AT&T’s less expensive wireless broadband plans now include support for all 5G spectrums and expanding options for businesses
AT&T announced updated AT&T Wireless Broadband plans, making 5G more accessible to all sizes of businesses, lowering the cost of existing plans, and introducing a new entry level plan. Cellular has evolved to help enterprises increase their network efficiency, agility, and control, and these updated plans will ensure that more organizations are able to accelerate their digital transformation by moving to a Wireless WAN (WWAN).
Whether used as the primary or failover service, AT&T Wireless Broadband can provide a cost-effective network option for business applications, a diverse backup option for fixed locations, and a quick deployment option for new business locations and workers at home. By including 5G in the lowest tier plans, each of those uses now has access to the increased performance and security inherent in 5G.
Perceived cost remains a barrier to Wireless WAN adoption
A recent Business Value Analysis Report from Nemertes, a global research-based advisory and consulting firm, investigated the cost considerations of using cellular for business, both as a primary link and a failover link. One of their findings was that the perceived expense of cellular broadband has long been the most common barrier to implementing WWAN for business. This is a reasonable concern as pay-per-bit pricing may potentially expose organizations to excessive or highly unpredictable transport costs on a month to month basis.
Even with the older plans and 4G cellular, however, these cost concerns didn’t take into account the full picture, and when you look at network costs from a comprehensive perspective, WWAN is very cost-effective.
The companies that were interviewed for the report saw, on average, their monthly per-site broadband costs reduced from $304 to $141 and their per-Mbps costs sliced by 90%, compared to the legacy links that the organization replaced. Participants also reported that they reduced the amount of staff members dedicated to WAN-related duties by an average of 19%, with those professionals spending 54% less time troubleshooting WAN issues. These numbers underscore that with the right wireless data plans in place, Wireless WANs can be not only more agile and higher performing than many traditional WAN links, but also better for the bottom line.
AT&T plans help remove the cost and uncertainty of using 5G
AT&T continues to take a leaderships position when it comes 5G, and the new AT&T Wireless Broadband plans appear to align squarely with both the expansion of AT&T’s 5G network coverage and businesses desire to cost-effectively integrate 5G technology and solutions as a competitive advantage. Taking a closer look, we feel this is a really positive move for the industry as well as business customers, and will further drive home the benefits of switching to a Wireless WAN. The new AT&T Wireless Broadband plans target what businesses want – the ability to take advantage of 5G performance where it’s available, at the performance level they need, while minimizing exposure to cost overages and unpredictable billing.
Some key aspects of the new plans:
— Best available wireless network: Includes support for both 4G LTE and 5G technology in a single plan, provided there is network coverage available as well as compatible hardware.
— Flat-rate pricing: Unlimited data allowance on the AT&T 4G LTE or 5G network for a predictable, flat monthly fee.
— Lower cost pricing tiers: Introduction of a new, entry-level Essentials plan, a 25Mbps plan, and reduced monthly rates for the existing Wireless Broadband tiered plans.
With their commitment to 5G technology, enterprise-grade wireless edge solutions, and affordable, flat-rate wireless broadband pricing, AT&T is well positioned to lead the way for businesses on their journey to 5G.
