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June 3, 2010

AT&T Mobility has announced plans for reducing the data usage cap and and its pricing on its mandatory smartphone data packages. The news was welcomed by the customers we spoke to.

In addition to smartphone packages, AT&T is also replacing the $30 per month “unlimited” offering for Apple's iPad 3G with the new 2 GB package. The wireless carrier did say that the new packages only pertain to new customers, though existing users can still switch to the new offerings without extending their current contracts, AT&T said.

AT&T also said that customers can add a tethering option to the 2 GB DataPro option for $20 a month. Customers will be charged $10 per gigabyte of data transmission over the DataPro 2 GB limit.

The wireless carrier said it will now offer two “options” for smartphone customers that include a 2 gigabyte monthly cap for $25 or a 200 megabyte option for $15.

The carrier previously required smartphone users to pay $30 a month for unlimited data access.

The new plans are set to launch next Monday which is the same day Apple is expected to unveil an updated iPhone.

AT&T added that about 64.8 percent of its current smartphone customers use less than 200 MB of data per month and that almost 99 percent of them use less than 2 GB a month.

A recent analyst report have indicated that the average iPhone users consumes around 800 MB per month.

The numbers indicate that AT&T is targeting heavy data users that have been singled out for causing network capacity issues on the carrier's 3G network.

AT&T Mobility noted that the new plans also include free access to the carrier's more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in the U.S. and that it would send free text messages updating customers on their current data usage.

The carrier recently increased the ETF (early termination fee) it charges for customers purchasing a smartphone that then decide to break their contract before the agreement expires. The new ETF fees begin at $325 before a prorating adjustment cuts off $10 a month from the total fee.

The previous ETF for all of the carrier's devices was $175.

The new wireless plans nudge closer to the carrier's DataConnect plans for its wireless modems that have two plan options at $35 a month for 200 MB and $60 a month for 5 GB.

Smartphone customers going with a tethering option on the DataPro plan would end up paying $75 a month for the same 5 GB limit offered on the high-end DataConnect plan.

AT&T added that the new smartphone options allow users to reduce their monthly payments on the devices as previously the least expensive plan Nation plan with the mandatory data package cost $70 a month.

The new offering allows customers the option of a $55 or $65 a month charge.

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Source: AT&T Mobility.