AT&T Goes the Rogers Route; Eliminates Unlimited Data

Americans will be unhappy to find out that wireless carrier AT&T is following the Rogers Wireless route and no longer offering unlimited data plans for smartphone users.

In place of the unlimited plan will be new, more affordable but less robust options: $15/mo. for 200 MB and 2 GB for $25/mo. According to AT&T, the majority of its customers use less than 2 GB of data. Rogers Wireless in Canada claims similar figures.

While this claim justifies not needing to have unlimited options, it also leads one to wonder: if you know full well customers won't use that much data, then who cares? Why not give them the satisfaction of having unlimited anyway?

AT&T says an important reason for the change is that just 3% of its customer base accounts for up to 40% of the data traffic, and this results in slow transmissions and more dropped calls. The situation can be likened to Internet throttling, whereby Internet service providers purposely slow down the connections of heavy users in order to please the masses. That issue is one that has caused much debate in the computing world: shouldn't we be accommodating the users who are getting the most out of the technology, not punishing them?

Chances are that AT&T is making the move in anticipation of data usage skyrocketing even further over the next few years; especially with new devices like netbook and tablets (including the highly popular iPad) now operating on 3G wireless networks; and the ability to tether a mobile phone to a computer for sharing the data connection.

AT&T claims the change will also help open up the smartphone category to a wider range of users, since many haven't wanted to spend the $30/mo. just to get a smartphone like the iPhone.

Luckily, existing customers on contract will be able to keep the unlimited option if they already have it. But new customers will only be able to sign up for the 200 MB or 2 GB options from now on. Overage charges will run $15 for every additional 200 MB, or $10 for every 1 GB, respectively.

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