If AT&T customers thought that recent changes to data pricing were drastic, imagine O2 U.K. customers’ surprise yesterday when their carrier followed the American’s lead and capped data at 1 GB.
O2 has gone to tiered data pricing that it says was designed to make things easier for their customers to understand. The new pricing includes a 500 MB plan, a 750 MB plan and a 1 GB plan.
The different data amounts come bundled in conjunction with various combinations of talk minutes and texts.
O2 contends that based on current usage patterns, 97 percent of its customers would not need to buy additional data allowances, as the lowest bundle (500 MB) provides at least 2.5 times the average O2 customer’s current use.
O2 customers will be able to buy additional data “Bolt Ons,” which include 500 MB for £5 ($7.30) or 1 GB for £10 ($14.70), and O2 will ensure customers have the ability to easily monitor their use by sending them regular text messages.
Similar to AT&T, existing unlimited customers may continue under their present terms, but once they have changed to one of the new plans, they cannot go back.
“By doing this, we are laying the foundation for a sustainable data experience for all customers and the huge possibilities that technology will create over the coming years,” CEO Ronan Dunne concluded.
AT&T in the United States recently did away with unlimited data, capping its top data plan at 2 GB for $25 a month.
