AT&T downplayed the impact of the unlimited plan pricing wars and U.S. economic concerns, saying it still expects mid-single digit growth in revenue for the year.
During an analyst conference, John Stankey, AT&T’s group president for telecom, reportedly said the carriers new $100 per month unlimited wireless calling plan would help the company rather than hurt profits, because only a small percentage of current customers spend over $100 a month, and the unlimited plan could encourage users to increase spending.
Though AT&T quickly followed Verizon Wireless’s release of its monthly unlimited plan, Stankey reportedly said the company would not “chase price” and that though pricing may be similar, not all unlimited plans offer the same value.
Some analysts had speculated that Sprint Nextel could spark a pricing war by undercutting its rivals $100 per month pricing, but the struggling number three wireless carrier launched its unlimited offering today, also for $100 a month.