AT&T introduces new international data plans, raises minimum plan to $30 for 120MB

**xchpstang** · 06-04-2012, 10:48 AM

I also saw the one month minimum required on the new plans and figured the lower prices would compensate for the loss of the full allotment and still prorating the cost. I decided to ask an international rep via chat if the new plans would allow prorating the cost but still getting the full data allotment. To my surprise he said yes and I saved the conversation just in case they try to pull a fast one one me when I use data this summer.

**GSMinCT** · 06-04-2012, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by xchpstang

I also saw the one month minimum required on the new plans and figured the lower prices would compensate for the loss of the full allotment and still prorating the cost. I decided to ask an international rep via chat if the new plans would allow prorating the cost but still getting the full data allotment. To my surprise he said yes and I saved the conversation just in case they try to pull a fast one one me when I use data this summer.

Technically both could be true, i.e. you have to have it for at least a month, but when you add and drop it outside of that one month period, it will be pro-rated.

**skippinjack** · 06-05-2012, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by goestoeleven

nothing beats the unlimited domestic/international data plan for $64.99 though (minus discount!)

This.

**awj223** · 06-05-2012, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by mrcamp

I am not surprised. I've always believed the part about the charges being prorated, and the allotted data not being prorated was an error in their system. That stipulation of a "one month minimum" will certainly take care of that.

Why not just (gasp) make the data prorated as well as the charges? For example if you're on the 800MB plan, you get about 26.7MB/day. Once you switch to another plan (say the 200 MB), then two things happen:
1. All data from that point is treated as if you're getting 6.67MB/day
2. Any usage over 26.7MB/day up until that point, is charged as overage

This is always the way I've assumed it worked. I'd add a larger plan at the beginning of my trip. If my usage was significantly under that, I'd switch to a smaller plan half way through. If my usage exceeded the daily rate of the smaller plan, I'd simply leave the smaller plan on the account for a few days after getting home.

**GSMinCT** · 06-05-2012, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by awj223

Why not just (gasp) make the data prorated as well as the charges? For example if you're on the 800MB plan, you get about 26.7MB/day. Once you switch to another plan (say the 200 MB), then two things happen:
1. All data from that point is treated as if you're getting 6.67MB/day
2. Any usage over 26.7MB/day up until that point, is charged as overage

This is always the way I've assumed it worked. I'd add a larger plan at the beginning of my trip. If my usage was significantly under that, I'd switch to a smaller plan half way through. If my usage exceeded the daily rate of the smaller plan, I'd simply leave the smaller plan on the account for a few days after getting home.

That's not complicated or anything. Maybe they could just sell chunks of data for X price for XMB and let it last, say 12 months? That would be the most consumer friendly. And you'd just text in for that MB, and when you hit the limit, it would shut off, and the system would text you asking you if you want to buy another block. Other countries do it that way domestically, but I guess it's just too fair for US carriers to do.

**zephxiii** · 06-05-2012, 11:06 AM

My buddy is going to Europe and he is on sprint. This is WAY better than Sprint lol! Sprint offers 40mb for 40 bucks with $10/mb overage. The only other option is 80mb for 85 bux with the same overage rate.

**jseah** · 06-05-2012, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by zephxiii

My buddy is going to Europe and he is on sprint. This is WAY better than Sprint lol! Sprint offers 40mb for 40 bucks with $10/mb overage. The only other option is 80mb for 85 bux with the same overage rate.

That makes no sense. Why would someone pay $5 more to get 80 MB for $85 when they can simply get 40 MB for $40 and then pay an additional $40 for 40 MB of overage. That's like a grocery store charging $4 for a gallon of milk, but charging $9 if you buy a twin-pack of two one-gallon containers bundled together.

**quagmire** · 06-05-2012, 01:37 PM

The poster meant to say, of course, $80 for 85 MB.

**zephxiii** · 06-05-2012, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by jseah

That makes no sense. Why would someone pay $5 more to get 80 MB for $85 when they can simply get 40 MB for $40 and then pay an additional $40 for 40 MB of overage. That's like a grocery store charging $4 for a gallon of milk, but charging $9 if you buy a twin-pack of two one-gallon containers bundled together.

It's 10 dollars per 1 MB so it will cost you 400 dollars extra to get to 80mb if you don't go with the 80mb plan.

**DWC1** · 08-08-2012, 01:43 PM

Does anyone have any updated information on how this new plan works when you need to activate it for a short trip of one week which spans over 2 billing periods? The old pro-rated ability was handy but what happens now if I activate this in the middle of one billing cycle and remove it in the next billing cycle. I don't want to pay for more than 30 days total just because my trip dates happen to span over 2 billing cycles by a couple of days.

**mrcamp** · 08-08-2012, 02:31 PM

BTW, I just used this in Jamaica, and the charge was still prorated.

**DWC1** · 08-08-2012, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by mrcamp

BTW, I just used this in Jamaica, and the charge was still prorated.

That is great news. I will try this out at the end of August. I took a chance and emailed customer care. They were surprising quick with a reply as follows:

"Data plans have a minimum 30 day activation so even though you span 2
bill cycles, you will only pay one charge of $30, $60 etc depending on
which plan you pick. You also get an added bonus as the amount of data
provided does not prorate. This means you get the full amount in the
first bill cycle and the full amount in the 2nd bill cycle, all for one
charge"

**GSMinCT** · 08-08-2012, 07:03 PM

I wonder if this shares amongst the whole plan with the new data share? I'm just going to say probably not, like Verizon.

Also, WTF AT&T? No Russia, Estonia, or Cruise ships? Verizon has all three. It would be nice to have at least a few kbps for pmail on a cruise. Probably couldn't do anything else due to satellite lag.

**DWC1** · 08-09-2012, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by GSMinCT

I wonder if this shares amongst the whole plan with the new data share? I'm just going to say probably not, like Verizon.

Also, WTF AT&T? No Russia, Estonia, or Cruise ships? Verizon has all three. It would be nice to have at least a few kbps for pmail on a cruise. Probably couldn't do anything else due to satellite lag.

I also miss not having this available for cruise ships. I have used my iPhone on a several Royal Caribbean cruise ships under an unlimited international plan which did include cruise use. The data speeds on ships in the Carribean were not bad @ EDGE technology on ship but in the waters down under off between Australia & New Zeland the connection was worse than horrible. I don't understand why Verizon includes cruise use now and at&t does not also do so on these new plans. It's a real bad gap for at&t.