AT&T requires smartphone customers to subscribe to data plans

AT&T Mobility is requiring any customer purchasing a smartphone or upgrading to one to subscribe to a monthly data plan for $30 in addition to a voice plan. The requirement will go into effect Sept. 6 but won't impact existing customers until they upgrade their phone or plan.

AT&T has released this official statements on the matter: "Smartphone users tend to consume a higher amount of data services, like advanced email, mobile Web, applications and more. Being able to take full advantage of these features without having to worry about a fluctuating or unusually high bill generally leads to greater customer satisfaction, so effective Sept. 6, smartphone customers will need to subscribe to a data plan, as the vast majority of customers already do."

For more:
- check out InformationWeek [1]

Related articles:
AT&T won't change iPhone data plan rates [2]
AT&T outlines plans for increasing HSPA data speeds [3] and bandwidth
AT&T may introduce lower priced data plans [4]