AT&T has today announced a slew of upgrades for its top-tier Unlimited Elite plan, with the key upgrade being unlimited high-speed 5G data without any speed throttling whatsoever. So far, AT&T’s $85 Unlimited Elite plan offered access to 5G data, but the speed was throttled as soon as users hit the 100GB data usage mark.
Additionally, the mobile hotspot data allowance was capped at 30GB per month by AT&T. Plus, high-definition streaming maxed out at 1080p resolution for the carrier's top-of-the-line offering. AT&T is now improving on both fronts by bumping up the peak streaming video resolution and the mobile hotspot data allowance as well, hoping to get an upper hand in its rivalry with T-Mobile and Verizon.
AT&T says that its Unlimited Elite plans will now allow users to enjoy unlimited high-speed 5G data without having to worry about hitting a fixed data cap after which the speed is throttled. In simple terms, the Unlimited Elite plan now offers truly unlimited 5G data. Of course, the package also includes unlimited voice calling minutes and text messages. In its press release, the carrier mentions that the aforementioned upgrade will be enabled this week, and customers will be notified about it via a message. The best part is the enhancement will be automatic, which means AT&T customers don’t have to put forward any service requests to reap the benefits.
True Unlimited For AT&T's Top Plan
Aside from truly unlimited high-speed data, the top-tier AT&T offering also bumps up the peak streaming resolution from 1080p to 4K. Lastly, the upper limit for mobile hotspot data has also received a healthy 10GB increment, going up from 30GB to 40GB for new as well as existing Unlimited Elite customers. The rest of the perks remain the same, which include a bundled HBO Max subscription and six months’ worth of Stadia Pro access. Moreover, customers can avail the benefits of the in-house Advanced Mobile Security solution that offers gains such as spam and fraudulent call blocking, identity monitoring, and caller ID verification. However, it remains to be seen whether AT&T can narrow the speed gulf between its 5G network and rivals — Verizon and T-Mobile.
For those who find the $85 Unlimited Elite plan a little too expensive, AT&T also sells a cheaper $75 bundle called Unlimited Extra. It offers unlimited calling, text, and 5G (high-speed data access peaks at 50GB), 15GB mobile hotspot data, video streaming at standard definition, and a six-month subscription to Stadia Pro, but no complimentary HBO Max. Then there’s the $65 Unlimited Starter plan, which includes unlimited data (no assurance of high-speed 5G access though), but no mobile hotspot data allowance, and no HBO Max subscription either. However, the pricing of the aforementioned plans becomes more palatable if users purchase multiple lines. For example, the price of AT&T’s Unlimited Elite plan comes down to $50 per line, per month for four lines, while the asking price of Unlimited Extra and Unlimited Starter comes down to $40/month and $35/month for the same number of connections.
Source: AT&T