US Cellular Getting Galaxy Tab 11/19 for $399, AT&T 11/21 for $649.99
Another round of launch announcements for the Samsung Galaxy Tab today. First up: US Cellular’s set to get the Tab starting November 19th for $399.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate and a two-year agreement. Interested customers can take advantage of two plans: $14.99 will get you 200 MB of data each month while $54.99 will get you 5GB of data and the added premium of using the Tab as a mobile hotspot. The $54.99 also grants you all of the great perks that come with The Belief Project, detailed here. If you don’t want to opt-in to a contract, you can buy it for $599.99.
You AT&T-tethered folks will be getting it two days later as they’ve announced plans to launch it November 21st for $649.99. It’s more expensive than what other carriers seem to be offering it for, and we can’t see to figure out why. (OK, maybe I have an idea or two, but I won’t get into that here.) AT&T also gives you two plans to choose from: 250 MB of data is all yours for $14.99 per month, while an extra $10 will net you 2 GB. The added benefit of AT&T’s version is getting free and unlimited access to AT&T’s WiFi networks wherever it’s available.
What do you guys think of these options?
US Cellular Press Release:
SAMSUNG GALAXY TABTM AVAILABLE TO U.S. CELLULAR CUSTOMERS IN STORES AND AT USCELLULAR.COM ON NOVEMBER 19
With “no contract after the first” from The Belief Project, customers can purchase the mobile tablet for $399 with a two-year contract and never have to sign another one
CHICAGO (November 15, 2010) – Holiday shoppers who want to get a head start on their gifts can pick up the Samsung Galaxy Tab from U.S. Cellular beginning Friday, Nov. 19. The carrier’s first mobile tablet will retail for $399 after a $100 mail-in rebate and two-year contract.
The Galaxy Tab’s large 7-inch touchscreen creates a web browsing experience that is more like a PC and the vibrant graphics and 1 GHz processor deliver games with dazzling clarity. It’s loaded with Samsung’s Media Hub, a single source for buying and watching movies and TV shows that are optimized to fit the brilliant display. The Galaxy Tab can also be a convenient e-reader with free downloadable applications from Kindle and Nook. It’s a world of information and entertainment that is still small enough to hold in one hand.
Customers can access data on their Galaxy Tab via Wi-Fi or on U.S. Cellular’s high-speed nationwide network. The carrier offers two rate plans that are tailored to match how often customers will use Wi-Fi for their data needs. The $14.99 plan is ideal for customers who will use Wi-Fi most of the time and comes with 200 MB of monthly network data usage on U.S. Cellular’s network for those occasions when Wi-Fi isn’t available. Customers who don’t want to rely on a Wi-Fi connection can select U.S. Cellular’s $54.99 plan, which provides 5GB of network data usage and can turn the Galaxy Tab into a mobile hotspot for other Wi-Fi devices.
Customers who opt for the $54.99 plan will receive all the benefits of The Belief Project, U.S. Cellular’s series of industry-leading initiatives designed to elevate the customer experience. All customers on a Belief Plan get automatic upgrades of their device at promotional prices every 18 months and get rewards just for being a customer that can be used for even faster upgrades.
“We’re bringing tremendous value to our customers through The Belief Project, with plans to match how they use their devices and products they really want, all backed by innovative services that make their lives easier,” said Edward Perez, vice president of marketing and sales operations for U.S. Cellular.
About the Samsung Galaxy Tab
The Galaxy Tab has a vibrant 7-inch WSVGA TFT touchscreen and is powered by a 1GHz Hummingbird Application processor. The device operates on the Android 2.2™ platform, with full support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1 and access to the more than 100,000 applications available on the Android Market™. It features two cameras, a 3 megapixel camera on the back with autofocus and zoom, and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. The AllShare application allows customers to send video, audio and pictures from their Galaxy Tab to other DLNA-enabled devices, like TVs and computers.Avid readers can download the Kindle and Nook applications from the Android Market to take their favorite book titles everywhere they go. QuickOffice lets customers create, view and edit Microsoft Office files in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as Adobe Acrobat support, making the Galaxy Tab a valuable tool for mobile professionals too. Everyone can use Google Mobile Services like Google Search™, Google Maps™, Gmail™ and YouTube™. The Galaxy Tab is also preloaded with applications that turn it into an alarm clock, calendar and navigation system.
The Galaxy Tab comes with a virtual QWERTY keyboard with Swype technology, allowing customers to input text quickly by sliding their finger over the keyboard in one continuous motion. It also features Samsung’s Social Hub, an MP3 player and 3.5 mm headphone jack, Bluetooth 3.0 and expandable memory up to 32GB.
About The Belief Project
Launched Oct. 1, The Belief Project recognizes customer loyalty with national bundled rate plans that offer customers the freedom to enjoy industry-leading benefits without signing continuous contracts – like automatic phone upgrades at promotional prices every 18 months that can be accelerated with points.With “no contract after the first,” new customers fulfill an initial two-year commitment and never have to sign another contract again. Existing customers who switch to the new Belief Plans can simply finish the remainder of their term without extending their current contract.
Customers automatically get valuable rewards just for being a customer that can be used for faster phone upgrades in as little as 10 months. Rewards can also be used to get additional lines, phones, accessories and ringtones.
The Belief Project also includes the industry’s only Phone Replacement program. If a customer’s phone accidentally breaks or stops working, U.S. Cellular replaces it with the same or similar model at no additional cost. Customers also can save up to 5 percent on their monthly plans for setting up autopay and paperless billing.
These innovative initiatives were developed to address consumers’ common frustrations with wireless, elevate the customer experience and create a human relationship, not a contractual one. For more information about The Belief Project, visit uscellular.com.
About U.S. Cellular
U.S. Cellular is committed to fixing wireless one project at a time. The Chicago-based carrier, named one of Forbes Magazine’s 2010 “Most Trustworthy Companies,” recently unveiled The Belief Project, a series of industry-first, innovative solutions designed to elevate the customer experience. The Belief Project complements U.S. Cellular’s growing catalog of cutting-edge phones, all backed by its high-speed nationwide network. To learn more about U.S. Cellular, visit one of its retail stores or uscellular.com. You can also check out U.S. Cellular on Facebook.
AT&T Press Release:
AT&T INTRODUCES SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB WITH PAY-AS-YOU-GO MONTHLY DATA PLANS
November 15, 2010Android-Powered Tablet Available Nov. 21 Online and in 2,200 AT&T Stores Nationwide
DALLAS, NoV. 10, 2010— AT&T* and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile), the No. 1 mobile phone provider in the U.S.1, today announced the Samsung Galaxy Tab™ will launch on Sunday, Nov. 21 on the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, and just in time for the holiday season.
The Galaxy Tab will be available for $649. .99** at more than 2,200 AT&T company owned stores and online at Samsung Galaxy Tab (www.att.com/galaxytab). AT&T will offer two pay-as-you-go data plan options for the Galaxy Tab, a $14.99 pay-as-you-go plan for 30 days with up to 250 MB of usage and a $25 pay-as-you-go plan for 30 days with up to 2 GB of usage. If customers use all the data included in their plan before 30 days, they can purchase another pay-as-you go plan. For additional convenience, these plans can automatically renew every 30 days, when customers pay for these plans with a credit card or debit card.
AT&T data plan subscribers also get access to AT&T’s entire national Wi-Fi network at no additional charge. Subscribers can activate their service plan directly on the Galaxy Tab, without making a phone call or a visit to the store, whenever they need access to data within the allocated U.S. footprint.
The data plans do not require a long-term contract. Customers have the option to change plans or purchase more data without penalty as needed. As a courtesy reminder, AT&T will notify customers with a text and email when their 30-day plan is close to expiring or when they are close to depleting the amount of data available in the plan.
In addition to the domestic data plans, international passes are also available which provide data coverage in more than 100 countries, including Canada, Mexico, and countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Plans start at $24.99.
“Consumers are seeking cutting-edge mobile computing devices and we’re proud to give them another great choice in our product portfolio,” said David Haight, vice president of business development, AT&T Emerging Devices. “Samsung’s Galaxy Tab is a sharp device boasting a brilliant screen for watching videos, a powerful processor and a host of cutting edge features that everyone in the family will enjoy. Pairing it with the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network and most extensive Wi-Fi network gives AT&T Galaxy customers the best mobile broadband experience in the market.”
“We are excited to bring the Galaxy Tab to AT&T customers for the holiday season,” said Omar Khan, Chief Strategy Officer, Samsung Mobile. “Its seven inch form factor, pocketable weight and robust feature set make it ideal for work and play. It’s the kind of device users will want to carry with them every day.”
Powered by the Android™ 2.2 platform, the Samsung Galaxy Tab touts a 7-inch enhanced TFT touch screen, 1Ghz Hummingbird application processor, support for Adobe® Flash® Player 10.1, Media Hub – Samsung’s own content service that offers an extensive library of acclaimed films and TV programming – Samsung Social Hub, dual cameras, and many additional features.
For a limited time, AT&T customers will receive a $50 Media Hub Movie Rental credit with Galaxy Tab purchases.2
AT&T consumers will enjoy a rich web browsing experience with the mobile tablet, along with access to many forms of multimedia content on the 7-inch display, including movies, photos, ebooks and more – all on the go Also, users can communicate via e-mail or social networking with the optimized user interface.
In addition to the numerous Samsung Mobile features, the AT&T-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab also features AT&T Connection Manager, which automatically connects users to AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots to better manage data usage.
Additional information on AT&T data plans for the Galaxy Tab is available at www.att.com/galaxytab. For more information on AT&T, please visit the AT&T website.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.
** Price established by AT&T for AT&T-owned retail locations.
1 Number one mobile phone provider in the U.S claim for Samsung Mobile based upon reported shipment data, according to Strategy Analytics, Q2 2010 U.S. Market Share Handset Shipments Reports.
2 Galaxy Tab customers are required to register their device at www.samsung.com/register to receive their $50 Media Hub Movie Rental credit. For additional information and terms and conditions, please visit www.samsung.com/atttabpromo.com.Mobile broadband coverage not available in all areas.