How did AT&T handle raising the price of its grandfathered unlimited data plan? On November 30, 2015, AT&T announced a $5 monthly increase, from $30 to $35, starting with February 2016 service. The company called it the first increase in seven years and tied it to record mobile data use. The announcement came weeks after Verizon added $20 and while an FCC penalty over the plan's throttling remained in dispute.
Originally published December 2015. Rewritten October 2026 with sourced facts from contemporaneous reporting.
What did AT&T announce and when?
AT&T announced on Monday, November 30, 2015 that grandfathered unlimited smartphone data plans would rise $5 a month, from $30 to $35, according to Macworld. The plan was closed to new customers, so the change reached only people who had kept it for years.
The increase took effect with customers' February 2016 service and was the first rise in seven years, per CNNMoney, November 30, 2015. AT&T's statement said mobile data use was at record levels and called the change "a small price increase," as quoted by Ubergizmo.
How did AT&T's move compare with rival carriers in 2015?
AT&T's $5 increase was the smallest of the three unlimited-plan price moves reported in late 2015. The table lists each move with its source.
| Carrier | 2015 move on unlimited data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T | Grandfathered plan from $30 to $35, effective February 2016 service | CNNMoney, November 30, 2015 |
| Verizon | Increase of $20 in October, bringing the plan to $49.99 a month | CNNMoney, November 30, 2015 |
| T-Mobile | Unlimited price for new customers raised from $30 to $45 in early November | Digital Trends, early November 2015 |
CNNMoney also reported that Sprint and T-Mobile said they would slow service for unlimited customers who passed 23 GB in a month.
Why was a $5 increase a communications risk?
A $5 increase was a communications risk because it landed on a plan already at the center of a regulatory dispute about throttling. CNNMoney reported that AT&T had been hit with a $100 million fine in June 2015 over how it described the plan, which the company disputed and was fighting in court. Digital Trends added that the Federal Trade Commission and the FCC had alleged AT&T failed to state its throttling rules to customers on the plan.
Read against that dispute, the price notice was not a standalone billing change. Customers on the plan had every reason to connect it to the throttling story, and the company had no new information to offer on the open question.
How did AT&T frame the increase?
AT&T framed the increase as a response to network demand, saying consumers and businesses were using mobile data at record levels. That framing matched the wider industry explanation: CNNMoney reported that heavy data users strain networks, so carriers had taken steps to move customers off unlimited plans.
The weakness in the framing was context. A carrier asking customers to pay more because of heavy use, while also being accused of slowing the same customers, gives readers two stories to combine.
What can pricing communicators learn from the AT&T case?
Pricing communicators can take three lessons from the AT&T case, each tied to the dated facts above.
First, publish the number and the effective date together. AT&T gave a $5 figure and a February 2016 start, so customers could do the arithmetic without a call to support.
Second, check what else is open about the same product. A price notice sent while a regulatory dispute is live will be read alongside it, so the prepared answers need to cover both.
Third, match the explanation to the evidence customers already have. A network-demand explanation works when customers are not being told their speeds may be reduced.
Draft the notice before sending it. The crisis statement templates give fill-in wording, and the crisis communication plan assigns the spokesperson and the question-and-answer sheet. For a case with dollar-valued remedies stated up front, read Delta's 2016 outage.
Frequently asked questions
How much did AT&T raise its grandfathered unlimited data plan?
AT&T raised the plan by $5 a month, from $30 to $35, starting with February 2016 service (CNNMoney, November 30, 2015).
When did AT&T announce the increase?
AT&T announced the increase on Monday, November 30, 2015, according to Macworld.
How did Verizon's 2015 increase compare?
Verizon increased its unlimited plan by $20 in October 2015, bringing it to $49.99 a month, according to CNNMoney.
Was AT&T in a dispute over the plan at the time?
Yes. CNNMoney reported a $100 million fine from June 2015 over how AT&T described the plan, and the company disputed it.
Where does this case sit?
This case is part of the Crisis Communications Foundation pillar. Other named cases are in the Crisis Communications Case Study Library and in 12 PR crisis examples.
Ronn Torossian is the founder and chairman of 5W AI Communications, the AI Communications Firm. He is the publisher of Everything-PR and the author of two best-selling editions of For Immediate Release.