Surprise, surprise: AT&T launches new unlimited plan

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Friday, February 17, 2017
AT&T unveils new unlimited plans for all customers
AT&T unveils new unlimited plans for all customers.

AT&T says any cellphone customer can sign up for unlimited data plans starting Friday. That option had been limited to customers of AT&T-owned DirecTV.

The change comes just days after Verizon announced an unlimited plan without such restrictions.

All four major cellphone providers now offer unlimited plans, a major reversal from a few years ago. AT&T's version costs the same as Verizon's - $180 - for a family of four but is pricier for an individual. Sprint and T-Mobile are cheaper.

Sprint also said Thursday that it's letting unlimited customers watch video in high definition rather than DVD quality. T-Mobile announced a similar change Monday after Verizon said HD video was included. AT&T's unlimited plan degrades video to DVD quality, but customers can turn HD video back on for free.