For the second time in a year, AT&T is increasing the price of grandfathered unlimited data plans

For the second time in a year, AT&T is increasing the price of its unlimited data plan for those who are still grandfathered into it. According to information obtained by DSLReports, AT&T will raise the plan from $35 to $40 effective in March.

In a statement this afternoon, AT&T explained that it is hiking the price in an effort to push people towards its Mobile Share Advantage plans, saying that the newer plans offer benefits that the legacy unlimited plan doesn’t. The company isn’t, however, threatening to discontinue the unlimited plan.

“Our Mobile Share Advantage plans and our AT&T Unlimited Plan provide several benefits that our legacy unlimited plan doesn’t,” AT&T said in a statement to DSLReports.com confirming the move.

“If you have a legacy unlimited data plan, you can keep it; however, beginning in March 2017, it will increase by $5 per month,” AT&T said.

AT&T increased the price of its legacy unlimited data plan back in February of 2016, bumping it from $30 per month to $35 for month. That was the first price increase for the plan in seven years, but today’s marks the second in a single year.

Throttling remains the same for the plan, even with the price hike. Users get full-speed performance up to 22GB of performance, after which AT&T starts throttling. The carrier has come under fire from both customers and regulators for its tactics regarding “unlimited” data, and today’s price hike will surely only add more fuel to those fires.

Also last year, AT&T somewhat brought back its unlimited data plan, but the major catch is that you have to be a DirecTV or U-Verse subscriber to be eligible, with the carrier hoping to push people towards its TV services. The plan is also more pricey, starting at $100/month per month for a single line.

Many early iPhone users are grandfathered into AT&T’s unlimited data plan, having subscribed to it alongside first signing their contract with an iPhone purchase. As time has progressed, however, the number of users on the plan has decreased, but some still cling to it for dear life. Are you still using an unlimited data plan? Let us know your thoughts on the price hike in the comments.