AT&T makes major changes to their dataplans
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I am interested to see how it will affect iPad users. I dont have a way to keep track of how much data I am using over wifi on my iPad right now so I dont know how it will affect me.
I dont need tethering on my iPhone, just give me the ability to create a wifi hotspot and I am good to go.
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I wonder if that's a factor? The iPhone was slated to come out on Verizon this year, but word was AT&T successfully sued to stop it from happening. If so, then maybe they feel like, due to it's wild popularity with Mac Fanbois, they've got a monopoly on that market and don't have to compete as hard on data plans?I've got a fix for them: let the iPhone work with other providers!
That'll save them a fuckton of bandwidth
I was hoping to make the switch to an iPhone this fall when my contract's up and I get a phone credit, but it's looking more and more like it'll have to be some sort of HTC.
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What's your source on that? That'd be depressing if they succeeded, and I'm interested to see on what grounds. I'd love to pick up an iPhone at some point, and I'd prefer Verizon's service.
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Trying to remember - IIRc, it was in conversation with my roommate (who's an economic consultant focused on the telecom industry, so he's pretty up to date) where he mentioned the iPhone on Verizon wasn't to be, a few weeks back.
EDIT - did some Googling, and this was the best analysis:
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/109681/dont-count-on-a-verizon-iphone
Looks like it probably doesn't make sense - the 3G version would have to be rewritten for CDMA and while that could reap dividends in the Asian market, the 4G will be on a new global standard, and is due to be debuted this fall (after the June 7th meeting when an iPhone announcement would most likely come) and hit the network by 2011. It probably makes more sense for Apple to save the developmental costs, and besides, this is assuming that Verizon even wants the iPhone (which, with the revenue sharing Apple is demanding plus Verizon's anti-iPhone/pro-Droid ad campaign of late, is far from a sure thing).
So, not before 2011/2012, if ever, is a pretty substantiatable claim.
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Around here, Verizon is king, and I do not miss my iPhone one little bit compared to my Motorola Droid.
The best part was I sold it (8gb 2G version in good shape) with some accessories on evilBay for $200 a few months back.
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There is a free ATT iPhone app that tells you what your usage is currently. You can log in to the website to view past usage as well I believe as well.
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Man, I download (using a Youtube downloader) and watch a LOT of youtube vids for when I'm on public transportation. Like, 30-60 mins worth per day. That'd kill me on the "limited data usage" plan, especially when you take into account all the forum surfing I do too.
Hmm......2GB (2048MB) is 68.2MB a day figuring on a 30-day cycle. I'm not using anywhere near that on the Droid, and that's with YouTube, downloading apps, surfing, and well over 100 e-mails a day.
Interesting. I still think it's a different factor with a tablet though, due to the larger size.
I still the wise decision for me is to keep the Droid, wait for 2.2 (or root it now and use one of the wifi apps) and use the Droid as a wifi access point with a wifi-only iPad. No GPS, but I have one on the Droid anyway, and it's very, very good.
Verizon is 5GB cap (I think), so that's roughly 170MB a day. I'll never touch that on any mobile device.
Interesting. I still think it's a different factor with a tablet though, due to the larger size.
I still the wise decision for me is to keep the Droid, wait for 2.2 (or root it now and use one of the wifi apps) and use the Droid as a wifi access point with a wifi-only iPad. No GPS, but I have one on the Droid anyway, and it's very, very good.
Verizon is 5GB cap (I think), so that's roughly 170MB a day. I'll never touch that on any mobile device.
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I love how AT&T makes these changes and releases them to the public before the call center agents know anything about it. I was telling my fellow employees about these new data plans thanks to this post, no one knew about them. And THANKS for the data calculator Randy, that will come in handy when people start calling in bitching about the switch over. :lol:
But as it stands, people that are currently on Unlimited data plans can stay on them, and can even upgrade/change to a completely different smartphone (Blackberry switched to iPhone etc) and retain it, however once it is removed, it cannot be added back. Way to go AT&T :noway:
PS We didn't get training on the iPad until the day of its release, and it was 30 mins worth of crap we already new, that didn't help us.
But as it stands, people that are currently on Unlimited data plans can stay on them, and can even upgrade/change to a completely different smartphone (Blackberry switched to iPhone etc) and retain it, however once it is removed, it cannot be added back. Way to go AT&T :noway:
PS We didn't get training on the iPad until the day of its release, and it was 30 mins worth of crap we already new, that didn't help us.
Verizon won't be far behind.
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I am switching to Verizon soon, but I agree with AT&T making this switch Verizon(and the rest of the companies) won't be far behind at all.Verizon won't be far behind.
Well, this gives me a reason to convince the Wife that we should go ahead and switch so I can have my Droid with unlimited data. :yesway:
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Yeah, I'd have to echo that this fucks iPad users hard. I'd imagine they'll probably offer an iPad exclusive plan in the near future.
As far as the way this applies to smart phone users, after it's sunken in for a day, a lot of people are considering this a success. Apparently their numbers say 98% of AT&T smartphone users don't go over 2GB and more than half of those don't even go over 200MB's a month. For those users, this is a discount. As far as heavy users are concerned (my brother in law uses almost 3GB a month, but he streams movies and downloads torrents on his device) it's technically a $5 a month increase.
When you weigh the numbers, the amount of people who'll be getting a discounted rate and what that'll mean for AT&T sorta outweighs the 2% who'll either cut their usage, start paying more, or switch to a different carrier (who'll ultimately do the same or similar anyway).
Again, all of this is aside from the iPad users but I'm expecting they'll do something to satisfy them anyway.
As far as the way this applies to smart phone users, after it's sunken in for a day, a lot of people are considering this a success. Apparently their numbers say 98% of AT&T smartphone users don't go over 2GB and more than half of those don't even go over 200MB's a month. For those users, this is a discount. As far as heavy users are concerned (my brother in law uses almost 3GB a month, but he streams movies and downloads torrents on his device) it's technically a $5 a month increase.
When you weigh the numbers, the amount of people who'll be getting a discounted rate and what that'll mean for AT&T sorta outweighs the 2% who'll either cut their usage, start paying more, or switch to a different carrier (who'll ultimately do the same or similar anyway).
Again, all of this is aside from the iPad users but I'm expecting they'll do something to satisfy them anyway.
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