AT&T altering pricing for text messaging, upgrade plans

Let's start with upgrades. First, those $50 and $100 discounts on top of subsidized pricing for upgrading customers will be gone after July 23. For those who want to upgrade to an iPhone, the standard subsidized price plus $200 option will only be available for six months after an existing iPhone activation. Thus, iPhone 4 owners who activated their devices last year won't be eligible for an early upgrade. (Not sure this is exactly the best damage control approach...)

Next, text messaging. Say goodbye to the Messaging 200 (200 messages for $5 per month) plan. Current subscribers of this plan will have it until their contracts run out, and it won't be there as an option when it comes time for renewal. The Messaging Unlimited ($20 per month; $30 for families) will stay put, and the new option is the Messaging 1,000 plan (1,000 texts for $10 per month with $0.10 for each additional text over 1,000). As someone with an iPhone 4 who sends about an average of 150 texts each month, I'm not pleased.

Oh, and the Family plan add-a-line activation is increasing $10 to $36. Bummer. All of this goes into effect on Sunday, January 23rd.

So what do you think about the new pricing?