AT&T on Monday announced that a 4G LTE-equipped version of its Galaxy Tab 8.9 tablet will launch on November 20th. While this latest AT&T slate won’t be priced quite as high as the 10-inch HTC Jetstream AT&T is currently asking $700 for on contract, the 4G Galaxy Tab 8.9 will command a lofty $479.99 with a two-year commitment to a data plan starting at $14.99 for just 250MB per month. Subscribers can also choose a 2GB plan for $25 each month or a 3GB plan for $35 per month. The Tab 8.9 features a wide 8.9-inch display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, a 3.2-megapixel camera, Android 3.2 Honeycomb and of course, an embedded 4G LTE radio. We reviewed the Galaxy Tab 8.9 last month and said we preferred the larger 10-inch model even though the software didn’t really impress us on either tablet. AT&T’s full press release follows below.
NEW 4G LTE TABLET AVAILABLE FOR AT&T CUSTOMERS
Ultra-Thin and Lightweight Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9
Available Nov. 20 in AT&T Stores and Online
AT&T 4G LTE Expanding to Six New Markets, Total of 15 Nationwide
DALLAS, Nov. 14, 2011 —
Key Facts
· AT&T* introduced its second 4G LTE-enabled tablet for customers, the Samsung Galaxy™ Tab 8.9, an ultra-thin tablet perfect for Android fans who want an optimized Honeycomb experience in a best-in-class form factor.
· Customers can purchase from AT&T stores and online beginning Nov. 20.
· For a limited time, customers who select a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will receive a Samsung Galaxy S™ II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S™ II smartphone at no cost. A two year agreement is required on the smartphone.
· Additionally, AT&T will launch 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) in six new markets on Nov. 20: Charlotte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
· The Nov. 20 launches will expand AT&T 4G LTE to 15 markets total, meeting its 2011 market commitment. AT&T plans to reach 70 million Americans by year-end 2011.
· AT&T offers the only devices capable of 4G speeds utilizing both 4G LTE and HSPA+, for a consistently fast connection in and out of 4G LTE areas.
· AT&T topped its goal to offer 20 4G devices this year. The addition of the new 4G LTE devices brings the 4G device total to 24.
Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9
Exclusive to AT&T customers, the 4G LTE Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9 is a slim, lightweight tablet, running Android™ 3.2 and packed with optimized services from Google, AT&T and Samsung. The new tablet features a vivid 8.9-inch 1280×800 pixel high-resolution screen, powerful processor 1.5 GHz dual-core processor for fast multi-tasking, and tabbed browsing with support for HTML 5 and Adobe® Flash® Player.
· 4G LTE backed by 4G HSPA+
· Android 3.2 (Honeycomb)
· 15.9 ounces light, 8.6mm thin
· Brilliant 8.9” HD widescreen
· 3.2 megapixel rear facing camera with LED flash, 2 megapixel front facing camera
· Tabbed browsing, Adobe Flash and HTML support
· Snapdragon 1.5 GHz dual core processor
· 16 GB internal memory and expandable up to 32 GB via accessory option
· 1 GB RAM
· TouchWiz® UX
· Dimensions: 230.9 x 157.8 x 8.6 mm
Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 8.9 will arrive in AT&T company-owned retail stores and online Nov. 20 for $479.99 with a two-year commitment. For a limited time, customers who select a Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 will receive a Samsung Galaxy S™ II Skyrocket or Samsung Galaxy S™ II smartphone at no cost. A two year agreement is required on the smartphone. Learn more at http://www.att.com/tablets.
AT&T 4G LTE Data Plans
AT&T tablet customers can choose a $35, 3 GB monthly data plan option with a two-year contract, and customers who do not choose a long-term commitment may still select one of two existing monthly billing options for tablets:
· Postpaid: $14.99 for 250 MB or $25 for 2 GB. Customers on the 2 GB plan who exceed their monthly data plan will be charged $10 per 1 GB of overage. Charges will appear on customers’ monthly wireless statements offering the simplicity of a single bill.
· Prepaid: $14.99 for 250 MB or $25 for 2 GB. Customers on the 2 GB plan who exceed their monthly data plan may choose to purchase an additional 2 GB for $25. Charges will appear on customers’ credit card statements.
AT&T 4G LTE smartphone customers can choose from tiered data plans starting as low as $15 per month. Existing smartphone customers do not have to make changes to their data plan. All plans include access to AT&T’s national Wi-Fi network of more than 29,000 hotspots.
· DataPlus provides 200 megabytes (MB) of data for just $15 per month. An additional 200 MB of data usage is $15.
· DataPro provides 2 gigabytes (GB) of data for $25 per month. An additional 1 GB of data is $10. Customers who want to use their device as a mobile hotspot can sign up for DataPro 4GB for $45 a month, which lets you tether or share your data connection across multiple devices.
AT&T 4G LTE Footprint
With the Nov. 20 launches, AT&T 4G LTE will be available in 15 markets: Athens, Ga., Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.
AT&T is the only U.S. carrier providing 4G using both HSPA+ and LTE technologies. HSPA+, when combined with enhanced backhaul, provides customers with compatible devices 4G speeds, meaning customers get a faster and more consistent 4G experience, even when outside of an AT&T 4G LTE area. Customers of other carriers that have transitioned to 4G LTE without further speed upgrades to their existing networks are likely to see a jarring drop-off in speeds when they move out of LTE coverage.
