Is Smartphone Plan Change a Smart Move?
Starting next month, AT&T has instituted a new policy requiring all smartphone (BlackBerry, iPhone, etc...) subscribers to purchase a monthly data plan (for $30). While the vast majority of these customers would subscribe to a data plan anyway, there are some people out there who buy the phone for show, because of its 'cool factor' and don't use all of its features.
The real question is whether AT&T should have rolled out a new plan that includes the $30 rather than tacking the charge on automatically. And if there are other data-capable phones that aren't required to purchase the data plan, why single out the smartphones, which have a higher up-front cost?
The company's official statement says that smartphone users won't have to worry about fluctuating bills anymore, since if they didn't have a data plan they'd be charged by the minute when they're surfing the web or checking email. Am I the only one who's skeptical when the phone company says its looking out for you?
Anyone have other theories why AT&T would suddenly require data plan subscription for smartphones?
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