AT&T

Not ready to switch? You can try AT&amp;T WirelessSM FREE for 30 days!
Keep your current service and number while you test drive our network from your phone.&nbsp;<a aria-label="Learn more about AT&amp;T Turbo" href="/wireless/free-trial/">Learn more</a>

When it comes to deciding which cell phone plans with unlimited data are best for you and your family, people often get confused with the different terminology and ask, &quot;What is an unlimited mobile plan?&quot; So, we are here to help clarify things.

Let&#39;s first discuss the differences between the types of plans offered today by the selected carriers:

<ul>
	<li>Unlimited cell phone plans are phone plans with unlimited data, talk, and text services.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Pay-as-you-go (also known as prepaid) plans enable you to pay upfront only for a set amount of service (minutes, texts, and data) you use. With this type of plan, you pay every month or every few months, and you&#39;re only committed to it for the amount of service you purchase ahead of time. And if you miss a payment, your phone service is suspended.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Capped/tiered plans are, similar to unlimited plans, considered postpaid plans. However, unlike the unlimited plans, here, you pay a monthly plan charge for a specific amount of calls, texts, and data usage. So, if you go over your data allotment for the month, you&#39;ll either have overage charges or experience data usage limitations for the rest of that bill cycle.</li>
</ul>

Different mobile carriers offer a variety of unlimited cell phone plans, and researching the market for phone plans with unlimited data, text, and calls is essential to avoid surprising and high monthly costs. But you&#39;ll be happy to know that unlimited plans are usually reasonably priced, and those at a premium price offer great perks that ultimately provide you with serious value&mdash;so the cheapest unlimited data plan may not always be your best option.

The best perks and features are reserved for the more premium unlimited cell phone plans&mdash;something many consider a good bang for the buck. With AT&amp;T, these include things such as 4K UHD streaming, <a href="/plans/unlimited-data-plans/roam-latin-america/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_self">additional call and roam destinations</a>, <a href="/verification/signaturehub/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_self">special discounts through your work and organization</a>, 50GB hotspot data per line per month, premium data allotments, and advanced security features.

Add-on services can be added to unlimited phone plans to enhance your wireless experience; for instance, added charges for international calls, text, and data usage packages for when you travel abroad, or a device protection plan for your phone.

What factors should I consider when choosing an unlimited plan?

Carriers offer different tiers of unlimited phone plans&mdash;each tier includes a set of features&mdash;reserving the most valuable features, additional perks, and the best speeds for the more expensive tiers.

That&#39;s why it matters which unlimited plan you choose and why you should research the unlimited phone plans market in advance. When you research, you&#39;ll want to consider the following factors:

<ol>
	<li>Your data usage habits</li>
	<li>Hotspots data (basic or increased amount)</li>
	<li>Network coverage</li>
	<li>Device compatibility (such as 5G)</li>
	<li>International calling and roaming features</li>
	<li>Security features (basic or advanced)</li>
	<li>Streaming quality (HD vs. SD)</li>
</ol>

Here is a breakdown of AT&amp;T Unlimited plans

The best <a href="/plans/unlimited-data-plans/" rel="noreferrer noopener">AT&amp;T plans with unlimited data</a> are AT&amp;T Unlimited Starter&reg; SL, Unlimited Extra&reg; EL, and Unlimited Premium&reg; PL. With <a href="/support/article/wireless/KM1182926" rel="noreferrer noopener">AT&amp;T Unlimited Your Way</a> you can choose a plan to fit each family member. This means the choice is yours, guaranteed. Mix and match any of our best unlimited* plans,2 starting at $3599/mo. per line (for four lines).1

All our best unlimited* plans2 include AT&amp;T 5G, ActiveArmorSM security3, and hotspot data. Also, with our unlimited plans, new and existing customers get our best deals on every smartphone.

*AT&amp;T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy

Let&#39;s dive a bit deeper into each of these plans:

<ul>
	<li>AT&amp;T Unlimited Starter&reg; SL plan: Comes with unlimited talk, text &amp; data in and between the U.S., Canada &amp; Mexico4, 5G access, AT&amp;T ActiveArmorSM advanced security, a free app to monitor the dark web for your personal information and help block harmful URLs, and more.3  Plus, 5GB of hotspot data.5</li>
	<li>AT&amp;T Unlimited Extra&reg; EL plan: This plan includes everything offered in the Unlimited Starter SL plan, combined with AT&amp;T ActiveArmorSM advanced security.</li>
	<li>AT&amp;T Unlimited Premium&reg; PL plan: This plan offers the best of everything, including unlimited high-speed data that can&#39;t slow down based on how much you use and 60GB of hotspot data.5**</li>
</ul>

**After 75GB, AT&amp;T may temporarily slow data speeds if the network is busy

Tamar Levin is a Sr. Digital Content Editor at AT&amp;T, who specializes in wireless technology and innovation. With dual Master of Science degrees from the University College London, Tamar brings over a decade of editorial expertise to her role. She currently spearheads the Content Standards Council at AT&amp;T. Tamar is based out of Dallas, Texas.

How to Choose an Unlimited Cell Phone Plan | AT&T Wireless

Unlimited cell phone plans: All you need to know

More articles and information

AT&T’s best cell phone plans

The AT&T 5G^SMnetwork

Get our best deals and discounts

Helpful resources