AT&T bummed out a circle of long - time iPhone users Monday byannouncing a $ 5 per month rate hikeon grandfathered unlimited information plans . AT&T has n’t offered Modern customers unlimited data since 2012 , but users who snarl them up in the iPhone 3 constant of gravitation epoch and clung to them until now ( include yours truly ) will see the first terms tramp in seven twelvemonth , from $ 30 a month to $ 35 .
AT&T will first notify touched customer , and then begin charging them the extra $ 5 in February 2016 . While AT&T previouslycame under firefor throttling these so - call inexhaustible plans to a lower speed after customers murder 5 GB , the company recently changed its insurance . Now it only throttle user “ if you exceed 22 GB of information in a billing cycle and are in a congested area . ”
Why this matters : If you have unlimited data with AT&T and you ’re still under contract , you still have to yield the increased toll . If you do n’t require to bear , your only option is to scrub your contract bridge within 60 days of receive the gamey bill , and AT&T will dispense with the other termination fee “ for the lines bear on by the cost increase . ” I ’m the only outright - data line on my three - line family plan , so if I wanted to move my whole family , I ’d still be on the hook for ETFs for the other two lines . AT&T hopes customer will move to its Mobile Share Value plans rather — which can save you money versus paying for separate information buckets for each user , although then you also have to , you bed , share the data point .
What about the others?
Sprint , T - Mobile , and Verizon will cover the costs of switching from another flattop , as long as you turn in your current smartphone and grease one’s palms a newfangled one . So AT&T unlimited customers might study switching — and here ’s what you ’ll get hold if you go shopping today .
AtSprint , a raw 64 GB iPhone sextuplet is $ 100 down and $ 15 a month if you trade in another smartphone — it ’s a 22 - month rental , but you ’re allowed to upgrade to a novel iPhone anytime . Sprint has an limitless data program to go with its outright talk / text , but it ’s $ 70 / calendar month . ( All Sprint plans at 1 GB include limitless 2 G data , so the $ 70 / calendar month is if you want unlimited LTE data . ) Sprint may restrict unlimited substance abuser once they surmount 23 GB of data in a charge cycle . Interestingly , Sprint will still let you sign a 24 - calendar month contract for the iPhone , puddle the 64 GB iPhone 6s $ 300 upfront , but a monthly fee of $ 95 for unlimited talking , textbook , and LTE data . ( Sprint ’s Cyber Monday dealis only uncommitted in stores , for a 16 GB iPhone sise for $ 1 / month if you trade in an iPhone 6 . )
T - Mobile ’s Simple Choice Plan prices a 64 GB iPhone 6s at $ 200 up front ( reduced to $ 100 for Cyber Monday , in storehouse only ) , plus $ 27.09 per calendar month for 24 month . Unlimited LTE information is $ 95 per month , with inexhaustible lecture and text . But you might not call for straight-out data with T - Mobile , since Simple Choice plans also include “ Binge On , ” which excludes video recording services like Netflix from impact your eminent - speed data allotment ; “ Music Freedom , ” which does the same for music cyclosis ; and “ Data Stash , ” which rove up to 20 GB of unused LTE information forwards from month to calendar month . Like Sprint , once your high - velocity data allotment is gone , you get unlimited 2 gigabyte data .
Buying from T - Mobile can be a footling confusing , though , because they also have Jump On Demand , only available in T - Mobile stores , which requires a twist trade - in but lowers the twist fees , to $ 0 upfront and $ 5 / month for a 16 GB iPhone 6s . It ’s an 18 - calendar month lease , and you’re able to upgrade up to three timesevery yr , but if you strike down during the lease point , you have to pay the rest of the lease at a high charge per unit , “ up to $ 27 / calendar month . ”
Verizonoffers a 64 GB iPhone 6s for $ 0 down and $ 31.24 / calendar month for 24 months . It does n’t seem to have an outright data plan for new customers , but the tier go up to 100 GB a month for a whopping $ 750 . Verizon commend 3 GB for $ 45 for most masses , and a step up to 6 GB is $ 60 / month . Unlike Sprint and T - Mobile , Verizon will load you if you go over your allotment , at $ 15 per 1 GB . ( T - Mo and Sprint do n’t charge you more , they just reduce your speeds . ) Verizon ’s program also all have $ 20 tack on on for “ monthly production line access code , ” so your $ 45 data plan will result in a monthly posting of $ 65 .
home plan get more complicated based on how many short letter you require and how much data you’re able to apportion , not to mention the possible inconvenience of switching your whole family at the same clock time . My parents are on my architectural plan , for model , even though they live 3,500 nautical mile away — so I ’m most in all probability chill my jet for the time being and pay AT&T the extra $ 5 , although I ’m not thrilled about it .
What about you ? Do you still have a grandfathered straight-out plan on AT&T ? Are you gon na keep it ?
