What AT&T's Wireless Plan Changes Mean To You

If you're already using an iPhone or other smart phone on AT&T's wireless network—and have an unlimited data plan in place—there's good news.  But if you've been waiting for the next iPhone to come along before you jump onboard, you may be in for a rude shock.

AT&T is preparing to phase out the unlimited data plan for its 3G cellular customers, and claims that this will save most customers money.  And it's true that most of AT&T's customers probably will save initially if they sign on for AT&T's 20 –gigabytes a month "DataPro" plan—at least at first.

However, if you've got teenagers or college-age children with iPhones or other smart phones, or you're hoping to take advantage of some of the new features of the next generation of wireless technology—called 4G—you're going to want to keep your unlimited data plan if you've got one. 

While simply downloading e-mail and surfing the web won't burn through the new 2 gigabyte plan in a month, there are plenty of things coming on 4G that will—like streaming video, for example.  As TechNewsDaily's Adam Hadhazy reports:

The next generation iPhone that comes out this month will also put that 2 GB to the test. Its new OS 4 allows multitasking. Owners will now be able to stream music while doing all the other smartphone things they like to do, such as email and messing around with a multitude of apps.

So, if you're just buying in now to smartphone technology on AT&T, you may get the worst of it.  While current iPhone users with unlimited data plans are "grandfathered" under the change and can keep their plans, new users will get stuck paying for overages on data when their newfangled phones burn through data like kids through Halloween candy.

To be fair, Verizon is also apparently considering dropping its unlimited data plan as other 4G phones hit the market.  And by giving users a financial incentive to get onto WiFi networks whenever they can,  AT&T is hoping to prevent a major phone system meltdown.  But that won't help any when you get your phone bill and found your kid has rung up excess data fees by watching Netflix in the mall parking lot.