AT&T

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Overview

AT&T is one of the oldest name in U.S. telecommunications. Nicknamed Ma Bell for its near monopoly, AT&T went through an anti-trust breakup that left it in many parts. It got its start in cellular early, but the modern day AT&T we know actually derives from Cingular, one of the largest carriers in the U.S. in the early- to mid-2000s. They rank just behind Verizon as the No. 2 carrier in the country.

Pros: AT&T offers a number of plans, both for individuals and groups, that can fit any user’s or group’s needs. They also have a wide handset selection, including new 4G LTE phones as well as older, but still functional, 3G phones that run on AT&T’s high-speed network.

Cons: AT&T often ranks near the bottom of customer satisfaction surveys, both for their customer service practices and their network coverage.

• Shop for deals on AT&T phones and plans
• Visit the official AT&T website
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Detailed Provider Information

Unlimited Talk Plans: AT&T’s Mobile Share plans provide unlimited messages and minutes for all connected lines. A smartphone is required for for Mobile Share eligibility. The base monthly cost depends on the amount of data purchased. Customers who purchase just 1GB of data will pay 45 dollars per month for basic service (plus data charges). Customers who purchase the 4GB plan will pay a 40 dollar base amount, customers who purchase the 6GB plan will pay a 35 dollar base amount, and customers who buy any higher tiers will pay a 30 dollar base amount. Again, this is in addition to the cost of the data. There is also an unlimited individual plan, which costs 70 dollars per month but includes no messages or minutes.

Limited Talk Plans: AT&T has two limited individual plans. The 450 minute plan costs $39.99 per month, and the 900 minute plan costs $59.99 per month. Again, these do not come with any messaging or data services, but those can be added later.

Family Plans: Mobile Share plans work for families, but there are also traditional family plans through AT&T. The 550 minute plan costs $59.99 per month; 700 minutes costs $69.99; 1,400 minutes costs $89.99; 2,100 minutes costs $109.99; and unlimited minutes cost $119.99 per month. Again, no messaging or data is included with these plans, but they can be added later.

You can visit our sister site, Prepaid Reviews, to learn more about AT&T GoPhone prepaid plans.

Text and Multimedia Messaging: For plans that do not include unlimited messaging, AT&T offers text messages for 20 cents each and multimedia messages for 30 cents each. Individual plans can get unlimited messages for 20 dollars per month, while family plans can add unlimited messages for 30 dollars per month.

Data Plans: Mobile Share lines pay for a common bucket of data, in addition to the base price. The 1GB plan costs 40 dollars per month; 4GB costs 70 dollars; 6GB costs 90 dollars; 10GB costs 120 dollars; 15GB costs 160 dollars; and 20GB costs 200 dollars. For family and individual plans 300MB of data costs 20 dollars per month; 3GB costs 30 dollars per month; and 5GB costs 50 dollars per month.

Insurance: AT&T offers handset insurance for 7 dollars per month.

Customer Service: Customers can get support through a number of channels, including in-store, email, website chat, or through a toll-free number.

Credit Check: A credit check is required for all contract plans.

Contract: AT&T offers two-year contracts when they subsidize the purchase of a new phone. When canceling lines, smartphones are subject to a 325 dollar early termination fee, minus 10 dollars for each full month of service completed. The early termination fee for basic phones is 150 dollars, minus 4 dollars for each month of service completed.

Payment Options: Customers can pay their monthly bills through the mail by check, on the website by credit card, or by any form in an AT&T dealership.

Downloadables: There are many downloadable items, including graphics, media, and games.

International Calling: AT&T offers its World Connect program for $3.99 per month. It provides discounted rates to landlines and wireless phones in Mexico, the UK, France, Japan, and China. There are also a la carte rates to many other international destinations. International text messages cost 25 cents to send and 20 cents to receive, though there are packages available. AT&T also offers international roaming plans, for those traveling abroad.

Roaming Charges: AT&T does not charge roaming fees anywhere in the U.S.

Calling Features: AT&T plans include caller ID, call waiting, call forwarding, and voicemail at no additional charge.

Activation Fee: There is an activation fee of 36 dollars for each line. The same 36 dollar charge applies when customers upgrade their handsets.

411 Calls: Directory assistance is available for $1.99 per call.

911 Calls: 911 calls are free.

Phones: AT&T offers a wide range of smartphones, from the latest Android handsets to the iPhone 5, even to a healthy selection of Windows Phones. They also have a number of tablet devices available for sale.

• Shop for deals on AT&T phones and plans
• Visit the official AT&T website
• Write a review of AT&T Wireless