AT&T Family Shared Data Plans

[La-La]

---

IonLake wrote:

I think ATT should be ASHAMED of themselves with this new method of fleecing customers.

Right now I have

1-plan unlimited $30

1-plan 2 GB for $15

1 plan 250 MB for $10

I pay $55 per month.

New plan 4GB monthly plan ($70) and added a smartphone ($40) and a tablet ($10), your monthly bill would be $120.  That's a 100% increase.  Unless you convince me otherwise, you've just lost a customer. 

---

Shared data is optional, they're not forcing you to change.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

---

IonLake wrote:

I think ATT should be ASHAMED of themselves with this new method of fleecing customers.

Right now I have

1-plan unlimited $30

1-plan 2 GB for $15

1 plan 250 MB for $10

I pay $55 per month.

New plan 4GB monthly plan ($70) and added a smartphone ($40) and a tablet ($10), your monthly bill would be $120.  That's a 100% increase.  Unless you convince me otherwise, you've just lost a customer. 

---

you neglected to factor in the voice and texting cost in your pricing example, you just list the data portion. The new shared plans include unlimited voice and text features. Pricing and requirements are light years ahead of verizon's released plan

So to add the additional charged, based on 3 phones listed lets start with the lowest family plan @ 550 Minutes with unlimited texting - this is all based on what you state you pay for data

59.99 - 550 minute 2 phones

09.99 - 3rd phone

30.00 - unlimited texting

--------

99.98 for 550 and unlimited texting, if it is only two phones, then take the 9.99 away. Add that yo your data

99.98

55.00

--------

155.98

[texasguy]

I have a question regarding the mobile share.  Is there going to be a way to limit data usage on devices?  I am thinking about the 10GB plan, but i want to be able to place a limit on teenager.  I don't want 10GB to be burned through watching youtube and such.  I want to place a limit of 4GB for example, and after that they only get wifi.

I don't mind sharing but don't want to share myself into high overages....

[jamileh]

Hi IonLake, 

As La-La noted, the Mobile Share plan is optional. It may not be the right choice for you and you don't have to change your current plan if you don't want to. 

[jamileh]

We just launched a great tool you can use to see which plan is right for you.

Check out the awesome Mobile Share Planner!

[jamileh]

---

texasguy wrote:

I have a question regarding the mobile share.  Is there going to be a way to limit data usage on devices?  I am thinking about the 10GB plan, but i want to be able to place a limit on teenager.  I don't want 10GB to be burned through watching youtube and such.  I want to place a limit of 4GB for example, and after that they only get wifi.

I don't mind sharing but don't want to share myself into high overages....

---

You might want to look into Smart Limits if you want to place some parental controls on your kid's phone. 

[Snatch]

I'll ask the direct question. How does the Mobile Share Plans affect our discounted upgrades?

Judging from the FAQ ( https://www.att.com/shop/Upper_Funnel_Promo_Modals/Wireless_Promo_Modals/mobile-share-faqs.html#main... ) in reference to the discounted Tablet question, it appears that discounted equipment isn't elligible for the Mobile Share plans and they would have to be off contract. Therefore, if you plan to upgrade your device you'll be forced to pay the full non-contract sale price for the device. 

Furthermore, it also sounds that if you want to move to the Mobile Share you will have to pay the early termination fees that are associated to your contract.

Can you please explain how the process would work for your contract expiration and your discounted upgrade elligibility as we use it today? 

Cheers!

[21stNow]

I think that this just applies to tablets, as tablets will no longer be subsidized under Mobile Share.  I don't think that there are changes for phone subsidization and contracts, though.  Jamileh will have further clarification for this.

[schafga]

Hello -

I am hopeful that someone might be able to help with my question.  As such, I have 5 lines on a family plan and we really need unlimited minutes (we do not use more than 5GB of data per month in total).  So, moving to the new shared mobile plans make sense in that we will have unlimited minutes and enough data to share.  But here is my question...when AT&T moves voice calls over to VoLTE (which I read will happen in 2013), will that start using my data plan?  If so, I will no longer have "unlimited minutes."   If that is the case, maybe I should keep my current unlimited data plan as once VoLTE rolls out I would technically lose my unlimited minutes.  OR, will VoLTE usage be calculated separately from your data plan.  Thanks so much!!!

[schafga]

Hello -

I am hopeful that someone might be able to help with my question.  As such, I have 5 lines on a family plan and we really need unlimited minutes (we do not use more than 5GB of data per month in total).  So, moving to the new shared mobile plans make sense in that we will have unlimited minutes and enough data to share.  But here is my question...when AT&T moves voice calls over to VoLTE (which I read will happen in 2013), will that start using my data plan?  If so, I will no longer have "unlimited minutes."   If that is the case, maybe I should keep my current unlimited data plan as once VoLTE rolls out I would technically lose my unlimited minutes.  OR, will VoLTE usage be calculated separately from your data plan.  Thanks so much!!!

[jamileh]

---

Snatch wrote:

I'll ask the direct question. How does the Mobile Share Plans affect our discounted upgrades?

Judging from the FAQ ( https://www.att.com/shop/Upper_Funnel_Promo_Modals/Wireless_Promo_Modals/mobile-share-faqs.html#main... ) in reference to the discounted Tablet question, it appears that discounted equipment isn't elligible for the Mobile Share plans and they would have to be off contract. Therefore, if you plan to upgrade your device you'll be forced to pay the full non-contract sale price for the device. 

Furthermore, it also sounds that if you want to move to the Mobile Share you will have to pay the early termination fees that are associated to your contract.

Can you please explain how the process would work for your contract expiration and your discounted upgrade elligibility as we use it today? 

Cheers!

---

This applies to tablets, not phones. 

Tablets purchased at full retail price are eligible to enroll in a Mobile Share plan. If you purchased a tablet for a discounted, two year commitment price and move your tablet to a Mobile Share plan, your existing contract will not follow the tablet. This would terminate the agreement and appropriate liquidated damaged would apply, even if you activate the tablet on a Mobile Share group.

Here is more info about mobile sharing.

Basically, 21sNow is right.

Hope this helps!

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

---

schafga wrote:

Hello -

I am hopeful that someone might be able to help with my question.  As such, I have 5 lines on a family plan and we really need unlimited minutes (we do not use more than 5GB of data per month in total).  So, moving to the new shared mobile plans make sense in that we will have unlimited minutes and enough data to share.  But here is my question...when AT&T moves voice calls over to VoLTE (which I read will happen in 2013), will that start using my data plan?  If so, I will no longer have "unlimited minutes."   If that is the case, maybe I should keep my current unlimited data plan as once VoLTE rolls out I would technically lose my unlimited minutes.  OR, will VoLTE usage be calculated separately from your data plan.  Thanks so much!!!

---

According to reports that I have seen it is not even scheduled for start og roll out till sometime in 2013 and will probalby be rolled out in major locations a few at the time just like the current LTE technology, heck there are still places that don;t have decent 3G coverage,  doubt this will be a concern for a few years. As far as your unlimited plan. Any answer given here would be pure speculation.

rememebr it is capped at 3GB, after 3GB it is throttled down, again suspect that this will not be around for to much longer. Was actually surprised that att did not follow verizon's handling of their grandfathered unlimited plan when they rolled out shared data - want a subsidized phone, they drop your unlimited, want to keep unlimited then pay full price for the phone and you can

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

Hello -

I am hopeful that someone might be able to help with my question.  As such, I have 5 lines on a family plan and we really need unlimited minutes (we do not use more than 5GB of data per month in total).  So, moving to the new shared mobile plans make sense in that we will have unlimited minutes and enough data to share.  But here is my question...when AT&T moves voice calls over to VoLTE (which I read will happen in 2013), will that start using my data plan?  If so, I will no longer have "unlimited minutes."   If that is the case, maybe I should keep my current unlimited data plan as once VoLTE rolls out I would technically lose my unlimited minutes.  OR, will VoLTE usage be calculated separately from your data plan.  Thanks so much!!!

[sandblaster]

---

wingrider01 wrote:

---

schafga wrote:

Hello -

I am hopeful that someone might be able to help with my question.  As such, I have 5 lines on a family plan and we really need unlimited minutes (we do not use more than 5GB of data per month in total).  So, moving to the new shared mobile plans make sense in that we will have unlimited minutes and enough data to share.  But here is my question...when AT&T moves voice calls over to VoLTE (which I read will happen in 2013), will that start using my data plan?  If so, I will no longer have "unlimited minutes."   If that is the case, maybe I should keep my current unlimited data plan as once VoLTE rolls out I would technically lose my unlimited minutes.  OR, will VoLTE usage be calculated separately from your data plan.  Thanks so much!!!

---

According to reports that I have seen it is not even scheduled for start og roll out till sometime in 2013 and will probalby be rolled out in major locations a few at the time just like the current LTE technology, heck there are still places that don;t have decent 3G coverage,  doubt this will be a concern for a few years. As far as your unlimited plan. Any answer given here would be pure speculation.

rememebr it is capped at 3GB, after 3GB it is throttled down, again suspect that this will not be around for to much longer. Was actually surprised that att did not follow verizon's handling of their grandfathered unlimited plan when they rolled out shared data - want a subsidized phone, they drop your unlimited, want to keep unlimited then pay full price for the phone and you can

---

Actually, for folks with LTE phones that still have the unlimited data, throttling does not kick in until 5GB but since he's talking about the shared data plan with unlimited talk and text, there is no throttling. If you use up your shared data, you buy another chunk, just like the metered data plans.

I doubt anyone knows at this point for sure but I doubt that any VoLTE calls will count against your data plan. Once VoLTE is fully rolled out, basically everything you do over the phone will be data and if they don't distinguish between VoLTE data,  sms/mms data and all other data, the whole unlimited talk and text will become meaningless. Consequently, I fully expect none of that type of data (voice and text) will count against the shared data.

[sandblaster]

Hello -

I am hopeful that someone might be able to help with my question.  As such, I have 5 lines on a family plan and we really need unlimited minutes (we do not use more than 5GB of data per month in total).  So, moving to the new shared mobile plans make sense in that we will have unlimited minutes and enough data to share.  But here is my question...when AT&T moves voice calls over to VoLTE (which I read will happen in 2013), will that start using my data plan?  If so, I will no longer have "unlimited minutes."   If that is the case, maybe I should keep my current unlimited data plan as once VoLTE rolls out I would technically lose my unlimited minutes.  OR, will VoLTE usage be calculated separately from your data plan.  Thanks so much!!!

[vierarose]

1) HSPA+ and LTE are two forms of 4G.

2) Just as with all of the current plans, there is no additional fee to changeplans or features. Changing in mid-cycle will likely cause proration, but that's normal.

3) AT&T is not extending your contract for switching plans, nor are they making you change plans, unlike Verizon.

4) The are very few things that will extend your upgrade eligibility, and changing a plan isn't one of them.

[sparkedfire]

I presume you could but I don't see the point.

[shoman94]

You forgot another smartphone.

Isn't it $70 for the plan then 2 smartphones so $80 and $10 for the tablet....so thats $160 for the new plan?

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

---

shoman94 wrote:

You forgot another smartphone.

Isn't it $70 for the plan then 2 smartphones so $80 and $10 for the tablet....so thats $160 for the new plan?

---

price out the competitors.....

[9th Ward]

Maybe three of the lines have unlimited data and the OP wants to keep that option available...

[shoman94]

I don't care about the competitors. All I know is I've been with AT&T for 15 yrs and the plans just get less and less appealing.

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

---

shoman94 wrote:

I don't care about the competitors. All I know is I've been with AT&T for 15 yrs and the plans just get less and less appealing.

---

unlike the competiters you are not being forced into this transistion, you have the choice of staying with your current plan or moving. Key words are you have the option. Not really sure why anyone expected the shared data plan to be cheap, but they can save money for a certain line of customers, one size does not fit all. For me they are ot worth it, I will stay with what I have currently, the price of the shared data is about what I expected it to be, maybe a little lower back when it was still a rumor

[Mazin]

If i signed up for mobile share plan can i use it as Personal Hotspot on iphone ??

[jamileh]

Yes, all Mobile Share plans include mobile hotspot on applicable devices (of which the iPhone is one).

[jpmerriman]

So, does this mean that the FAN discounts (I have Time Warner), ONLY apply to the data plan, or do they apply to the data plan plus the 1st device, and then all additional devices after the 1st will not be discount-eligible?

[wingrider01 ACE - Geek]

---

jpmerriman wrote:

So, does this mean that the FAN discounts (I have Time Warner), ONLY apply to the data plan, or do they apply to the data plan plus the 1st device, and then all additional devices after the 1st will not be discount-eligible?

---

answered earlier - only the data plan, not the devices

[FredW]

I am seriously looking at the shared data plan.  Looking at my bill with 3 smartphones, unlimited messaging, and 3 GB packages on the phones, I am paying $200 a month (not including taxes).  Actual data usage is usually a little over 1GB a month for my son and I and maybe 500MB for my girlfriend, for a total of 2.5GB.  I can get unlimited talk and text and 4GB for $190 ($70 + $40 per phone), which ought to cover it, or 6GB for $195 ($90 and $35 per phone), which is well over what I need.  

I do wish they would put in some kind of rollover for unused data, though.  It gives a nice cushion in case you have a high usage month.

[jbren1016]

Why is there a big jump between 1 GB and 4GB...nothing in between??

[jbren1016]

I wish there was a 2GB or 3GB plan, that would make it worth while. 

[renewedpurpose]

Yes, email is included in the Mobile Share plan. It will count as data towards whichever data allotment you select on your plan.

[renewedpurpose]

I am honestly disappointed that AT&T is not allowing existing iPhone owners to use Facetime over cellular in iOS 6 unless they sign up for the new Mobile Share plans. Don't get me wrong, the pricing of the Mobile Share plans seem reasonable. But I hardly make any phone calls with my cell phone so I don't need unlimited minutes. Too bad they won't let you use Facetime over cellular on the existing 3GB data plans.

[renewedpurpose]

I think the 1GB plan is mainly for people on existing family plans that have the 300MB data plans and don't really use a lot of data each month. I personally don't see how anybody could possibly stay under 300MB a month. As far as a family data plan is concerned I think 4GB is probably the minimum amount anybody should purchase.