AT&T 'Working On' Shared Data Plans
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Jun 2, 2011, 1:41 PM by Eric M. Zeman
In response to questions posed at the AllThingsD conference today, AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega indicated that the company is exploring the idea of data plans that are shared across lines. "Once you have so many devices that you're carrying, you may want a shared plan. The more focus groups we do, the more we think that may be the way," he said. The Wall Street Journal's Walter Mossberg then asked, "So do you have a shared plan?" De la Vega responded, "We're working on it." De la Vega indicated that more information would be available about such a plan soon. Verizon Wireless has already indicated that it may offer shared data plans in the future.
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but does it rollover??
but does un-used data rollover the next month?
Seeing how they don't allow rollover on current data plans...
HIGHLY UNLIKELY.
I wonder if shared data plans max out at 2GB too, them thinking it would be enough.
Unlikely that data will rollover. However, I think they will probably add a 5, 10 and maybe 20gig plans. Although, 2gigs is not a whole lot of data but, I think for most people who only check email and social sites, it is. As for streaming movies, mus...
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This is ATT not Cingular.
The Majority vs The Minority
98% of people use less than 2GB of data. That means 2% of smartphone owners are going over the 2GB. I'm sure it's a fairly large number considering all of AT&T's customers... but, it's not like you're getting charged per KB used once you go over. It's 10 bucks per GB after that.
The next plan up is 5GB for 60 or 50 bucks depending on if your device is 3G or 4G.
And WIFI is everywhere... I mean, it's pretty hard to find no wifi (though some are secured networks).
That is all.
getting to the point where some may say "just forget about data"
I had been with TMO for 10 years. This data thing is getting to me. First, with them, data was unlimited, then "unlimited" was capped at 10GB, then "unlimited" was 5GB, now "unlimited" has a 2GB cap on many plans. Now 2GB & 4GB is what I had to look forward to with AT&T? Verizon's breaking my heart dropping unlimited data too! Guy at VZW retail store said they may not "grandfather" unlimited data plans. My last choice is Sprint & I just dumped my 2 lines of TMO for Sprint's Boost. Boost promises unlimited data (for now) & so far has been great. If Sprint/Boost/VM drop unlimited to a ridiculous amount like 1GB or 2GB, I think I'll just leave them too & go to whomever has the cheapest unlimited phone/text plan & the heck with data.
Let's be clear about that okay, mobile broadband is a FINITE resource, you cannot possibly promise that everyone gets an infinite amount of it.
How long would McDonalds stay in business if they tried to implement a 'everybody gets unlimited Big Mac...
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You switched to Boost with unlimited data huh? You know why Boost has unlimited data, cause it runs at less than 1 mb/s, you aren't going to use very much data running at that speed, not to mention most Boost phones are not smart phones, Boost just go...
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dumb phone and smart phones
I wonder how this will be done with basic phones on the same family plan as smart phones. Maybe basic family data and smartphone family data packages?
Good point! What a rip it would be to have just a flat-out data bucket with dumb phones. If that were the case, it would likely kill off a lot of dumb phone sales. Why not get an Iphone, Android or Blackberry to use the data?
Why?
Why is it taking them so long to offer what Sprint has had available for a couple of YEARS?
sprint has shared data plans?? since when?
AT&T You started all this tiered data mess
As a consumer, tiered data plans steer me away. If I have to worry about my data use I will just have to find an alternative to wireless data. I look at it this way, get you hooked then charge you like crazy.
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