Jason Ishibashi

Need More Data? Answer Center Says You Can

Question:
What happens if I exceed my smartphone data plan’s monthly allowance?
Answer:
If you have DataPlus and use more than 200 MB, you’ll receive an additional 200 MB for $15. If you’re on the DataPro plan and need more than 2GB, you’ll receive an additional 2 GB for $10. Overage is replenished as often as necessary during your billing period.

The Answer Center has conflicting information from their press release which says, “Should a customer exceed 2 GB during a billing cycle, they will receive an additional 1 GB of data for $10 for use in the cycle.”

This would make pricing identical to the Verizon or Sprint MiFi which allows 5GB for $60. AT&T tethering plus an extra 2GB is $25+$20+$10 = $55 for 4 GB or $65 for 6 GB.

3 June 2010 ·

Jason Ishibashi

iPad to Lose Unlimited Option June 7

For new iPad customers, the $25 per month 2 GB plan will replace the existing $29.99 unlimited plan.

For all of you hoping to take your new iPads to MLB games to take advantage of the excellent augmented reality experience, or any other potentially excellent bandwidth intensive features, the time has come to buy your iPad or else you’ll have to live with 2 GB for $25 or 3 GB for $35.

See my article to learn more about the New AT&T Internet Plans.

3 June 2010 ·

Jason Ishibashi

New AT&T Data Plans: Tethering Available, No More Unlimited

Earlier today AT&T announced new Mobile Internet plans beginning June 7.

DataPlus provides 200 MB of data for $15. If you exceed 200 MB you will automatically receive 200 MB more for an additional $15. AT&T says 65 precent of customers use less than 200 MB of data per month on average.
DataPro provides 2 GB of data for $25. If you exceed 2 GB you will automatically receive 1 GB more for an additional $10. AT&T says 98 percent of customers use less than 2 GB of data per month on average.
Tethering can be added to a DataPro account for an additional $20 per month. iPhones will get tethering when Apple releases iPhone OS 4 this summer.

I would like to see a chart that shows how many people exceed 2 GB {1, 2, 3, 4, …, 11, 12} months per year. Something tells me there are a good statistical number of people who bounce back and forth between this point (since it would make good business sense to make that your tipping point).

Regarding tethering, we can all say FINALLY! But why do we have to wait for iPhone OS 4 exactly? Apple built tethering into OS 3 already. AT&T, are you trying to make it look like it was Apple who was slow to get tethering to work on the iPhone?

3 June 2010 ·