By The biggest factor in driving many users’ purchase decisions on today’s Android tablets comes down to ultimately one thing: price. Even with the best specs you could ask for in an Android tablet, the price will make or break that deal for many people. We’ve heard the ridiculously high off-contract prices for the Samsung Galaxy Tab before, but what about getting the device with a data-only plan on one of four US carriers and several carriers in other parts of the world?
At least for AT&T, we may already have an answer. According to a source of AndroidGuys‘ – and we know them to have a pretty trusty AT&T source as they were the ones to break the HTC Aria story – the carrier has begun training for the tablet and some early pricing figures may have already been thrown around. I’m not sure if the wording was misinterpreted, but be looking to spend some nice big bucks if you want to use this over AT&T’s data network.
This pricing scheme is weird in that they don’t only go month-by-month, but day-by-day, and week-by-week, as well. For day-to-day, you can pay $15 and get 100MB for every day that you want to use data. That can get pretty pricey if you aren’t careful. For week-to-week usage, expect to shell out $30 to get 300MB for 7 days, or you can opt for the $50 plan which would give you 1GB of data for 30 days.
These prices seem pretty scary, but I’m not the least bit surprised. AT&T’s been trying to find ways to keep their subscribers from using too much bandwidth by introducing tiered data plans and getting rid of unlimited usage. Especially for a dedicated tablet, they’d expect Galaxy Tab users to use more data than those on – say – an iPhone or an Android handset. I can’t imagine this will end up being the final pricing, however, as a quick look at their offerings for the Apple iPad are a bit easier to swallow.
I’m hoping AG’s source is either completely wrong or that AT&T’s just thrown some dummy numbers out and it happened to get into the wrong hands too soon. This also makes me interested to see how other carriers will handle plans and pricing for the Galaxy Tab as we know each of them treat data offerings on smartphones significantly different from one another.
My God, and I was thinking that 1GB/month data only plan with my provider at 15€ was expensive compared with the 4€/month for the same GB with 3 Italy
And it doesn’t even make a phone call. Fail.
I hope I can order one with phone support from Europe with AT&T 3g and they won’t automatically eliminate my unlimited plan.
The tab is too expensive and the plan is too expensive. Nope. Will wait for one of the other 90 tablets coming out not on a plan.
I think that AT&T needs to just man-up an increase their network. They’re basically saying ‘We’re going to bring your cost up to prevent you from using our network more than it can handle.’ That doesn’t make any sense!
We have to purchase new devices to keep up with the times, but they don’t have to increase their available bandwidth to keep up with the increase in users? That’s absurd! They say ‘We have the i*hone’ – yeah, well that’s all and good, but if I can’t use it on your network, then what good is it?!
Look, I get the argument of tiered plans. Everyone knows that ‘unlimited’ was just a phase (a great one at that!), and that tiered plans will be the way that most/all providers go. But they can’t abuse it to screw us over, and just as we’re making the sacrifice of unlimited, they need to bite the bullet and get their systems to support the ever increasing demand.
Move into the 21st century AT&T!
Will definitely wait for sprint or verizon to release theirs. Sprint will come out with a 4g wimax version I’m sure.
wasn’t planning on getting one on plan anyway, but dear god that is way over priced for absolutely nothing. what are they thinking!?!?!
These prices can’t be right. Besides, why would they so different from the iPad data plans? No matter, I’m a T-Mobile subscriber and they have the best data rates of the 4 major carriers.
How are they pricing the iPad? Because those prices are just silly.
I think this seriously proves that AT&T hate the android and anything that may challenge the ipad. iPad plans are not this expensive I believe its 2GB for $30 a month but I’m sure AT&T will just say thats a price that Apple negotiated with them to get.
I can’t wait for the thing to finally release so I can watch it FAIL. It’s already gonna fail in the states because it’s a contract device or an expensive outright device and either way you end up paying a boatload of money. These prices will only ensure its failure and I would be embarrassed for ATT if these prices become final.
This the gadget industry is becoming a communist one and the Carriers are Kim Jong-il
If the numbers are real, it’s probably because they don’t want to support any Tablets other than iPad. Apple might be putting pressure on them not to be too supportive of Android if they want to keep their exclusivity rights.
Just my thought… even if it is a bit a conspiracy theory.
These cannot be the prices…not that it matters, if I go with a tablet it’ll be wifi.
@jamesdax, I was shopping T-Mo yesterday avg there data plan is $50/mo. You must be on a cheaper plan than that.
Sprint FTW… This is a joke and its going to screw everyone because if at&t does this than everyone else will prices are a joke already 100$ a month to use a damn cell phone and now you want to cap my usage… Sprint please keep unlimited data. the carrier that keeps it will prevail!
LOL! Seems that AT&T is pricing themselves out of existence. OR Uncle Steve said iPad is better! Make the Samasung Galaxy Tab suckzorz or all your base will belong to ME!!! mUAHAHahahAhAHa! Well no not really… but I am sure it was something close to that.
waitin’ for t-mo.
WiFi only + rooted Evo = problem solved
AT&T can shove this thing up its own @ss.
@Jason
I don’t think it’s a conspiracy theory at all. Steve Jobs has made it known in many press conferences that his products are threatened by Google’s. He hasn’t outright said it, but his attitude towards them sure makes him sound like it.
Prices are too high but it might be almost worth it for occasional use. I assume the point is that they expect people to mostly use the tablets with WiFi but once in a while there might be a need for data on the road, and then you pay. The price scheme smells more like Virgin Mobile Broadband2Go rather than a monthly broadband plan — and that’s a good thing. If only the prices were a bit more competitive.
I knew this would happened. AT&T bunch of greedy asses. They care more bout their crappy Ipad they get UNLIMITED DATA REPEAT UNLIMITED DATA As Android gets limited data which really sucks just when I was bout to get the Galaxy Tab AT&T you’re really starting to piss me off man.
LOL!!!! Too bad too. It appears to be a nice device. But, seriously, who wants to pay for another data plan, when most of us already have one on our phones and pay for home internet service as well. Samsung needs to release a wifi only version. That I would buy.
@ 19. aap – That makes a lot of sense and I’ve never thought about it like that at all. These redicuouls Rent-A-Data prices would make sense if you can get the $299 subsidized Tab on a contract that doesnt require you to have a data plan. Thats the only way I can justify the outrageously high pricing tier.
I’m sure its just me, but i still dont see the point in a tablet just yet? until it can fully do what my netbook can do (esp on the productivity office front), I’m still sticking with my lil tappy toppy (which can still play classics such as starcraft 1 lol)
AT&T has to be the worst carrier!
Man…I was so waiting to get one of these. Thank god I dont have ATT. This is just ridiculous in price! But thank god you will be able to tether your cell to it or snag a wifi signal
This is ridiculous. I can understand tiered data plans, but this structure for a tablet is simply not feasible. Does AT&T think that tablet users are going the “sparingly used” route? I think that these attempts to strongarm policies will backfire.
Virgin mobiles unlimited everything for 25 bucks is looking better and better!
Its coming to VZW soon and the current Unlimited Plans will still be around. I’m surely getting one from VZW.
Thats why i have Sprint
You know I thought I was a pretty heavy user, but looking at my data usage for the past week I only hit 100 mb once, and that day I was using maps to navigate all over the place. I dono guys, maybe not so bad.
Those are prepaid data packages for AT&T, not actual data plans.
If anyone wants this device, go pay for unlimited Clear service for $40/mo and WiMax speeds. Insanity!!
I still don’t understand why people would buy a tablet that requires a data plan. Use your current phone, turn it into a hotspot and there you go…data on the go. Plus, the cost of the device and monthly service under a contract almost always works out to be more than the non-contract price. Either way, I’ll be waiting for another manuf. tab to come out with Wi-Fi only…total cost of ownership of the Tab is just too much.
Classic case of product crippling by att
lol….with plans like that they can keep it. I’m on Verizon. Hopefully these plans are early numbers and Verizon will offer better ones. If not…my X will be my tablet….or my next phone will be 4.3″ or more and THAT will be my Tablet…
I AM AN EMPLOYEE WITH ATT AND THESE ARE PREPAID PRICES FOR NETBOOKS AND LAPTOPS. NO PRICING HAS COME OUT FOR THE GALAXY TAB YET. PREPAID PRICES OK!!!!!!! DONT GET YOUR PANTIES IN A BUNCH JUST YET!!!
I’ll pass no thanks AT&T. You can keep continuing kissing Steve Jobs ass and APPLE as well you will never give us our UNLIMITED data back even with the Galaxy Tab. YOU ONLY CARE BOUT IPAD UNLIMITED DATA WHILE GALAXY TAB GETS LIMITED kinda disgraceful if you ask me. And I was bout to get it till I saw your crappy prices. “FAIL”
It is called subsidized. Do you want a cheap tablet at 200-300 USD or do you want an expensive tablet at 750-850 USD? The cheap one will come with a $40-$60/month dataplan for 2 years.
It is looking like it will be Apple FTW for some time in the tablet space.
Sammy must be crazy to choose ATT. Come on comsumers, wise up.
This pricing is wrong. The above prices are for a new pre paid data plan that Att is rolling out.
The galaxy TAB data prices will be the same as the current rates as the iPad’s.
SO HERE IS IT. the 15 and 30 and 50$ prices that they talk about in here is not the actual plan. i wished ppl would do little more research before they started to run their mouth on the internet. what those are are pre paid plans for people that dont want to do a 2 year contract. AT&T is still offering the $30 plan for 200MB and $65 plan for 5GB a month with this tablet.
SO HERE IS IT. the 15 and 30 and 50$ prices that they talk about in here is not the actual plan. i wished ppl would do little more research before they started to run their mouth on the internet. what those are are pre paid plans for people that dont want to do a 2 year contract. AT&T is either going to offer the $30 plan for 200MB and $65 plan for 5GB or the $15 for 200MB and the $25 for 2GB plan with this tablet. They are not sure which it is yet. sorry i had to retype this!
For the hard of thinking:
For the love of god, please stop saying ‘Pfft they totally should have wifi only version’ or ‘ZOMG why would anyone EVER want a tablet with a contract LULZ’. They already announced a wifi only tab so FFS stop saying it. This is obviously not that device. But there will be one.
@38:
Samsung didn’t choose AT&T. Why would you think that ? The Tab is dropping on almost every major network in the world. Its up to the individual carriers how much to charge for service and how much they wanna subsidise, and there isn’t anything Samsung can do.
I still think these prices are retarded tho. AT&T should go sit in the corner and think about what they’ve done. If they don’t think the Tab will make money, they can choose not to sell it. I think its disgusting for them to be price gouging so hard. They wanna get in on the hype and benefit from anyone who is already on AT&T who wants one of these, hoping you don’t check out the priced before it arrives.
I mean, how does this actually work ? Do you have to phone up AT&T and tell them to knock you up ? Or do you choose one at the start (ie 3 card-monteing you into picking the lowest) then raping you with HUGE per kB over-use chargers. This smells seriously bad.
Dear AT&T,
You suck. I hate you.
Learn how delivering a tablet should be done from the BlackBerry PlayBook. No additional costs beyond the tablet’s purchase price — no 3G, just WiFi, simply tether it to your BlackBerry phone. Simple. I will continue to tether my Android phone over WiFi to my hearts content, and when I notice at the end of the month that I haven’t used up my 5GB, I will simply stream 24/hours a day just to piss you off (not that you notice anyway, but it’s the principle of the thing).
Yours hatefully,
An AT&T customer who wishes he had more carrier choices.
F**** YOU AT&T I am gone, kiss my A** I cant even think that I was here just for the Iphone, which is terrible, I am searching now for a Nexus One on Tmobile, and getting the F*** off, I dont give a rats a** about the contract I will pay to get the f*** off your pathetic network with your pathetic Iphone it sucks a** anyway……price gouging MUTHA FU**** I think everyone should just say F*** it and jump ship, I know we dont have alot of choices, but AT&T is the worst!!!!!!!!!
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RELAX folks! Before you go out and torch the town wait until the “rumor” is verified.
I spoke to an AT&T rep on 9/29/10 and the 3 tiered data plan that was leaked is true, BUT not the only option that will be available. The 3 tiered option is for anyone that may be traveling or just needs short term data connections without a contract. A data plan “like” what is offered for the ipad is said to be released soon.
I tend to believe this as the aforementioned 3 tiered option is bizarre and would be a non-starter for many consumers.