Overview:
AT&T, formerly Cingular, is the largest telecommunications company in the USA. It deals in residential, business, and wireless communications. It merged with Bell South and Cingular to form one of the most innovative services in America today. They are based in San Antonio, Texas.
Pros: Whether you’re an individual needing a cell phone or a business user who needs to be able to work from his BlackBerry everywhere, AT&T has sixty plans in all different genres. Plan prices aren’t too bad, and new customers will like that they can add extras to their accounts for a relatively low cost. If your plan doesn’t include it, you can still add it. You can choose from individual, prepaid, family, and data plans. The great thing is, AT&T allows unused minutes to roll over to the next month, and on many plans, you get unlimited nights and weekends.
Cons: There are additional costs to add another line to a family plan. Some plans include high over-minute costs, up to $0.45 per extra minute incurred. AT&T also includes one-time activation fees for every plan, although this is pretty standard across the board. If you want to get a family plan, there is an activation fee for every addition line you add. Like all wireless companies, some plans and phones may not be available in some areas.
Detailed Provider Information:
Plans: There are twelve individual plans. The ones in the Nation category range from $39.99 to $199.99, and include different features. The 450 minutes a month plan includes 5000 nights and weekends minutes and $0.00 for long distance and roaming charges. The 900 minutes plan is $59.99 and has unlimited nights and weekends. All plans after the 450 minutes have unlimited evenings and weekends, long distances, and $0.00 roaming charges. You can get 1350 for $79.99, 2000 minutes for $99.99, 4000 for $149.99, and 6000 minutes a month for $199.99. You don’t need to be checked for eligibility with these plans; however, if you want to get a unity plan, there is an eligibility check.
The Unity category encompasses plans that already have existing AT&T lines. The plans allow you to make unlimited calls to and from AT&T landlines and wireless phones. There are five individual plans in this category. They all include unlimited nights and weekends, long distance, and $0.00 roaming charges. The plans range from 900 minutes to 6000 minutes a month, and prices range from $59.99 to $199.99. With all individual plans, there is a $36.00 one-time activation fee.
AT&T provides family plans, as well. These allow families to share minutes and save money on buying everyone each their individual plan. Most plans include two lines, and then every line after that is $9.99. Unfortunately, lines are capped, depending on the plan you get. The Nation category has seven family plans, ranging from 550 minutes a month to 6000 minutes a month. Every plan after the 550 minute plan has a cap of five lines; the lowest plan has a cap of three lines. Prices range from $59.99 a month to $299.99 a month, but depending on the age of your children and how much you use your cell phone, prices for family plans are relatively reasonable. All plans include unlimited nights and weekends (which is a relief for parents who want to be able to contact their children at any time), unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling, and $0.00 long distance and roaming charges.
The Unity category has six plans. They range in monthly minutes from 700 to 6000, and prices range from $69.99 to $299.99. Unlike the Nation plans, they all have a five-line cap. All the plans have a $36.00 one-time activation fee for the plan itself and a $26.00 activation fee for each additional line.
If you want to know more about AT&T’s prepaid plans, visit PrepaidReviews.com.
Customer Service: AT&T has several ways to serve their customers. You can choose to participate in a technical support chat on their Customer forums, contact them by e-mail, go to the store to talk to a representative, or call them to talk about any problem you have.
Credit Check: There is a credit check required for all plans.
Contract: The minimum contract length is 2 years. You must pay a $175 charge to break your contract with AT&T.
Payment Options: You can choose to pay online through AT&T’s Direct Billing option, which also allows you to review your account at any time. AT&T also allows you to pay by mail or through one of their many stores. You can pay by cash or credit card.
Text and Picture Messaging: Text messaging is included with some plans; with others, it can be added on. Text messages are capped at 160 characters. Video and picture messaging has a maximum of 300 KB.
Data Plans: AT&T has several data plans to choose from. You can learn more at BBGeeks.com.
Downloadables: You can choose to download ringtones, games, graphics, multimedia services, and more. Charges will apply on top of monthly charges.
International Calling: AT&T has several international calling options. You can choose to add international long distance to your plan for $3.99, which will allow you to enjoy discounted rates to countries you call often. The Unity category has excellent international rates for $4.99 a month. If you travel a lot, $5.99 a month gets you international service in over 190 countries. You can also choose to add international data plans to your BlackBerry or PDA for up to $69.99 a month.
Roaming Charges: There are no domestic roaming charges with any plan. There are international roaming charges depending on the country you’re in, if you don’t have a corresponding international calling plan.
Calling Features: You can choose to include call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID (if it’s not already included), early nights and weekends, voicemail, long distance, parental controls, mobile-to-mobile, six-way calling, three-way calling, or voice dial to your plan.
Activation Fee: For all voice plans, there is a one-time $36.00 activation fee. For family plans, you will have to pay $26.00 for each additional line.
Nationwide Long Distance: This is included with virtually all voice and data plans.
411 Calls: $1.79 plus airtime.
911 Calls: 911 calls are free.
Phones: Whether you are looking for a smart phone, a BlackBerry, or one of the other popular phone models available now, AT&T has something for you. Try the popular iPhone.
Some Additional Phones Available:
Motorola RAZR
Sony Ericsson models
Motorola V3xx
Various BlackBerry models
Love my IPhone. Service is great. Can talk, surf the net, get directions and store all my songs, pictures etc.
I like the rolloever minutes feature which has really helped us.
I'm not really big on sifting through the details of all the plans. For me, most important is just being able to GET RECEPTION everywhere I go, which is a lot of places. I also live in a rather hilly area.
AT&T (I came in thru Cingular) is the one and only service I've tried (also tried Sprint, Verizon) that gives me good if not great reception pretty much everywhere I go.
Plus, I am a fan of the 450 minutes plan.
Overall cell coverage is good but data coverage is spotty I go in and out of 3G areas pretty frequently. However when I travel coverage is always better in bigger cities.
I have had too much problmes with at&t.
I got two junk phones that cost 200.00 and cant use them, they won't fix them, claiming it was my fault.
they charged me 127.00 without giving me the option.
never received the second rebate.
was ignored when I called by phone and email..
I don't recommend at&t to anyone.
My service just keeps getting worse and worse. They say I have coverage in my area and I keep telling them I don't. I haave dropped calls, undelivered voice mails, no service.