SBC became AT&T in 2005. Today, AT&T provides home phone primarily over IP alongside broadband (fiber and DSL) and wireless services; many customers now replace landlines with mobile, and AT&T offers bundled voice and internet plans.
No-contract and prepaid mobile plans have evolved since Cingular's go phones. Modern prepaid services - from AT&T Prepaid to MVNOs - offer 5G/LTE access, eSIM activation, and flexible pay-as-you-go or monthly options without long-term commitments.
Mobile broadband that began with brands like Cingular evolved into modern services - from tethered phone access to fixed wireless home internet - driven by 4G, 5G, and new service models.
Lucent Technologies was spun off from AT&T in 1996 to focus on telecom equipment and research. It later merged with Alcatel in 2006 and was absorbed into Nokia in 2016; its legacy continues in network infrastructure and Bell Labs research.
Prepaid cell plans give predictable, contract-free service. Learn who benefits, how pay-as-you-go and monthly prepaid options work, and what to check before you buy.
A modern overview of Cricket Wireless: a no-contract, prepaid U.S. mobile brand on AT&T's network. Covers plans, common features, payment options and compatibility notes.
Cingular's mid-2000s Pay-As-You-Go let customers prepay minutes and avoid contracts. Since Cingular merged into AT&T, prepaid offerings have shifted toward monthly bundles and modern refill methods. Check current carrier plans for exact rates, rollover and expiry rules.
Prepaid mobile plans let you pay in advance for minutes, texts, or data without a long-term contract. Today they're widely available from major carriers and MVNOs, offer modern features like eSIM and online top-ups, and work well for cost-conscious or flexible users.
Cricket Wireless is a no-contract prepaid carrier on AT&T's network that offers simple, low-cost plans with unlimited talk and text, tiered data, and modern features like Wi-Fi calling on compatible phones.
BellSouth once promoted the convenience of bundling internet, phone and web hosting. After its 2006 acquisition by AT&T, the hosting market shifted toward cloud and specialist providers. Bundles still offer simplicity, but modern sites often need features only dedicated hosts or cloud platforms provide.
Practical steps to compare prepaid (pay-as-you-go) phones and plans in 2025: check coverage, compare plans by use case, choose the right device, test service, and factor in customer support.
Prepaid (pay-as-you-go) plans remain a practical way to get mobile service without a long contract. In 2025, many prepaid options include unlimited talk/text and data tiers - but coverage, throttling, international options, and fine print vary. Compare effective cost, coverage, and device rules before you buy.
Clamshell (flip) phones were once Cingular's specialty. Today the form survives in modern feature flips (LTE/KaiOS) and smartphone foldables - but many 2000s handsets won't work on current carrier networks. Check LTE/VoLTE support, battery health, and carrier locking before you buy.
After SBC acquired AT&T in 2005 and took on the AT&T name, the combined company became a national telecom provider. Today AT&T offers wireless, DSL and expanding fiber broadband, legacy voice, and business network services - with availability depending on local networks and ongoing deployments.