AT&T raises the cost of a reasonable data plan

This article is poorly written. The author criticizes AT&T for raising prices, and then at the end says Verizon's prices are just as bad :headscrat Really, all the operators have to keep their prices somewhat in-line otherwise their customers will all defect to another provider.

The only interesting point mentioned is how AT&T will pay the $4 billion for their failed T-Mob merger. It has to come from somewhere, either: out of AT&T's shareholder profits (where it should come from, but probably won't), internal cost-cutting (ie: less investment in network infrastructure, layoffs/outsourcing, etc.) or directly "at the pump" (ie: higher customer prices). Or maybe a little of all three.

I really think the AT&T managers who green-lighted the T-Mobile takeover should pay the $4 billion out of their own pockets. I think everyone (except them) saw from the start that the deal had little to no chance of going thru. But they took that risk anyway. It was careless, and now the whole company has to pay for their mistake. They should be held accountable. I know if I went to work tomorrow and pushed a wrong button that broke $4 billion worth of telecom equipment, I'd be fired and up ****'s creek.

 

I've never had any doubt that AT&T would try to pass the buck to the customer to get their $$$ from the failed deal back before it tried anything else. Judging by the state of the AT&T infrastructure there's not much to cut from that investment, and we all know how much companies love to rattle the shareholders...

 

I should've stayed with my $30 unlimited plan.... now I pay $5 less, but I have to be so careful or else my iPhone sucks up the 2GB like a Hummer sucks gas. Although, I wouldn't mind paying $5 more again for an extra gigabyte which will make the monthly ride easier for me. This is still better than Verizon which for the same $30 you only get 2GB (except if you get one of their new LTE devices which they give you 4GB for the same rate). But I am seriously considering MVNOs like Straight Talk (which uses AT&T network) or Page Plus Cellular (which uses Verizon). Their unlimited plans are a much better option and you're not tied to a contract and can use the same network that you know and trust. Not to mention there are ways to use your existing iPhone with them.

 

Yeah, not sure what to do either. I never go above 1Gb, and for $25 maybe I'll stay here.

Some day there will be so much free WiFi around, that we will barely need 3G.

Actually, I wonder if that will impact the need or desire for even LTE? Hmmm now there is a thought.

 

Agreed, it is poorly written.

But I have also read that after the 'tax write off', the actual cash liability for ATT is only $1.4 B.

 

Which I'm sure will prompt AT&T to eliminate all data plans with less than 3GB of data

 

If it weren't for the fact that I like to stream audio while I drive (podcasts, pandora, etc.) I could probably live without a data plan. The cable company in this area has free WiFi outdoors for its customers, so often times I go to a store and I check my phone and I see I am on "optimumwifi". When I am at work or at home I am on WiFi all the time. When I go to the mall and in many stores they have free WiFi. So the only time I am not on WiFi is when I drive, which is when I like to use streaming audio. That's how I go through my 2GB plan.

I think I am going to switch to the 3GB plan for now, but then when my contract expires I'll be kissing AT&T's high prices goodbye and go with a prepaid option.

 

I want to get into a family plan with a friend but I might have to leave to canada in six months. Is there some way I can still be in the contract then?

 

I can't blame you there, I've known a few people to go the prepaid route to save money and not worry about a contract. Plus there are some decent smart phones on prepaid now and other devices. I actually switched my mom, grandmother, and myself to prepaid and not only do I SAVE money but we all have unlimited service so we get more and pay less. I'm now on T-Mobile prepaid with a smart phone and I end up putting $70 a month on the account. This gives me Unlimited Voice, Unlimited Messaging, 2GB of High Speed data and throttled after 2 GB but I never use the full amount anyways. Also I can use the Hot Spot feature on my cell to connect to my computer and I have used that once, no extra cost!!! That and my ringback tone service runs me $61.49 a month on the monthly charge and putting $70 gives me a few things to purchase as far as ringtones or ringbacks go.

 

Do you even know if AT&T pays a dividend? Many companies don't. If not, the shareholders only make money on the sale of stock. The company's operating profit doesn't go to shareholders.

Secondly, those shareholders are people, mostly. Regular people who's mutal funds and 401k's hold AT&T stock.

 

AT&T pays a dividend alright, 5.80%, at today's price, better than you can get at a bank.

 

There are a lot of complaints from smartphone users over what little data is being offered. Now when AT&T increases the amount of data that is being offered. customers still complain. I understand people's issues over the $5 price increase as well, however, AT&T ain't running their company for nothing and their $30/3GB data plan still beats Verizon's $30/2GB data plan.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk.

 

Bobo....don't know all prepaids have strict rules on streaming? I didn't think any of them want you doing it and will cut you off for what they deem "excessive".

 

I was laid off from ATT at the end of April 2011 (last yr). I went with about 200 others. All the work was offshored. (It really doesn't matter which country).

To their discredit, that action was completely unnecessary. They have billions in capital. Their lost acquisition of T-Mobile was not foreseen. In fact, all the internal discussions up and down the chain on both sides was that this transaction would go through. It was seen as a "win-win" situation for all concerned (both entities and the public they served).

To their credit, ATT is investing in upgrading, building & expanding their network. It is not cheap to do so. And with the way local governments harass all the carriers, holding them hostage to the whim of public hearings, it is amazing that they get anything done at all. We all want our mobile phones--none of us want to pay for it. Those complaining about how unsightly the towers are need to get a reality check. Even today I was in an older community that still used above-ground electric and landland wires. Talk about unsightly! If these same fear-prone individuals were around when that technology was first built out, we wouldn't have electricity in a number of communities.

FYI, ATT continues to lay off hundreds of people. I just heard about another mass layoff that occurred in January 2012. Sadly, these folks got very little for their severance package. Just one day after I got laid off, ATT passed a decision to cut the severance packages in half. Given that I haven't found a job in over 10 months in spite of reaching out to online boards (like Dice & Monster), reaching out to agencies, making direct contacts, etc., these poor people are facing a very bad situation that is only getting worse. At this rate, any and all American companies that continue to layoff American help will find that their American consumers have no money to buy their products. Talk about shooting one's self in the foot!