AT&T debuts ‘Unity’ plans to extend wireless in-network calling to wireline numbers

In its first new converged offer since the merger of BellSouth Corp. and AT&T Inc., the new company is combining its wireless and wireline networks into an in-network calling community covering more than 100 million phone numbers.
On Sunday, AT&T will introduce new wireless “AT&T Unity” plans at the same price points as the plans of Cingular Wireless L.L.C.-only instead of offering Cingular’s signature Rollover minutes, the plans include “Unity minutes” which can be used to call AT&T customers (wireless, wireline, residential or business) without incurring additional charges or eating up anytime minutes. Customers must subscribe to both wireless service and unlimited AT&T local- and long-distance wireline service in order to qualify for the AT&T Unity plans, and they will receive a single bill for wireline and wireless service. AT&T said that the new wireless plans will also include unlimited night and weekend calling to any number.
“With AT&T Unity, we are raising the bar even higher by adding unlimited domestic calling to and from AT&T wireline customers,” said Ed Whitacre, AT&T’s chairman and CEO.
AT&T’s Unity plans will include five individual plans ranging from 500 anytime minutes for $60 to 6,000 anytime minutes $200 per month. As for family plans, the carrier will offer plans ranging from 700 anytime minutes for $70 to 6,000 minutes per month for $300. Those charges do not include the wireline plans that are required to qualify for Unity.
AT&T said it counts a calling network of more than 100 million wireless and wireline numbers. The Unity calling plans are available to residential and small business customers in a 22-state region that includes the territory formerly covered by BellSouth.