AT&T Just killed unlimited wireless data plans

[Trillian]

Unlimited, all-you-can-eat wireless data was a beautiful thing for Apple devices on AT&T, delivering streams of Pandora, YouTube videos, a million tweets, and hundreds of webpages without worry. And now it's dead.

AT&T's new, completely restructured mobile data plans for both iPhones and iPads have officially launched the era of pay-per-byte data, which we've known was coming. We just hoped it would take a little longer. It's the anti-Christmas.

AT&T is likely just the first, since carriers rarely do anything alone (like when everybody launched unlimited voice calling in lockstep), and Verizon's CTO has rumbled that plans with "as much data as you can consume is the big issue that has to change." And so it is.

Gizmodo article


But this yahoo article says most don't use that much and it's not a big deal, and will save some people money.

I've looked at my data usage and I don't consider myself different from most Iphone users. I don't constantly watch YouTube or anything, and am hooked up to wifi a good chunk of the time, but use right over 2 gigs every month. The plan they offer is $25.00 for 2g which I guess is great for some people, because it saves them $5.00 but it means there's more you'd have to keep an eye on. 
   There seems to be a lot of tech savvy people around here, and are probably smart phone users as well.  I want to know if my usage a common amount,  or am I angry only because I'm a higher user than most? Or should think at&t is being a money hungry hartlet because they think they're special because they have apple exclusivity?   

[Cognitive Dissident]

Saw that--fuckers.  Guess they want Apple to "broaden their horizons," because so far, and as long as Apple and AT&T are joined at the hip, I'm not interested enough in an iPhone.  I'll continue to make do with my crappy Treo 700p, which I can at least tether and get light internet access (on the road) for $10 a month.

[Trillian]

I know there are phones out there that are just as good if not better than my Iphone, but at the time I got it, nothing touched it. I know I don't have to worry about it for now as long as I don't touch my plan, data or voice. But if I start needing to use my minutes more, then I'm screwed which has always seemed silly to me when they've made that part of the deal- change your voice plan and you are forced to change your data plan too.  Stupid AT&T!

[Bill Brasky]

Its all about selling phones.  Unlimited data was the cheese in the mousetrap, and most people were unaware of how much they use, or whether they'd use massive amounts with an iPad.  If they were afraid of using unreasonable amounts, the iPad would be bricked on their shelf.  Now the marketplace has decided its not a flop (the iPad), and the sales people can talk intelligently about how much the average consumer uses. 

Which, since they're a business, they'll draw the line on the cheap side of average, and be able to upsell the packages.  Average customer uses 2GB, so you can buy that... 

And if you go over  and really love  using this awesome product  you might want to get the 5gb plan - because otherwise we'll charge you [$x>.0025/mb~/day/COMPLICATED! MATH!] 

I'll take the bigger plan, please, because you're harshing my buyers buzz, while I stand here with my girlfriend... 

[TimeLady Victorious]

Jailbreak the motherfucker and go to another provider then.

[Terror Australis]

I think at&t did this because apple will be releasing the iphone to other providers shortly.They see no real reason to keep unlimited data in this case.You guys are lucky in the states my iphone plan only gives me 700mb a month for approx $50 US.