Posts tagged with data-plan

You'll Be Able To Purchase Your iPad Data Plan Directly From The iPad Itself

Posted on March 12, 2010 10:36 AM

Users who are planning to purchase Apple’s iPad with a 3G modem probably already know that AT&T is offering two data plan prices for the device, which are $14.99/month for 250MB or $29.99 for unlimited data. While it’s not too hard to walk into an AT&T store to request for the change in plan, it seems that Apple has gone one step further, and made things easy for everybody. You’ll be able to sign up, check your data usage, manage your account, and even cancel your service directly from the iPad. Since there is no contract binding you to a specific data plan, you’ll be able to switch between plans as and when you wish, which is certainly good news. Users who are on a 250MB/month plan will be sent 3 alerts (20%, 10% and 0% remaining), in order to let users know when additional data might be needed for the month. As an added benefit, AT&T’s 3G service plans for the iPad allows users to access over 20,000 of AT&T's Wi-Fi hotspots, which just makes the deal seem sweeter.

AT&T to force new Smartphone customers to get a data plan?

Posted on August 21, 2009 1:32 PM

According to a leaked AT&T memo, the company is preparing to force all new smartphone contract to feature a data plan, which usually almost doubles the monthly price. Here's how AT&T is presenting it internally:

Why we are making this change?
We want our customers to have the best possible experience with their Smartphones. A predictable bill is a key factor in customer satisfaction, so effective September 6, 2009 Smartphone customers will need to subscribe to a data plan, as the vast majority of customers already do. Data plans let customers fully utilize their device, without the worry of bill shock.

How we will ensure an extraordinary customer experience?
The sales representative is the customer’s expert resource in helping select the right device for their needs. When a customer does not want a data plan, we will position other devices in our industry leading portfolio for the customer to choose from, as many devices do not require a data plan.

While it is normal to assume that Smartphones should be used with a decent data plan, I think that the customer should be able to decide. Smartphones are arguably awesome PDAs or SMS devices, without requiring a data plan. To avoid "bill shocks" (like this) and make customers happy, what about creating a convenient way of showing the current bill in quasi real-time? Oh wait, that might actually make customers consume less... Let’s be honest: data plans are great for AT&T's bottom-line, just say so.

Adam Savage Gets AT&T To Retract a $11k Bill. What About You and I?

Posted on June 29, 2009 3:16 PM

Mythbusters' Adam Savage recently visited Canada, where he used his mobile data connection for "a few hours". The roaming charges invoice came in at $11k. Not surprisingly, Adam Savage is stunned as he claims to have simply browsed the web, without downloading any (large) files. To fight AT&T, he decides to take it to Twitter (he has 65k followers at the time of publishing).

As wireless carriers are among the most hated businesses (after lawyers and car dealers) It doesn't take long to mobilize the Twitter crowd. In the end, AT&T backs down and waives the charge. While this is an interesting story, we wonder how the average Joe/Jane would defend himself/herself in the same situation. Did you fought an insane bill in the past and how did it end up? Share your story.

iPhone Monthly Plan To Be Cut By $10?

Posted on May 7, 2009 10:45 AM

The AT&T/Apple couple is expect to cut its entry-level plan by $10 in order to boost new subscriptions. That's according to thestreet.com which is quoting Michael Cote (a strategist) who think that AT&T will have to lower its $69/mo price. It is just speculation, but it's true that the expensive plan is what swayed many people towards the T-Mobile G1. At $59, it would probably attract some users that were on the fence. Over a 2-year contract, that's a $240 saving over the current $1850 ($199 phone + 69*24).

If you don't own an iPhone, would that make you jump the fence?