AT&T introduces new data plans with smallest plan now $5 more per month

You got to hand it to AT&T, whenever their reputation as America's most hated cellphone company begins to wane they find a way to piss off everyone all over again.

Today the company introduced new data plans. No, they haven't reintroduced the $30 unlimited data plan to counter Sprint. Instead they have introduced plans that give you a bit more data, but at a higher price.

The smallest old plan came in at $15 per month. That one is gone and now the new 300MB plan will cost you $20.

“Customers are using more data than ever before,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets on the company's blog. “Our new plans are driven by this increasing demand in a highly competitive environment, and continue to deliver a great value to customers, especially as we continue our 4G LTE deployment.”

Current AT&T customers with the $15 plan can keep it, for now. But any change in their plan, for instance a temporary increase in data for a business trip, or adding tethering, probably means that you won't be able to return to the $15 plan.

I migrated myself and my unwilling family from Sprint to AT&T because AT&T was the only carrier at the time that offered the iPhone. But with Verizon and Sprint now with the iPhone, and with AT&T simply doing what AT&T normally does, I'm sure a lot of customers will find that the time is ripe to dump AT&T once and for all. (Unfortunately, the best alternative to AT&T, Sprint, is also the carrier that appears to be providing iPhone users with the slowest data rates.)