Verizon vs AT&T - Comparing iPad Data Plan Financial Value

In my last post I reported that Verizon and AT&T will soon be selling the iPad in all retail locations. The iPad will be available through these two companies before the month of October is out. I believe the exact date is October 28th.

I made no effort to hide my personal feelings about this notion. I was very transparent about my excitement and anticipation for the new Verizon option. They will now add competition to AT&T's data plan solution for iPad owners and users.


I want to prove my point. I wanted to do a post comparing AT&T and Verizon iPad data plans.


The comparisons I have below are simple. I took the lowest cost lowest value plan for each company and calculated the Dollar per GB ratio for each plan. I did the exact same thing for the highest cost highest value plan of each company. Below are the results. I don't want to say I told you so but I told you so.

AT&T


  • Best value = $12.50 per GB
  • Worst Value = $60.00 per GB
  • Now that is the AT&T I know and love.
  • Great job guys way to bend over the struggling American consumer. What a service.

Verizon

  • Best Value = $1.25 per GB that is literally 1/10 of the cost of AT&T.
  • Worst Value = $20.00 per GB which is a 1/3 of the cost of AT&T.



So you can spend 1000% - 300% more for a AT&T data plan or you can take that money and pay for your iPad data plan with Verizon as well as 3 - 10 plans for your friends depending on your social life.


Decisions, decisions.

BUY Verizon
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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 10, 2011 at 9:16 PM

    While your math is correct, it is being deceiving. AT&T is offering plans at the lower end of the spectrum. As with most things, the more you buy to less you pay per unit.

    If you list them in order, AT&T fits in nicely on the pricing curve:

    250MB $15 or $60/GB (AT&T)
    1GB $20 or $20/GB (Verizon)
    2GB $25 or $12.50/GB (AT&T)
    3GB $35 or $11.67/GB (Verizon)
    5GB $50 or $10/GB (Verizon)

    I'd say the sweet spot is actually AT&T's 2GB plan, but really you need to base the decision on how much you need and use.

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  2. Young Finance GuyJanuary 18, 2011 at 9:54 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. EdgeJanuary 23, 2011 at 2:12 AM

    So, uhh, how did you get $1.25 per GB from verizon exactly? Best value from verizon is $10/GB

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  4. Young Finance GuyJanuary 25, 2011 at 8:59 AM

    So how the hell did i not see that. how the hell did 1000 people read this thing and not say anything until now.

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  5. Old userMarch 4, 2011 at 4:53 AM

    I have to agree with Anonymous it depends on how much you use the 3G capability, most (users) I think, will be down loading from WIFI. and who wants to carry around the MIFI gadget (from Verizon) and have to charge that as well. Lots of reasons other than cost to go with AT&T.

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  6. AnonymousMarch 25, 2011 at 8:13 PM

    GPS is also not an option with the verizon version!

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