If you’re on an older AT&T wireless plan, here are the price hikes to watch for this month.
Jeff Carlson Main writer
Jeff Carlson writes about mobile technology for CNET. He is also the author of dozens of how-to books covering a wide range from Apple devices and cameras to photo editing software and PalmPilots. He drinks a lot of coffee in Seattle.
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Next billing cycle is about to get more expensive for AT&T wireless in the long run phone schedule clients. While the operator focuses on new “2.0” service levels, those that retain the old ones unlimited contracts are subject to a mandatory monthly surcharge starting this month. The logic behind the price increase seems inconsistent, as the specific amount varies wildly across different generations of pension plans.
On a support page put online when it was announced unlimited “2.0” telephone plans revisitedthe carrier revealed that prices for its “retired” unlimited wireless plans – those that customers who haven’t upgraded are still using – will increase by up to $20 starting in April.
AT&T is implementing two price changes. If your account with a “retired” plan has only one line, the price increases by $10. If you have two or more lines on an account, the price increase is capped at $20 for the account.
Perhaps to offset the pain, affected plans will receive an additional 20GB of high-speed hotspot data each month.
However, not everyone sees the same thing.
As an AT&T cell plan subscriber, when I logged into my own AT&T account to compare options, I was directed to another support page stating that prices are increasing by $5 per smartphone line. For the hotspot, AT&T is adding 10GB of super high-speed data, probably to each line, but it’s not specified. This page does not refer to the “retired” lines, only stating: “The monthly fees for your unlimited plan will increase starting in April 2026.”
I reached out to the company for clarification on which plans get which increases. AT&T maintains a list of retired plans, which includes unlimited plans dating back to 2016. On my account, I have an older Unlimited Elite (retired 2022), Unlimited Extra EL (retired March 2026), and Unlimited Starter SL (also retired March 2026). It is therefore not clear why my combination of pension plans would justify a smaller increase.
I also discovered a third support article that applies to customers on retired Mobile Share plans. If your plan includes less than 6 GB of data, the price increases by $5 per month. If it’s a plan larger than 6 GB per month, the price increases by $10 per month.
As for why prices are increasing, AT&T’s support pages state: “This change helps us continue to provide reliable network service, quality products, and an exceptional customer experience.”
In a previous statement to CNET, an AT&T spokesperson said: “We recognize that any price increase is important to our customers and their budgets. This increase reflects the true cost of continuing to provide the speed, reliability and support our customers expect every day. »
AT&T maintains that its new plans are competitively priced with other carriers’ plans and “better aligned with how our customers use our services.”
The changes only apply to wireless plans activated before July 24, 2025, according to the support note. This includes existing plans, not just plans recently discontinued and replaced by 2.0 plans.
This also means that if you signed up for the company’s previous AT&T Value Plus VL, Unlimited Starter SL, Unlimited Extra EL, or Unlimited Premium PL plan during the last half of 2025, this increase will not apply to you.
The increases are worth comparing prices between keeping an existing plan or upgrading to the new plans. For example, the first change makes the Premium 2.0 plan more attractive. When it was announced, the Premium 2.0 plan was more expensive than the old Unlimited Premium PL plan: $90 per month for a single line instead of $86, or $220 for four lines instead of $204. With the new price increase, maintaining the Unlimited Premium PL plan will cost $96 per month for a single line and $240 per month for four lines.
AT&T isn’t the only one to change the price of its plan in recent months. After Verizon replaced its CEOhe lowered prices at all levels to be more competitive. And T-Mobile introduced a new limited-time offer Best Value Plan a price similar to that of its Experience Plus Plan but with more benefits designed to appeal to families.
If AT&T’s increases have you shopping around, we have recommendations for best cell phone plan and the best unlimited data plan, as well as a comparison of AT&T and Verizon plans.
