Text 61067, 64 rader
Skriven 2010-06-02 19:39:17 av Alan Zisman (1:123/789.0)
  Kommentar till text 61066 av Charles Scaglione (1:123/789.0)
Ärende: AT&T new data plans
===========================
On 02-06-10 11:52 AM, Charles Scaglione -> Alan Zisman wrote:
 CS> On 5/31/10 6:31 PM, Alan Zisman -> Charles Scaglione wrote:

 AZ>> I signed up for Rogers' $35/mo 5 GB plan... which can be cancelled (and
 AZ>> restarted) at any time as needed, with no cancellation or activation
 AZ>> fees... so far, though, I've had WiFi access nearly everywhere, and
 CS> have
 AZ>> used a total of 5 MB of data in the first 3 days. I'll track usage
 CS> for a
 AZ>> month, before deciding whether to drop down to their $15/mo for 250 MB
 AZ>> plan or simply turn it off until I'm travelling or otherwise not
 CS> near WiFi.

 AZ>> The design flaw, in my opinion, is needing a SIM card inserted (even if
 AZ>> not in actual use) in order to sync the 3G model to a computer.

 CS> It appears that AT&T has just changed their data plans and fees for both
 CS> the iPhone and iPad. An article appeared in today's on line version of
 CS> Business Week stating that they did away with their unlimited data
 CS> plans. You can look up the details, but it would seem Canadian
 CS> subscribers via Rogers are getting a better deal.

 CS> BTW, lots of folks are in an uproar over this. The Apple iPhone and iPad
 CS> forums have fists flying in all directions... :)

Yes, I've seen that... AT&T initially offered unlimited data to iPad users for
US$30/mo, and now are changing it - for new users only - to a maximum of 2 GB
for US$25/mo. By comparison, Canada's Rogers and Bell are offering 5 GB for
CDN$35/mo.

When the CDN plans were first announced a few weeks ago, Canadian users were
grumpy, feeling that they were getting a worse deal than US customers. Now,
AT&T is modifying their plan - which had been promoted by Apple from the
initial announcement of the iPad several months ago - only about a month
following initial US availability of the 3G iPads.

However... AT&T's network is clearly over-burdened, and iPhone (and now iPad)
users were making relatively huge demands on the network... 'unlimited' access
was probably more than AT&T could actually deliver.... and making users
conscious that there are real limitations on available bandwidth is not, in
itself a bad thing - like limits on gasoline, clean water, etc.

AT&T, and in Canada, Rogers and Bell, are promoting that iPad users can stop
and start their data service without activation fees or penalties - they are
not on contracts... what's not clear about today's AT&T announcement is what
will happen if an existing iPad custom - who signed on last month for the
unlimited $30 service, cancels it next month, and then wants to turn it back on
in a couple of months... do they still qualify for unlimited service - as would
presumably be the case if they had stayed with it during the interim - or are
they now 'new customers' who no longer qualify? I don't think AT&T has
clarified but my bet would be that they will lost unlimited bandwidth as soon
as they 'turn off the tap'.

By the way - When I got my iPad on Saturday, I signed on w. Rogers for a month
at $35... since I have WiFi both at home and at work, I've been using very
little 3G bandwidth. My iPad reports that to date, I've used a grand total of 4
MB in the first 5 days. I'll continue to monitor over the rest of the month -
if I don't do anything by June 28, it will be automatically renewed.

It seems handy to have for the odd time... at the moment, I'm leaning towards
the minimal 250 MB for $15 tier...

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