Reality Check - Unlimited 3 GB Plan or 5GB Tiered Plan

[PSUGradAtl]

in general, it seems that the 3GB unlimited plan really doesn't provide as much value as the 5GB tiered plan... What do you think?

I am one of the "lucky" AT&T customers grandfathered to the unlimited data plan for $50 / month. I have the Samsung Galaxy SII. My monthly data usage has been running just under 3GB. I have not experienced speed throttling yet. I often browse the web, stream music with Pandora and Rhapsody and sometimes stream video but I have been trying to restrain the video streaming when off wifi.

The last I looked, it appeared that the 5GB tiered plan is also $50 / month and it appeared to include tethering. It seems to me that I am not getting the value for my money with the threatened speed throttling. I suspect I will probably exceed 3 GB at some point since I am so close so often and my data usage will vary as I find new ways to use my phone. However, I probably will not be exceed 5GB which would effectively be 80 - 100% more than what I am using now unless I did tether which I have no real plans for right now.

 

[Verdes8891]

in general, it seems that the 3GB unlimited plan really doesn't provide as much value as the 5GB tiered plan... What do you think?

I am one of the "lucky" AT&T customers grandfathered to the unlimited data plan for $50 / month. I have the Samsung Galaxy SII. My monthly data usage has been running just under 3GB. I have not experienced speed throttling yet. I often browse the web, stream music with Pandora and Rhapsody and sometimes stream video but I have been trying to restrain the video streaming when off wifi.

The last I looked, it appeared that the 5GB tiered plan is also $50 / month and it appeared to include tethering. It seems to me that I am not getting the value for my money with the threatened speed throttling. I suspect I will probably exceed 3 GB at some point since I am so close so often and my data usage will vary as I find new ways to use my phone. However, I probably will not be exceed 5GB which would effectively be 80 - 100% more than what I am using now unless I did tether which I have no real plans for right now.

You should probably check your bill again, your unlimited grandfathered data plan should only be $30, it might be in a bundle where it is including your unlimited text messaging thats $20 to create that $50 charge on a bill. I have seen that happen alot before.

 

[MattMJB0188]

Verdes is right, if you have the Grandfathered Unlimited it would be only $30/mo. I'd double check just to be sure. Anyway, if I were you, I'd hold onto that plan as long as you can because once LTE becomes more popular your gong to go 5GB very easily and at least you won't get charged for overages. That's about the only good thing with the unlimited plan. If you really need the 5GB plan then call up Customer Retentions and see if there is anything they can do for you. There was a guy on MacRumors who had called to complain about the throttling and they gave him three months free of data if he switched to the 5GB plan. Ya never know until you try.

Good luck.

 

[F350-6]

Just keep in mind that as technology advances, your GB use may skyrocket. Once you let go of unlimited, it's gone forever. It wasn't that long ago that a computer hard drive couldn't even handle 1 GB.

I'd guess the limit that sets off the throttling will change as things progress. If not, I'd expect ATT to lose a bunch of customers. I had an AT&T account for 20 years ( if you count metrocell which AT&T bought). They switched my unlimited data against my will and refused to change it back. They did let me out of my contract and let me keep my new phones. (although they did try to hit me with cancellation charges until I called them on it).

I don't miss them AT&T one bit, but if you still have the unlimited plan, I'd stick with it for a while longer. There's a reason they want you to switch to the 5GB plan and it's not for your benefit, only theirs.

 

[PSUGradAtl]

Hhmm, OK, so the unlimited text and data are separate charges... if the data is $30, going to the 5GB would add another $20 + potential overages above the 5GB point.

However, the second level of my concern is if I do exceed the 3GB, will the throttled speed be unbearable? How much slower is the throttled speed? Once the speed is throttled, will data be so slow that it will be unusable in a practical sense?

 

[sbddude]

Can you borrow an LTE phone from someone? if you get on the LTE plan, you get 5gb instead of 3. You can be on the LTE plan even if not using an LTE device.