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TECHNOLOGY A23
Saturday 16 January 2016
Are unlimited data cellphone plans on their way back?
TALI ARBEL up recently. Late last year, People pass an AT&T store on New York’s Madison Avenue. AT&T is once again experimenting with
AP Technology Writer they announced price in- offering unlimited data plans to smartphone customers while promoting its DirecTV service, signal-
NEW YORK (AP) — AT&T is creases — Verizon charg- ing a potential reversal of industry trends toward data caps and charges for big video watchers.
once again experiment- ing an extra $20 per line,
ing with offering unlimited AT&T another $5. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
data plans to smartphone T-Mobile and Sprint, the
customers while promot- No. 3 and No. 4 carriers, years, its share of new us- motional price. This does — A 5 GB phone plan costs
ing its DirecTV service, sig- currently offer unlimited ers has been growing, ac- not include fees, taxes or $100; 15 GB costs $130.
naling a potential reversal plans for new customers (T- cording to research from the cost of the phone itself. Adding TV costs at least
of industry trends toward Mobile also just raised the MoffettNathanson. Amid — Just getting a phone $10 a month more to start.
data caps and charges for price). But they may throt- T-Mobile’s changes and as plan with 5 GB of data Figuring out family financ-
big video watchers. tle, or slow your speed, after more than 90 percent of would cost you $75 a es is more complicated. A
AT&T is trying to capitalize you use up 23 gigabtyes. U.S. adults now has a cell- month, before the cost of family of four would save
on its $48.5 billion purchase Likewise, AT&T also says it phone, AT&T, Verizon and the phone, taxes and fees; money with the unlimited
of DirecTV last year. On may do this if there’s a lot Sprint have been lowering it’s $85, to start, including plan if they would have
Monday, it’s announcing of demand on the network prices and offering promo- DirecTV. opted for a plan with 20
an unlimited data plan for once you’ve hit 22 GB. That tions to compete. For two people: GB, but spend more if they
cellphones, if you also get translates to about 25 hours Figuring out if AT&T’s latest — The unlimited plan costs just wanted to share 15
DirecTV or AT&T’s home-TV of high-definition video in a is a good value is a little at least $150. GB.q
service, U-verse. month. Verizon says it has tricky.
The unlimited data deal stopped doing this. For one person:
may be cheaper than AT&T’s move follows T-Mo- — The unlimited plan with
AT&T’s limited-data plan bile’s new “Binge On” plan, one phone, including a
if you have a family that which lets you stream video first year of DirecTV, costs
watches a lot of video without it counting against at least $110 a month and
and want cable; if it’s one your data cap from com- will rise to at least $140 a
person, sticking with the panies T-Mobile has signed month after a year be-
existing plan is likely a bet- up — including DirecTV. cause of the DirecTV pro-
ter value, especially if you As part of that program,
don’t want cable. It’s a T-Mobile automatically
limited-time offer but AT&T degrades the quality of all
won’t say when the pro- video you watch to stan-
motion would end. People dard definition from HD.
who sign up can keep their That has upset advocates
plans when or if the promo- of net neutrality, the con-
tion ends. cept that all Web traffic
While AT&T killed its unlim- should be treated equally.
ited data plan in 2010 for T-Mobile began shaking
new customers, followed up wireless industry prac-
by Verizon in 2012, unlim- tices after the govern-
ited plans — with qualifi- ment blocked AT&T from
ers — do still exist. Both the acquiring it in 2011, scrap-
biggest wireless carriers ping contract plans to give
let their existing customers customers more flexibility,
keep unlimited plans, al- lowering prices and intro-
though the price has gone ducing Binge On. In recent
US developing policies for self-driving cars
DEE-ANN DURBIN own regulations for auton- tion.
AP Auto Writer omous vehicle testing. Autonomous cars are rap-
DETROIT (AP) — The federal Foxx was set to make the idly advancing and are al-
government will propose announcements Thursday ready being tested on pub-
best practices for safely during an appearance at lic roads in some states. The
operating autonomous ve- the North American Inter- government wants to en-
hicles within six months. national Auto Show in De- courage their deployment
U.S. Department of Trans- troit. to improve safety, but says
portation Secretary Antho- Foxx also says President it needs to make sure there
ny Foxx said this week that Obama’s budget would are standards in place to
the National Highway Traf- provide $4 billion over the ensure that the cars them-
fic Safety Administration next decade for programs selves are safe.
also will develop a model to test connected vehicles. Foxx understands the need
policy for states to follow if Some vehicles already on to act quickly. Speaking to
they decide to allow au- the road can communi- a conference of transpor-
tonomous cars on public cate with each other, or tation researchers earlier
roads. That policy — which with traffic lights or stop this week, Foxx said he’s
will be developed within six signs, through cellular sig- concerned that the feder-
months — could help form nals. Eventually, the tech- al regulatory process can’t
the basis of a consistent nology could prevent acci- keep up with the fast pace
national policy. Right now, dents, since vehicles could of the technology that is
individual states like Califor- warn each other before making self-driving cars
nia and Nevada have their they crash at an intersec- possible.q
