Retired Plan: AT&T DataConnect Prepaid Unlimited Tablet Plan (Cellular Data Plans)

AT&T Prepaid is AT&T's own prepaid brand. For several years, they offered an unlimited tablet based plan that was of interest to nomads seeking unlimited data on a tablet device.

We have an in depth guide to all of AT&T Prepaid's many offerings, here. This guide focuses solely on the AT&T Prepaid Unlimited Tablet Plan, a popular option for AT&T coverage.

Tablet DataConnect Prepaid Unlimited Plan

The plan was a session-based prepaid plan designed for tablets, cellular-enabled cameras, and gaming devices. It was first released in 2010 with the launch of the cellular iPad, and quickly retired (but customers were grandfathered in as long as they continued to renew).

AT&T brought the plan back in June 2017 and made it available to all tablet devices. Later, cellular-enabled cameras and gaming devices were added as options, but tablets remain the most useful device for this plan.

The plan includes truly on device unlimited data, subject to network management after 22GB of usage, but does not include any mobile hotspot use.

The plan price was increased by $5/month in May 2019 and currently costs $40/month ($34.99 with auto-renew).

Many were using this plan on routers and hotspot devices, and since the retirement of the plan AT&T has continued to terminate accounts doing so. 

In February 2020, AT&T officially retired the plan - grandfathering in those who utilize the plan as intended:

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For Our Comparative Pricing Grid:
Guide to Cellular Data Plan Pricing

Testing Status

We do not keep an AT&T Unlimited Tablet Plan in our testing arsenal.

Policies & Perks:

• Carrier Networks Used: AT&T
• Carrier Relation: Direct prepaid
• Plan Types Available: Tablet
• Device Types Permitted: Tablets, Cameras, Gaming Devices, Wearables.
  • Use of SIM in a dedicated hotspot device is against AT&T's terms of service, but also not currently enforced
• Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
• Mobile Hotspot Use: No mobile hotspot use. However, many folks take the SIM card out of a tablet once activated and successfully utilize it in a hotspot device (this is very much against AT&T's terms of service.)
• Throttling: None
• Network Management: At 22GB
• International Roaming: US-only, but international data add-ons are available for some session-based plans (at an extra cost).
• Domestic Roaming: (unconfirmed) - AT&T Prepaid seems to include domestic roaming, and likely has similar limits to postpaid accounts.
• Plan Period: 30 days
• Data Roll Over: N/A
• Overage Charges: None
• Streaming: None - and stream saver not included (or needed).
• Unlimited Data: Yes

Related Articles

• AT&T Enforcing 10GB Personal Hotspot High Speed Cap on Standalone Postpaid Unlimited Tablet Plans Posted on: February 17, 2021
• AT&T "Unlimited Your Way" Adds Mix-And-Match to Smartphone Plans, While Making Tablets Less Appealing Posted on: September 25, 2020
• AT&T Releases New Prepaid $34.99/mo Tablet Plan - But It's Not Unlimited Posted on: February 28, 2020
• AT&T Confirms Grandfathering of $34.99/Month Prepaid Tablet Plan Posted on: February 20, 2020
• AT&T Pulls Prepaid DataConnect $34.99/Month Unlimited Tablet Plan Posted on: February 13, 2020

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Potential Alternatives to Consider:

Some of our TOP PICK Cellular Data Plans to also consider:

Learn More About Selecting Cellular Data Plans  Explore Our Comparative Pricing Grid

Purchasing Options

No longer available, current tiered data options can be activated with these links:

• For iPads use this link: att.com/ipadlanding
• For other tablet models and compatible devices: https://buyasession.att.com/sbd/Common/ShopRatePlans.action

Shopping for Cellular Data Plans Finding the right plan(s) for your needs

Finding the right plans for your needs is no easy task - quite simply mobile travelers using cellular data as their primary way online is not how most carriers have designed their plans. Many of us want plans that provide copious amounts of data.

Understanding the different plan terms (like network management, throttling, hotspot data, video resolution) is key to determining if a plan will meet your needs or not. You also need plans that are suitable for use in the device you want to use them in - such as smartphone, mobile hotspot device or cellular embedded router.

To learn more about shopping for dataplans, check out these key guides:

Understanding & Shopping for Unlimited Cellular Data Plans for Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile & Sprint

Top Cellular Data Plans for RVers & Cruisers – Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint

Cellular Carrier Data Plan Pricing Guide & Comparative Spreadsheet

Considerations for Selecting Cellular Data Plans

Here's a video going over the 'limits' on so-called 'unlimited' data plans:

But a data plan alone will not keep you online. For more education on assembling a cellular centric mobile internet setup, head on over to our collection of guides to help with selecting gear and your signal enhancing strategy:

Using Cellular Data Resources