When you buy that shiny new Android or iOS smartphone from AT&T, you are coughing up $200 for it, but also at least $90 monthly for unlimited talk, text and 2GB of data, which adds up to $2360 over the life of the two-year contract, minus the remaining value in the phone if you sell it afterwards.

Now AT&T is introducing a $65 monthly prepaid plan for its GoPhones, which offers unlimited talk and free texts to over 100 countries, including Canada and Mexico, plus 1GB of data. Not shabby if you are not the YouTube-watching-in-the-subway type. That deal will cost you $1560 over the two years of a typical contract, but you can pop the SIM card into whatever device you want, and most importantly, not be shackled by a contract. 

AT&T's new prepaid plan undercuts the same offering Verizon has by $15, but the rest of the GoPhone plans stay as well - there's the unlimited talk and text for $50, and the unlimited text plus 250 minutes voice for $25, to which you can add a 1GB data package for $25. The $65 prepaid option goes into effect October 7. Any takers?

Press Release AT&T LAUNCHES NEW, AFFORDABLE PREPAID SMARTPHONE RATE PLAN

October 1, 2012

DALLAS, Oct. 1, 2012 - Beginning Oct. 7, AT&T* GoPhone® smartphone customers will have a new rate plan option. The new Monthly Unlimited Plan with Data offers unlimited talk and text, with 1 GB of data for $65 per month. Unlimited text messaging to Mexico, Canada and over 100 other countries is also included.

This new plan is specially designed for smartphone users, and saves them $10 per month compared to previously available options.

The $50 monthly plan with unlimited talk and text and the $25 monthly plan with 250 minutes and unlimited nationwide text with optional data packages will continue to be available to smartphone customers.

Launching in conjunction with this new smartphone rate plan is AT&T GoPhone's newest Android device, AT&T Fusion™ 2, which lets customers enjoy the convenience of a smartphone with email, apps and web access for only $99.

"As more of our prepaid customers choose smartphones, we wanted to offer them a rate plan that meets their needs while still being an excellent value," said Judy Cavalieri, vice president – Voice and Prepaid Products, AT&T. "We're excited to offer this new option to our growing base of smartphone customers to give them a better smartphone experience while keeping their budget in check."

AT&T operates the nation's largest Wi-Fi network** including more than 30,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots at popular restaurants, hotels, bookstores and retailers, and provides access to more than 220,000 hotspots globally through roaming agreements. Most AT&T smartphone customers, including Fusion 2 customers, get access to our entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional cost, and Wi-Fi usage doesn't count against customers' monthly wireless data plans.

More information on AT&T GoPhone prepaid rate plans can be found at http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/plans/prepaidplans.html.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.

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