There's enough places to get WiFi out there that I would be covered for when I need to use it.

- Merg


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

If you have the unlimited data plan you would have unlimited email. At least that is what is included in my plan.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

BubblePuppy said:


> I had a tethering app with my blackberries, and tethering is built into the rom I have installed on my Nexus 1.


App yes - the ability to use without the additional tethering cost option was not


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

wingrider01 said:


> App yes - the ability to use without the additional tethering cost option was not


I have been tethering my laptop to my phones for over 6 months and haven't paid any additionall fees above my data plan costs which does not include tethering.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

BubblePuppy said:


> I have been tethering my laptop to my phones for over 6 months and haven't paid any additionall fees above my data plan costs which does not include tethering.


Most can get away with it, but they do analyze data use patterns and will charge you overages if they catch you tethering on a non-tether plan.


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## BubblePuppy (Nov 3, 2006)

Grentz said:


> Most can get away with it, but they do analyze data use patterns and will charge you overages if they catch you tethering on a non-tether plan.


I'm well aware of that, but I don't do it enough that my data usage has rung any alarms. And with all the surfing and downloading I do with my N1, and having the unlimited plan, I think that I would have to really abuse the tethering to cause any issues.


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