AT&T axing all but Mobile Share plans for new customers

If you've thought about heading over to AT&T but don't want to pool data between devices, we recommend signing up before Oct. 25.

Starting then, AT&T will give new customers no other option than to sign-up for a Mobile Share plan, nixing the option of traditional data plans for newbies.

"[We're] streamlining the plans we offer new customers," the company said in a blog post. "Our customers have expressed an overwhelming preference for simplified options that allow them to share data across multiple devices."

According to AT&T, Mobile Share "is the most popular plan that new customers choose when coming to AT&T."

"In 95% of the new customers scenarios, Mobile Share offers the same or better price with additional value."

Data do's

Existing AT&T customers will be able to keep their current plan and won't be forced to switch to a Mobile Share, even if they upgrade to a new device.

Mobile Share customers can connect up to 10 devices in a single Mobile Share plan, adding a new device for anywhere between $10/month (tablets and gaming devices using shared data) to $30/month (basic and messaging phones with shared data and unlimited talk and text).

Data plans start at $50/month for a basic phone and $70/month for a smartphone, each with 300MB of data and unlimited talk and text. Of course, the more devices you add, the quicker your data can be eaten up, so AT&T stands to make quite the caboodle.

Because everything is better in pictures, check out AT&T's infographic explaining its Mobile Share option.

AT&T's move follows rival Verizon, which has for some time now required new customers to sign-up with a Share Everything plan.

• T-Mobile is at it again, this time with free unlimited international roaming and texts.