AT&T killing unlimited data plan for new users

[cardfan]

Is AT&T forcing anyone to pay these fees for the iPad? Nope. You are not required to pay for 3G on the iPad. So how is this a bait and switch?

What's the lawsuit going to claim, that AT&T made you mad? That you were forced to pout and stomp your feet? That although you don't have to pay for 3G, you really really want to, and it's not fair that AT&T is changing the rates?

Good luck.

Wow..are you really that clueless?

 

[ifarlow]

That's the best you've got? Why don't you go ahead and enlighten me with your wisdom? I can't wait.

 

[cardfan]

That's the best you've got? Why don't you go ahead and enlighten me with your wisdom? I can't wait.

What can i say? Your post made no sense. It's ok though because i don't care anymore. Moving on

 

[Mittens the kittens]

meh im kind of upset id rather have unlimited and not worry about it. On average I use about 2g of data per month(I do not tether) but i have gone over but not by much

 

[ctt1wbw]

You must have a crappy 3G connection. My connection is fast and it provides more than enough speed to do more than "checking weather and stuff"

No, I have a great 3G connection. I have 5 bars of 3G everywhere in Hampton Roads. I just don't think 3G speeds are up to the task of trying to handle the bandwidth that a laptop would consume, which is why I laugh every time some one says ATT sucks because you can't tether your iPhone.

 

[west3man]

No, I have a great 3G connection. I have 5 bars of 3G everywhere in Hampton Roads. I just don't think 3G speeds are up to the task of trying to handle the bandwidth that a laptop would consume, which is why I laugh every time some one says ATT sucks because you can't tether your iPhone.

A couple things strike me here:

1) AT&T-connected devices, from what I have seen and experienced, often show full bars, while demonstrating weak or slow connections.

2). Whatever speeds you get locally do not necessarily reflect those in other places. I usually get around 600-700kbps down (despite recent exceptions) but I don't laugh at anyone who claims to get or expects to get a couple Mbps down where they are. It's just how these things vary from pkace to place and time to time.

I don't mean to condescend, so I hope it doesn't sound that way, but those two points seem highly relevant and, unfortunately, in opposition to your position.

 

[Lotus Esprit V8]

Nah, I wouldn't sue.

But bottom line -

1. Unlimited promises, not any more
2. On and off options, not any more

I could see if it was something 2-3-4 years down the line. But it's not. Its literally one month later. And about 16 days past the return date on the iPad.

This is not something they just pulled out of their rectum yesterday. They have been planning this for MONTHS, possibly years. In fact, Apple probably told them they couldn't announce it until AFTER the return period was over for new adapters.

It makes me sick. Really does. Apple STILL has it on the website as a sales tool. And it's not even true and they knew it wasn't going to be true when they did all the advertising and gushing about how wonderful the iPad is and how the new iPad agreement with AT&T would change the face of how wireless companies do business.

I just dropped 800.00 for a device that I can not use the way they promised I could use it. I was counting on be able to turn it off and on and get the unlimited on the months I'm doing extensive travel or work duties.

If there was proof (internal emails, memos) that AT&T planned to change the unlimited option before January 27th then there is a case for fraud.

 

[west3man]

Is AT&T forcing anyone to pay these fees for the iPad? Nope. You are not required to pay for 3G on the iPad. So how is this a bait and switch?

What's the lawsuit going to claim, that AT&T made you mad? That you were forced to pout and stomp your feet? That although you don't have to pay for 3G, you really really want to, and it's not fair that AT&T is changing the rates?

Good luck.

I get that you're not really behind it. As I've said neither am I, but I don't think that necessarily makes it frivolous. That's why I asked for clarification instead of responding to you with quips and sarcasm. Y'know, trying to keep things productive and taking pride out of the discussion.

My mistake.

 

[potroast]

always stream pandora on my way to work every day (30 min drive) and never come close to 2 gigs ...

I reset my stats last night and drove to & from work streaming Slacker, and I'm up to 120mb. Just one round trip and average email/twitter usage, and I'm up to 125mb.

Why didn't AT&T give us rollover data? Ugh.

The things that people will put up with just to save $5. *sigh*

 

[mullrat]

I reset my stats last night and drove to & from work streaming Slacker, and I'm up to 120mb. Just one round trip and average email/twitter usage, and I'm up to 125mb.

Why didn't AT&T give us rollover data? Ugh.

The things that people will put up with just to save $5. *sigh*

Because data is a variable that is less dependent on time than phone calls. A person spends 15min worth of call time in 15 min. In 15 min on a connection of 1mbs you can literally download 900mb of data if it was optimized for this. That's almost half way to the cap.

I hate the cap but honestly I understand why. AT&T is only going first because of the iphone. The others will follow I assure you. What I don't truly understand is the lack of extra data with tethering. Why not allow tethering and charge for the data?

This change in policy has deflated my desire to get a new iPhone. My3gs will be just fine for the next year and a half. And believe my I'm going to be using as much data as I possibly can.

 

[mullrat]

@cardfan
whether a picture is 5 or 3 megapixels makes no difference, the full resolution is not being sent 90% of the time. If you are emailing them at full resolution then it makes a difference, but full res is not the default action in iPhone OS, and uploading to facebook/twitter is not the full res image either.

Video chat isn't going to take you from 300MB to 2GB. Video chat over 3G (if it's even available) will use less bandwidth than YouTube over 3G, which has little impact on your data plan.

This may be bad for the heavy users but for everyone else it's "hey your data plan can be $5 cheaper, or if you're a lite user, $15 cheaper!" which a lot of consumers will appreciate. And, establishing limits means ATT may be wiling to allow more things to happen over 3G.

Knowing AT&T and their problems I'll bet you Video Chat will be a wifi only feature. Yeah lame-sauce.

 

[Jellotime91]

Because data is a variable that is less dependent on time than phone calls. A person spends 15min worth of call time in 15 min. In 15 min on a connection of 1mbs you can literally download 900mb of data if it was optimized for this. That's almost half way to the cap.

I hate the cap but honestly I understand why. AT&T is only going first because of the iphone. The others will follow I assure you. What I don't truly understand is the lack of extra data with tethering. Why not allow tethering and charge for the data?

This change in policy has deflated my desire to get a new iPhone. My3gs will be just fine for the next year and a half. And believe my I'm going to be using as much data as I possibly can.

Why, you can still keep your unlimited plan! :/

 

[hsiegelman]

AT&T stabbed us in the back, again

Today, I sent the following email to Steve Jobs:

AT&T?s new data plan is a betrayal of trust to those of us who stood in line to buy our iPad. How could let them pull the rug out from under us? This breach of promise with your loyal adopters should be sufficient justification to open up competition in the U.S. to a CDMA-iPad and iPhone. I for one would sell my AT&T iPhone and iPad in a heartbeat and buy their Verizon counterparts. Many of us have barely tolerated AT&T for the sake of our iPhones and iPads. Please speak out on this issue before you lose us as loyal customers.

Harvey Siegelman
West Des Moines, Iowa USA

Perhaps others should do the same.

 

[mullrat]

Why, you can still keep your unlimited plan! :/

Is this a question? I haven't actually seen this but I signed a contract for cellphone services. This is different from a Eula where the terms can change. A contract is a contract. So they would have to make me sign another contract if they want to enforce this cap. Which I will never do.

Hopefully this was the question you were asking if not then just ignore this post.

 

[scottyfl813]

I wish Apple would select a different carrier in the U.S.

 

[iquinn]

Is this a question? I haven't actually seen this but I signed a contract for cellphone services. This is different from a Eula where the terms can change. A contract is a contract. So they would have to make me sign another contract if they want to enforce this cap. Which I will never do.

Hopefully this was the question you were asking if not then just ignore this post.

No Jello is right, as long as you have the unlimited plan now you will be able to keep it even if you upgrade to the new iPhone. In fact anyone that signs up before Jun 6th will be able to get the unlimited plan.

 

[redbeard]

That is true in many ways, but also keep in mind there are other outside factors involved as well. Everyone wants more and more coverage, but no one wants a tower in their backyard. That kind of issue takes a lot of time to resolve, some taking years in certain jurisdictions. It is not fathomable to believe that AT&T is sitting at their HQ just playing Sketch Online. Should their network be up to speed? Of course it should. Is it? Not really. It's not as easy as flipping a switch and say here you go, more coverage. It's magical.

If you're an IT person, you should know this.

I understand the issue with putting up new towers, how do the other carriers get around this problem? And it's not just the towers, it's that even those they do have don't seem to perform well and that if you're in a place with excellent coverage but is crowded, you get no data at all.

 

[redbeard]

Still only EDGE at LAX?

Not sure, but I bet it is, west Hollywood is still spotty, and the west Hollywood/Beverly Hills border is still Edge only, no change at all the past 3 years. And at the gym I go to there's only edge, been like this forever, just when does AT&T plan on improving their network that will be now robbing people blind for that aren't lucky to have the current unlimited plan?

 

[redbeard]

Where in LA county are you? I'm there a bulk of the time ( though live in Ventura County now...Thousand Oaks )and rarely have issues.

I'm in Long Beach, while coverage is good in most areas, there are spots that are totally dead where I spend lots of time in, whenever I'm in Hollywood I have to usually wait until I leave the city to be able to use any data. And it sucks having no 3G at the gym here in LB too.

 

[redbeard]

I reset my stats last night and drove to & from work streaming Slacker, and I'm up to 120mb. Just one round trip and average email/twitter usage, and I'm up to 125mb.

Why didn't AT&T give us rollover data? Ugh.

The things that people will put up with just to save $5. *sigh*

I hear you, AT&T is insane, they are effectively killing the iPhones usability for new customers buying the 4G with their data caps unless they like paying out their asses for it.

I tested my usage out earlier on my drive home from some shopping, I listened to last FM, AOL Radio, and Pandora. In total I used my phone for about 35 minutes, and it used 62 megabytes!!! At that rate I'd blow through 200 mb in a couple days, so all the people thinking they will save a few bucks a month by going to the 200mb plan, are going to be shocked when they see their bill, and realize they have burned up several gb's after using their GPS everyday as they stream Pandora in the background.


So the 200 mb plan is only good for those that use their phones for little else than making calls, which kind of makes having an iPhone pointless. Even the 2gb plan is not nearly enough, if I used 62 mb in 35 minutes, of normal, light use, I see lots of angry people in the future with ridiculous bills for going way over their monthly cap.

I don't even need to touch on the ridiculous 20 dollar fee for tethering that caps you at 2 gb and gives you no added data for the money and what criminals it makes of AT&T.