AT&T now makes you pay even more for its fastest 5G speeds

By Bryan M. Wolfe May 2, 2024

AT&T

We have bad news for AT&T customers who always expect to get the fastest 5G speeds. The second-largest carrier in the U.S. will now make you pay extra for the fastest option. On Thursday, AT&T announced its new “Turbo” add-on, which it says will provide “enhanced data connectivity for real-time responsiveness.”

What this means in terms of network speeds compared to what everyday AT&T 5G customers get isn’t exactly clear.

Recommended Videos

In announcing its news, the company says the AT&T Turbo plan is built to support high-performance apps like gaming, social video broadcasting, and live videoconferencing. It also explains that the add-on is ideally used “if customers want less freezing or stuttering and lower latency.”

AT&T is celebrating being the first company to offer customers the option to purchase enhanced data connectivity. However, this suggests that AT&T 5G customers who previously enjoyed the highest speeds will no longer have access to those top speeds unless they pay extra. AT&T Turbo requires phones with 5G compatibility, such as the Google Pixel Pro 8 and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

It will be interesting to see whether Verizon and T-Mobile follow AT&T’s lead, and if so, when.

According to Erin Scarborough, Senior Vice President of Consumer Product for AT&T, AT&T Turbo will evolve as a service: “Today is only the beginning of how AT&T plans to enhance the customer experience through our network, and we look forward to evolving the possibilities of AT&T Turbo in the future.”

At launch, AT&T Turbo costs $7 per month extra, and you can add it to your account through the AT&T app for iPhone and Android-based devices.

Topics

Mobile and A/V Freelancer

Bryan M. Wolfe has over a decade of experience as a technology writer. He writes about mobile.

Mobile

Do you use AT&T? You need to keep a close eye on your next bill

Person holding a phone while laying on a bed.

If you have an older unlimited plan from AT&T, it will soon cost you more. Starting in August, the second-largest mobile company in the U.S. will charge extra for several different legacy plans. At the same time, it's adding new benefits for those customers.

According to an AT&T support document, prices are rising by $10 per month for single lines and $20 per month for those with multiple lines, regardless of the number of lines. The document explains, "This change will allow us to provide additional benefits to your plan and continue to deliver the great wireless service you expect. "

Mobile

T-Mobile is getting rid of its misleading ‘Price Lock’ policy

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert standing in front of a banner that reads Internet Freedom.

T-Mobile just got into some trouble with the National Advertising Program (NAD), a part of the BBB National Programs, an independent non-profit organization, for advertising its supposed “Price Lock” policy for 5G internet service.

Basically, the premise behind the “Price Lock” was a promise not to increase prices for customers who were on the Un-Contract Promise: “Starting January 18, 2024, customers activating or switching to an eligible rate plan get our Price Lock guarantee that only you can change what you pay—and we mean it!”

Mobile

5G vs. LTE: What’s the difference and why you should care

OnePlus Nord N300 5G speed test.

By now, you’ve almost certainly heard of 5G, the latest chapter in the evolution of wireless technology. Chances are you already have a smartphone and plan that supports 5G; if you don’t, you probably will after your next upgrade.

Although 5G has now effectively reached the mainstream, you may still wonder what the big deal is and how it will improve your life over the 4G/LTE technologies that have been the standard for the past decade. Is it worth upgrading to a 5G phone? Do you need a 5G plan, and if so, what level of 5G service should you choose from among the different flavors?