AT&T new tiered plan for iPad/iPhone -- no more Unlimited

A bit...

I believe that while you lose "unlimited" you gain tethering, so it's a tradeoff. Their stats show that something like 90% of people use less than 2GB of data, so it doesn't seem really that arbitrary a number.

Of course, I can tether NOW with my iPhone on T-Mobile, so I'm not gaining much there, except a speed bump, since EDGE is quite slow. But, to not have to tether was kind of the point to the iPad in the first place.

I'm on the unlimited plan, and I guess I'll keep it, just to make sure that I can watch all the ABC shows over 3G I want to...LOL!

But, knowing what consumes so much data (those videos) I can wait to use that app until I'm on WiFi and conserve data if I needed to - without that, I'd be way under 2GB anyway.

I do think that people are gonna be kind of pissed about the timing tho. The 3G iPad has only been out for a MONTH, and they are already taking away one of the most significant selling features for 3G vs. WiFi, by eliminating the unlimited data. Does the rational mind understand that if your usage is always under 2GB, and you'd be fine with it, sure. But the irrational part says unlimited means I don't ever have to think about it except to pay each month (which is also done automatically) and now I'll have to pay attention - I must be getting screwed.

Besides, the ads and the keynote and all the hype was sexy with the thought of the 3G with unlimited data - about a million people thought so at least (assuming 1 mill got WiFi and 1 mill got 3G) which means AT&T just got $30 million a MONTH in (360 million/year) extra income.

My dad pointed out to me that data in and of itself does not cost anything. Sure, it costs to build a network and maintain it, but nowhere near the amount they are charging US to use it. The new cap is a little slap in the face, and seems like it's really geared to the 10% of people who hog the bandwidth.