Last month AT&T announced plans to raise the price of its grandfathered unlimited data plan by $5. Starting next month, those customers will pay slightly more than what new subscribers fork over for 2GB of data.
If you're feeling left out, AT&T has an announcement that might make you feel better (but probably worse). The company is rolling out a new unlimited voice, text, and data plan that costs $100 per month for one line, as long as you're also a DirecTV (or U-Verse) customer. You know, because AT&T bought the satellite TV provider in 2014, and the carrier would love to make money off that acquisition.
The price amounts to $60 a month for data plus a $40 access fee. For comparison, $50 a month gets you 5GB of data with a Mobile Share plan. The next bracket, 15GB, costs $100 a month for data alone.
Additional lines cost another $40 each, but folks who want a fourth one can get it for free. Free-ish, anyway. You will have to pay $220 for the first couple of months, then AT&T will apply a $40 credit thereafter.
Like with grandfathered plans, AT&T reserves the right to throttle lines that go over 22GB a month during periods of network congestion.
DirecTV plans start at .99 a month for twelve months with a two-year service agreement. After that period is over, the fee shoots up to $50. This means you will pay for at least a year of satellite at $20 a month followed by a second year at $50. You also have to deal with the cost of getting the satellite installed at your home.
Under the best of circumstances, you're looking at paying AT&T $120 a month at the beginning for a single line plus a satellite box that you now have to stick under your TV to get unlimited data. And that price is only going to go up after a year.
On a less expensive note, AT&T has also upped the data allotment for its prepaid GoPhone plans without raising the price.
PRESS RELEASE
AT&T Introduces New Unlimited Plan For AT&T Wireless and DIRECTV Subscribers
A family of four may now get unlimited video streaming, data, talk and text for $180 per month*
AT&T is kicking off the New Year with a new unlimited wireless data offer for its new and existing TV subscribers who like watching their favorite videos and TV shows almost everywhere. Beginning tomorrow, new and existing AT&T consumer wireless customers who have or add AT&T DIRECTV® or AT&T U-Verse TV may get the new AT&T Unlimited Plan, offering customers more data to use for watching video, playing games and surfing the web on their mobile devices.
The new AT&T Unlimited Plan includes unlimited data and unlimited talk and text. Customers can get the AT&T Unlimited Plan on a smartphone for $100 per month. Additional smartphones are $40 per month each, and a fourth smartphone can be added at no additional cost.*
The new AT&T Unlimited Plan is the first of many integrated video and mobility offers the company plans to announce in 2016. Also, AT&T plans to launch a wide-range of new video entertainment options later this year.
If you are a new or existing DIRECTV or U-Verse TV subscriber but not an AT&T wireless subscriber, for a limited time, you can receive $500 in credits when you switch to the AT&T Unlimited Plan with an eligible trade-in, and buy a smartphone on AT&T NextSM. And, if you are an AT&T wireless customer, but not a DIRECTV subscriber, you can add a TV package beginning at $19.99 per month for 12 months, with a 24 month agreement.
“Our new unlimited plan is our best offer yet. It’s the perfect reward for our valued customers who like to take advantage of our integrated offers of TV and wireless services,” said Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T Mobile and Business Solutions. “Video traffic continues to grow on our network as fast as ever because people enjoy viewing their favorite video content on their favorite devices.”
“We’ve got the content consumers want, we’re delivering it to the devices they want, and we’re making it as easy as ever for them to consume as much as they want,” he said. “And, they will get a high-quality video streaming experience from the start. No compromises in video quality.”
You can also add additional devices to the plan. For example, add a smartphone or tablet for $40 per month or $10 for a smart watch. If you don’t need unlimited data for your tablet, you can take advantage of our new 1 GB tablet plan for $10 per month, exclusively available for customers on the AT&T Unlimited Plan.
- See more at: http://about.att.com/story/unlimited_plan_for_wireless_and_directv_subscribers.html