AT&T and Cricket match T-Mobile with cheaper $15 phone plans

[Shawn Knight]

What just happened? AT&T prepaid and AT&T subsidiary Cricket Wireless on Friday announced the launch of more affordable mobile phone plans to help customers facing financial hardship as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak. AT&T didn’t say how long the plan would be in effect although presumably, it’ll at least be for the duration of the crisis in the US.

The new plans includes unlimited talk and text plus 2GB of data (max download speeds of 8 Mbps (LTE)/ 4 Mbps (4G)) for a flat fee of $15 per month with no hidden fees or taxes.

The offer, a clear response to T-Mobile’s recently announced Connect prepaid plan, will throttle speeds down to 128kbps once you exceed the monthly data allotment. While still usable (just barely), it’s better than T-Mobile which cuts you off completely after your 2GB high-speed data allowance. Conversely, T-Mobile's plan affords 5G connectivity; AT&T and Cricket don't.

You also have the option to add additional buckets of data for an extra fee.

AT&T / Cricket’s new plans are available to new and existing customers with no activation fee for a limited time.

The carrier is also automatically adding 10GB of data to capped plans each month for the next two months. Full details can be found on AT&T’s and Cricket’s respective websites.

Image credit: Helen89, Maria Savenko

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https://www.techspot.com/news/84580-att-cricket-match-t-mobile-cheaper-15-phone.html

 

[wiyosaya]

Ah, the wonders of competition!

 

[Draconian]

2GB is a joke.

 

[VBKing]

2GB is a joke.

I've NEVER used more than 2 GB of data per month in the past 6 YEARS.

My home internet connection speed of 100-120 Mbps is FAR FASTER than any 4G or 4G LTE speeds my carrier's plans and my phone could attain over the years or now (50 Mbps for Verizon, less for others).
See link for current 4G LTE speeds.
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-mobile-network,review-2942.html

My phone & tablet are ALWAYS connected via WiFi in my home or any friend's home I visit since my WiFi speed always trounces 4G speeds so I'm rarely using my plan's data. I not watching videos / movies / gaming away from home.

As long as my home ISP speed keeps up with or is faster than my carrier's or phone's capable speed, then there is no need to not be connected to WiFi, thus saving my plan's data. I have an 8-month-old speedy $300 4G LTE phone, so I won't even contemplate upgrading to a 5G phone or plan for another 3-5 years.

 

[mccartercar]

Ive recently found Visible. It's Verizon networks only so no GSM phones apply, but using the services Party Pay where you join a group of 3 other people, family or complete strangers, I get unlimited Talk, Text, Data. Plus tethering to one device capped at 5Mbps for $25 a month. Outside of Party Pay it's still only $40 a month for the described package. The cheapest Unlimited data package, Ive found, for pre-paid anywhere. The only catch is when the network is congested your speed is throttled but Ive rarely noticed and my phone is always streaming either video or music.