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AT&T quietly offering unlimited data for AT&T iPhone to limit defections to Verizon

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 · 2:28 pm · 26 Comments

“Verizon Wireless will start offering the iPhone on Feb. 10 with a draw that AT&T Inc. no longer offers to new subscribers: a plan with unlimited data usage,” The Associated Press reports.

“But The Associated Press has learned that some AT&T iPhone users on limited plans won’t need to move to Verizon for all-you-can-eat data,” AP reports. “In an unadvertised loophole, AT&T has allowed subscribers who have had an unlimited data plan in the past to switch back.”

AP reports, “That includes anyone who had an iPhone before June, when the limited plans took effect.”

Full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader "Lydell C." for the heads up.]

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Comment Feed

26 Comments

1 2 Next »

Octal

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 2:37 pm · Reply

Whatevs…
AT&, give me free tethering-or I…AM…OUTTA HERE!
David F.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 2:40 pm · Reply

Ha Ha… My iPhone 4 (provided by my employer) is grandfathered in to the unlimited data plan. The same is true of my iPad plan. My wife’s iPhone is also grandfathered in, but her iPad has the cap.

From a corporate user standpoint, we are always concerned about exceeding the data cap. So, AT&T has been working behind the scenes for large scale users. I guess they’ll do whatever it takes to keep customers. At least I hope they’re smart enough to do so.

Verizon is not an option for us. I travel overseas quite a bit and need the GSM standard.
iCupertino

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 2:56 pm · Reply

How about iPad users with “crap” or limited data plan? Will AT&T reinstate the unlimited data plan offer to them too?
breeze

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3:10 pm · Reply

ATT renewed my unlimited data iPad plan last week after discontinuing it due to a 60 day dormancy. At first they said they no longer offered an unlimited data plan, but when I told them that we had few iPhones that still had them and that there’s always the Verizon option to consider now, they ” made and exception”…
Nobodu

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3:12 pm · Reply

I got an unlimited plan last month w/out asking. Just went onto my iPhone4 features. It’s $35 a month though. Where as Verizon, I read on here, is $5 cheaper.
Webmasters Apprentice

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3:15 pm · Reply

Tethering? Hello? Watson is that you?
Predrag

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3:22 pm · Reply

I have no doubt that AT&T will let those who are (back) on unlimited $30 data plan add $20 for tethering to match Verizon.

On the other hand, the number of people who care about tethering (outside of our geeky little techno circle) is negligible, so they may not even find it worthwhile (how many are really going to defect to Verizon just for that?).
Crunch n' Munch Baked Apple Cheese Scones™

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3:23 pm · Reply

It’s politics as usual in the world of cellular telephone companies. Pass the munchies. If you ask me I wouldn’t touch AT&T or Verizon with a 10 ft. pole. You better believe it!
ericdano

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3:25 pm · Reply

AT&T needs to allow unlimited data. Period. I don’t really see any other incentive to go with Verizon other than they supposedly have better coverage. So, unlimited data and better coverage is what Verizon brings to the table.

Price? I don’t really see any huge difference being offered by Verizon.
dance dance Monkeyboy

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3:49 pm · Reply

Don’t really get the issue here. No one was forced off their unlimited plan just because they bought a new iPhone- everyone was supposed to be grandfathered- UNLESS they wanted to add a tethering plan. That required changing from unlimited to metered, then adding tethering. So I don’t get why anyone would complain they lost their unlimited plan when upgrading.

Maybe the AT&T sales weasels were doing this to the unwary?

Or are tetherers now being allowed to have unlimited data?
jltnol

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 3:56 pm · Reply

How about the quietly offer BETTER CELL SERVICE?!?

that would be ONE way to stop any defections….
Tommy L NEEL

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 4:08 pm · Reply

I will stay with ATandT if and ONLY IF they allow the the Hot Spot feature. They should mirror the same plan with the iPad. If no Hot Spot, or the Hot Spot is outrageously priced, you can suck it ATandT. Suck it long, and suck it hard.
@Tommy

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 4:23 pm · Reply

Enough with you cell phone porn.
J

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 5:07 pm · Reply

I bought my wife’s iPhone after the unlimited plans went away but after threatening with the dreaded verizon switch, I now have unlimited data on her line too. With MyWi we get “free” hotspot tethering as well.

Now I do my best Palpatine impression…

“UNLIMITED POWER!!!!!!”
alansky

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 5:10 pm · Reply

Perhaps AT&T will move toward unlimited data for all once the load on their already-overburdened network is lightened by the defection of a certain percentage of their users. As things stand, unlimited data for all would almost certainly translate into unlimited headaches for all iPhone users on the AT&T network.

Another highly relevant issue is tethering. Until very recently, AT&T has refused to allow iPhone tethering at all. Now tethering is possible for an additional charge. But both AT&T and Verizon slap very limited data caps on accounts that are used for this purpose, and this has to change. Internet connectivity in 2011 means data transfer and lots of it. Both providers are erecting barriers to hide the fact that their networks can’t handle the traffic. What other motive could there be?
J

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 5:11 pm · Reply

And before the ATT haters say anything. My only other internet option where I live is dial up but I get excellent 3G! I know, weird.
rclc

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 5:11 pm · Reply

@Dance Dance Monkeyboy – I was one of those who got my first iphone this past June with ATT. We weren’t able to get the unlimited data (and still aren’t according to this article). My son and his wife also got their first iphones this Fall and they are in the same predicament. So, Verizon offering unlimited data to anyone IS a big deal to us. We just hope that ATT is forced to go along.
b9bot

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 6:02 pm · Reply

That doesn’t help new iphone customers who didn’t have an iPhone before with AT&T which are the ones that will defect to Verizon. AT&T gets it all WRONG AGAIN!
Dpr1961

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 7:21 pm · Reply

I’m going to get the verizon iphone4 with the $100 discount and get unlimited data. If they later change the plan, then it voids the contract. I will later get att iPhone 5 when released since it is on family share plan. Hopefully this competitiveness will spawn unlimited tethering, so I can use it with my iPad 2!
Moo

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 7:21 pm · Reply

Because of the business I conduct, downgrading to Verizon’s antiquated and crippled network simply isn’t an option.

Can’t even do simultaneous voice and data? How quaint and 1980′s!