AT&T Slashes Smartphone Costs with New Mobile Share Plans

AT&T sweetens the deal for small businesses looking for reasons to upgrade to the latest mobile devices such as the Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and other productivity-enhancing (and in-demand) smartphones. Small business owners can now save some money on their smartphone bills and enjoy more device-upgrade flexibility with the wireless provider’s new Mobile Share Value plans.

The telecommunications giant kicked off the new plans on Dec. 8, enabling consumers and businesses customers to lower their wireless phone bills by up to $15 a month. The savings kick in when customers buy a new smartphone with nothing down under AT&T Next, the company’s yearly upgrade plan, or switch plans after their contracts expire. Prices start at $45 per month for one smartphone with 300 MB of data.

Save Money on Small Business Mobile Plans

Customers can also opt to bring their own smartphone to the carrier or purchase one at full price. The aim, according to Robert Boyanovsky, executive director of mobility product marketing for AT&T, is to free small business customers from restrictive contracts while helping them to trim costs.

“Mobile Share Value Plans offer greater value and flexibility to our small business customers,” said Boyanovsky. Slow network speeds and counting minutes and texts are also things of the past. With the new plans, customers can add smartphones to AT&T’s fast 4G LTE network and score “increased rate plan savings, compared with current Mobile Share plans,” he added.

Now, small businesses can draw from a single pool of data instead of loading up each number with gigabytes (GB) that may go underused. “Mobile Share Value plans let business customers share data usage among business-owned devices—up to 10 devices for 20GB plan, up to 15 devices for 30GB plan, up to 20 devices 40GB plan, or up to 25 devices for 50GB plan,” said Boyanovsky.

There’s also no danger of going over the limit. As they approach their allotted data usage for the month, customers receive courtesy alerts.

In addition, there’s no need to keep conversations short or parcel out texts. “All plans offer unlimited talk and text for phones, as well as video calling and mobile hotspots on capable devices,” added Boyanovsky. Mobile Share Value customers can add a tablet for another $10 per month. The plans include access to AT&T’s nationwide Wi-Fi network at no additional charge.

A new 18-month AT&T Next plan is available to select small business owners with up to six company-owned devices (subject to credit approval). It lowers monthly smartphone payments, “even lower than the existing AT&T Next option,” by spreading payments over 26 months according to the company.

AT&T Next gives small business owners the freedom to take home the latest smartphones without forking over fees. Boyanovsky said the “plans give eligible small business customers a way to get a new smartphone after 12 or 18 monthly payments for no down payment, no upgrade fee, no activation fee and no financing fee.”

Essentially, small business owners can better tailor their wireless plans to suit their needs. “With our new Mobile Share Value Plans, customers don’t have to compromise,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer of AT&T Mobility, in a statement.

Pedro Hernandez is a contributing editor at Small Business Computing. Follow him on Twitter @ecoINSITE.