Are AT&T’s New Unlimited Plans Better?

AT&T recently announced three brand new unlimited plans that will be replacing the current ones, AT&T Unlimited &More and AT&T Unlimited &More Premium.

The new unlimited plans include:

• AT&T Unlimited Starter: $65/month
• AT&T Unlimited Extra: $75/month
• AT&T Unlimited Elite: $85/month

The Starter and the Extra plans rolled out on November 3, 2019, and replaced the Unlimited &More plan. The Elite plan was introduced on November 21, 2019, and this top-tier plan has replaced the Unlimited &More Premium plan.

AT&T New Unlimited Plans Compared

AT&T’s new unlimited plans are different than its old unlimited plans in a few ways. For starters, AT&T has gotten rid of live TV and only the Elite customers receive a subscription to HBO.

AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan

At $65/month, the Starter plan is $5 cheaper than the Unlimited &More plan but doesn’t include as many perks. AT&T is marketing it as an entry-level unlimited plan for budget-minded consumers.

AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan

The slightly more expensive Extra plan, which costs $75/month, includes 15GB of hotspot data, as well as a 50GB data deprioritization threshold—which is significantly higher than AT&T’s previous unlimited plans.

AT&T Unlimited Elite Plan

The $85/month Elite plan costs $5 more than the old Unlimited &More Premium plan and comes with 30GB of hotspot (15GB more than its predecessor), HD streaming, 100 GB data deprioritization threshold, and an HBO subscription. However, Unlimited &More Premium plan included more entertainment perks, since it gave you live TV and your choice of a premium streaming service (HBO, Showtime, Starz, etc.).

Here’s a breakdown of AT&T’s new unlimited plans according to cost and features.

It’s important to note that the prices listed in the table represent the monthly cost after the discount with AutoPay and paperless billing.

Pros and Cons of the New Unlimited Plans

AT&T’s new unlimited data plans come with some advantages and disadvantages compared to their predecessors. Some pros include:

• Slightly cheaper plan option (Unlimited Starter)
• Cheaper family plan (Unlimited Starter)
• Higher data deprioritization thresholds (Unlimited Extra and Unlimited Elite)
• Hotspot data (Unlimited Extra and Unlimited Elite)
• HBO included (Unlimited Elite)
• Mexico and Canada privileges
• Unlimited international texting

One of the biggest cons is that none of the new unlimited plans come with live TV, whereas customers on Unlimited &More and Unlimited &More Premium had access to over 35 channels, as well as 15,000 movies and TV shows.

All of the new AT&T unlimited plans include unlimited talk, text, and data in Mexico and Canada, as well as unlimited messaging to over 120 countries.

Let’s Talk Take: Are the New Plans Better?

There is no clear-cut answer as to whether AT&T’s new unlimited plans are better than their predecessors—it depends on what’s important to you. Some people may be disappointed by the removal of live TV and the lack of choice when it comes to a premium streaming subscription, while others may be stoked about the higher hotspot allowances and high data deprioritization thresholds on the Extra and Elite plans. If you’re unsure where you stand, we at Let’s Talk have broken down which type of customer each plan is best suited for.

AT&T Unlimited Starter Plan: Best for Budget-Minded Customers & Families

At $65/month, AT&T’s Unlimited Starter plan is essentially a fairly bare-bone unlimited data plan for single-line customers or families looking for an affordable unlimited plan. Families who don’t want to bicker over shared data can now receive unlimited data for $35/month per line.

AT&T Unlimited Extra Plan: Best for Productive-Minded Customers & Travelers

Priced at $75/month, Unlimited Extra includes 15GB of high-speed hotspot, in addition to a high 50GB data deprioritization. As such, this plan is a good option for anyone who’s heavily reliant on their phones (and nowadays, who isn’t). Further, frequent travelers may want to consider this plan, since it gives you the option of connecting to a hotspot when WiFi isn’t available.

AT&T Unlimited Elite Plan: Best for Streamers & Gamers

With a price tag of $85/month, this plan is for customers who want it all—HD streaming, 30GB of hotspot, and an HBO subscription. The Elite plan comes with a whopping 100GB data deprioritization threshold—again, a huge improvement to the 22GB AT&T used to offer. With such a ridiculously high data deprioritization threshold, gamers and streamers will experience little to no disruptions while enjoying their games, movies, or TV shows.

When Are the New Plans Available?