AT&T Mobility is set to join the growing move towards offering LTE services to no-contract customers, announcing that beginning June 21 it will open its growing next-generation network to its GoPhone platform.
The offering will include a single LTE-equipped device provided by the carrier in the Samsung Galaxy Express smartphone, or customers can bring their own device to the game. The Galaxy Express sports a 4.5-inch screen, runs Google’s Android 4.1, is powered by a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor and will retail for $250.
Rate plans with LTE data begin at $30 per month for 250 calling minutes, unlimited messaging and 50 megabytes of data; ratchet up to $40 per month for 500 calling minutes and 200 Mb of data; topping out at $60 per month for unlimited calling, messaging and 2 gigabytes of data. All plans include unlimited messaging to Mexico, Canada and 100 other countries.
The prepaid space has seen increased competition from both big and small operators looking to tap into consumer demand for high-speed data services and high-end devices not tied to a contract. T-Mobile US has been aggressive in moving all of its rate plans to a no-contract model, while a number of smaller entrants have begun offering access to higher-speed data networks.
AT&T Mobility last month rolled out its Aio Wireless offering in select markets offering unlimited talk, messaging and data plans across a handful of basic phones, smartphones and a tablet option. Rate plans start at $40 per month, providing “basic” phones with unlimited voice calling, messaging and up to 250 megabytes of “4G” data, before having speeds throttled. The “4G” aspect of the offering runs across AT&T Mobility’s HSPA+ network, and not its LTE offering.
For smartphones, rate plans begin at $55 per month and ratchet up the un-throttled data amount to 2 gigabytes, or for $70 per month un-throttled data speeds are available for up to 7 GB of usage. For tablets, Aio provides for 250 Mb of un-throttled data speeds at $15 per month, with no allotment for voice or messaging.
Verizon Wireless has to this point shied away from allowing no-contract services tap into its LTE network, though the carrier last month did update its prepaid offering running across its 3G network. That upgrade saw its $70 plan now include 4 gigabytes of data services to go along with unlimited voice and messaging, while the $60 plan now includes 2 GB of data with the same unlimited voice and messaging.
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