AT&T dropping unlimited data and messaging to $30

by Chris Ziegler posted Jan 22nd 2009 at 5:29PM

Info's flowing fast and furious on this whole MEdia Net thing now, and it turns out that there's more than just a name change involved. MEdia Basic, MEdia Works, MEdia Max 200, and MEdia Net 1MB are all going away (one megabyte, seriously?), but more importantly, unlimited data and messaging is getting a price cut to compete with Verizon. MEdia Max Unl... er, "Messaging & Data Unlimited" will run $30 starting January 25, a $5 price cut from the $35 you pay now. It's not often that we get to praise a carrier for a price cut on a popular service, is it?

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Filed under: ATT

Tags: att, data, media net, MediaNet

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

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ivanpertsev @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:44PM

Very nice to know.

Also I heard that ATT is finalizing or did they release the iPhone tethering plans? So we can get a Net sharing app w/o having it pulled.

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Tumbleweed @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:45PM

Nice. Competition rocks. Ever since Sprint came out with their 'Unlimited Everything' (well, except for tethering) plans, the others have been forced to follow suit. If for no other reason, people should be grateful to Sprint for that. :)

Now if Sprint would just come out with an HTC Touch HD running Android, I think I'd be set.

Neutral

mdmadph @ Jan 26th 2009 10:29AM

Forgive my ignorance, but that won't possible in areas where Sprint still uses CDMA, will it. :(

Neutral

Me @ Jan 22nd 2009 5:47PM

So will this apply to iPhone plans which are the same but with NO messaging?

Neutral

kelsey @ Jan 26th 2009 7:11PM

no, the iphone 30 dollars in unlimited email, data, and gps, so that will stay the same

Highest Ranked

Jason Litka @ Jan 22nd 2009 6:04PM

I've been thinking of upgrading my aging Moto V600 to a Blackberry but the costs associated with the mandatory data plan, as well as the ridiculous text messaging fees, have been holding me back. Unfortunately, the fine print seems to say that they'll continue to screw BB & other PDA users.

Why can't AT&T be competitive with the other carriers? $90 ($40 450 mins voice + $30 data + $20 for unlimited TXT) is a bit ridiculous when compared to Sprint's identical package for $70. For $100 at Sprint I can get unlimited everything. For $100 at AT&T I get unlimited voice...

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stefanie @ Jan 24th 2009 3:59PM

The blackberry data plan is optional. It is only a requirement on the iphone to have a data plan, now some stores offer you an additional discount on the bb if you get the data plan.

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fuze @ Jan 26th 2009 12:39PM

I have AT&T currently and I know that it's mandatory that you get a data plan w/ the iPhone - they have to activate so it's not like you can just swap out a sim card. But I had a BB CUrve for a while and I never had a data plan - just the 200 txt msg thingy. Worked fine, I'm using a Moto Q now, same plan.

Neutral

bdotwoods @ Jan 22nd 2009 6:14PM

I look at my bill for tmobile, versus the bill i would have with att....

and att is STILL more expensive. I jus can't bring myself to switch to att, just in the name of 3g. (my phone isn't gonna pick up t-mo's random ass band)

Highest Ranked

Silentsal @ Jan 22nd 2009 6:28PM

Does this apply to the Iphone 3G plan then? Which means I can now get unlimited net and texting for it plus $10 more for another iphone on the secondary line?

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shugg @ Jan 22nd 2009 9:42PM

on iphone 3g as well.,?

Highly Ranked

wako @ Jan 22nd 2009 6:44PM

Still doesnt beat my $5.99 unlimited data with Tmobile :)

Neutral

Poke4Christ @ Jan 22nd 2009 11:31PM

...and that doesn't beat my 30 dollar for everything I could ever want or need sero plan with Sprint.

Sorry to be an ass, I just had to brag there. :-)

Neutral

backbeat @ Jan 23rd 2009 8:25AM

^Would Jesus have gamed the system to save a few bucks? Give unto Cesar that which is Cesar's ...

BTW, He's dead. ;)

Neutral

Ryan C @ Jan 22nd 2009 7:02PM

You get what you pay for. T-Mobile may be cheaper, but their coverage (GSM and UMTS) is way behind AT&T and Verizon.

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Galen20K @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:07PM

You couldnt be more wong and even IF that Were the case, T-Mobile's 3G is FASTER and Way More Reliable than crap ATT's. Sorry to Burst your Bubble Ryan.

TA!

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Toledo Guy @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:46PM

Perhaps you think T-Mobile 3G is faster and more reliable. I don't have reliability or speed issues with my AT&T service. But my coworker with his T-Mobile Blackberry has coverage issues that I do not. T-Mobile has nowhere near the 3G network of AT&T.

Lowest Ranked

Galen20K @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:49PM

Read the facts I really don't think I'm going by your "One friend" who has T-Mobile.

Look up the Facts online and you'll find out TOledo that T-Mobile's Service is Faster and less drops than ATT's data.

Sorry for your Ignorance.

Ta ta!

Neutral

Ryan C @ Jan 22nd 2009 9:14PM

Seeing I've used both T-Mobile and AT&T, my AT&T data card kicked the crap out of T-Mobile. It's because AT&T has HSUPA, which allows for faster download and upload speeds than plain HSDPA.

Highly Ranked

Ryan C @ Jan 22nd 2009 9:21PM

And if you're wondering......
I'm basing my claims off browsing with:
iPhone 3G
Samsung Behold
Sierra Wireless AirCard 881

But I have returned the Behold. T-Mobile 3G isn't available at my house, I did my tests in Baltimore and DC.

Neutral

Josue @ Jan 22nd 2009 11:28PM

Tmobile has decent prices for plans but thier service sucks. Tmobile faster than at&t, pleease. Tmobile has had thier 3G up and running for less than an year. At&t has a better and more reliable data service
@ Galen20K, are you a tmobile fanboy? Yes, im guessing

Neutral

Chris @ Jan 23rd 2009 7:25AM

Agreed, I had T-Mobile, Verizon, and now on AT&T... Which has the fastest data I've seen in NYC area... Although Verizon is still best on network coverage.

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Jamar @ Jan 23rd 2009 11:01AM

For you people who use data, I guess it matters. On the other hand, if you're using a DoCoMo or Softbank phone, consistent use of 1900MHz matters more.

Highest Ranked

bernardino @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:03PM

Read the fine print:
*There are no changes to PDA and BlackBerry data plans OR feature codes unless noted above.

These are for regular phones; not PDA phones, BlackBerries, or iPhones.

Neutral

Silentsal @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:07PM

The Iphone is neither a PDA or a blackberry

Low Ranked

bernardino @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:11PM

The iPhone is as much a PDA as the Fuze is, just better. :)

Neutral

Silentsal @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:33PM

I have never once heard of the Iphone as PDA...and uhh I have pretty much followed the phone so it has come out so

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Ryan C @ Jan 22nd 2009 9:22PM

The iPhone is just......... iPhone.

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bernardino @ Jan 22nd 2009 9:23PM

PDA: a lightweight consumer electronic device that looks like a hand-held computer but instead performs specific tasks; can serve as a diary or a personal database or a telephone or an alarm clock etc.
http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=pda\

iPhone: A combination camera phone, PDA, multimedia player, and wireless communication device.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/iPhone

It's a PDA, among other things, but this argument is moot in the context of this article. I could see the 1st Gen iPhone getting in on this deal, since they pay $15 for unlimited data just like regular cell phones, except the plan for regular phones includes 3G. The iPhone 3G will definitely not get in on this deal. They have us chained to the $30 data plan + $20 unlimited messaging. At most, I could see them offering the iPhone 3G unlimited data + messaging for $45, a discount of $5. As long as the iPhone is selling well, they won't lower the plan price; it's the premium us iPhone users pay for the phone.

Why pay for messaging anyways? Just have your friends send your SMS to your email address, then save their SMS email addresses to your address book and use that to contact them.

Highly Ranked

Silentsal @ Jan 22nd 2009 10:07PM

Some phones can't text to email...like mine for example...granted my phone is old, it still doesn't have that option. Also you got that info from a wiki...which can be edited by anyone to say anything....

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bernardino @ Jan 22nd 2009 11:47PM

Are you sure your phone can't text to email? You just enter 5555555555@vtext.com or whatever and send the message. If it doesn't work I'm surprised, I always assumed that translating the message to email was handled on AT&T's side, not by the phone.

I'll just agree to disagree with you on the iPhone is a PDA issue.

Neutral

Layne @ Jan 23rd 2009 2:26PM

Well, if you have AT&T, anyone can send you a text message by knowing your phone number

http://www.wireless.att.com/answer-center/main.jsp?solutionId=KB63037&t=solutionTab
Send the e-mail to the AT&T wireless phone using the following address format for the AT&T wireless phone number:
10-digit wireless phone number@txt.att.net

Also useful if you wanted some Linux script to notify you when it was complete.....just send an e-mail from the script.

Neutral

Kay @ Jan 22nd 2009 8:45PM

T-mobile has great customer service and great prices but their service stinks! I have to move the phone around to get a signal (if at all). My ATT phone works virtually everywhere. Can't wait for my T-mobile contract to end.

Neutral

jeremy @ Jan 22nd 2009 11:02PM

this is for dumb phones. not pda, blackberry or iphones.

Highly Ranked

penetrode @ Jan 23rd 2009 12:09PM

not really. I use a Nokia E71 and use media net...

Neutral

Zack @ Jan 22nd 2009 11:40PM

First off all, unlimited data on the first Iphone is $20 not $15 like all the other non-PDA's on Att network. Second of all, whoever thinks that t-mobile has a faster 3G network and gets better coverage than Att is absolutely absurd. At t-mobile each sales associate is required to run a map tool just to make sure there will be service for each customer who is interested in signing up. Also t-mobile on has 3G in like 30 different markets compared to Att where the have 3G in over 100 markets. Also did we forget that T-mobile purchased all of Att's old towers so how could it possibly be fast than the "new" Att. Hope this helps clear up anything.

Neutral

Greg @ Jan 23rd 2009 2:16AM

the 3g equipment that tmobile is using is about 2 years newer than att's version, and i have done speed test to compare, i have used my G1 in LA and my friends iphone 3g there also, tmobile is MUCH faster in loading :) nuff sedd, just wait till tmobile has deeper penetration and it will rock our socks!!

Neutral

Fernando @ Jan 22nd 2009 11:46PM

Lol at carrier fanboyism in this thread...

...buuut, does this affect pre-paid customers in any sense?

Highly Ranked

Eric L @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:14AM

Look mall kiosk boyz:

Coverage, speed and reliability is subjective to your location and usage habits. Touting how your carrier is better or badder than the other just because of your own experience inside your little mall kiosk somewhere in Middle America proves nothing, zero, nada to the rest of us with brains who use the service that works best for us.

T-Mobile and ATT do suck in many areas it's true. T-Mobile has more coverage holes, but ATT seems to have entire seaboard outages every week.

It all comes down to picking your poison.

Besides, this article is about Media Net pricing. Leave the fanboyism out of it for the rest of us who come here to read and comment on the article at hand.

Neutral

Jeanna @ Jan 23rd 2009 3:18AM

@ Eric: Well said!

These "kiosk boyz," really ruin a good conversation for the rest of us.

Back on topic: I'm glad to see at&t lowering prices for those of us who like data on our phones. This pricing isn't great, but it's good and a small step in the right direction.

As an at&t user, I still think they overprice their services too much especially since they don't always offer what is considered quality, but I'll take whatever solace I can get.

Thanks for the info Engadget.

Highly Ranked

Kumar @ Jan 23rd 2009 10:24AM

Here's to hoping the PDA plans are next to drop.

As it is, I've decided to wait a few months with my ancient Tmob MDA in hopes of a touch pro HD on Tmob.

I'd rather not pay a couple hundred bucks extra for the same service over two years that could be going to better things in....wait for it.... this economy. ;)

Neutral

palehorse @ Jan 23rd 2009 11:59AM

Please wake me up when I can receive Unlimited Data -AND- Messaging on my iPhones for $30/mo...

Right now, I'm paying $134/mo. for two iPhones with only: 700 combined anytime minutes, 200 SMS messages each, and unlimited data on both.

That sux.

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palehorse @ Jan 23rd 2009 12:00PM

BTW, that total is AFTER an 18% employer-based discount!

lameness.

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tenaciousJk @ Feb 17th 2009 2:26AM

Absolutely lame. It's a fscking rip-off. I'm getting close to a 25% discount and I'm still over $100 at the 700 minute plan. Text messages cost the carrier zero. IMO, unlimited data+sms should be $30 - It's a fair price. NOT $50 (per phone) on top of your minutes.

Hell. Most of my time is spent on my own wifi so I rarely even use the data plan.

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