Overview: Postpaid Consumer Plans by AT&T (Cellular Data Plans)

Top Pick Notes: AT&T offers the following plans that we consider top picks and are worth focusing your research on:

AT&T Unlimited Tablet

• Device: Tablets
• Data: Unlimited on device data, varying degrees of network management and hotspot buckets
• Price: $20/mo
• Notes: Available standalone without other lines of service via AT&T consumer postpaid, or added on to existing AT&T 'Unlimited Your Way' plans for consumer or business. Terms of network management and mobile hotspot might differ. 
• More Info: View the 'Tablet' Tab On this Page

Unlimited Premium Smartphone 

• Device: Smartphones
• Data: Unlimited On Device, No Network Management, 50GB Mobile hotspot
• Price: $85/mo
• Notes: The Consumer Unlimited Premium plan comes with 50GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data
• More Info: Consumer: View the 'Unlimited Smartphones Plans' Tab on this Page. For an even better version of the plan, see our Gear Center for AT&T Business Plans

DataConnect

• Device: Data-only devices
• Data: 50GB or 100GB
• Price: $55/month or $90/month
• Notes: 
• More Info: View the 'DataConnect' Tab On this Page

For more plans that provide lots of data: Top Pick Data Plans Guide

Unlimited Smartphone Plans

AT&T currently offers 5 plans, 4 of which are unlimited on-device data (see grid below for all pricing details). The Unlimited Premium, Extra, and Starter fall under AT&T's "Unlimited Your Way" branding, which allows mix-and-match options to customize the plan for each line on an account. The top-tier Unlimited Premium plan is one of our Top Pick Data Plans. The Value Plus plan is available for single lines of service only; lines on Value Plus cannot be combined with "Unlimited Your Way" plan lines and do not count towards multi-line discounts.  

• Unlimited Premium - $85/Single Line  **TOP PICK**
• Unlimited Extra - $75/Single Line
• Unlimited Starter - $65/Single Line
• Value Plus - $50/Single Line ONLY
• 4GB Plan - $50/Single Line

Unlimited Plan Specifications:

• Carrier Networks Used: AT&T
• Carrier Relationship: Direct
• Plan Types Available: Smartphone
• Device Types Permitted: Smartphone, Tablets, Connected Cars, Wearables, Mobile hotspot devices, Laptops 
• Unlimited: Yes
• High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use:
  • Unlimited Premium: 50GB per line (2G after cap), 10GB add-on for $15, either recurring or one-time only (valid for 30 days)
  • Unlimited Extra: 15GB per line (2G after cap),10GB add-on for $15, either recurring or one-time only (valid for 30 days)
  • Unlimited Starter: 3GB per line (2G after cap), 10GB add-on for $15, either recurring or one-time only (valid for 30 days)
  • Value Plus - None
  • 4GB Plan - None
  • Mobile hotspot devices & laptops (add-on): 15GB/$25, then $10/2GB additional overage fee
  • Tablets (add-on): 15GB mobile hotspot data
• Throttling: Full speed on device, mobile hotspot throttles noted above
• Network Management:
  • Unlimited Premium: None
  • Unlimited Extra: After 50GB
  • Unlimited Starter: Always
  • Value Plus: Always
  • 4GB Plan: None
• Video Streaming Resolution: 
  • Unlimited Premium: Up to 4K UHD
  • Unlimited Extra: 480p
  • Unlimited Starter: 480p
  • Value Plus: 480p
  • Mobile Hotspot/Laptops: 720p
• 5G Access: Yes
• eSIM: Yes
• Device Purchase Required: No, but can purchase a device
• Plan Period: 30 days
• International Roaming: 
  • Full plan data usage in Mexico/Canada, however roaming off AT&T's network partners may be limited to 2G speed. (Smartphones and tablets only.)
  • For other countries, AT&T offers various addons, including day passes or pay-as-you-go rates.
  • Unlimited Premium includes coverage in 19 Latin American countries for unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data.  
• Domestic Roaming:
  • Domestic data roaming is limited to 400MB per month. If you exceed that, your data access may be shut down until you are back on AT&T native towers. Excessive domestic roaming can also lead to the permanent termination of roaming. 
  • Domestic roaming may be throttled to 2G speeds at all times.
• Data Rollover: No
• Overage Charges: No
• Lines permitted per account: 10
  • Value Plus is available on a single line only
• Extras
  • AT&T Active Armor
  • Discount on DirecTV service.

Pricing Grid Comparison

AT&T Unlimited Tablet (**Top Pick**)

Tablets can be added as an extra line onto AT&T's unlimited smartphone plans for just $20/month. When added as a line of service, data is unlimited on the tablet but is always subject to network management.  Additionally addon tablet lines get 15GB of mobile hotspot use and support for HD video.

However, there's also a little-known standalone unlimited data tablet plan, also just $20/month, that can be purchased ala carte without other lines of service. It's assumed this plan is intended for adding tablet lines to accounts that have already reached their 10-line limit, but it still can be activated without other lines of service.  

There is little information available on the current details of the plan as it's not published anywhere, but some reports indicate the plan has network management after 22GB of usage and includes some high-speed mobile hotspot use (assumed to be at 10GB). While previous versions of this plan came with the ability to turn Video Management off and on, we have recently seen reports that newer versions of this plan do not have that option.

It is listed in AT&T's system as "AT&T Unlimited Tablet." Previous versions were called "Unlimited For iPad" and "Unlimited for Tablet". You'll have to find a rep who knows about this plan over the phone or in a corporate store to activate it on a cellular-enabled tablet. 

This is a post-paid plan for tablets only, and there is a $30 activation fee.

There are further notes in the member section below on this option.  

DataConnect (**Top Pick**)

DataConnect plans are for hotspots, tablets, laptops, and routers. 

Currently Available Plans:

• 50GB for $55/month
• 100GB for $90/month

*Prices include $10/month discount for autopay and paperless billing.

Plan Specifications:

• Carrier Networks Used: AT&T
• Carrier Relationship: Direct
• Plan Types Available: Data
• Device Types Permitted: Hotspots, Tablets, Laptops, Routers
• Unlimited: No
• High-Speed Mobile Hotspot Use: All data can be used as hotspot data
• Throttling: None
• Network Management: Not specified
• Video Streaming Resolution:  Not specified
• 5G Access: Yes
• eSIM: No
• Device Purchase Required: No
• Plan Period: 30 days
• International Roaming: No. International data packages can be added.
• Domestic Roaming: Not specified
• Data Rollover: No
• Overage Charges: If data cap is reached, additional data is automatically added at $10/5GB.
• Lines permitted per account: 10
• Extras: None 

Connected Car & RV

These plans are offered for vehicles with built-in hotspots, such as GM's OnStar, Airstreams and Ford's SYNC systems. They also offer an aftermarket OBD-II device that is eligible for in-vehicle usage only. More information is available on the AT&T Connected Car website.

Plan Options:

• Connected Car Unlimited Data: $20/month per car, for up to 3 cars
  • Network Management after 22GB
  • Includes roaming into Canada
• Add to an existing Mobile Share Plan for $10/month

FirstNet Plans

FirstNet is AT&T's platform for first responders and the public safety community. You must be a first responder or in public safety in order to be eligible for these plans.

Those who may be in or associated with those communities can check eligibility at the FirstNet website. 

Currently Available Plans

• Responder Unlimited with Tethering (Smartphone) - $44.99/month (includes hotspot data)
• Responder Unlimited (Smartphone) - $39.99/month (no hotspot data)
• Responder Unlimited Data-Only for Tablets/Hotspot/Tethering - $40.00/month
• Responder Unlimited for Wearable Devices - $25.00/month

Plans with smaller data buckets are also available.