3 hours ago
14
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET's key takeaways
- AT&T Business' top plan includes unlimited hotspot data, with a catch.
- Each phone line includes service for a tablet and wearable.
- The Ultimate 3.0 plan costs $75 to $110 per phone line with discounts.
AT&T Business has a new collection of wireless plans in the US for companies with employees who use several work devices. Called Unlimited Your Way for Business, it includes four plans at launch: Business Unlimited Ultimate 3.0, Premium 3.0, Advanced 3.0, and Standard 3.0.
Also: AT&T will give you a new Motorola Razr flip phone for under $5/month - how to qualify
Ultimate 3.0 is the most expensive plan, but it also includes the most features. The other three plans offer fewer features at lower prices. Ultimate 3.0, for example, comes with "unlimited" hotspot data, priority network access, international and cruise perks, security features, and monthly service for one tablet and one wearable with each phone line.
Companies can choose different plans for their employees. All plans are available now to new and existing AT&T Business customers.
Who are AT&T Business' new plans for?
The main goal of Unlimited Your Way for Business is to let companies manage their employees' devices in one plan group instead of across separate wireless plans.
"Businesses can use Unlimited Your Way for Business to build a plan group that matches how their team works," said Viraj Parekh, vice president of converged networking at AT&T Business, to ZDNET. "A single 50-line group can include a mix of phone plans -- Ultimate, Premium, Advanced and Standard 3.0 -- depending on what each employee needs."
Parekh said a plan group can even include non-phone connectivity for devices like tablets, laptops, wearables, cameras, and mobile hotspots. Each group can include up to 50 total phone and non-phone lines.
Out of all the plans, Ultimate 3.0 seems meant for companies with employees who regularly work outside the office, such as salespeople, construction workers, delivery drivers, field technicians, and frequent travelers. Those employees typically use multiple devices and mobile hotspots, switching between a phone, tablet, laptop, or smartwatch throughout their workday.
What does the Ultimate 3.0 plan include?
Business Unlimited Ultimate 3.0's biggest benefit is its unlimited hotspot data. It allows an employee to use their phone as a Wi-Fi connection for a laptop or tablet while working from a job site, hotel, vehicle, airport, or another place without reliable Wi-Fi.
Also: AT&T's new phone for kids might solve your biggest problem with parental controls - for $3 a month
"Rather than requiring customers to think about which workloads or devices deserve priority, we included unlimited hotspot data so they have the flexibility to use their connectivity however their business requires, without having to monitor usage," Parekh said.
However, hotspot data is not truly unlimited. After a line uses 500GB of hotspot data during a billing cycle, AT&T Business slows its maximum hotspot speed to 3Mbps for the rest of that cycle.
Other Ultimate 3.0 features include:
- Video streaming at up to 4K resolution
- ActiveArmor security with spam warnings and fraud-call blocking
- Roaming in 20 Latin American countries at no extra cost
- Up to 10 International Day Pass days during each billing cycle
- International coverage in more than 210 destinations
- 50% off Business International Calling
- $5 off Business Cruise Day Pass for each line using cellular service on an eligible cruise ship
Each Ultimate 3.0 phone line also includes monthly wireless service for one tablet and one wearable. The devices themselves are not included, and the tablet and wearable lines count toward the group's 50-line limit.
Business Unlimited Ultimate 3.0 comes with AT&T Turbo for Business at no additional cost, as well. It covers data used directly on a phone and through its hotspot, but performance will still depend on coverage, network traffic, location, device, and the app.
"AT&T Turbo for Business allows businesses to give applications on mobile devices the highest data priority treatment commercially available on AT&T's domestic wireless network," Parekh said. "This helps maintain a more consistent mobile experience for essential operations when network demand is high -- such as large data transfers, POS transactions, and high-speed financial transactions."
How much does Ultimate 3.0 cost?
The monthly price for Business Unlimited Ultimate 3.0 depends on how many phone lines a business has:
- $110 for one Ultimate 3.0 phone line
- $100 per line for two Ultimate 3.0 phone lines
- $85 per line for three Ultimate 3.0 phone lines
- $75 per line for four to 50 Ultimate 3.0 phone lines
This pricing includes a $25 monthly phone-line discount that applies to a phone bought at full price, bought through an installment plan, brought by the customer, or used on a month-to-month basis. Phones with a service commitment cost $25 more per line.
Also: The best business VoIP services in 2026: Expert tested and reviewed
The Ultimate 3.0 plan also offers an AutoPay discount and a paperless billing discount. Discounts may take up to two billing cycles to appear. AT&T Business said customers who order online can now receive an additional $15 off each line for 36 months. However, to qualify, a business must buy a phone through an installment plan. Taxes and fees are extra.
Should you switch to Ultimate 3.0?
Business Unlimited Ultimate 3.0 may be worth considering if your employees regularly use tablets, wearables, or laptops, or if they require mobile hotspots outside the office. Its main advantages are the unlimited hotspot data, included monthly service for a tablet and wearable, and the ability to manage up to 50 phone and non-phone lines in one group.
It could replace separate wireless plans for work devices, as well as limited hotspot plans or add-ons.
Also: I stopped using my iPhone's hotspot after testing this 5G router - and that won't change
"Ultimate 3.0 was built to provide reliable, converged connectivity for businesses with growing multi-device workforces," Parekh said. "Across AT&T's network, we're seeing increased AI and data-intensive workloads, and that's showing up in how businesses use wireless day-to-day. This shift is driving increased demand for reliable wireless performance across multiple devices, apps, and use cases."
Although Ultimate 3.0's lowest price is $75 per line, smaller businesses will pay as much as $110 per line. So companies should compare the total monthly cost, AT&T's coverage in the places employees work, and how often they would use the included tablet, wearable, and hotspot service before switching plans.
English (US) ·