Reviews » AT&T/Cingular cell phone plans
AT&T,
formerly known as Cingular is the second largest wireless phone service
provider in the United States boasting a customer base of over 70 million
in 2008. The company became this big when Cingular bought former AT&T
Wireless in 2004. Today the branding is made for just AT&T.
As with any large company there have been numerous customer complaints in online blogs and forums, most of them having to do with poor customer support or billing issues. Still, AT&T is the wireless provider of choice for many Americans due to its nationwide coverage and agressive marketing campaigns such as being the official iPhone distributor in the US.
Technology/Coverage
Technology used is GSM and GPRS/EDGE for voice calls and data transfer respectively. Here's an up to date AT&T coverage map.
Service highlights
Rollover Minutes
This is a heavily publicized feature that saves unused minutes from one month to another within a 1 year billing cycle.
iPhone/iPhone 3G
AT&T is the official network for the popular iPhone.
Video Share
Another useful feature allowing AT&T users with 3G mobile devices to see each other in real time.
Mobile TV
You can watch TV shows, news and more starting at $15/month (with certain phones only).
Disadvantages
The number of customer service complaints has been reportedly higher since the acquisition of AT&T by Cingular.
Current AT&T plans
Individual plans
- Senior 65+ ($29.99) - Included: 200 anytime minutes, unlimited in network minutes, 500 Night&Weekend minutes, domestic long distance not charged extra, 45 cents/min additional airtime, must be 65 or older to sign up
- National 450 ($39.99) - Included: 450 anytime minutes, unlimited in network minutes, 5000 Night&Weekend minutes, domestic long distance not charged extra, 45 cents/min additional airtime
- National 900 ($59.99) - Included: all the above with 900 anytime minutes, unlimited Night&Weekend minutes, 40 cents/min additional airtime
- National 1350 ($79.99) - Included: same as above, 1350 anytime minutes, 35 cents/min for additional airtime
- National Unlimited ($99.99) - Included: all the above with unlimited anytime minutes
Family plans
- National 550 ($59.99) - Included: 550 anytime minutes, unlimited in network minutes, unlimited Night&Weekend minutes, domestic long distance not charged extra, 45 cents/min additional airtime, 2 lines included, 3 lines max, $9.99 per additional line
- National 700 ($69.99) - Included: everything above with 700 anytime minutes, 5 lines max
- National 1400 ($89.99) - Included: everything above with 1400 anytime minutes, 40 cents/min additional airtime
- National 2100 ($109.99) - Included: everything above with 2100 anytime minutes, 35 cents/min additional airtime
- National 3000 ($149.99) - Included: everything above with 3000 anytime minutes, 25 cents/min additional airtime
- National 4000 ($199.99) - Included: everything above with 4000 anytime minutes, 20 cents/min additional airtime
- National Unlimited ($199.99) - Included: everything above with unlimited anytime minutes, $99.99 per additional line
Data plans
- Blackberry/PDA/Smartphone
- $35 - unlimited usage, 1.5 cents/KB in Canada, 1.95 cents/KB for international usage
- $65 - everything above + Tethering (connect your phone to your laptop)
- Laptop Connect
- DataConnect 200 MB ($40) - included: 200 MB, $10 per 100 MB additional usage, 1.5 cents/KB in Canada, 1.95 cents/KB international
- DataConnect 5 GB ($60) - included: 5 GB, 49 cents/mb extra usage, Canadian and international usage same as above
Messages and other addons
You can add messages, data usage and many other addons to most plans above. Check out AT&T's website for pricing and other info.