Just letting everyone know that AT&T has great data plans for the customer who only wants to have a minimal data feature. I can't afford unlimited [plan for $29.99 and $9.99 for 25 MB is rediculous, when AT&T offers a $15 feature for 200MG. If Verizon doesn't offer competative data plans soon, I think I'll go over to AT&T.
Just be careful you don't go over your data. I think that is what AT&T is counting on. Then make extra money.
lambchop4fun wrote:Just letting everyone know that AT&T has great data plans for the customer who only wants to have a minimal data feature. I can't afford unlimited [plan for $29.99 and $9.99 for 25 MB is ridiculous, when AT&T offers a $15 feature for 200MG. If Verizon doesn't offer competitive data plans soon, I think I'll go over to AT&T.
At&t, or any other corporate America company, doesn't make moves to "save the customers money" unless they stand to increase profit margins or they are really hurting for business. Since at&t leads the pack with the largest customer base the latter is certainly not the case. A 200mb limit plan is insane for a smartphone of today let alone a smart phone of tomorrow. At&t stated that the average monthly smart phone data usage, pre iphone 4 release, was between 600-800mb much like Verizon's smartphone user base. I guarantee you over half of the smartphone user base doesn't have the slightest clue as to how much data they use. Also newer phone are using the network more efficiently making downloading content easier. The iphone 4 has been shown to download content 1.5 to 2x faster than the 3gs. What does this mean? People will be more inclined to DL more. Also screens are showing more detail with high resolutions and android is adding flash to their arsenal very soon. That coupled with faster downloads will undoubtedly increase the average usage considerably in a short period of time as new smartphone are coming out of the wood work every couple of months it seems. At&t is very much banking on data overages as their network is becoming too saturated and they need to bump up profits in order to expand without dropping overall profit margins. For the average user 200mb is certainly not enough and a 5$ decrease, over the unlimited plan, for only 2gb is a complete rip-off. All carriers will move to the tiered pricing eventually. Verizon plans on using tiered pricing plans for its 4g LTE network but from what ive read they will be keeping the unlimited 3g usage for a while
I agree with you. My agenda is to stay with my current provider given that they offer me a competitive data feature. I want a device that I can access the Web, with HTML capabilities that I am used to. I am not into e-mailing, downloading or other such stuff. I don't text messag or IM and I don't expect to pay for a feature that I do not utilize. So, why should I pay for 25 MB of data on a device that is not HTML capable, when I can get a smartphone w/ a 200 MB capacity for $5.00 more per month. I understand for some people that 200MB is not a-lot of data. But I view other peoples wireless statements everyday and I think 200 MB is do-able in my situation. It's certain better than the 25 MB offered by Verizon. Why is there not a happy medium? Because a happy medium, does not make a company rich. Well, Verizon has made enough money on me in the last 5 years, with not a bonus to me. At least w/ AT&T I can have rollover minutes, and a smartphone that only requires a limited data feature, which is affordable. I'll give Verizon 60 days to change my mind, or I am going to the other side.
What I am counting on is that Verizon provides me with another option for data. They offer a 25 MB data feature for &9.99 and an unlimited feature for $29.99. 25MB is laughable and I can not justify $30 for unlimited when all I do is browse occasionally. Frankly, 25 MB does not seem like a lot of data, especially since there is no clear definition of what "data" really consists of
TheGreatOne wrote:Just be careful you don't go over your data. I think that is what AT&T is counting on. Then make extra money.
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It is $15 for another 200 MB on the ATT plan.
Verizon is the one really hoping for overages on there $10 plan for 25MB
lambchop4fun wrote:
I understand your concern. But seriously! 25 MB for 9.99. Okay, let's reada couple e-mails and do a little research on the net....God, forbid I download anything with graphics. You might not remember, but 486 KB ran an operating system back then in the 90's. There is 1024 KB in a MB and 1024 MB in a GB. We are in the age of GB. For goodness sake, why would you purchase a measly 25 MB feature for $9.99 when you can get almost 100 x/s more data for $5.00 more per month. I am going to tell you up front that 10 years ago I swore that I would never buy AT&T. Kinda funny that I actually work for a call center for AT&T. Verizon has never failed me until my last device, stating it was a Manufacture's issue. I have been fighting a loosing battle for over a year to get a device that I can depend on. I have to drive 50 miles each way for work and the battery on my phone dies at random.FYI.. At AT&T each account has a LTV., which means Life Time Value. When a customer calls in wanting an adjustment on some overages we have to look at their LTV. Let me tell you, if you are on a 450 plan with no additional features.... neither AT&T or Verizon give care. They are only interested in the high end consumer. However, AT&T does rollover rollover unused minutes. I have been with Verizon for over 5 year and I don't have a single Rollover minute. At AT&T I can get a smartphone ....and not have to be obligated to $30 per month for a data plan.Please tell me what would be the advantage of me staying with Verizon! They only thing I can see is the coverage....I have 30 days to see if AT&T can live up to it's advertisements. If it would not have been after hours, I would have ported my number over. Unless Verizon can be more competitive in in their data features....I am outa here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your twisting things to support your arguement. The fact that you work for At&t leaves your opinion looking biased. The 9.99 for 25mb is for multimedia phones(aka dumbphones) and not smart phones. We are talking about smartphones, their data usuage and available packages. However i feel that a 25mb limit is a bad deal when At&t offers unlimited for 15 for dumbphones. 25mbs for dumbphones seems to be enough for the average user. My wife uses under 20mb a month with her Samsung Impression and she checks email, facebook, the weather, and other sites on a regular basis. This is due to the fact that dumbphones dont view pages in full HTML greatly reducing data amount to view pages. This however is for the average user and not a more power user. Multimedia phones most-likely place little demand on their network so not offering unlimited data to the probably only 3% of power users is bad business IMO. They should care about meeting the needs of all their customers
Enough about dumbphones. The 200mb is too low for regular data use for a smartphone so its really only geared for those only wising to only check emails. Seeing how At&t states that the average usage is between 600-800mb a month for older model smartphones. This obviously suggests that for the average smartphone buyer this plan was not ment for you. Now your other option is a 2gb limit for 25$. You save 5$ over the Verzions unlimited plan/At&t's old plan but your are very limited. Again this move was justified by At&t using old market figures. The upcoming smartphones will no doubt raise the average data usage and will definitely raise the amount of people who use over 2gb. The 2gb limit plan is no better than Verizon offering a 25mb limit for dumbphones. Moral of the story. If you want a dumbphone with no limits go with At&t. If you want a smartphone with no limits go with Verizon. As far as rollover minutes is concerned i am current an At&t customer and all my minutes do is expire. I think ive only needed to use them once in my 8 years with At&t when i switched my plan to one with lower minutes and ended up going over.
All good points. The fact that I work for a company that is under contract with AT&T does not leave me biased. I do not want to go to AT&T! But I want an affordable data plan! 25MB is not much data to my way of thinking. Maybe it would suit my needs because I would only do research, etc. I wouldn't use it for FB, or downloading. My cell phone is not my link to life. I am not technically inclined, but I also know that I do not want to be stuck in a contract where I am required to pay for a feature that doesn't suit my needs. FYI, thanks for your input.
Oh, also. The one thing I find absolutely incredulous is that AT&T's "dumbphones" as you described them actually require a $20 texting/data feature. So, I can get a Smartphone and only be required to spend $15 for data. Why would I not go with a Smartphone. Yeah, I know they are HTML compatible. But I know, for my personal circumstances, my cell phone is not my life support.
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