AT&T customers will soon have more options in choosing the plan that’s right for them and their mobile devices. With new AT&T Mobile Share plans, available in late August, new and existing customers can share a single bucket of data across smartphones, tablets, and other compatible devices, plus get unlimited talk and text. AT&T Mobile Share plans make it easy for customers to manage their data, voice minutes and texting, without needing to keep track of multiple plans.
Customers can select one of the new shared data plans or choose one of AT&T’s existing individual or family plans. Current customers are not required to switch to the new plans, but can choose to do so without a contract extension. There are no changes to AT&T’s device upgrade policy, which means customers eligible to upgrade to AT&T’s best device price are not required to switch plans. The new plans will also be available for business customers.
With AT&T Mobile Share plans, customers start by choosing how much data they want each month, then choose up to 10 devices to attach to their shared plan, one of which must be a smartphone. Each plan includes tethering and unlimited domestic calls and texts for smartphones and basic or quick messaging phones. The larger the data bucket you choose, the less you pay per gigabyte and the less you pay for each smartphone added to the shared plan.
AT&T Mobile Share allows customers to essentially build a plan to fit their devices and usage. Customers who are more data-centric can choose a larger data bucket. Customers who typically use more voice than data can add multiple smartphones and basic phones and opt for a smaller data bucket.
“We offer customers a broad choice and the best lineup of plans, now enhanced by Mobile Share,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility, in the press release. “With these new plans, the more you share, the more you save. They’ll be a good fit for a variety of new and existing customers. But if customers want to stay on their current plan or choose from our existing plans, they can do that, too. It’s their choice.
“Today we think of people’s smartphones and tablets sharing a bucket of data. But in the future we’ll see health care monitors, connected cars, security systems and other devices in the home all connected to the mobile Internet,” said Christopher. “Our Mobile Share plans are simple, easy and a great value for individuals or families with multiple mobile Internet devices.”
Mobile Share plans give customers more control over how, where and on what device they use data — which has become more important as people use more data devices. You can choose to use more of your data bucket on your tablet, for example, or tap into your data bucket only when needed for devices you use occasionally. And by consolidating data plans, you can take advantage of any data you currently have unused each month by efficiently sharing it across devices.
“The ‘more you share, the more you save’ concept is one that will resonate well with customers because of the value provided through the Mobile Share data plans themselves and in smartphone connection fees,” said Roger Entner, Founder and Lead Analyst of Recon Analytics, in the press release. “AT&T also is providing its customers with flexibility and choice by keeping its existing data plans and not requiring customers to move to Mobile Share unless they want to. It’s a win-win for both AT&T and its customers.”
To help customers track their data usage, AT&T keeps users informed with courtesy alerts as they near their data allowance for the month. Also, customers can check their usage at anytime online, through the myAT&T mobile app, or by calling *DATA# from their mobile phone.
Each data plan also includes access to more than 30,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots — the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network among wireless carriers — at no additional charge. Wi-Fi usage at public hotspots, home or office does not count toward the monthly wireless data plan usage.
Customers can learn more about the new plans and determine which plan is best for them at www.att.com/mobileshare.
Source: AT&T Inc.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Brian Allen” for the heads up.]
Related article:
Verizon Wireless kills voice minutes, makes data shareable among devices – June 12, 2012
So wait, so, for example, if I get the 4GB plan for two phones, then we’d pay $110 total for everything, not just $110 for the data?
I’m just trying to understand how this works. (And I know I may need to talk to AT&T themselves to understand it 😉 )
No. Two phones with 4GB shared data is $150. The $70 for the data/voice is the start point before any devices get added.
Brian
So my plan which I have Unlimited data, and the wife has 200MB, and we have shared 550 minutes plan with roll over and 200 messages costs me only $117. Why would I change, this doesn’t benefit anyone but AT&T. I was hoping for a price drop with the shared data.
Nice. Now my plan with three phones and minimum data, which we never exceed, goes from $155 a month to $175 with a gain of 400MB of data, which I don’t use. Thanks again ATT.
I have three phones on my plan, all 3 with unlimited data at $30/month. Totaled, that’s $90/month.
So by the above chart my costs under the share plan would be:
1 GB = $40 + 3 x $45 = $175/month
4 GB = $70 + 3 x $40 = $190/month
6 GB = $90 + 3 x $35 = $205/month
10 GB = $120 + 3 x $30 = $210/month
15 GB = $160 + 3 x $30 = $250/month
20 GB = $200 + 3 x $30 = $290/month
Please AT&T, explain to me how those plans are in any way, shape, or form reasonable, much less competitive?
Sucker… you’re not calculating the cost of unlimited voice and text. I have 4 iPhones and 2 iPads with ATT. This plan simplifies billing and saves money. But, to recognize the savings, you have to account for total out of pocket for all phones and estimate your data correctly.
With roll over minutes, unlimited voice is pretty meaningless for most people (there are exceptions) and they have no business charging for texts in the first place.
Pirate that only makes sense if Voice is now essentially free.
Eric,
I think you have to pay $40 per smartphone with the 4GB plan making your total $150 per month
The talking heads at ATT must be smoking some really good stuff… Unlike Verizon where your first device is included ATT is yet again going to hit customers who move to these plans over the head with an additional $30-$45 surcharge ON THEIR FIRST DEVICE! Granted it’s one more GB than currently available, but there’s absolutely no cost benefit to most consumers. ATT can make it look as pretty as they want, this isn’t a great deal to be celebrated, it’s marginal at best.
The truth is that there is no free market in cell phones in the USA- it a collusionary cartel masquerading as a trade association.
As I customer of both AT&T and Verizon, I started getting push polls as purported “consumer feedback” at almost exactly the same time, they announced no results and announced the plan to implement this about the same time, etc.
This is what is typical of American ‘capitalism’ where a very small handful have gamed and rigged the system through lobbying and lax regulatory enforcement via bought and paid for politicians that they can do damn near anything they want as long as it is incremental. The story is true in most major industries.
I think some of the people reading this are missing the details. This is actually a pretty good deal when you consider that unlimited texting ($10-20/mo. value), unlimited voice (depends on your voice plan), and tethering ($20/mo. value) are all thrown in. Pretty sure most people will be saving money.
I know. And I thought I was happy with unlimited data. Now I get limited data – and – I get to pay more for it. Hooray!
Nope. You are wrong.
Sorry, meant that as a reply to Steve M. My tab goes from $155 per month to $175 even with the “benefits” he alleges. If you already don’t use something it’s not a benefit to start getting a bigger bill that includes it.
I disagree. Tethering is not included. Tethering is now per device $20 – 10 depending on device type. Unless I missed something.
Tethering is included. The $20 – 10 that you mention is to connect directly from the device, i.e. to add an iPad to the shared datacosts $10/month, but if you decided to tether it to your iPhone it would cost nothing extra.
You just listed two things they shouldn’t be charging for anyway, texting and tethering. The fact that they have the nerve to charge for a “service” to use the data I already pay for, and then to charge for something that is practically free for them just irks me to no end.
This new AT&T plan might benefit heavy voice and text users. But the majority will probably lose under the new plan. The only nice feature that I see is the ability to tack on an iPad for $10 per month or a laptop for $20 per month.
I have four kids – if I wanted everyone to have smartphones then the minimum cost for me would be around $300 per month with a realistic amount of data (10GB). Besides, with six smartphones you go from 6GB to 10GB for “free” because the reduction in the per-phone cost covers the data cost. If I add a couple of iPads into the picture, there is another $20 per month. And I would just have to hope that we did not bust the data limit, or I would be paying another $15 per GB.
Let’s say that only my wife and I got iPhones with 4GB of data, and the kids got dumbphones. That is $70 + $80 + 4x$30, or $270 per month ($3240 annually). Not much of a reduction…
I am *not* spending between $3000 and $4000 per year on cell phones, smart or not. I can afford it, but I am not willing to pay it. I call that fiscal conservatism or frugality. My kids might have another name for it, but they can get a job if they want an iPhone.
I checked my data usage today. I use 2.5GB, my niece 2.5GB, my wife 200KB.
Like a Verizon a stealth price increase. Instead of charging per GB for all the devices on the plan, they insist on adding a fee per device which is the same as buying separate plans but with no unlimited data and a $5 bump in data overages per GB.
Perhaps it works for families? Because it looks to me like the individual is getting screwed.
I’m not sure if this is a good deal for us. We have 4 iPhones on our current 1400 min/month plan: all with grandfathered unlimited data. Plus we have a feature phone which makes up the 5 line limit. Then I have an iPhone on a GoPhone account (which has no data) and 2 tablets with the $30/month rate.
This is nothing more than a way to hide a price increase- a rather greedy (even by Cell Phone Cabal standards) move. Among other things note the 50% increase in charges for data overage.
I figured this was coming when AT&T started sending push polls to users. Greed, thy name is AT&T.
The Add more devices should not matter what type of device. This is stupid!
This is quite simple, AT&T thinks they have your scrotum firmly in hand and is ready to squeeze. Note how Verizon has taken essentially the same action at roughly the same time.
They think that you are so addicted to your phone on their network that they are going to milk your wallet harder. Since there are few serious options for cell users, they will continue to deliver less for an ever increasing price.
My Phones and Pad of i are mostly on Wifi. Thank goodness!
What does AT&T do if you don’t have a scrotum, progressiveagentprovocateur?
That’s a good question.
Currently have “family plan” for 5 iPhones with unlimited data & texting for about $260/month. Sounds like a price increase with even a minimal data plan. $270/month for 10GB plan and 5 smartphones, then $15/GB if you go over your data amount? Don’t think I’m changing.
My current AT&T hotspot is less than $50 for 5GB with $10/GB overage. I get a small discount due to my employer’s business discount, but that’s a far better deal.
This summer our family drove quite a bit through California, HW 101, I40 to the Grand Canyon, HW 58, HW 99, etc. During a significant portion of the trip, data was very spotty, majority of the time Edge, 3G/4G only near highly populated areas. In Arizona, I don’t ever remember seeing anything better than Edge and much of the time was no signal.
My current costs for phones, for six members of my family is $160 (2 iPhones, 2 TrakFones, and 2 simple phones.) I would like my sons to have iPhones, in addition to my wife and I. Under current plans, the total cost would be $260, for phones, shared minutes, each iPhone to have 200 texts, and unlimited data. (I don’t do it, because it’s $100/mo more!)
Under the new plan, although we would have unlimited minutes, texts, tethering, and based on 4 smart phones 6GB/mo shared, the total cost jumps to $290, or $130/mo more, than what we spend as a family. If we put the inlaws off the ATT simple phones, and on to the TrakFones, that would cut the total bill from $290 down to $245.
There is virtually no savings to go from our current plan to TrackFones for them now.
Simply I am looking to save money, not spend more. So, although there are more features, there’s more out of pocket expenses.
This plan is only attractive for those who want it all. Nothing frugal here.
US Cellular- 5gb data, basically unlimited text and talk. Excellent signal… no iPhone.
Here is an example of how the new Family Plan will affect my family. Current plan: iPhone #1 (700 min, 4gb data/tether, unlimited texting for all phones), iPhone #2 (Shared 700, 200 mb data, texting), iPhone #3 (Shared 700, 200 mb data, texting), non-data basic phone (Shared 700 minutes, texting). For all this, I pay $195 before taxes.
The New AT&T Plan similar to what we have now: $70 for Basic 4gb shared data package with unlimited phone/text. Add three iPhones at $40 each. Add basic phone for $30. Add tethering for $20 for one iPhone. That brings me to $250. Thats $55/ month (25% increase) and I’m getting what? Unlimited phone and shared data? I am sorry, but that is no deal. I’ll just stick where I’m at, thanks.
I’m not sure why people are complaining — you don’t have to switch to this plan if it will make your costs go up. For me, it’s a better deal. I currently have two iPhones with minimal data (200MB each phone), 200 texts per phone, and 1500 minutes of voice. It runs about $115/month, I think. Under the new shared plan, for $125 there’d be 1GB of data for both phones, unlimited voice and texts, *and* we’d be able to tether our wifi iPads for free! For just ten bucks more, I’m sold. I just wish this was already available. I need tethering for an outing this weekend!
This plan is worse for some people (my self included) maybe most people? I think because of this, many are worried this will set a precedent. If we let AT&T get away with this nonsense, they may make it the norm for all group plans.
you can get an iphone on prepaid these days. virgin, straight talk and cricket. more carriers will probably sign up soon as well as official ST support
prices start at $30 a month inluding unlimited data which is really 2.5GB
oh wait, on this snobby blog it means you’re cheap if you don’t spend all your money on the most expensive thing
Phone bill bigger than a car payment. I wish S and TM would get the LTE build out done already. Virgin Mobile on S LTE would be a winner.
i honestly don’t care about LTE. HSPA+ is fast enough for what i do
i’m on wifi most of the time like at&t tells me so i don’t see a reason to keep on paying their prices anymore for data i’m not using
What a ripoff! This is why I still don’t have an iPhone. I am not paying for two data plans. (I currently have an iPad data plan)
DAMNED EXPENSIVE!
These plans are a HUGE mistake by AT&T.
The additional device add-on fee should be minimal, if anything at all. Here’s why…
I have like a bazillion things I would consider adding 3G/4G to: iPhones (old ones too), iPads, laptops, car stereos, boat, portable stereos…pretty much anything that uses power and goes outside of my house.
With no add-on fee, I’d sign up all those devices. Oh noes, that means AT&T has to serve data to all those devices! Yes, but, AT&T charges per GB. So all of those devices push me into the much higher monthly data plan. Plus, I get in the habit of using them…especially for my laptop (instead of hunting for wifi).
Now, it’s $40 a month just to consider using my laptop, so forget it. Likewise, my iPad will stay with Verizon. My car won’t be connected either.
You blew it AT&Fee.
Sounds like Verizon standard offering.
Realizing this thread is dead since it’s a whole day old, I doubt many will read/respond to this post:
I spoke to AT&T rep today. Granted, she didn’t know much about MobileShare, but said the iPad wouldn’t qualify.
Why would that not surprise me. They never charge for something unless people are in danger of using it. That is why I’ll never willingly give up my unlimited plan.