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AT&T GoPhone prepaid plans set to change on June 20

AT&T recently announced some changes for GoPhone users and it looks like some additional changes will be coming later in the month. The previous change added support for HSPA+ and LTE network connectivity (provided the user has a compatible handset) and this latest will be switching up the available plans. AT&T has yet to reveal all the specifics, however they have said the GoPhone plans will be changing on June 20th.

The carrier has said they will be dropping some of the lower priced plans and that in the end, there will be a “variety of plans” available for users to choose from. In a statement provided to CNET, AT&T has said they are doing this to simplify the options and also to eliminate some of the lesser used options.

“We’re making some changes to our AT&T GoPhone prepaid plans to simplify our offers and better align with what customers are choosing and telling us they want,”

At present the AT&T GoPhone options include a $25 per month plan along with a $50 and $65 per month plan. The bottom-tier plan includes 250 minutes for calling and unlimited messaging. Users then have the option to add data for an additional cost. The $50 plan includes unlimited talk along with the unlimited messaging. This plan also requires the data to be added on at an additional cost. The one plan that does include data is the top-tier which has 1GB of data along with unlimited talk and messaging.
We still need the official word from AT&T, however it seems reasonable the carrier may be shifting these plans to have more a focus on data. Or at the very least, to include data with all plans across the board. Of course, June 20th will bring the answer though. In the meantime, AT&T also rolled-out Aio Wireless, which is another prepaid service.
The Aio Wireless service has several plans and several smartphones and tablets available, however at the moment it is only available in a limited few markets. At present Aio Wireless is available for those in Houston, Orlando and Tampa. The Aio Wireless plans range in price from as low as $35 per month and as high as $70 per month.

This AT&T Announcement Should Attract iPhone Prepaid Customers in Droves

Must be nice having people fight over you. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]) is used to that, though, but another battle is about to get underway and this time it’s in the prepaid phone market.

With the price of contract plans feeling a lot like the typical cable bill, consumers continue to look for options that are cheaper, a la carte, and don’t lock them into a contract. (You know, the same thing consumers demand from their cable provider but don't get.)
Prepaid phones are the carriers’ answer to that demand but up until recently, they’ve been a little archaic. 10 cents for each text message?
On Thursday, MacRumors reported that AT&T’s (NYSE: T) GoPhone prepaid wireless plan will expand. First, it will include support for AT&T’s LTE and HSPA+ networks. This upgrade allows for the second big piece of news: full support for the iPhone. AT&T is expected to announce the expanded service on Friday.
AT&T has always supported the iPhone as part of its GoPhone plan but since the service didn’t provide for any data service, the iPhone was nothing more than a really expensive cell phone that was overqualified for the job.
On June 21, pre-existing iPhone customers will receive data support or they can manually upgrade before that time.
Why would AT&T want to expand the use of the iPhone on its GoPhone network? Presumably, because the iPhone is making giant inroads into the prepaid market. Cricket paved the way a year ago and now, Sprint’s (NYSE: S) Virgin Mobile brand and other AT&T prepaid brands already carry it. Sprint’s prepaid brand, Boost Mobile is also rumored to be launching it in the near future. As an increasing amount of iPhones are retired for newer models, the market for used phones at a fraction of the price of new models is increasing.
AT&T has underperformed the market in the last six months. The stock is up about 7 percent since late November although it’s a favorite of value investors who enjoy the 4.8 percent dividend yield. Technically, the stock is showing bearish flags. It’s well under its 50 day moving average, sell volume is significantly higher than buy volume, and RSI is around 42.
The stock is off of its April highs of about $39 and still has a lot of downside before it reaches strong support around $35.75.

AT&T GoPhone To Update Pre-Paid Service With 4G LTE, HSPA+ Tomorrow

According to MacRumors, AT&T is expected to improve its GoPhone prepaid wireless brand tomorrow, rolling out LTE and HSPA+ data network access and official support for the iPhone. GoPhone customers who have been using the service with an iPhone or compatible 4G device will now be able access data service on their devices. GoPhone will reportedly be offering three different service plans for the iPhone and other 4G capable devices, starting with a plan that includes unlimited texts and calls and 1 GB of data for $65 a month. Also available will be plans starting at $25 and $50, with data packages being available for an additional charge. GoPhone is allowing customers with off-contract iPhones and 4G smartphones to join the pre-paid service, or purchase an iPhone in AT&T retail stores at for the full non-commitment price. Existing smartphone users with GoPhone service will automatically receive cellular data support on June 21st.