AT&T to offer 'incentives' to customers willing to limit data usage
By Donald Melanson 
posted December 17th 2009 12:55PM
posted December 17th 2009 12:55PM
AT&T exec #1: You know, our network's really getting slammed with all these people using their unlimited data plans to download things and do stuff online all the time. Any ideas how we can fix it?AT&T exec #2: We could put out more WiFi hotspots. People seem to use those. Sometimes.
AT&T exec #1: Sure, but that's not going to make a dent in places like New York City. I mean, have you used an iPhone there?
AT&T exec #2: We have these things called MicroCells that people can use at home, if they live in North Carolina. Maybe more people could use those?
AT&T exec #1: Yeah, that's good. But people like to use their cellphones outside their house too. What happens then?
AT&T exec #2: Well, what if we offered customers incentives to use less data?
AT&T exec #1: Now you're talking! What sort of incentives could get them to do that?
AT&T exec #2: Hmm....
Well, readers, are there any incentives that would get you to use less data? Feel free to offer your suggestions for AT&T in the comments below. And don't worry about actually paying more for data (yet, anyway), as AT&T 's Ralph de la Vega is now saying that "we have not made any decision to implement tiered pricing," which is a slight backtrack from previous hints to the contrary.
How about not arming and legging you just to have a cell phone plan
There is no way this is going to benefit the consumer. Right now I would expect that AT&T already can and does throttle users that exceed 5G per month. Regardless of what you say, the contract you signed says that is 'unlimited', and they can do that. Am I right? Do we have gluttonous users out there that have hit their 5G? What happens? So would tell me they can't support the traffic that exists now. If you simply charge less for less usage, i.e. below 5G, in some tiered approach, AT&T will just get less money, if nobody changes a thing. Same data usage, less revenue. Unless you believe that there are really enough excessive users that their extra cost for data above 5G will offset this. I don't believe that. Not requiring data plans doesn't help. You just lose the revenue from those likely not causing the problem in the first place. The only thing they can do is try to get you to use less data, in a way that doesn't cost them money, in minutes, texts, apps, etc. Can't see any option there that isn't going to be bad for me. I'm a very light data user, and I just see myself paying more for exactly the same thing I'm doing now, because there are too many folks in big metro areas using too much data for the network there.
I sort of liked the idea of taking all those folks that are the data hogs, and setting them up on another carrier.
it could just be a coincidence or something but i read this article yesterday, and today while i was at school, i noticed that i only had edge (iphone),in places where i normally would have 3g which is everywhere. i go to school in brooklyn. just a theory, but maybe to reduce bandwidth is to provide slower speeds, which would frustrate people, and in turn just not use the data if it is not that important.
How about taking bandwidth threshold data from your network engineers, rather than racking up data mobile customers for the sake of greed. The CEO should really take the heat on this one. This is ridiculous. Quote of the day "Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on OUR part."
I agree with many of the above sentiments. Having a Data plan be optional, or having a set limit and being able to view usage would be optimal and could lower costs for many users. I hate having my verizon bill be $82 a month (with a discount for being a Comcast employee), but that is what it is due to data alone. I could be paying $60 for like a 2GB Data plan and be happy. I would never use that amount and if it got to that point I would upgrade to the next highest tier and have it be prorated.
I don't get why this hasn't been on the mind of ALL executives across the board. AT&T needs it more due to their shoddy service but seeing this across the board, or even as an FCC mandate would be nice.
HMMMMMMMMMMM ATT, lets think, what should you do. How bout stop talking about how you have the iphone and get cracking on your lte network.?????????
The thing that annoys me about AT&T, and other wireless carriers, is they want you to pay more for using more but they won't let you pay less to use less. I rarely use over 500MB/month on my iPhone. I'm on wifi most of the time. Why can't I pay $10/month? $15/month? I just want data as a backup when wifi isn't available.
Isn't this the same business model the helped kill AOL?
I can't believe that AT&T is actualy thinking about something
so fucking stupid like this! I can't wait until verizon makes
comercials about this!! Oh and by the way.. I love my iPhone
and when it goes to T mobile I'm gone!!!
AT&T's version of good data plan is their $35 a month data card plan that allows for a whopping 200 megabytes of use.
That's not a typo. Two hundred megabytes. For thirty five bucks.
Not for a phone either. This is for one of those USB 3G devices for your laptop or netbook or whatever. So basically ATT is saying one good OS update and you're done for the month.
I say to then, bite me. I will gladly pay $30 a month for 4G Wimax with unlimited data, which even if it's not truly unlimited, is still better than 200MB a month. ATT can go rot.
Make data plans OPTIONAL! OPTIONAL!
Plenty of people would rather use wifi than 3g, and not have to pay an extra $40 a month.
Unlimited Data plans are around because they force most people to buy more than they can use. Make them optional, and you save your network the hassle.
In order for us to use less data, we will need to go to another provider, give up iphone exclusivity. Who cares if you have the fastest 3g network when it doesn't even cover but 10 percent of the United States. Way to go AT&T. Who cares if you can talk and use data simultaneously, when the speed you are getting is 10kb/s at best on Edge (in my area), the other 90 percent of the country. I tell people I have to wait until I get to a computer, thanks for raping me in cost AT&T, that sort of rape should be illegal, at least let me get what I pay for, and that is 3G.
This is called CRAB MENTALITY where you are greedy, tries to control market, and dont allow the market to grow and expand......... these "service providers" make US phone market lag at least 3years behind the rest of the world !!
@streetsmart
Wow...you are SO right, it's sickening.
Agreed 100%!!
Ever wonder why they have video calling in europe, more coverage, better phones, better plans, and better choices?
How about..upgrading your network you cock sucking profiteering glutton pigs!!!!
I would actually love to help them with that problem, but I don't have 3g in my town. I am pissed they cannot bring it to wichita falls (We already have Clear's 4g) and they are complaining about too much use else where F*** them.
...one more thing when I called to get a data plan it was all or nothing, unlimited data plan or nothing, meet me in the middle AT&T I don't want to pay 30 per month for EDGE.
How about tiered pricing for not using data. If its $30/month for data and you don't use any you don't get billed for it, if you use very little data charge $10, if you use average amount of data its $20 and if your a heavy data user charge the full price.
I think if Verizon had half a brain they would add an incentive to allow people to change from AT&T to their smart phone service for cheaper than a usual customer would to register. If so many of us are unhappy with AT&T and Verizon has a more stable network, give us a reason to switch and watch us all flock to you. I know I would!
Well....Since it says "UNLIMITED", then anybody would be under the cap and eligible for any incentive bonus. ATT&T should just stop selling something as unlimited if it is not unlimited.
Who even cares about data rates, I have a 50-75% chance of the calls I make dropping within a few minutes. Less frequently I get weird connection problems like echos / voice lag. I live in Boston which isn't even one of the heavy problem areas.
I'm pretty naive about the way cell networks work, but it seems like it would be easy enough to just isolate a portion of their bandwidth for voice to make sure their core service - phone calls - works properly.
@fylraen Well, to clarify, I DO care about data rates. Just making the point that they need to fix their voice service too, and it seems like it should be a priority.
1. Give customers Microcells w/free calling.
2. Waive iphone exclusivity
3. Let people choose Edge-only data plan
This is just like AT&T and with some similarity to Verizon on how they price their products and services. Why not offer an incentive to those who do not use as much data. I am really unhappy that I have to pay an extra $30 per month when I only use a fraction of the 5GB cap. In addition if I were to sum up all the times I dropped calls or could not access data I am sure it would be less than the $30 per month value.
@4RealCZ I mean to look at it from a value perspective... What kind of "incentive" will it be?
My two-cents: if a company cannot provide for the market, that company has a problem, not the market.
I suggest ATT invests in 21st century technology across the board -- everywhere and "everywhen".
The future belongs to the one who can see it and work for it, not to the one who wants to survive to get to it.
Customers pay hard money to have a contract honored. Why is it so difficult, ATT?
Free or cheap UMA. That would encourage customers to use their WiFi connection more.
Free or cheap SMS and MMS over IP has negligible variable costs but should have a large impact on WiFi usage.
Offer discounts to corporate accounts that use WiFi. This should help a lot in NYC.
Offer a la carte data plans. E.g., an email plan, Facebook plan, IM plan, ESPN plan.
Work with Google and others to develop less data intensive apps. E.g., Google Maps, Google Reader, and Pandora apps that cache at off-peak hours or encourage USB syncing.
Work with Apple, RIM, and others to implement Ethernet over USB so smartphones automatically switch to data over USB when connected.
Blanket NYC with WiFi access points and disable 3G.
Offer phones with AM/FM radios and broadcast HDTV receivers so people will have more to do with their phones that don't require data usage.
Work with Hulu, Slingplayer, and others to offer automatic USB syncing of videos.
Pressure Apple to require iPhone developers to pay a data tax according to how data intensive their apps are.
Charge an iPhone douche surcharge.
Hand out free bats and start a "Beat an iPhone douche" campaign.