Your favorite carrier, AT&T, has decided to start making some changes regarding its smartphone division. It looks like the carrier will force users to get a data plan with each smartphone. The new measure will apply to everyone getting a new smartphone after September 6 which means that everyone else is safe for now. In case you will buy unlocked handsets the change will not apply to you but then again, not so many people choose to pay the full price for a smartphone, do they?

And AT&T is saying that it’s going to apply the new policy in order to make sure that customers receive a predicable bill each month. Here’s an internal AT&T email talking about the change:

Beginning September 6, 2009, customers who activate or upgrade to a Smartphone will need to sign up for an appropriate data plan. Existing Smartphone customers active prior to September 6, 2009 will be grandfathered and exempt from the new policy.

Why we are making this change?
We want our customers to have the best possible experience with their Smartphones. A predictable bill is a key factor in customer satisfaction, so effective September 6, 2009 Smartphone customers will need to subscribe to a data plan, as the vast majority of customers already do. Data plans let customers fully utilize their device, without the worry of bill shock.

How we will ensure an extraordinary customer experience?
The sales representative is the customer’s expert resource in helping select the right device for their needs. When a customer does not want a data plan, we will position other devices in our industry leading portfolio for the customer to choose from, as many devices do not require a data plan.

Action Required:
Sales Managers will review the Know the Facts, Job Aid, and FAQs (found under Related Links) with their sales teams and ensure all sales representatives fully understand the new policy and how to position the Smartphone data requirement to customers. A Sales Coaching Session will be available on September 5, 2009 (document to be distributed in advance).

What do you think? What carrier will be the next to apply similar measures?

via BGR

Tags: At&T, At&T, Data plans, smartphones

T-Mobile has launched those new unlimited voice plans we told you about a few days ago. San Francisco T-Mobile subscribers will be able to make the switch to a new unlimited plan.

The individual plan costs $49.99 per month for voice only but you can add voice and messages too. You’ll end up paying $84.97 per month for unlimited everything: $49.99 for unlimited voice, $24.99 for unlimited data and $9.99 for unlimited messages.

BlackBerry users will pay $49.99 for voice and $34.99 for data while family plans start at $89.99 for two lines and up to three lines are available for $39.99 each.

Just remember that you have to have been with T-Mobile for at least 22 months and have decent payment history in order to be eligible for any of the plans mentioned above.

via cellphonesignal

Tags: BlackBerry, Data plans, Family Plans, Mobile News, Mobile Software, T-Mobile, T-Mobile, Unlimited, Voice Plans

This isn’t something we weren’t expecting. T-Mobile has increased their wireless data prices for smartphones users. Unlimited data that used to cost $19.99 per month will cost $24.99 in the future. And there’s one more thing. It’s not unlimited anymore, it’s capped at 400 SMS or MMS messages. Unlimited data costs now $34.99 a month. That’s besides what you already pay for your Voice plan.

Getting a G1 will get you a default $24.99 data plan.
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Tags: Data plans, G1, Mobile News, Portable Devices, T-Mobile, T-Mobile

Although the i770 from Samsung is not quite the Storm you were waiting for on November 14, it’s still an important new smartphone. According to leaked news the phone is going to arrive in less than 3 days for B2B and online customers and it will land in Verizon stores on December 1st. The i770 will cost $199 after a $80 mail in-rebate.

Exactly on the same day Verizon will roll out their new minimum data plans, the $29.99 ones which you will need to get to connect to the internet from the i770.

Tags: Data plans, Samsung, Samsung, Verizon, Verizon Wireless

No matter if you’re a Verizon Wireless subscriber or not, you should be interested in the BlackBerry Storm which is supposed to arrive the following week. And you probably would want an unlimited data plan to go with that Storm right? Unfortunately Verizon’s unlimited data plans are just a little pricier than you would like them to be.

But here comes the word on the street which says there’s a new data plan in town called “Connect”. You will get an unlimited mobile internet for just $10 month instead of the current V Cast plan.

If someone does not want the Vcast service, this is a step above the current premium plans. So if your premium plan is $79.99, you can add Vcast for $15, for a total of about $95. With Connect it will be only $10 more, for a total of about $89.00. Connect allows for unlimited mobile web so if you want to save five bucks, and have the premium plan with unlimited mobile web, but no Vcast, that’s the new plan.

And if you want to add it on a secondary line, it’s also $10 bucks. It will be available on November 16 mobile web phones only, not smartphones.

We’ll find out if this all comes true, and hopefully the new Connect plan will apply to smartphones too.

Tags: Data plans, Mobile News, Verizon, Verizon Wireless

It looks like T-Mobile is going to surprise its customers by upgrading its data plans. But it’s not any of the pleasant upgrades you were dreaming about. T-Mobile will raise the price for most of their plans, including their BlackBerry data plans. Most of the BlackBerry plans will go up $5 as follows:

BB Unlimited web & message bundle 400 will go from $19.99 to $24.99
BB Unlimited web & unlimited message bundle will go from $29.99 to $34.99
BB Unlimited Web Only will go from $19.99 to $24.99

The new data plans will affect customers which will sign up for one starting with November 16th. That sounds Verizon deja-vu-ish to me! Check them all out below.

via BerryReporter

Tags: BlackBerry, Data plans, Mobile News, T-Mobile, T-Mobile

Another leaked Verizon Wireless document, and we’ve had our shared of those, tells us that the carrier will cancel the PAYG data plans. Starting this November 14th all new smartphones will require you to get at least a $29.99/month data plan. That means the regular PAYG data plans are history for new users. That’s because old PAYG data customers will be able to keep their data plans at least until they change smartphones.

Well that’s a Storm in pricing wouldn’t you say? Verizon Wireless is going to take advantage of all those new smartphone customers and their need to go online while walking. And we’re pretty much expecting Verizon to offer the new data plans to Storm customers too. What do you think?

via howardforums

Tags: Data plans, Mobile News, Research In Motion, Storm, Verizon, Verizon Wireless