If you're just dying to get some of AT&T's LTE action packed in tablet without having to mortgage your house, then Samsung may just be your new best friend. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 is coming to Ma Bell on November 20 for an on-contract price of $480, and if you pick one up early on, you can score a free Galaxy S II Skyrocket or Galaxy S II. The inclusion of the phone requires a two-year agreement, but if you're already signing a couple of years away on the tablet contract, you might as well go ahead and score a free beastly phone while you're at it.
According to the AT&T press release, the LTE Tab 8.9 will come with a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon instead of the Tegra 2 like the Wi-Fi version; I'm a bit skeptical of this chip-changeover, so I've pinged AT&T for clarification and will update when a response is sent. Otherwise, the specs are pretty much the same as the Wi-Fi Tab 8.9:
- 8.9-inch 1280x800 display
- 1GB RAM
- 16GB built-in storage, "expandable to 32GB via accessory option"
- 3.2MP rear-shooter, 2MP front camera
- Android 3.2 with Touchwiz UX
The release of the Tab 8.9 will also be accompanied by the launch of AT&T's hyperfast LTE network in six new markets, including Charlotte, NC; Indianapolis, IN; Kansas City, MO; Las Vegas, NV; Oklahoma City, OK; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
NEW 4G LTE TABLET AVAILABLE FOR AT&T CUSTOMERS
Ultra-Thin and Lightweight Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9
Available Nov. 20 in AT&T Stores and Online
AT&T 4G LTE Expanding to Six New Markets, Total of 15 Nationwide
DALLAS, Nov. 14, 2011 —
Key Facts
· AT&T* introduced its second 4G LTE-enabled tablet for customers, the Samsung Galaxy™ Tab 8.9, an ultra-thin tablet perfect for Android fans who want an optimized Honeycomb experience in a best-in-class form factor.
· Customers can purchase from AT&T stores and online beginning Nov. 20.
· For a limited time, customers who select a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will receive a Samsung Galaxy S™ II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S™ II smartphone at no cost. A two year agreement is required on the smartphone.
· Additionally, AT&T will launch 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) in six new markets on Nov. 20: Charlotte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
· The Nov. 20 launches will expand AT&T 4G LTE to 15 markets total, meeting its 2011 market commitment. AT&T plans to reach 70 million Americans by year-end 2011.
· AT&T offers the only devices capable of 4G speeds utilizing both 4G LTE and HSPA+, for a consistently fast connection in and out of 4G LTE areas.
· AT&T topped its goal to offer 20 4G devices this year. The addition of the new 4G LTE devices brings the 4G device total to 24.
Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9
Exclusive to AT&T customers, the 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9 is a slim, lightweight tablet, running Android™ 3.2 and packed with optimized services from Google, AT&T and Samsung. The new tablet features a vivid 8.9-inch 1280x800 pixel high-resolution screen, powerful processor 1.5 GHz dual-core processor for fast multi-tasking, and tabbed browsing with support for HTML 5 and Adobe® Flash® Player.
· 4G LTE backed by 4G HSPA+
· Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)
· 15.9 ounces light, 8.6mm thin
· Brilliant 8.9” HD widescreen
· 3.2 megapixel rear facing camera with LED flash, 2 megapixel front facing camera
· Tabbed browsing, Adobe Flash and HTML support
· Snapdragon 1.5 GHz dual core processor
· 16 GB internal memory and expandable up to 32 GB via accessory option
· 1 GB RAM
· TouchWiz® UX
· Dimensions: 230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6 mm
Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9 will arrive in AT&T company-owned retail stores and online Nov. 20 for $479.99 with a two-year commitment. For a limited time, customers who select a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will receive a Samsung Galaxy S™ II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S™ II smartphone at no cost. A two year agreement is required on the smartphone. Learn more at www.att.com/tablets.
AT&T 4G LTE Data Plans
AT&T tablet customers can choose a $35, 3 GB monthly data plan option with a two-year contract, and customers who do not choose a long-term commitment may still select one of two existing monthly billing options for tablets:
· Postpaid: $14.99 for 250 MB or $25 for 2 GB. Customers on the 2 GB plan who exceed their monthly data plan will be charged $10 per 1 GB of overage. Charges will appear on customers’ monthly wireless statements offering the simplicity of a single bill.
· Prepaid: $14.99 for 250 MB or $25 for 2 GB. Customers on the 2 GB plan who exceed their monthly data plan may choose to purchase an additional 2 GB for $25. Charges will appear on customers’ credit card statements.
AT&T 4G LTE smartphone customers can choose from tiered data plans starting as low as $15 per month. Existing smartphone customers do not have to make changes to their data plan. All plans include access to AT&T’s national Wi-Fi network of more than 29,000 hotspots.
· DataPlus provides 200 megabytes (MB) of data for just $15 per month. An additional 200 MB of data usage is $15.
· DataPro provides 2 gigabytes (GB) of data for $25 per month. An additional 1 GB of data is $10. Customers who want to use their device as a mobile hotspot can sign up for DataPro 4GB for $45 a month, which lets you tether or share your data connection across multiple devices.
AT&T 4G LTE Footprint
With the Nov. 20 launches, AT&T 4G LTE will be available in 15 markets: Athens, Ga., Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.
AT&T is the only U.S. carrier providing 4G using both HSPA+ and LTE technologies. HSPA+, when combined with enhanced backhaul, provides customers with compatible devices 4G speeds, meaning customers get a faster and more consistent 4G experience, even when outside of an AT&T 4G LTE area. Customers of other carriers that have transitioned to 4G LTE without further speed upgrades to their existing networks are likely to see a jarring drop-off in speeds when they move out of LTE coverage.