AT&T Wireless Internet Cost
This is the 2008 Review. Click here for the 2009 AT&T Broadband Prices Review.
The Facts
AT&T's Wireless Internet pricing (marketed as DataConnect for Laptops) is on par with the industry standard of about $60 per month. The difference with their service is what you get.
The one plan they currently offer was marketed as unlimited up until January 2008. Sure enough, they hopped on the 5 Gigabytes per month bandwidth cap bandwagon. While the official reason was to discourage excessive use, the real reason was most likely to maximize revenue.
If you don't use a lot of a bandwidth per month then this probably won't matter to you. However, if you don't use a lot per month, then another carrier may be able to provide a cheaper alternative.
Not sure on how where you fall? The first lesson of Mobile Broadband Buyer's Guide will demystify how much you can browse and download whether you have 50 MB, 5 GB or unlimited bandwidth (yes there's a limit to unlimited. Gotta love the irony)
Why pay for 5GB if all you use is 40MB? Go for
T-Mobile if speed isn't an issue.
The Fine Print
Why pay for restrictions with one provider when you can have freedom for the same price elsewhere? AT&T legal terms state that their LaptopConnect cards can only be used for:
(i) Internet browsing
(ii) email
(iii) intranet access (including access to corporate intranets, email, and individual productivity applications like customer relationship management, sales force, and field service automation).
You
might be better off with
Verizon Wireless Broadband who encourages the use of VoIP. What's more is that...
"AT&T has the right to impose additional charges if you use more than 5
gigabytes in a month".
As a heavy bandwidth user myself, these restrictions are like a jail cell to me. I opt for unlimited. I might consider something like this if there was a cheaper option per month by adding it on to a cell phone plan. That, however, isn't the case. I really recommend comparing carriers side by side before making a decision.
For more on the
restrictive terms imposed by AT&T, check the speed
section of the review...
