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AT&T Lets You Pay-As-You-Go For Notebook DataConnect Coverage
AT&T Adds DataConnect Overage Charges, Pulls Plug on Unlimited Pre-Paid Data Plans

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SamburgerHandwich
11/23/09

In reply to AT&T Lets You Pay-As-You-Go For Notebook DataConnect Coverage
there's a cap for that
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blash
11/23/09

In reply to AT&T Lets You Pay-As-You-Go For Notebook DataConnect Coverage
As emergency back-up for business people, it's good.

The problem is that it should be more widespread than that and for widespread service, the prices need to come way, way down. In Israel, people can get 2.8/1.2 cellular for $35/month, no data caps - a far, far cry from $60/month in the US with a 5 GB data cap.
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Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
11/23/09

In reply to AT&T Lets You Pay-As-You-Go For Notebook DataConnect Coverage
I'm not sure about you guys (and gals) but I read that headline as: AT&T Let's You Bend Over and Take-It-As-You-Go. Vaseline Not Included.
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weatherman
11/23/09

In reply to AT&T Lets You Pay-As-You-Go For Notebook DataConnect Coverage
I've definitely been in situations where I would love to have some PAYG data, and $30 a week or $50 a month doesn't seem too unreasonable. On trips a couple of times in the last year for instance, I found myself with no reliable internet and I absolutely needed it for business. At that point, paying $30 seems like a bargain compared to wardriving for a WiFi connection or trying to hack my iPhone for tethering, only to get 19.2kpbs. It's the cost of the hardware that is the only thing about this deal that I don't like. I'd have a hard time justifying the $250 that they charge for the modem without a contract.
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Edited by weatherman at 11/23/09 2:31 PM weatherman was starred weatherman was unstarred

AmphetamineCrown
11/23/09

@weatherman: I agree, the moaning about how this is high cost is kind of silly--when you pay for convenience, you usually pay a lot. See, for example, the comment about bottled water. Or take car rentals. Paying for data as you go, on the fly is no different.

Also agree wrt the cost of the modems. I can't see AT&T subsidizing the things when its PAYG. That hurts a lot.
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Mr.Gawn
11/23/09

@AmphetamineCrown: i still think this is a bit extreme, especially when phone/net tether is such a capability under a 20 buck unlimited plan...

from a martketing stand point, this doesnt sound like a good plan
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AmphetamineCrown
11/23/09

@Mr.Gawn: I'm not sure I understand--does AT&T have a $20 phone/net tether plan?
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Mr.Gawn
11/23/09

@AmphetamineCrown: in other countries ATT allows net tether, not yet in the US (and im crossing my fingers is around the corner)

but compared to Verizon which does allow for it, these prices are a lil, meh..

unless i misunderstood the topic and verizon's pricing

#tips
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AmphetamineCrown
11/23/09

In reply to AT&T Lets You Pay-As-You-Go For Notebook DataConnect Coverage
I think this makes an awful lot of sense for a particular class of users and AT&T is pretty smart for doing it. There are times when I'm traveling where I'd pony up the money for a day or week of wireless access. But, I don't get an AT&T card because most of the time I don't need it, and paying even $30/mo for unlimited data isn't worth it. $15 is about what people used to pay for Wi-Fi in an airport. And, yeah, while the data caps kind of suck, I think the audience they are targeting aren't downloading movies, they are probably interacting with email.

And who knows, you get business users used to the idea behind this, they start using it more... Pretty soon its cheaper to take on the $30/mo data plan, etc. I think it is a sharp move on their part.
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AT&T Lets You Pay-As-You-Go For Notebook DataConnect Coverage

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