AT&T's new unlimited plan drops TV requirement

An unlimited plan on AT&T is no longer tethered to a TV subscription. The nation's second largest carrier announced that it would begin re-offering unlimited data to customers without requiring them to have AT&T's DirecTV or U-verse television service. As part of its own new plans, which go live on Feb 17, AT&T will be matching Verizon's latest plan, offering four lines for $180 with no television subscription service required. A single line is pricier than Verizon at $100, with each additional line running $40 (AT&T does not charge for the fourth line which is how four lines can be offered for $180). As with Verizon, AT&T will be slowing down users when they are in busy or "congested" areas if they've already consumed more than 22GB in a month. The new unlimited offer will include HD video, but unlike the other carriers the company will not be allowing users to use their phones as a mobile hotspot. Verizon, T-Mobile and Sprint's latest deals all include 10GB of mobile hotspot data.