AT&T Wireless is now offering an off-contract, a-la-carte option for tablet users. Under the new plan, tablet customers can purchase a $5-per-day pass for short-term data access.
The $5 tablet plan includes 250 MB of data access for 24 hours.
AT&T is also offering a 3-month plan for $25. The 3-month plan includes 1GB of data, which must be used before time expired.
According to AT&T Senior Vice President Chris Penrose, “We really think that a Wi-Fi only tablet is good, but it is not good enough.”
Realizing that an increasing number of customers are using tablet-based devices, Penrose also announced that the cost of adding a cellular module to tablets is going down.
“We’ve seen that price go down substantially over the past several years,” Penrose said. “Ultimately we’d like to see tablet manufacturers build just one tablet .”
AT&T and Verizon Wireless have been involved in a very public war over the cellular space. Both companies have switched over to shared mobile plans and have created stronger pre-paid mobile plans and data-only access options.
With an increasing number of customers carrying 4G LTE-enabled devices, it is likely that mobile data plans will continue to offer new pricing options for customers.
Keep in mind that the data plan is not a discounted option. Using the plan for a full month would cost $150 for 7.5GB worth of data.
AT&T Wireless is likely targeting hotel visitors and vacationers who do not want to pay an even higher premium price for hotel based WiFi.
Do you see any advantages to using AT&T Wireless’ new tablet data plans on an a-la-carte basis?
