∞ Should AT&T offer rollover data?

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AT&T changed its data plans this week offering 200MB and 2GB plans instead of the unlimited plans many in the U.S. have become accustomed to using. For me, the change doesn’t really mean much because I don’t go over the smaller limit most months anyway. Joe Wilcox gives us five reasons why AT&T made the change in the first place and five additional changes they should make to the data plans, including rollover data.

10 things you should know about AT&T’s new smartphone data plans [Betanews]


  • Lucas

    on the phones I'm not sure that it is feasible but I do wish that the ipad was pay as you go. Even if they put something way out there like a 6 month expiration on each batch of data I think a lot of folks would be happier.

  • John

    I don't care about roll over data personally. I have two complaints though.

    First, if you have the 200MB plan and go over your 200MB, they should automatically upgrade you to the 2GB for the month. An extra $15 for 200MB is a rip off. This seems to be a no brainer since AT&T still gets an extra $10 and a person normally using 200MB or less is not likely to go another 200MB beyond their plan anyway. It would be a good move for customer satisfaction. They let you change the plan back and forth before the end of the billing cycle anyway, just make it automatic.

    Second, include 200 text messages with either package. We're only talking about a few KB per message. Keep charging for unlimited texts, but at least throw in a few with a data package.

    • Lucas

      That first point is exactly what I"m talking about. Forget rollover, at least on the ipad. Make it pay as you go. Apparently they are using that side of the system anyway. So for $20 you buy a 2GB block of data. It goes until you run out or say 6 months has lapsed. Then you buy another one, then another. Or if they wanted to be a bit more generous how about $5 for 1GB. Same gig.

      As for the texting, it apparently costs them something like 0.0001 a text cause it is piggybacking on the pings that are sent out to check for towers. They can afford to make them free straight up or if they must charge then $5 a month for unlimited. Or again, pay as you go. How about $1 for every 1000 texts in and out. Multimedia texts count as 2 messages if they must. That's actually not an insane amount.

      All that said, this isn't even the big issue for most folks. For them it is the whole device cost, ETF etc stuff. The laws said an ETF can't be hirer than the subsidy and must be prorated. But they don't condition that with literally the subsidy. If you early upgrade on an iphone ATT only shells out $200 but your ETF is still $375. Also, the law doesn't say it has to be prorated equally. ATT takes off $10 a month for a 2 year contract but an equal share is actually $15.60. Plus if you don't upgrade at the end of your contract but just keep going, you are paying the same amount, which is supposedly part of your device cost. Total scam