AT&T at a Glance
Established in 1983, AT&T has developed into the largest multinational communications company in the world, serving 176.7 million subscribers in the third quarter of 2020. With the mission of keeping people connected to the things they love, AT&T has been persistently committed to the innovation and investments of high-capacity broadband networks, giving customers the optimum experience from all aspects. Based on the comprehensive analysis and consumer-focus assessment, Global Wireless Solution (GWS) ranked AT&T as the Best Network OneScore™ in America in 2020. On the word of the Speedtest® U.S. Mobile Performance Report by Ookla®, AT&T scored the fasted wireless network in the United States for the second quarter of 2020. Moreover, AT&T has hit the milestone of the Overall Fastest Wireless Speeds for 2 consecutive years.
Features of AT&T
5G is no longer unfamiliar jargon for us, and it is characterized by fast browsing, streaming, gaming, uploading, and downloading speeds with very little lag time. Today, almost all the major cell phone carriers have a 5G service available for their customers. However, AT&T was the first mobile provider that rolled out 5G networks and 5G devices across the nation, using sub-6 GHz and millimeter wave (mmWave) technology. According to the Ookla Speedtest, AT&T has maintained the record of the fastest 5G speed for two straight years since 2019. In 2020, AT&T has 5G coverage in more than 14,000 cities and towns, and the provider is continuing to expand 5G access to more locations. With AT&T’s nationwide 5G connectivity, customers could experience consistently 5G speed and spend less time buffering.
In addition to fast internet speed, AT&T has led the industry by the solid coverage that you could rely on. Its 4G LTE network covers an impressive 99% of Americans (more than 330 million people) in 21 states including Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, etc. To enable customers a safe and secured internet environment, AT&T provides 24/7 protection against viruses, spyware, phishing, cyber-attacks, and harmful programs through Internet Security Suite powered by McAfee®.
Find the Right Plan
Switching to AT&T’s network is easy. New or existing customers could keep the devices if they want and get a $250 AT&T Visa® Reward Card when signing up for a wireless plan at the AT&T website. There are currently four unlimited plans sold in the market, ranging from $50-$85/mo. for one line, with unlimited talk and text. Tailored plans are also available at AT&T, and individual users could customize their plans that packed the things they crave the most.
This article mainly compares and discusses the differences between Unlimited Your WaySM and AT&T 4G plan. Unlimited Your WaySM has three types: AT&T Unlimited Elite, AT&T Unlimited Extra, and AT&T Unlimited Starter. Keep reading the following plan introductions and hope you could get more bang for your bucks.
AT&T Unlimited Elite
Unlimited Elite is the priciest top-tier plan at AT&T, starting from $85 for one line, $75 each for two lines, and $225 in total for 5 lines. It offers an “Elite bundle” that features a generous 100GB of premium data, 30GB of mobile hotspot, and HBO Max™ subscription. If you are a data hog who wants high-definition streaming quality, AT&T Unlimited Elite might be the best choice for you. With the AT&T Unlimited Elite plan, your data would not be deprioritized since it is hard to hit the data cap and consume 100 GB in a month. Additionally, customers could access 5G at no extra cost if they have a compatible device.
Here is the price breakdown for AT&T Unlimited Elite:
| AT&T Unlimited Elite | |
| Number of Lines | Prices per Line |
| 1 Line | $85/line |
| 2 Lines | $75/line ($150/mo.) |
| 3 Lines | $60/line ($180/mo.) |
| 4 Lines | $50/line ($200/mo.) |
| 5 Lines | $45/line ($225/mo.) |
We have done the legwork and listed the pros and cons of the AT&T Unlimited Elite Plan. See below:
| AT&T Unlimited Elite | |
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Unlimited talk, text, and data (100GB data cap)
2. Unlimited talk, text, and data roaming in Mexico & Canada (2G off-net data applied) 3. 5G access included 4. Unlimited texting to 120+ countries 5. Advanced mobile security 6. High-definition streaming 7. 30GB hot pot data 8. HBO Max™ included 9. No contract and paperless bills |
1. Pricy
2. Tax and fees are extra |
AT&T Unlimited Extra
Priced at $75 for a single line per month, AT&T Unlimited Extra is best for those who just want high-speed data and fast 5G access. This plan comes with unlimited talk, unlimited text, 50GB premium data, 15GB hot pot data, and free 5G access.
However, AT&T Unlimited Extra doesn’t include any entertainment option such as HBO, Spotify Premium Showtime, Cinemax, or Starz, and the video streaming is limited to standard-definition quality (480p). Even though, it is still a good choice for most families due to its high data deprioritization threshold. For the majority of people, it is hard for them to use up 50GB/15GB monthly allotment.
Compared with Unlimited Elite, AT&T Unlimited Extra is more affordable and subscribers would pay $10 less for each line per month. Here is the price breakdown for AT&T Unlimited Extra:
| AT&T Unlimited Extra | |
| Number of Lines | Prices per Line |
| 1 Line | $75/line |
| 2 Lines | $65/line ($130/mo.) |
| 3 Lines | $50/line ($150/mo.) |
| 4 Lines | $40/line ($160/mo.) |
| 5 Lines | $35/line ($175/mo.) |
We have done the legwork and listed the pros and cons of the AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan. See below:
| AT&T Unlimited Extra | |
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Unlimited talk, text, and data (50GB data cap)
2. Unlimited talk, text, and data roaming in Mexico & Canada (2G off-net data applied) 3. 5G access included 4. Unlimited texting to 120+ countries 5. Advanced mobile security 6. Unlimited streaming 7. 15GB hot pot data 8. No contract and paperless bills |
1. Tax and fees are extra
2. No entertainment perks 3. Poor streaming quality (480p)- video streams at a max of 1.5Mbps |
AT&T Unlimited Starter
AT&T Unlimited Starter is the most affordable unlimited plan that provides the basic telecommunication needs of unlimited talk, text, and 4G LTE data. As the lowest tier, it only costs $65 for one line, $60 each for two lines, and $150 in total for 5 lines. With competitive prices, this plan is a decent option for budget-minded customers and families that have little demand for Internet speed and entertainment perks.
Since AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan is bare-bone, it does not provide any premium data, mobile hotspot, and HBO Max. Premium data refers to high-speed data. In other words, customers subscribing to AT&T Unlimited Starter might notice a slowdown in their internet speed during congestion. Another downside of this plan is that AT&T will throttle the video streaming speed to 1.5Mbps, which means the standard-definition quality of 480p.
Starter Plan offers nothing but essentials. If you are looking for the basics with a limited budget, this is the plan for you. Nevertheless, if your family is snacking on data, it might be a good idea to consider either Unlimited Elite or Unlimited Extra. Here is the price breakdown for AT&T Unlimited Starter:
| AT&T Unlimited Starter | |
| Number of Lines | Prices per Line |
| 1 Line | $65/line |
| 2 Lines | $60/line ($120/mo.) |
| 3 Lines | $45/line ($135/mo.) |
| 4 Lines | $35/line ($140/mo.) |
| 5 Lines | $30/line ($150/mo.) |
We have done the legwork and listed the pros and cons of the AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan. See below:
| AT&T Unlimited Starter | |
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Unlimited talk, text, and data
2. Unlimited talk, text, and data roaming in Mexico & Canada (2G off-net data applied) 3. 5G access included 4. Unlimited texting to 120+ countries 5. Standard mobile security 6. Unlimited streaming 7. No contract and paperless bills |
1. Tax and fees are extra
2. No entertainment perks 3. Data deprioritization – Internet speed would be slowed down during congestion 4. No hotspot data 5. Poor streaming quality (480p)- video streams at a max of 1.5Mbps |
AT&T 4GB Plan
AT&T 4GB plan is a new product that features unlimited voice minutes and text messaging in the United States, Mexico, and Canada with a monthly allotment of 4GB premium data for every line on your account. It should be noted that AT&T will automatically add overage data when you exceed your data allowance, and spontaneously charge you $10 for every 2GB without advance notice.
Here is the price breakdown for AT&T 4GB Plan:
| AT&T 4GB | |
| Number of Lines | Prices per Line |
| 1 Line | $50/line |
| 2 Lines | $45/line ($90/mo.) |
| 3 Lines | $40/line ($120/mo.) |
| 4 Lines | $40/line ($160/mo.) |
| 5 Lines | $40/line ($200/mo.) |
We have done the legwork and listed the pros and cons of the AT&T 4GB Plan. See below:
| AT&T 4GB | |
| Pros | Cons |
| 1. Unlimited talk & text in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada
2. 4GB full-speed data per line in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada 3. Mobile hotspot data 4. Unlimited texting to 120+ countries 5. Standard mobile security 6. Standard-definition (SD) video streaming 7. $10 discount each line for paperless billing and AutoPay |
1. Tax and fees are extra
2. No entertainment perks 3. No 5G access or Rollover Data® 4. Poor streaming quality (480p)- video streams at a max of 1.5Mbps |
Discounts
AT&T has special promotions for teachers, nurses, physicians, first responders, military members, veterans, and their families. Eligible customers could enjoy exclusive savings and receive a 25% discount on AT&T Unlimited Starter, AT&T Unlimited Extra, and AT&T Unlimited Elite with the same laundry list of perks. After verification, subscribers only pay $105 per month for a four-line Unlimited Starter Plan, $120 per month for a four-line Unlimited Extra Plan, or $150 per month for a four-line Unlimited Elite Plan.
To receive the discounts, qualified customers must be the primary wireless account holder. Also, relevant proof of eligibility such as state teaching license/certification, state medical license/certification, valid military ID or retired military ID, and current AMVETS membership card is requested for verification.
