Virgin Mobile just got capped at 2.5gb. I assume Boost Mobile may possibly follow (They are both Sprint owned) If there's any of you out there who don't care too much about data, and currently have AT&T. I would recommend H20 https://www.h2owirelessnow.com/pageControl.php?page=plans&category=W
Being on the other side, working for at&t, I seriously don't have any sympathy for people that abuse the data rates they were given. You guys are part of the problem. 16 gb is a month? You can't be serious. I don't even use that on my home pc and I'm literally on the internet every day. want the data rates to stay low, quite downloading 24/7 every single minute of the day. At&t sucks in a lotta ways, but not in data rates. sorry.
Also, podcasts? Netflix? Those are all viable things to use your phone for that would cause 10+ gb a month.
okay i just checked and yeah i'm above 16 gigs. But still this is probably because I am now streaming grizzlies games. I had one month I used 2 gigs for the entire month.
You don't work in the technical side of things over at American Telegraph & Telephone do you? If you really knew what went on, you'd know that AT&T makes a killing off of American consumers, and there isn't much of a huge cost involved in providing this data from backbone providers and vendors. The real reason for data caps (Also, notice how they started on the GSM side first here in the States) is because AT&T built a TERRIBLE network in terms of infrastructure, tower positioning, and a mess of spectrum. While I do agree that some people do abuse data, and they shouldn't as it's a shared service. I don't think 16 gigs is that big of a deal. Keep in mind, that 4GLTE (yeah, that new shiny network your employer just built) will cause some people to use more just because of the faster data transfer.
I got my iPhone 3 years ago and I'm pretty sure I got unlimited data and texts. So I'm assuming my price will stay the same?
That's a little like saying Intel built a terrible processor. Technology and services meant to support it go hand in hand. Literally every single cell phone coming (including verizon) has dealt with slowdowns as a result of launching the latest and greatest phones. The iphone killed at&t's network, but it also did it to every other company that offered the iphone. So yeah, limiting data was a necessary action to gain a foothold on the neverending battle to keep the network running smooth and has nothing to do with "infrastructure." Adding a tower just isn't the same as adding another mainframe to the system (comcast) to keep up with demand.
If you had the unlimited data plan before April of last year I believe, then you should be grandfathered in. I think that's when the new plans went into affect, and only for new customers.
I never really heard reports of Verizon getting crammed after the iPhone like I have with AT&T & Sprint. You know how GSM works right? CDMA towers have about three times the call capacity per tower versus gsm towers. On CDMA networks, your call is routed to 2-3 towers that are in close range, if one tower drops off, (e.g driving or in a moving vehicle) the other towers effortlessly pick it up and you're good to go and are able to complete your call. With GSM, calls only get routed one tower at a time, therefore creating much more difficult hand-off. Especially when you are on the edge of two or more towers fluctuating signal between the two . This is why GSM providers drop so many calls. Also, CDMA has better building penetration , and AT&T likes to operate different frequencies depending on which market you are in. Either 1900mhz or the old TDMA 800mhz network therefore also adding more variables to their coverage maps (in terms of voice). Remember that the lower the frequency, the better it penetrates.
wow, you're trying really really hard to set yourself up as an expert in this conversation by throwing out a bunch of jargon. the statement that you originally made was that at&t built a terrible network. Now you are arguing that gsm technology is inherently inferior to cdma. And judging by this whole penetration slant you are using you are now moving to a coverage argument. stick to one thing. i think that at&t chose gsm because it was - and is - the international standard, and was the more mature technology. verizon went with cdma because it was the largest network in america at the time. again, forgive me if your assessment of the gsm technology doesn't convince me when the entire international community accepts it.
Why do you people have at&t......I think T-Mobile is the way to go. I can get unlimited minutes txt and data for 50 bucks.
numerous factors, could be because ATT offer best coverage in their area, hell maybe ATT is the only company in their area, so no other options for them. iphone was also only exclusive to ATT for awhile, so if someone really wanted the iphone they had to go to ATT.
So for those of us with unlimited data grandfathered in, is AT&T technically able to take it away from us?
Not really, I just don't like AT&T so I guess I'll apologize. You can blame Qualcomm from back in 95 as to why it's the world standard lol. That's why 3G on GSM carriers is on WCDMA. I guess you're right, I am really on just trying to point out AT&T's flaws. Originally, it wasn't that bad of a network, so I'll rephrase my statement to say (AT&T couldn't keep up with it's network)
not sure where you stand in that since i don't work for at&t anymore, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility that they remove you from your old plan, especially if your account is flagged with excessive use of the network. They have also deployed the option of waiting till you upgrade before they inform you that you have to switch to the new plans. There are even some cases where people that are on older rate plans have just gotten lucky and fell through the cracks of the system. i'll just say this, don't put ANYTHING past at&t. they are liable to do anything at any moment without warning.
