Sucks for you if you have ATT and a data plan

shaqazoolu

Paul Boz wrote: »

Sure from a purely economical standpoint the impact is going to be minimal, but this is going to hinder development into more bandwidth intensive technologies in the long run. Why would a developer look into creating a new and innovative technology is the telco is going to hinder his ability to deliver the service? Further, how are you going to continue to drive consumers to purchase iPads by marketing features such as streaming netflix, music, books, web browsing, etc, if you cap that transfer? In the graphic intensive world of Web2.0 I use several gigs of bandwidth a week just casually surfing the internet and streaming media. Between watching TV shows on Hulu in airports or streaming HD youtube, I put a dent in some bandwidth. By crippling their service I would not be able to maintain my current browsing habits.

Streaming that bandwidth intensive content isn't nearly as easily accessible or convenient on a mobile device though, that's why no one ever touches the bandwidth limit. The iPad is really the first mainstream "mobile" device on the market that would allow you to, and only if you spent way too much time on it. This is why I said the only people that will have a legitimate reason to be upset will be a small percentage of iPad users. Also like I said, they are likely gonna bend over and take it because no one else has the iPad and Apple fanboys are hard-headed. If they don't like it then they need to go get an Android tablet on a different carrier that hasn't capped their bandwidth. ATT isn't the only provider out there. You can't blame the companies for making these decisions if retarded people continue to patronize them. Hooray, capitalism.

shaqazoolu

earweed wrote: »

I'm personally going with verizon after my current contract with another company runs out next month. I'm getting an android as I keep hearing such good things about them. I'm personally fed up with ATT as I have them for my home phone and DSL but have no choice for the internet except satelite.
I'm switching to satelite soon as the state of my DSL sucks..almost every time it rains my internet connection goes out due to problems on the lines and my speed is so slow. I'm paying for the second highest DSL speed they have but since I'm so far from the ISP I barely have faster than dial-up.

Switching to Android is a decision you won't soon regret. This is only the first step. Next, you get Google TV in the fall and you will be using your phone as your TV remote $$$$$$$$$$.

carboncopy

Already have unlimited so I'm not bothered. Plus, I only use like 500Mb on my iPhone. Don't bother streaming on 3G since Netflix quality sucks.

tbgree00

I'm torn on the issue to be honest. I don't mind the change in billing. I looked at my Verizon usage and my current 30 dollar unlimited plan would cost me 30 dollars. I didn't notice any statements saying that the 10 dollar purchase of more GB after the inital 20 was a one time charge or if it modified your plan but I could possibly save 10 dollars on light months. I've never used more than 3 GB on my droid.

The parts that bother me are the teathering surcharge, which has been beat to death, and the iPad 3G bait and switch. Last month a friend of mine was extremely excited that he could turn his 3G on and off when he was travelling for business. He is now a little upset because his "no contract" coverage is now a reoccuring charge so that he doesn't have to worry about watching TV on it on the road.

It just seems odd that one of the huge selling points for the iPad 3G was negated so soon after its release. That said data plans and iPads are luxury items and it only applies to new contracts so the consumer can vote to use a different provider for the moment.

tpatt100

I bought an iPad recently and I kind of wish I had a 3G but no way would I pay for the data plan. I mostly use it at home and everywhere I would take it has wifi.

NightShade03

shaqazoolu wrote: »

Switching to Android is a decision you won't soon regret. This is only the first step. Next, you get Google TV in the fall and you will be using your phone as your TV remote $$$$$$$$$$.

Apple has had this with the Apple TV and iPhone remote app for a while. Google is doing a good job competing with them though.

shaqazoolu

NightShade03 wrote: »

Apple has had this with the Apple TV and iPhone remote app for a while. Google is doing a good job competing with them though.

Yeah...I was late stepping into the 21st century sadly. I had a Blackberry Pearl on a gimp Sprint SERO plan before. My first "smartphone" was the Droid and I was at the VZW at 6am on November 6th when it launched last year to get it. I have never looked back. The majority of people I know have iPhones so I had plenty of exposure to them and I just think Android is a far superior platform in every aspect. I'm pretty jacked about Google TV personally. I don't expect it to be the next technological phenom or anything but I will probably be an early adopter.

Anyway, in the interest of staying on topic, ATT sucks.

tpatt100

I tried out a Verizon drops phone a couple of months ago and was amazed at how fast the 3G was

Starke

I love how people overreact on this when they don't have all of the facts. I am an IT consultant and use my iPhone quite a bit. I looked at my account and the most I have ever used in a month was 170MB. There is no way I will ever touch 2GB. In fact I will be able to drop down to the $15 plan and save more money. I am thanking ATT at this point. I would challenge anyone who has ATT to check their usage on the site, I doubt you will be over 200MB.

tpatt100

**** uses a lot of bandwidth

varelg

Yes Starkie, it seems that sometimes it's not what you do but what public perceives that you're doing. This introduction of data plan tiers is obviously perceived as a price increase and a "bait-n-switch" against iPad owners. It may not be a price increase for all and may infact be a discount for a wide segment of users but this new anouncement will surely leave a dent in public's perception of ATT. If wider public shares the same opinion like some expressed here, then it seems that only apple's fanboys will stick with ATT and the rest will flock to other carriers.
For the record I am currently on a TMob unlimited everything plan for a fixed price and before that I was on ATT but I switched just because of their data plan pricing, they just refuse to offer unlimited plan like other carriers and are selling MBs of their bandwidth like drug dealers sell their most precious crack.

tpatt100

Apple fanboys will stick with ATT? Lol most of the people expressing outrage over this don't even on an iPhone or iPad and have expressed displeasure with Apple products in general. I noticed this around other tech sites. It's like people look for things to justify their buying a different product.

Majority of people don't care. And the ones who do care don't care for Apple or ATT anyways

Hyper-Me

By this time tomorrow I will have an HTC Evo 4g on the best network in the US. Half the price of an iphone plan for unlimite 3g and 4g.

Suck on that, ATT!

carboncopy

Starke wrote: »

I would challenge anyone who has ATT to check their usage on the site, I doubt you will be over 200MB.

Challenge accepted!

carboncopy wrote:

I only use like 500Mb on my iPhone.

I saw some people posting their data usage on Engadget. There is a decent amount of people going over the 1GB amount. Only very few went over 2GB.

tpatt100

Hyper-Me wrote: »

By this time tomorrow I will have an HTC Evo 4g on the best network in the US. Half the price of an iphone plan for unlimite 3g and 4g.

Suck on that, ATT!

Your only paying 30 bucks a month for phone and data?

I would like 4G but I checked and Sprint only has coverage in 12 states.

tiersten

tpatt100 wrote: »

I bought an iPad recently and I kind of wish I had a 3G but no way would I pay for the data plan. I mostly use it at home and everywhere I would take it has wifi.

You could get a MiFi style device. I've got a cheap Huawei E5830 and it works pretty well.

tiersten

Starke wrote: »

I would challenge anyone who has ATT to check their usage on the site, I doubt you will be over 200MB.

Thats with your usage patterns though. Just syncing email and very light web usage in a month I've racked up well over 200MB and that is with WiFi at work and at home. I've since changed to an Android phone and I'm still averaging around 200-300MB with what I consider light usage.

rwwest7

Starke wrote: »

I love how people overreact on this when they don't have all of the facts. I am an IT consultant and use my iPhone quite a bit. I looked at my account and the most I have ever used in a month was 170MB. There is no way I will ever touch 2GB. In fact I will be able to drop down to the $15 plan and save more money. I am thanking ATT at this point. I would challenge anyone who has ATT to check their usage on the site, I doubt you will be over 200MB.

Exactly, ATT is actually saving them money by not forcing them to pay for something they don't fully use....and they're bitching about it. I may actually pick one of these new fangled things now that the price has come down some.

p.s. - Dear iPad users, there's this new invention call WiFi. It's getting kinda popular, word is by next fall you may be able to install one in your home. McDonalds may even have it within a couple years. (sarcasm)

rwwest7

tiersten wrote: »

Thats with your usage patterns though. Just syncing email and very light web usage in a month I've racked up well over 200MB and that is with WiFi at work and at home. I've since changed to an Android phone and I'm still averaging around 200-300MB with what I consider light usage.

300 MB is still only 15% of 2 GB. You would have to increase your usage 85% just to reach the limit. So in the very rare chance you ever do that you will get a one time double fee on your bill, but the other 11 months you'll more than make up for it in savings.

tiersten

rwwest7 wrote: »

300 MB is still only 15% of 2 GB. You would have to increase your usage 85% just to reach the limit. So in the very rare chance you ever do that you will get a one time double fee on your bill, but the other 11 months you'll more than make up for it in savings.

Not sure I quite understand your point here. i'm not saying anything about the specific plans. Just that transferring >200MB a month isn't particularly hard to do with any kind of smartphone.

How do you get savings though? If you paid $15 a month for the 200MB plan then you'd get stung with a $30 bill if you transferred ~300MB in a month and still only be able to do 400MB. If you paid the $20 a month for the 2GB plan then you'd be fine but you're paying for the higher plan at this point anyway.

varelg

So by the same token tpatt100 you can criticize chevy/ford/mercedes only if you own one of them

tpatt100

@varelg not my point though. My point is the people complaining some of them in the online community are trying to create this idea that the masses of ATT customers are going to leave/quit due to this when in fact the majority do not care. Like this board shows most of us like the cost savings.