Slashdot Mirror


AT&T Undercuts Verizon, T-Mobile With New Unlimited Plan (cnet.com)

Roger Cheng, writing for CNET: AT&T just fired the latest salvo in the unlimited data wars. The Dallas telecommunications giant unveiled two new unlimited data plans. The first is Unlimited Choice, a stripped-down plan that comes with unlimited data at a maximum speed of 3 megabits per second, standard definition, and no mobile hotspot. At $60, it's lower than T-Mobile's $70 plan and Verizon's $80 option. Both plans, however, offer you full high-definition video and 10 gigabytes of mobile hotspot access. Sprint still offers the cheapest option at $50 a month, although prices rise by $10 after a year. AT&T continues to push its video aspirations with higher end option called Unlimited Plus that includes HD video and 10GB of mobile hotspot access. The plan costs $90 a month, but gives you the option to add DirecTV Now streaming video service for $10 and DirecTV home satellite TV service for $25 a month.

71 comments

  1. Taxes and Fees by Kagato · · Score: 2

    After taxes and fees is it actually cheaper?

    1. Re:Taxes and Fees by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. When I had AT&T, my taxes were nearly $14 on a single line, and I live in a low-tax area of the Midwest.

    2. Re:Taxes and Fees by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Telcos often pad the bill by attaching their own fees to the line for the state and federal taxes and call it "Taxes and Fees". This makes look like their "sucker" fee is actually something mandated by the government and out of control of the telco. The "taxes and fees" line on the bill can very depending on how much particular company feels they can milk their customer.

    3. Re:Taxes and Fees by JackieBrown · · Score: 0

      Can you provide some examples of that? Because I'm pretty sure that is a lie

    4. Re:Taxes and Fees by known_coward_69 · · Score: 1

      i'm like $6 in NYC so it's not AT&T but your local county and state and paying the FCC fees to make sure the cows can use the phone

    5. Re:Taxes and Fees by torkus · · Score: 1

      Google it. Really.

      Basically anything not labeled a 'Tax' or 'Government mandated fee' is a BS surcharge by the provider padding their bill.

      BS Surchages that are just $ to the provider:
      'XYZ recovery fee'
      'Administrative fee'
      'Payment fee' (I love places that charge you to pay them)
      'Ugly surcharge'

      Examples of actual taxes not going to the provider:
      'Sales tax'
      'State 911 fee'

      Now, some of the provider fees MAY be related to internal things that cost money. The fact that they decided to break that out of their monthly service charge is BS and just lets them advertise a lower cost while charging you more. It's virtually exactly the same thing the airlines used to do before their pricing was standardized by law (of course then they started charging for 'extras' like checking luggage.)

      --
      You can get rich if you own a politician, but you have to be rich to buy one in the first place.
    6. Re:Taxes and Fees by JackieBrown · · Score: 1

      Mine is pretty clear with Tmobile (copy and pasted from the bill)

      T-Mobile fees and charges & Government taxes and fees:
      T-Mobile fees and charges
      Federal Universal Service Fund $0.90
      Regulatory Fee $0.08
      Government taxes and fees
      CA Relay Service and Communications Device Fund $0.14
      California High Cost Fund - A (CHCF-A) $0.10
      California Teleconnect Fund $0.30
      Emergency Telephone Users Surcharge Tax (911) $0.24
      Universal Lifeline Telephone Service Surcharge $1.30
      Subtotal: $3.06

  2. Coverage Area by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Doesn't really matter if the coverage isn't there in rural areas.

    1. Re:Coverage Area by Notabadguy · · Score: 1

      Doesn't really matter if the coverage isn't there in rural areas.

      AT&T isn't trying to steal Verizon's rural customers, and T-Mobile doesn't have better coverage. I bet AT&T would be happy to secure a big chunk of Verizon's urban customer base and leave Verizon with customers in the sticks.

      Rural coverage is a byproduct, not the focus you think it is.

    2. Re:Coverage Area by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Surpisingly, where I live in (rural) Indiana, I have great T-Mobile and AT&T coverage. Verizon is scratching for one bar and Sprint is non-existant.

    3. Re:Coverage Area by tim620 · · Score: 1

      In South Dakota, Verizon and AT&T are basically your only options in rural areas. T-Mobile doesn't exist at all and Sprint is horrible in metro areas (no 4G), let alone rural areas.

    4. Re: Coverage Area by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      SD is changing, T-Mobile rolling out Band 13 aggressively across SD, with more to come this year.

    5. Re:Coverage Area by Ranbot · · Score: 1

      It depends on the area for sure. In rural Vermont AT&T definitely has the best coverage, and Verizon's is just OK.

    6. Re: Coverage Area by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      Did you mean 12, or did they buy a new band and I need another new phone?

      I just got one that covers 2/4/12

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    7. Re: Coverage Area by tim620 · · Score: 1

      I stand corrected. I just looked at a T-mobile coverage map (first time in a few years). If the map is correct, they have a lot of coverage in SD. For many years T-mobile didn't have a presence in SD. Good to see that has changed.

    8. Re: Coverage Area by Aqualung812 · · Score: 1

      You need to make sure your phone supports a new set of LTE channels to get that extended range with T-Mobile.

      That expanded range comes from new frequencies, not new towers.

      --
      Grammer Nazis - I mod you "troll" unless you actually add something on-topic. Yes, I know I have mispellings in my sig.
  3. See, the free market works... by TsuruchiBrian · · Score: 4, Funny

    I just takes a little time when there are only 4 competitors.

    1. Re:See, the free market works... by jetkust · · Score: 1

      Mobile hotspot prices still suck though.

    2. Re:See, the free market works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just takes a little time when there are only 4 competitors.

      You still have to deal with AT&T, good luck with that & making sure your bill is correct.

    3. Re:See, the free market works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      The fact that a mobile hotspot is a separate cost is absurd.

      You should be paying for just the SIM card with the data plan. If I choose to put that SIM Card in a wireless router or in a cell phone should be entirely up to me.

    4. Re:See, the free market works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      EXACTLY. But how do these providers even KNOW or control the use of my phone as a 'mobile hotspot' today? I know how T-Mobile tries to do it which is by detecting 'non-mobile applications/browsers'. I know this only because T-Mobile 'turned off' my mobile hotspot usage while I was in the middle of using it. This was after 3 years without problems than BOOM! I called them up & was told "its not part of your contract", at which point I informed them that its a feature of my PHONE not their plan & my plan was for 'data usage', that's what I'm paying for end-of-story. Presumably as a way to 'save face' & get me off the phone as I was irate the customer service rep said "sorry sir, we'll just add it to your plan no questions asked". I informed her that however she fixed it was up to her but I had not accepted any new terms of service & was not agreeing that they had control over this usage of my data plan.

      Long story short, do the providers somehow detect the actual data usage & just 'guess' that you're using your phone in 'hotspot mode' or is do they now have some way to detect when you put your phone in to hot spot mode? The difference is important in if I would decide to select any new plan in the future.

      Push comes to shove though, consumers need to take control of this & demand 'data plans' that provide us control over how we use that data...end of story.

    5. Re:See, the free market works... by tim620 · · Score: 1

      I've never had a problem with AT&T.

    6. Re:See, the free market works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      From Ingenium13 below:

      Android and iOS have a tethering API. There is a separate APN entry for DUN (tethering). On Android at least, there are hacks with root that you can do to force the phone to not report this as tethering usage to the carrier, but ultimately if they wanted to they could figure it out.

    7. Re:See, the free market works... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And they continue the race to the bottom, the weaker ones will merge with the stronger until there are two left. Then they get fat and lazy, prices go up and service goes down.

      Welcome to duopoly, the game where both players win.

    8. Re:See, the free market works... by JackieBrown · · Score: 1

      The fact that a mobile hotspot is a separate cost is absurd.

      You should be paying for just the SIM card with the data plan. If I choose to put that SIM Card in a wireless router or in a cell phone should be entirely up to me.

      Why is this absurd at this price level? Do you really think that it should be cheaper to get unlimited mobile data for the home, in addition to the phone lines, and in addition to other benefits, for less cost of the regular landline cable?

    9. Re:See, the free market works... by EndlessNameless · · Score: 2

      for less cost of the regular landline cable?

      Since they don't have to run expensive last-mile wiring through the streets to every individual residence, their costs should be significantly lower. In a competitive market, this translates to lower prices.

      Given the practical/technical limitations, would I expect gigabit speeds with no contention from my neighbors? Of course not.

      But the idea that cellular bandwidth is particularly scarce is no longer true. In most areas, an unlimited home subscription should be viable.

      Hell, even the old-school ISPs were looking into using wireless for the last mile as a cost-saving measure. I don't know if they ever got the spectrum to try it, but wires are increasingly unnecessary for typical home/entertainment uses.

      --

      ---
      According to the latest ruleset, this post should be modded as Vorpal Flamebait +5.
  4. T-MOBILE ROCKS!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    AT&T and Verizon plays games and their customer service SUCKS!!
    Sprint has no network

    T-Mobile has best for all for best price. and their network is getting huge boost each year.. Verizon is not the only one with best network any more.. That game is over..

    plus i know for sure T-Mobile will keep challenging these Dumb and Dumber from Att and Verizon to give best service at good price.

    1. Re:T-MOBILE ROCKS!!! by Kagato · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The fact that TMO is owned by the germans it's not as alien for them to offer a tax/fee included rate.

    2. Re:T-MOBILE ROCKS!!! by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1
  5. Is this stuff even accurate? by duke_cheetah2003 · · Score: 1

    Someone told me Verizon is offering unlimited again. I see up there it says $80 for unlimited from Verizon, but strangely enough, when I look at my Verizon account with my phone, they want $65 for unlimited. So what the hell? Get some accurate numbers people.

    1. Re: Is this stuff even accurate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      line access fee

    2. Re:Is this stuff even accurate? by no1nose · · Score: 1

      For me the $80 becomes $110 When I try to sign up. It seems a little misleading.

    3. Re:Is this stuff even accurate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It IS accurate.

      The problem is all the "optional" extra fees they tack on.

      Welcome to the world of corporate bullshit pricing. The land where the big bad government isn't allowed to flush the bullshit down the toilet.

    4. Re: Is this stuff even accurate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      it's extra if you want dialtone

    5. Re:Is this stuff even accurate? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The new plan doesn't start until Thursday.

    6. Re:Is this stuff even accurate? by Kyont · · Score: 1

      Accurate numbers? Ha! Their whole game is to make it difficult to see how much you'll actually be spending. By the time the initial bill is all sorted and you're locked in for two years, you're stuck. The second bill arrives and you get sticker shock from all the fees and taxes that weren't very apparent when you signed up, but by then you have no remedy. Stay mad for 1.9 years, find new provider, repeat cycle.

      --
      You shall see a cow on the roof of a cotton house.
  6. Yet another retard-written article on CNET by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    AT&T hasn't undercut Verizon and T-Mobile when it is "stripped-down" service that doesn't even compare. By that logic, selling 3G only service at $30/mo is also undercutting them.

  7. Still expensive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And yet still double the price of unlimited plans of 2012/13
    You'd think as their network capacity and speed became astronomically higher and faster than it was in the past, that the price per gigabyte would drop accordingly.

  8. Who cares about unlimited when it costs so much? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    None of these plans even start to tempt me away from my $30/mo prepaid T-Mo plan. Nothing even close has been less than $60+. Give me something that cheap that doesn't suck and I might care.

  9. missing something by arbiter1 · · Score: 1

    Forgot to add the asterisk next to unlimited. Everyone knows its unlimited til they decide you used to much then they choke you down to speeds not much better then dial-up so it takes 4-5min to load a web page.

  10. How to they block hotspot? by fred6666 · · Score: 1

    If I bring my own phone and insert their SIM card?

    1. Re:How to they block hotspot? by Ingenium13 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Android and iOS have a tethering API. There is a separate APN entry for DUN (tethering). On Android at least, there are hacks with root that you can do to force the phone to not report this as tethering usage to the carrier, but ultimately if they wanted to they could figure it out.

    2. Re:How to they block hotspot? by cdrudge · · Score: 2

      Multiple different detection methods:
      -Your phone queries the network to see if tethering is permitted, or it explicitly tells the network it's tethering.
      -TTL value on packets are an unexpected value. If many of your packets have a TTL of say 30, but they suddenly see an influx of packets with a TTL of 29, that's a sign
      -Examining MAC addresses. Similar to above, if they normally get packets with a MAC of XYZ but then get a bunch of ABC, sign of tethering.
      -Fingerprinting of the network stack. By examining characteristics of network settings they can guess what OS is being ran
      -Examining data and URLs. Was a desktop webpage requested? Did the user agent match to a desktop OS? etc.

      Not everything is foolproof and guaranteed-false positives would be easy to happen. But it's not very hard to detect if the person is lazy. End to end encryption and running everything through a VPN tunnel can help mask many of the detection methods.

    3. Re:How to they block hotspot? by fred6666 · · Score: 1

      -Your phone queries the network to see if tethering is permitted, or it explicitly tells the network it's tethering.

      Is there such a stupid feature in unlocked Nexus or iPhones? Did Google and Apple pander to the carriers that much?

    4. Re:How to they block hotspot? by Jadecristal · · Score: 1

      Yes. The Nexus 5, pre-Lollipop, did just fine tethering on AT&T. As soon as it upgraded, it disabled tethering.

      https://forum.xda-developers.c...

    5. Re:How to they block hotspot? by swb · · Score: 1

      Yes, I took my iPhone 6 Plus (normally on AT&T in the US) to the UK in December. A friend in the UK had mailed me an activated Asda pay-as-you-go SIM so I could have cheap phone service and data while in the UK.

      When I first got there, tethering still showed up as an option. I (unfortunately) agreed to a carrier update while I was there and lost tethering -- apparently not a part of my Asda service. It wasn't a problem while I was there, the hotel actually had good and free wifi and I only really needed data on my phone, which worked fine.

      It's really shitty that carriers dig this deep and have found (yet another) way to chisel their customers. I tried digging online just now, and I really couldn't find an unlocked hotspot with US LTE bands, I'd be curious to know if carriers treat hotspot devices like tethering.

  11. No discounts by sremick · · Score: 3, Informative

    Looks like FAN company/corporate discounts will no longer be applied to these new plans. This was the only thing keeping them competitive w/ T-Mobile pricing.

    1. Re:No discounts by rsmith-mac · · Score: 1

      Looks like FAN company/corporate discounts will no longer be applied to these new plans. This was the only thing keeping them competitive w/ T-Mobile pricing.

      Bear in mind that AT&T isn't trying to be competitive with T-Mobile. They're trying to be competitive with Verizon. T-Mo stings in the cities, but it's Verizon that can threaten AT&T's national footprint.

    2. Re:No discounts by Sri+Ramkrishna · · Score: 1

      "stings"? I suppose you meant stink? In any case Tmobile is the best for the traveler, going through various countries and having free data is awesome.

  12. T-Mobile just responded by ZZ-Type · · Score: 2

    T-Mobile just responded. Three lines unlimited data, $100, taxes included. https://www.macrumors.com/2017...

    --

    Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
    Those who forget the past are doomed ... oh
    1. Re:T-Mobile just responded by supremebob · · Score: 2

      You gotta root for Sprint and T-Mobile. Their networks still kind of suck in rural areas, but at least the competitive pricing of their plans are helping to stop the $10 per GB "data raping" of at&t and Verizon customers.

    2. Re:T-Mobile just responded by sodul · · Score: 1

      And they have a kickback option where they give you $10 back if you used less than 2GB in that month on a line. For me it looks like I will end up paying $80 all included for 3 unlimited lines. I'll have to pay $25 for the new sim card and that's it ... now I have to figure out who gets the iPhone 5: the dog or the toddler?

    3. Re:T-Mobile just responded by ZZ-Type · · Score: 1

      I'm sure if you look around on their website, they'll offer the SIM for free. Here's a link to the Groupon page of T-Mobile stuff: https://www.groupon.com/coupon... In my case, I went to a T-Mobile store, and mentioned that I could get the SIM free off the tmobile.com website, and they gave me the SIM without asking further. Aloha

      --

      Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
      Those who forget the past are doomed ... oh
  13. "Undercut?" You keep using that word... by wickerprints · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...I do not think it means what you think it means.

    To undercut in price generally means to offer goods or services of comparable quality at a lower price. AT&T's offering remains inferior to its competitors; therefore, it cannot be regarded as "undercutting."

    If someone is selling upscale donuts at $5 a piece, am I "undercutting" them if I decide to sell cardboard "donuts" at 10 cents each?

  14. No, they didn't by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Unless it's a permanent pricing option, they didn't undercut anyone, they are tricking short-sighted fools into paying them more.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:No, they didn't by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or in laymen's terms: stealing. A business that refuses to take a short term loss for a long term gain is stealing.

    2. Re:No, they didn't by torkus · · Score: 1

      Also unless they actually tell you what it will cost with taxes and fees.

      TMO is throwing everything to the wind and doing what makes life simple for the consumer. Everyone else is trying to play catch-up and generally failing.

      I do laugh at the comments 'oh but their network' ... you're a year or three behind the times if you're still thinking that. Coverage is virtually equal and unless you live in the ~1% of the population that it makes a difference to you won't even notice....except for the monthly bill of course.

      --
      You can get rich if you own a politician, but you have to be rich to buy one in the first place.
  15. Won't help. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    t-mobile is the least hated.

    you're going to have to give a huge discount for just being verizon or at&t.

  16. After my experience Saturday, Fuck AT&T by swb · · Score: 1

    I've been a mostly satisfied AT&T customer for the last 7 years. In their favor, good coverage everywhere I've been, including Stumblefuck, ND, and they unlocked 2 (paid for) phones quickly and easily when I went to the UK so I could use an Asda SIM. Historically trips to the store have been brief and easy and I got what I needed done without grief.

    That changed on Saturday. Like most people, we haven't been upgrading handsets and my wife was complaining about problems with her iPhone 5s, so we decided to get her a new phone. She wanted a 7 Plus.

    On trip one, we went in and the sales droid pulled out all the stops to get us to buy other shit. $50 iPad mini if we added a line of service. Beats wireless headphones on the table "ready to buy", DirecTV, fucking cell phone insurance plan pre-added to our account in the tablet application. After telling him to fuck off over everything he wanted to do and to not stick us on a 6 gig shared plan when we use 5.95 GB regularly, we finally finished and walked out with the new phone and a case for it (she makes the money, so she gets to buy an overpriced case, but I digress).

    Sure enough when we get home -- it's an iPhone 7 -- NOT the plus model. Couldn't tell from the box without the Plus box next to it to compare (or reading the microscoping printing on the bottom label).

    Go back to the store WITH the iPhone 7 Plus case we bought and explain it to a different sales droid. Told him the first salesmen brought out the wrong phone, sold us a case that didn't match it without saying anything and who can tell from the sealed iPhone box (iPhone 7 and 7 Plus packaging is IDENTICAL in appearance other than size, and the non-plus box still larger than an actual Plus phone). Told him we had wanted the Plus but been given the smaller one in error. "Why would we pick out a wrong-sized new case? Why would sell us a phone and mismatched case?"

    He wanted to charge me a $45 restock fee. Store was crowded and I raised my voice and told him I wasn't paying for his mistake and I would (well, mostly) walk away to T-Mobile with all 3 lines of service. Manager heard my voice, came over and approved the exchange without the $45 fee. Then THIS guy wouldn't let up about the insurance plan -- "Are you a gambler?" Fuck off.

    So I get home.....and, the dumbshit assigned MY number to the now-right new iPhone SIM. Third trip back to the store to get a new SIM for my phone and the right number on the new phone.

    3 fucking trips due to their incompetence. I told the manager when I was there that he needed to focus his employees on the details of their transactions, not on the relentless upselling.

    1. Re:After my experience Saturday, Fuck AT&T by wickerprints · · Score: 1

      The same level of incompetence has also been my experience with AT&T. The reason for this kind of dumbfuckery is simple: it is cheaper to not have to hire and train intelligent salespeople; the cost of their errors come out of your pocket unless you raise a stink, and not everyone does; and their business thrives on clueless customers who buy the upsell.

      AT&T is a bloated and parasitic corporate machine that has suckled on the teat of consumer and government excess for so long they have no reason whatsoever to provide anything but the bare minimum level of service. They don't care if the savvy consumer leaves; they know they can't compete for that market.

  17. Price is wrong by fulldecent · · Score: 1

    $60 from AT&T is //MORE// expensive than $70 from T-Mobile.

    This is because AT&T uses la-la land pricing and T-Mobile has prices with ALL TAXES AND FEES included.

    --

    -- I was raised on the command line, bitch

  18. So this mobile hotspot thing... by JustNiz · · Score: 1

    ...are they still just artificially disabling that feature in android phones sold by them, then selling it back to you?

    I mean if you already have an unlocked android phone so it has hotspot support out of the box, can they even tell if you use it with a plan that does not include hotspot?

    1. Re:So this mobile hotspot thing... by amiga3D · · Score: 1

      I think you actually have to root the phone to make it hard for them to find out. The funny thing is that I have AT&T Next and I get 30GB a month, not unlimited and I can use ALL that for hotspot. If I don't use all 30GB it rolls to the next month(only) so I get another chance to use it. If I switch to "unlimited" I only get 22GB, limited hotspot and it's actually more money. That's a hell of a marketing plan they have there.

  19. Not a great deal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Really? That's no bargain. I use MetroPCS which is T-Mobile. For two lines with 4G Data included I pay $85 per month.

  20. Re: ~ O ~ Psychic ~ O ~ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you call this number you will be cursed and die a horrible death. Or some such shit.

  21. Somewhere... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A former Aol executive is laughing.

  22. Re: Who cares about unlimited when it costs so muc by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    With the t-mobile 3 for $100 deal going, it's 33/month/line. I'm going to take it get to get rid of the annoying 100 min/month limit. I use google voice to keep from running over.

    Unlike a lot of people here, I actually talk on the phone quite a bit.

  23. Re:Thank you, Hillary Clinton! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Funny, a "flamebait" with not a single "flame" under it... Such a fail...