data plan
Latest
iTether app skirts carrier tethering plans, sets up shop in iOS App Store
Ready to share your iPhone's data plan with your laptop without springing for the requisite tethering plan? No, it's not another brightly colored, data smuggling easter egg, it's iTether, a USB tethering app that has apparently made its way through Apple's approval process. The data sharing newcomer promises to pipe your existing data plan to your PC via a companion desktop application. If history is anything to go by, this $15 app won't be available for long, so you'd better get while the getting's good -- it seems that high demand has already taken Tether's website down. Update: Aaaannnd, it has been yanked. 'Twas great while it lasted! [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sprint to nix 'unlimited' from mobile broadband and hotspot plans in November
We'd heard rumblings that unlimited data for Sprint's mobile hotspot plan was going the way of the dodo, but come November folks, it'll be official. Data sent and received over tethering -- not smartphone usage -- will now be measured against a 5GB cap. The same applies to mobile broadband subscribers, who will lose "unlimited" WiMax, instead having all their bits counting towards 3GB, 5GB or 10GB buckets (as seen above). Going over your allotment in either plan naturally incurs overages, which could get pricey at 5 cents per MB, and worst of all, existing unlimited plans won't be grandfathered in. So, start counting down those last few days of limitless bliss, as you weep peeping the full details that await at the source. [Thanks, Darren]
Sprint's unlimited data plans aren't going anywhere, CTO confirms
Sprint may have plenty of changes in store for its upcoming "strategy update," but it looks like one crucial policy will remain in place -- unlimited data plans. Speaking to reporters at Mobilize in San Francisco yesterday, company CTO Stephen Bye confirmed that even though competitors like Verizon and AT&T are phasing out their unlimited plans, Sprint remains committed to providing its customers with infinite data. Doing so won't come without costs, since, as Bye explained, not all unlimited subscribers eat up the same amount of data. But the exec pointed out that these efforts are counterbalanced by the relative simplicity of managing unlimited schemes, and don't seem quite as prohibitive when compared with the hidden customer support costs involved with more complex, tiered plans. Yet despite all this optimism, Sprint seems fully aware that some major expenses are on the horizon, especially with a revamped 4G LTE network in the pipeline and, perhaps, with the iPhone 5 on the way. "Is there pressure? Yeah," Bye acknowledged. "There's a challenge for all engineers to work on how we get the cost structure down." Bye went on to reiterate, however, that although a new data network may attract new investors, it's ultimately Sprint's unique data plans that will keep its customer base intact.
AT&T willing to make concessions to save T-Mobile merger, sources say
Now that the US government has moved to block its merger with T-Mobile, AT&T is gearing up for a long and potentially pricey legal battle with the Department of Justice. According to Reuters, however, the provider is also working on a settlement offer, in the hopes of bypassing the courtroom altogether. Sources close to the matter say AT&T will soon present its proposal to antitrust regulators, who are concerned that the company's purchase of T-Mobile may hinder market competition. Details on the proposal remain vague, though it will likely include promises to keep T-Mobile's low-cost data and calling plans, along with pledges to sell off some of its own assets. But some insiders say the carrier may have to sell up to 25 percent of T-Mobile's business in order to put regulators' minds at ease. AT&T has yet to comment on the report, though one of Reuters' sources claims that its lawyers are "pretty determined that they can find a solution, and they are pretty confident."
Verizon Wireless promos $20 plan for the data reluctant
For those of you living close to our nation's circle of political puissance, Verizon's got a promotional offer that'll help you feel like one of the data-dependent elite. Available starting today and running through September 30th, existing voice subscribers in Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia can begin their trek towards an always-connected lifestyle by tacking on 300MB of data for $20 per month. The deal's intended for cost-conscious customers who haven't yet learned "the many benefits of... a smartphone," and is open to any of the operator's 3G or 4G LTE handsets. Be sure to hit the break to find out more in the presser below, but we warn you -- internet addiction is a slippery, costly slope.
Verizon now cracking down on jailbreak tethering and apps
Verizon is now blocking customers from tethering for free on their data plan. For years, savvy smartphone owners have used hacks and software to connect their laptop or tablet to their phone's mobile broadband connection without paying the additional US$20 monthly charge for tethering. Until now, carriers have turned a blind eye to this free tethering and let it continue as long as data usage wasn't excessive. Verizon, similar to AT&T, has decided to put an end to this practice. The carrier is forwarding these free tethering customers to a Verizon webpage that lets them add the tethering option to their plan in just a few clicks. This move comes hot on the heels of Verizon's controversial decision to end its unlimited data plan last month.
3 Sweden offers half-price sale on iPhone 3GS contract
Tired of expensive mobile phone contracts? Maybe you should move to Sweden, where mobile provider 3 Sweden is offering a half-off sale on a two-year contract for an iPhone 3GS. The new pricing makes a "3 Surf" package 99 krona or about $15.36 a month, with a more capable "3 Pott" package running 199 krona or around $30.68 per month. That cheap package gives you "free surfing" of up to 1 GB of data (more data at a reduced rate), but you need to spend .39 krona or about six cents per minute for voice. That would work great for me, since I rarely use my iPhone to talk to other humans anyway. The other package includes a "pot" of service that can be spread around different services including voice, SMS, and MMS. There's also free data with that package, but only up to .5 GB, after which your service is at a reduced speed. Basically, as with most worldwide mobile carriers, there's always fine print to look at. With 3 Sweden's half-price sale with an iPhone 3GS, though, the impact on the wallet is less than what most of us have to put up with.
AT&T announces throttling plans, gently reminds us why the T-Mobile acquisition is so great
AT&T today officially confirmed what so many had expected for some time now: the carrier will be throttling select users' unlimited data plans. The move, which takes effect on October 1st, is a response to a "serious wireless spectrum crunch," according to a message issued today. The changes will not affect most customers, according to the company, primarily targeting those who fall within the top five percent of heavy users in a given billing cycle. Once the new period begins, speeds will be restored. Even with this new plan in place, however, the company says that the spectrum problems still won't be resolved -- it does have a simple solution, however, explaining that "nothing short of completing the T-Mobile merger will provide additional spectrum capacity to address these near term challenges." Full text after the break.
Rogers listens, bumps data caps, lets you stream a few extra Netflix movies a month
Rogers hasn't exactly made a lot of fans with the rather draconian caps on its cable modem service. But the company wants you to know, it has heard your complaints and doesn't want to cut you off from your precious, bandwidth-intensive Netflix streams. That's why it's raising the limits on its three top tier plans later this month. Extreme subscribers are getting a bump from 80GB to 100GB, Extreme Plus users from 125GB to 150GB, and Ultimate customers from 175GB to 250GB. The company is even boosting speeds, you know, to help you make more efficient use of that newly raised data ceiling -- from 15Mbps to 24Mbps for the Extreme and 25Mbps to 32Mbps for Extreme Plus. It's always nice to see a company listen to its customers, and come on, data caps aren't all that bad.
T-Mobile unveils flexible new Value plans: unlimited talk, text, and / or data for any device
We'll give T-Mobile credit, it isn't afraid to shake things up to try to gain ground on Big Red and Ma Bell in the cellular arms race. Mere months after rolling out new prepaid options for its customers, T-Mo is bringing Value plans to the people. These new plans come in various configurations, but all are available with any of the carrier's phones, tablets, or broadband accessories. In exchange for a two year commitment, you get 2, 5, or 10GB of high speed data, with limitless websurfing at slower speeds. Full pricing hasn't been announced, but we do know you'll be able to get two lines with unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data for $100, while the data alone will run $20 per month. Sound good? Well, the plans go live next Monday, so you've got plenty of time to read up on your options in the PR after the break.
Orange UK offers daily 30MB for £3 roaming option for fee weary travelers
Oh Orange UK customers, you lucky dogs, your carrier is giving you a bit of a break as we enter globe-trotting season. No longer are you chained to absurd per-MB roaming charges or unnecessary monthly plans. Instead, you can shell out £3-a-day (about $5) for 30MB of data -- which is plenty for checking e-mail and doing some light browsing. If you don't use any data then you don't get charged (sweet!), but go over that limit and you're back to the normal £3.07-per-MB rate (not so sweet). It's a perfect option for the traveler who only spends a week or two abroad at a time, and it closes the gap with fellow UK provider Vodafone, which offers a £2-per-day, 25MB option. Now, if only others (especially our friends here in the US) would offer sensible roaming plans of their own.
Virgin Mobile preparing to alter pricing, send love to BlackBerry users?
With price hikes trending as the mobile industry's latest fashion faux pas, it appears that Virgin Mobile is readying its latest summer styles -- and yes, it may cost you. Sir Branson's minute misers will pay an extra $10 each month ($35 total) for the same 300 minutes, and casual chatters will pay an additional $5 each month ($45 total) for their familiar 1,200 minutes. Fortunately, those with an unlimited voice plan will actually pay $5 less, thanks to the new $55 plan, and the company seems prepared to eliminate its $10 monthly tax on Blackberry users -- not a bad move, since they've got it hard enough already. Hey, at least a few will be thankful for the Rebel Billionaire's latest move.
Verizon data charges leak continues, $30 tethering for 4G customers
The scan above purports to show a Verizon customer brochure that will appear in stores next Thursday, revealing nothing beyond the detailed leaks we've already reported but at least providing some reassuringly crinkled corroboration of the salient details. New customers will barred from the happy land of unlimited data, and will instead have to cough up tiered monthly fees ranging from $10 for 75MB up to $80 for 10GB, plus an extra $20 for tethering rights. In a separate turn to this tale, we hear that customers who want to tether to a 4G handset will have to pay $30 per month to keep Big Red happy. This might come as a shock if you've been living it up on the free tethering offer that ends next week, but we had a strong inkling it was coming. Besides, it's not all bad: those 30 bucks will get you unlimited data on the fastest LTE network around, whereas the $20 crew must make do with a mere 2GB monthly. [Thanks, Verizon Guy]
AT&T to enable BlackBerry Bridge support before sundown
Most tablets function just fine on their own, but RIM's BlackBerry Playbook introduced a unique, yet restrictive interface that limits Bluetooth tethering to a similarly-branded handset. This feature, called BlackBerry Bridge, lets your tablet piggyback on a handset's 3G data connection, also enabling access to productivity apps like email and calendar, which are still otherwise unavailable on the PlayBook. Unfortunately, this option hasn't been made available for AT&T users, but that's about to change, as the feature will be added to App World today. While the Bridge suite is totally gratis, enabling the AT&T 3G data connection requires a monthly tethering plan of $45, which means anyone grandfathered into the unlimited data feature will need to decide if it's worth the jump. Bridge not sounding like your cup of tea? Don't worry -- at least you can take comfort in knowing that the days of pining for native email are numbered.
AT&T confirms it's 'working on' a shared data plan, won't commit to a time frame
AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega just confirmed at the D9 conference today that the carrier is "working on" a shared data plan, but he's not committing to a time frame just yet. He also left no doubts about those plans when pressed further on the question, clearly opening the door to a situation where you could have an iPad, an Atrix 4G, an AT&T netbook and just about anything else all sharing a unified pool of minutes and data. He didn't offer any hints about possible pricing, though, and it certainly sounds like this is something that's still a ways out from actually being launched.
Verizon finally killing unlimited data plans this summer, says it'll get iPhone 5 at same time as AT&T
Verizon's been telegraphing its intent to drop unlimited data plans for nearly a year, and despite the fact that LTE smartphones launched with all-you-can-eat options, those plans haven't changed one bit. Reuters reports that Verizon will finally nix the megabyte buffet this summer, replacing it with a fully tiered data pricing scheme, though CFO Fran Shammo also floated the idea that tiered data could open up an avenue for family data plans. We've never really enjoyed sharing minutes, so we doubt counting our kilobytes will be much fun, but we suppose there's always room for Verizon to pleasantly surprise us with a really low price for mobile web browsing. Right? By the by, Fran also reiterated claims that the next iPhone will be a global device, and said that when it launches on AT&T, it'll hit Verizon stores at the very same time.
T-Mobile baking fresh prepaid plans May 22, adds more 4G data for flavor
Consumers are flocking to prepaid about as fast as children to an ice cream truck, and T-Mobile is welcoming them with open arms. Pushing out a competitive and timely response to Verizon's Unleashed plans is vital -- especially given T-Mobile's paltry first-quarter results -- and the company will be ready to match wits with the country's number-one carrier on May 22. The official site is already saying as much, proclaiming to its prepaid customers that their monthly packages will become even tastier at that time. What it's missing, though, is a name, and TmoNews has uncovered evidence suggesting 'T-Mobile Monthly 4G' will be the re-branded title. So what will these new enhancements bring to customers? Monthly rates will stay exactly the same as before, with additional 4G data supplying an extra oomph to the offerings. The top-of-the-line plan goes for $70 and will offer unlimited minutes, text, and web (a jump up from the 2GB currently in use); the $50 choice is identical in minutes and text, but will only allow 100MB before data gets throttled. This idea of cutting down internet use is a definite upgrade to the current plan, since at present time it gives out the same 100MB but cuts data use completely off as soon as that point is reached. We're also noticing that international and BlackBerry services are available a la carte for an extra $10, as well as a noteworthy day pass that bestows 24 hours of unlimited 4G data for $1.49. Color us impressed; all of the latest revamps to T-Mobile's prepaid options are a refreshing contrast to its competitors mandating more and more restrictions to their monthly data plans.
Sprint adds two new 3G mobile broadband plans, unlimited WiMAX for all
Want an unlimited WiMAX hotspot for $45 per month? Sprint's got a new plan that gives you just that, plus 3GB of 3G data. There's also a brand-new 10GB plan for $90 if you need to cruise a bit further down the slow road. Sprint's 4G-only devices still carry a $50 monthly fee, and like the carrier's existing 5GB plan (still $60), the new ones also have unlimited WiMAX, making the $45 plan a bargain if you happen to own a compatible device. If you already pay for unlimited service on a Sprint cell phone, you can also avoiding paying the included $10 "premium data" surcharge -- this means Unlimited Everything and Everything Data subscribers can now add an unlimited 4G hotspot (with 3GB of 3G usage) for just $35.
HP launches DataPass to sell prepaid 3G data plans, service piggybacks on Sprint's network
It looks like HP is getting into the prepaid data game. The company just announced DataPass, a solution that lets you purchase 3G service from your laptop. The service is HP-branded, and that isn't just marketing hype -- the company bought wholesale spectrum data from Sprint and is setting its own prices, effectively turning the PC maker into an MVNO. The no-contract plans start at $5 for a modest 75MB, which HP says is enough for about five hours of use, and stretch up to $30 for 1GB. Look for it as an option across the company's lineup of business notebooks with the Qualcomm Gobi un2400 radio module.
Sprint set to introduce tiered data for mobile broadband, steal candy from children (update: 3G only)
There's a rumor flying about that Sprint is about to drop the unlimited act and give its mobile broadband pricing a shot in the arm. Based on its current plan, $50 per month buys you unlimited data, but after this purported change, the same fee will limit you to 5GB each month -- assuming you're already a Sprint customer using data on your phone, because otherwise it'll cost you an additional $10 per month. Sure, we get that Sprint isn't a charity, but is simply copying and pasting Verizon's mobile broadband pricing really the way to go? Like VZW, it's also been suggested that the Now Network will implement a 3GB plan for $35 and a 10GB option for $80. On the bright side (possibly maybe?), Sprint is throwing in an additional 300 minutes on top of its 450 minute voice plan, though frankly we'd rather have more data. Does anyone have change for 300 unused minutes? Update: Looks like this tiered pricing only applies to 3G, and that WiMAX data plans remain unlimited (see picture after the break). Update 2: Sprint has confirmed that WiMAX usage over mobile broadband cards will stay uncapped, and would like to remind everyone that its data plans for phones will remain unchanged (and of course, unlimited). [Thanks, Korey]
