AT&T has received a fair amount of backlash in regards to their
newly announced data plans. While current iPhone and iPad 3G customers can choose to keep their unlimited data plans, starting tomorrow new customers will be required to choose one of the two new, limited bandwidth plans. To help ease the pain and assist their customers in making a more informed decision, AT&T recently posted an
online data calculator.
The calculator gives estimates for smartphones, laptops, and netbook users to figure out how much it will cost them to stream a certain amount of music or video, send emails, download apps, etc., over AT&T's data network. The calculator is only an estimator, but should give new customers and those looking to possibly downgrade plans another look at how it may affect them.
Those hit hardest by the new plans will be huge fans of Netflix streaming, ABC episode streaming, streaming radio junkies, those who post hundreds of photos and videos to Facebook and Twitter, and anything else requiring loads of bandwidth. Those choosing to take advantage of the new tethering ability may cry out in indescribable agony once they begin downloading or streaming HD content and more via their laptops or netbooks as well. Beyond lashing out at AT&T, we'll likely see more and more users taking advantage of the
free AT&T Hotspots and open Wi-Fi networks.
Remember to
check your data usage, at least initially, if you're one of those who immensely utilizes Internet connectivity beyond Wi-Fi. Here's to all of you new iPad 3G customers who decided to take the last minute advantage to grab the unlimited plan.
