AT&T reportedly discontinues sales of subsidized tablets
Carrier will no longer offer discounted pricing of slates with two-year data contracts, according to a document published by Engadget.
It appears the days of subsidized pricing for tablets are over at AT&T.
The carrier will no longer offer discounted, on-contract sales of tablets, according to a document published by Engadget. The document, which appears to be a briefing on new in-house sales policies, seems to indicate that today is the last day it will offer subsidized pricing of slates when purchased with a two-year data contract:
Customers purchasing a tablet after August 19, 2012, no longer have a two-year pricing option. The only option available will be the no commitment pricing.
The document also details changes to the company's DataConnect mobile broadband services. Effective immediately, data pricing plans for tablets will be lowered by $5. The new monthly data plans are 250MB for $14.99, 3GB for $30, and 5GB for $50.
If true, AT&T will be joining the growing trend of no device subsidies. In June, Verizon Wireless quietly revealed that it would stop selling subsidized tablets and Netbooks as part of its Share Everything plans, which allow tablets to use a pool of shared data for $10 a month extra.
CNET has contacted AT&T for comment and will update this report when we learn more.