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AT&T Now $99 for Unlimited Voice and $35 For Unlimited Data

AT&T's responding to Verizon's Unlimited calling and data contracts with a $99 all you can eat voice plan that can be combo'd up with any data plan. The data plans are a step in the non-evil direction for AT&T: $35 bucks for unlimited connectivity and messaging. An AT&T spokesperson tells us that includes 3G.

That makes it $15 cheaper than Verizon's full everything plan for $149. (Although you can't compare the limited coverage of AT&T's HSPDA with Verizon's EVDO Revision A. Yet.) What else is rad? One Year contract for new subscribers, and no additional contract for existing customers! For those who DL a lot more than they yap, you can get unlimited data plans without signing up for unlimited voice. The plans will be available on 2/22. iPhones aren't legit for these data plans, since they've already their own $20 unlimited data plan, and the pricing doesn't quite fit. More details below:

Also, data cards and tethering limitations:

This new unlimited voice plan has no impact on our existing data plans. Our data plans are unchanged. The only data plans subject to the 5GB limitation are Laptop Connect plans for data cards and tethering plans, where your wireless phone acts as a modem for a laptop.

Unlike Sprint EVDO, AT&T and Verizon have usage caps per month. Could be hard for pros who use their 3G data cards or phones as modems, exclusively.

[Thanks Yoshi!]

AT&T To Launch Unlimited U.S. Calling Plan
12:47 p.m. 02/19/2008
$99.99 Plan Available Feb. 22 for New and Existing Customers
SAN ANTONIO, Feb 19, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ — AT&T Inc. (T) announced today new unlimited voice plans targeted to wireless users who want the predictability of flat rate pricing for unlimited minutes. The plans will be available to new and existing wireless subscribers for $99.99 a month for unlimited U.S. calling on all devices with no domestic roaming or long distance charges. The plans can be combined with any current wireless data plan to give customers the ultimate in wireless freedom.
The new plans, available Feb. 22, can be ordered at one of AT&T's 2,200 company-owned retail stores and kiosks, at http://www.att.com, or at one of the thousands of authorized AT&T retail locations. Existing customers can choose unlimited calling without extending their contract. New customers have the option of a month-to-month, 12 or 24 month contract.
As with other voice calling plans, AT&T customers can choose from a variety of data and messaging plans to meet their needs. For example, customers with standard wireless phones* can choose a data plan such as $5 for 200 text, picture, video and instant messages or $35 for unlimited messaging and MEdia Net access.
"We are pleased to offer our customers these great new plans that deliver value and simplified pricing," said Ralph de la Vega, president & CEO, AT&T Mobility. "This is a highly competitive market and we're committed to moving fast to meet customer needs."
AT&T customers benefit from the nation's largest digital voice and data network, with 3G broadband available in more than 260 major metropolitan markets. The company recently announced plans to expand its 3G network to 350 markets, including all of the top 100.
For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit http://www.att.com

* Standard wireless phones do not include smartphones or PDAs or the
iPhone.

1:10 PM on Tue Feb 19 2008
By Brian Lam
19,223 views
50 comments

Comments

nakmario at 01:31 PM on 02/19/08
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ooooh unlimited EDGE FTW!!!

/sarcasm
noahlh at 01:38 PM on 02/19/08
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So I'm currently paying $99.99 + $40 / month for the iPhone 2000-minute plan. I'm assuming this means I can switch over to the unlimited plan for no additional $? If so, not such a bad deal!
iomatic at 01:46 PM on 02/19/08
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I just want a minute plan for international.
diem at 01:46 PM on 02/19/08
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@noahlh: Great question -- does this include iphone plans?
GruffPelt at 01:52 PM on 02/19/08
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@NOAHLH: 'Twould pay to actually RTFA. From the second sentence of the press release: "...unlimited U.S. calling on all devices..."
Stacky Botrus at 01:57 PM on 02/19/08
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@noahlh:
iPhones aren't legit for these data plans, since they've already their own $20 unlimited data plan, and the pricing doesn't quite fit.
icerink at 01:58 PM on 02/19/08
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Now if they'll only allow you to cancel your international data plan when you stop using it, instead of making you wait up to six weeks for the charges to "post." AT&T is still evil in my book.
drugs at 01:58 PM on 02/19/08
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iphone doesn't have its own data plan. Its the same thing as the media max unlmited data plan, just billed under a dif name
GruffPelt at 02:00 PM on 02/19/08
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To be more clear, for the iPhone you would choose the $99 unlimited voice plan + one of the iPhone data plans. The $35 plan mentioned in the press release is for unlimited data and messaging for for everything except smartphones/PDA-phones/iPhones. AT&T is likely to lower the $40 unlimited iPhone data plan to $35 and adjust the others accordingly.
drbles at 02:01 PM on 02/19/08
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I have a call out to my AT&T rep about whether or not the iPhone is eligible but I'm doubtful. Apple and AT&T have separate agreed upon pricing that must be used. Oh well, iPhone is still very affordable.
Sean Harrington at 02:03 PM on 02/19/08
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Nice Izzard reference, Jesus. That makes up for the dead fish post from CES.

"This one's wet. This one's wet. This one's wet. What, did you dry these in a rainforest?"
drewheyman at 02:08 PM on 02/19/08
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@icerink: international roaming can take 6 weeks because that's how long carriers have to send their records to the roaming clearinghouse. it's an international cell law (actually more protocol or rule than law, but whatever), so it's not really up to AT&T.
AqueousBeef at 02:20 PM on 02/19/08
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@noahlh: I'm gonna call it and say that you have never gone over your 2000 minutes. Even if they don't honor the offer, I don't think it would matter so much
SBM_from_LA at 02:21 PM on 02/19/08
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Is AT&T's new data plan pricing really "unlimited" as advertised, or is there a hidden cutoff point they will allow customers before they cut you off for using too much data. Always read the fine print! Here is a copy if their TOS:

AT&T reserves the right to (i) limit throughput or amount of data transferred and/or deny, disconnect, modify and/or terminate Service, without notice, to anyone it believes is using the Service in any manner prohibited or whose usage adversely impacts its wireless network or service levels or hinders access to its wireless network, including without limitation, after a significant period of inactivity or after sessions of excessive usage and (ii) otherwise protect its wireless network from harm, compromised capacity or degradation in performance, which may impact legitimate data flows.

I suppose in a few months we'll start hearing reports of people who were cutt off for using too much date. It's happened many times in the past when "unlimited" was advertised, and it will happen in the future.
majortom1981 at 02:24 PM on 02/19/08
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The data plan is on phone only. This does not include tethering,smartphones,or pdas.
Polybius at 02:26 PM on 02/19/08
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Love the Eddie Izzard reference!! That's sooo funny...

WHY CAN'T WE HAVE UNLIMITED INTERNET IN CANADA?!?!
xint at 02:26 PM on 02/19/08
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...my contract is due in NOV. 2008.

That's all I'm gonna say.
92BuickLeSabre at 02:28 PM on 02/19/08
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Connectedness Index: 558
Brought to you by Acura TSX

Unlimited voice and data? He's gonna need a tray.
Galavoxx at 02:29 PM on 02/19/08
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I wonder if this will fly on a family plan? Unlikely.
Polybius at 02:33 PM on 02/19/08
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@92BuickLeSabre: HAHAHA
Geisrud at 02:42 PM on 02/19/08
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@Galavoxx: For family plans, each phone would have to get an unlimited data plan.

And for the record, I will continue to inform ATT that their unlimited data plans are overpriced every opportunity I get.
MorganRW at 02:44 PM on 02/19/08
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Well I'm going to guess that this will not include family share plans since there is no mention?
yoshi at 02:53 PM on 02/19/08
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Connectedness Index: 24
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Why don't these clowns give unlimited to ALL devices.

This is crap!

I bet if Verizon or AT&T offered this, everyone else would follow AND they would sell a hell of alot more devices.
Xerloq at 02:54 PM on 02/19/08
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@Geisrud: Where does it say that family plans are excluded?

This would be a great deal with my Premier discount.
frigg at 02:56 PM on 02/19/08
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That picture is hilarious!!!
morganlh85 at 02:57 PM on 02/19/08
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Yeah, but let's wait and see what their definitely of "unlimited" will be...
SirNirian at 03:05 PM on 02/19/08
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When i read the headline i thought that MAYBE AT&T had a chance to redeem themselves but then....I RTFA and now think different.
SirNirian at 03:07 PM on 02/19/08
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OH BTW please no one defend AT&T they are a multi billion dollar corporation they can handle the ridicule.
BigDanInTX at 03:27 PM on 02/19/08
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YOU'RE Jeff Vader?
g76monte at 03:29 PM on 02/19/08
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can i just sign up for an internet plan at that $35 rate?
im a tmobile customer who can't give up my voice line til the fall.
izim1 at 03:32 PM on 02/19/08
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but...you could get the media max bundle(iphone plan) for $20 plus an extra $10 for unlimited texts/mms. i'm no math prodigy but i believe that's $30 and , correct me if i'm wrong guys, last time i checked $30 was less than $35, wasn't it?.....
so basically all ATT did was make an actual package and add $5 to it? WTF?
loocking on their site i can see they went down $5 on their unlimited data plan and UP $10 on their unlimited text/mms (hence the extra $5 cost). nice.
izim1 at 03:33 PM on 02/19/08
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@izim1: that "nice" was pure sarcasm BTW.....
FLConsumer at 03:36 PM on 02/19/08
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Gee... I've been paying $5/mo for unlimited EVDO data with Alltel for the past 4-5 years now. Why is this news?
Troy F. at 03:50 PM on 02/19/08
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I gotta give credit where credit is due....I pay $20 for T-Mobile Total Internet...unlimited browsing, tethering, even the fairly-useless (in my experience) Hot Spot access. EDGE is slower, of course and it doesn't include SMS but this doesn't seem all that great from the other providers.
PollockRoc at 04:02 PM on 02/19/08
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Jesus, that's expensive. I have the lowest possible minutes on Verizon and I wish I could get less. I make use of my unlimited text messaging though. I guess I'm in the minority though.
mykalt45 at 04:14 PM on 02/19/08
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How would this work with a family plan for data? Is there a set price for unlimited voice? If possible I would want get unlimited texts and data for an iPhone and LG Shine. Anyone have any clue how that might work? I'm a soon to be Sprint defector.
pastrychef at 05:40 PM on 02/19/08
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I'm not sure I understand the quote from AT&T regarding data. Is there or isn't there a 5GB cap?
Jim (The Canuck One) at 06:05 PM on 02/19/08
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@BigDanInTX: "You're Mr. Stephens?"
soggy_cheerio at 06:39 PM on 02/19/08
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@pastrychef: They make a distinction between data. WAP, access from your phone is unlimited. Tethering your phone to your laptop, (why would anyone want to do that *sarcasm*) is subject to the cap.
jamar0303 at 06:58 PM on 02/19/08
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@drewheyman: What? I use China Mobile and I can cancel international roaming as soon as I get back from wherever. Why leave the window open in case I drop my SIM card somewhere (Hong Kong is a stone's throw away but it counts as international roaming)?
procon.1 at 07:22 PM on 02/19/08
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@izim1: I think its actually $20 unlimited data for the iPhone and another $20 for unlimited texts. At least that's how much I am being charged.
tluken1 at 07:23 PM on 02/19/08
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Hey all I'm an ATT wireless rep. I'll try to clear up any confusion. Basically how it would work regardless of the phone with voice and data running on seperate network usage. AT&T is the only wireless company that uses seperate voice and data to handsets. Anyway unlimited voice would apply to any handset, including iphone. I don't see the data plans changing for iphone since the iphone is in it's own little world. Now, the 5GB cap on air cards and tethering is actually a better plan than the unlimited. Unbeknownst to most customers the fine print previously read that there is a cap of 3GB. If a customer continously went over this they would be sent a letter politely asking them to maintain under that limit. The 3GB cap actually is what every service provider has, but since fewer than 5% of people go over this it was marketable to say "unlimited". Hope this gives some insight.
drewheyman at 07:38 PM on 02/19/08
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@jamar0303: what? you are worried about you losing your sim card, so that's why you want to cancel it immediately? do you do that with your credit cards too every month? that makes no sense.
izim1 at 09:09 PM on 02/19/08
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@procon.1: I have the iPhone I pay $30 for unlimited data and texts. But I've been with AT&T for a long time now. They get over on newer customers.......
vertibraker at 10:24 PM on 02/19/08
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@izim1: Are you trying to be a hipster now? You cant be cool once you get to a certain age
jamar0303 at 01:57 AM on 02/20/08
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@drewheyman: Not the whole card, just the international roaming. It makes no sense to have to leave on international roaming for 6 weeks after returning.
banmojo at 02:40 PM on 02/20/08
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I love slippery slopes when they work in OUR favor :^)
icerink at 05:39 PM on 02/20/08
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@DrewHayman

Thx for the info, although I still don't understand why I can't simply have international roaming rates apply to the charges made over the period I'm abroad notwithstanding the submission protocol.

More importantly, does this mean I have to accept that AT&T is not evil??? Thank goodness there's still AT&T Home Entertainment.
Mr. Gunn at 02:30 PM on 02/21/08
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I still have the $19 unlimited data, so I'm getting a kick out of these replies.

/and I'll kill you all with this tray
SayAhh at 02:41 PM on 02/21/08
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@tluken1: "Now, the 5GB cap on air cards and tethering is actually a better plan than the unlimited."

(Really? "Limited" is better than "unlimited"??)

"Unbeknownst to most customers the fine print previously read that there is a cap of 3GB."

(Why should this be "unbeknownst"? Shouldn't someone you suckered into signing the contract be aware that you're lying?)

"If a customer continously went over this they would be sent a letter politely asking them to maintain under that limit."

(Nah, we'll just charge you data overage fees; that's what we mean by "politely," unbeknownst to you.)

"The 3GB cap actually is what every service provider has, but since fewer than 5% of people go over this it was marketable to say 'unlimited.' Hope this gives some insight."

(The 65MPH cap is actually what every autobahn has, but since fewer than 5% of people go over this it was marketable to say 'no speed limit.' Hope this gives some insight. [referring to previously "no limit" autobahn]. I think AT&T hires the same lawyers as those buffet companies who advertise "ALL YOU CAN EAT" then kick them out for eating too much, because fewer than 5% of people actually eat "a lot.")

(Disclaimer: I'm not a AT&T rep [SayAhh])