What AT&T Actually Does
AT&T was founded way back in 1885. Today, it’s the world’s third-largest phone company by money earned. In the U.S. market, they are the third-biggest wireless carrier, behind Verizon and T-Mobile.
AT&T sells many products, including cell phone service, high-speed internet, and media services. This includes brands like AT&T TV and Cricket Wireless. The company works in North America, Asia, Europe, and many other places. As an affiliate, you’ll mainly be pushing their U.S. wireless plans and internet services.
The AT&T Affiliate Program Structure
AT&T runs its program using CJ Affiliate. This is one of the most famous affiliate networks. You will promote phone plans, devices, internet, and package deals using special tracking links.
Who is this program best for? It works well for tech bloggers, websites that compare phone companies, home services writers, and anyone talking to people who are currently looking for a new carrier or internet service. After you get approval, you can access ads, special deals, and dedicated support from a program manager.
Commission Structure (The Good News)
Here are the payments you get for each sale:
- New lines or phone orders: $75
- Data products (like tablets or smartwatches): $50
- Upgrades: $10
The $75 payment for a new line is very good. It is much higher than many retail programs that only pay 3-8% of the product cost. The cookie duration is 30 days from the first click.
Thirty days is a fair amount of time. It gives people time to check plans, compare companies, and decide. This is normal for the phone industry, where shopping often takes one or two weeks while people compare coverage and prices.
Payment Terms
Payouts happen only through CJ Affiliate and only via Payoneer.
- Minimum withdrawal: $50 before you can take the money out.
- The restriction: Payoneer is the only option. No PayPal, no direct bank deposit, and no other ways. If you do not want to use Payoneer, this program isn’t for you.
Processing usually takes 30 to 45 days after the month ends. This is standard for affiliate networks.
The Conversion Reality (What Nobody Mentions)
The reality of sales is what they don’t share: Telecom affiliate sales are brutal. What we see often among telecom affiliates is this: Sales rates usually land between 0.1% and 0.5%. Yes, that is point-one to point-five percent, not 1% to 5%.
Why is the rate so low? People looking for phone service are not just browsing. They are:
- Stuck in old contracts.
- Comparing service maps for the exact place they live.
- Looking into family plans.
- Making sure their current phone will work.
- Often going to a store to test phones in person.
Even highly focused content, like “best AT&T plans for rural Texas,” only converts at about 0.3% to 0.8%. Compare that to Amazon affiliate content that converts at 2% to 4%. You can see why this is a real struggle.
Real Earnings Math
Let’s figure out what you could actually earn.
Scenario 1: Tech Blog (25,000 monthly visitors)
- Clicks to AT&T content: 500 (2% of all traffic)
- Sales rate: 0.3%
- Sales each month: 1 to 2
- Earnings: $75 to $150 per month
- Reality: This means one good month followed by two slow months.
Scenario 2: Telecom Comparison Site (100,000 monthly visitors)
- Clicks to AT&T content: 3,000 (3% of all traffic)
- Sales rate: 0.5% (This is higher due to people looking to buy now)
- Sales each month: 15
- Earnings: $1,125 per month
- Effort: You must update your content constantly because plans change every month.
Scenario 3: YouTube Tech Reviewer (200,000 monthly views)
- Clicks to AT&T: 1% (2,000 clicks)
- Sales rate: 0.2% (Video viewers buy less often)
- Sales each month: 4
- Earnings: $300 per month
- Reality: This changes a lot based on the video topic and when it runs.
Key Takeaway: To earn $2,000 per month from AT&T, you need about 27 sales. With a 0.3% sales rate, that means you need 9,000 focused clicks. This takes between 300,000 and 450,000 total visitors each month. These are not numbers for a small blog.
Who Actually Succeeds
We looked at who does well with phone company affiliates. Three successful ways came up:
- Way #1: Comparison Sites with Local Focus. Sites that ask, “best carrier for [Your Town]” do the best. They catch people who are ready to buy. These sites need to be very large (over 500,000 visitors per month) to make real money.
- Way #2: Local Blogs. Small community blogs or local news sites sell better than large national tech sites. Someone searching “best AT&T coverage in Denver” is much closer to buying than someone reading a general guide like “best carriers in 2025.”
- Way #3: Avoiding Deal Sites. Sites that just list “AT&T promo codes” usually fail, even with high traffic. These shoppers are only looking for a bargain. They click many links, compare too much, and often don’t buy anything.
My Conclusion: To succeed, you need either huge traffic (over 500,000 monthly) or content that is super-focused on local buyers. This program won’t work for general tech blogs that just mention AT&T sometimes.
The Honest Advantages
The Real Good Points:
- Everyone Knows the Brand. AT&T is a household name. You don’t have to explain who they are. This makes it easier to sell than promoting a brand nobody has heard of.
- The Payment is High. $75 for a new line is much better than most retail payments. A $500 phone that pays 4% only earns you $20. AT&T’s flat $75 is far better for each sale.
- Many Products to Promote. They offer phone plans, internet, package deals, and business services. All these products give you many ways to write content for different readers.
- Support is Easy to Get. CJ Affiliate gives you a manager to help. You won’t just send a message into the dark with no answer.
- Good Ads and Banners. They give you professional banners, text links, and product photos. The quality of the ads is good, so you can use them easily.
The Hard Facts (What Makes AT&T Difficult)
- Sales Rates are Painfully Low. The 0.1% to 0.5% rate means you need huge amounts of traffic to earn enough money. Programs that sell at 2% to 4% need four to eight times less traffic for you to earn the same amount.
- You Must Use Payoneer. This is the only way to get paid. Being forced to use Payoneer is a big issue for some, especially those outside the U.S. who face fees.
- People Still Shop in Stores. Many customers still go to a store to touch a device or sign papers. Any sale made in a store is money you lose, even if you started the customer’s research online.
- Service Changes by Area. AT&T service is great in some places and poor in others. If your readers live where AT&T coverage is bad, your sales rate will drop because the service simply won’t work well for them.
- Plans Change All the Time. Phone companies change prices and deals every month. Your articles about “AT&T unlimited plans” are old news within four to six weeks. This constant work needed to update content lowers the money you make.
- Competition is Huge. You are up against very big websites that compare carriers. It’s very hard for a new affiliate to break through this.
The Best Strategy (What Actually Sells)
- Write Hyper-Local Content. General content gets lost in search results. Articles like “Best AT&T Plans for Rural Montana” work better because they target people searching for their exact area. Local content sells two or three times better than national articles.
- Push Bundle Deals Hard. AT&T’s phone plus internet packages appeal to people who want simple service and to save money. Articles about bundles sell better than single service ads because you are fixing more than one problem at once.
- Show Special Deals Clearly. When AT&T has a special price, show it in a big way. Offers that expire soon create a need to buy now, which helps sales. Simple links that just say “check out AT&T” without a specific deal don’t sell well.
- Focus on New Phones. When a new iPhone or Samsung Galaxy comes out, it creates a lot of traffic. Writing about “AT&T deals on [new phone]” catches people who are ready to buy a new device.
- Use Smart Comparison Tables. Tables that show AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile prices for similar plans help people decide and make them more likely to buy.
- Use Seasonal Sales. School starting (August-September), Black Friday (November), and the holidays (December) are when most people buy phone plans. Push AT&T hard during these months to catch people who are ready to shop.
How to Apply (5 Steps)
- Step 1: Go to the AT&T affiliate page on the CJ Affiliate network.
- Step 2: Sign up for a CJ Affiliate account if you don’t have one, or just log in if you do.
- Step 3: Apply for the AT&T program. Give details about your website, your traffic, and how you plan to promote them. Read the rules carefully—phone companies have very strict rules about how you can advertise their services.
- Step 4: Wait for them to approve you (usually 3 to 7 days). They check your content quality, where your traffic comes from, and your advertising methods.
- Step 5: Once approved, go to your affiliate dashboard. Get the ads, grab your tracking links, and start selling.
They don’t have secret requirements. They want people with the right audience and real traffic.
What are the AT&T affiliate program’s best alternatives?
Verizon Wireless Affiliate Program
With strong brand recognition and a wide customer base, Verizon offers affiliate commissions for new service contracts, prepaid plans, accessories, and additional phone lines. The cookie duration is 60 days.
Xfinity Affiliate Program (Comcast / Xfinity services)
Xfinity affiliate program spans multiple offerings (internet, TV, home security, mobile). Affiliates can earn up to around $135 per qualified sale. Cookie window is typically 30 days.
Xfinity Mobile Affiliate Program
Focused on wireless / mobile service, this affiliate track pays for new line activations. It uses similar terms to the broader Xfinity affiliate structure, with typical cookie durations.
Talkroute Affiliate Program (VoIP / Business Telephony)
As a telecom-adjacent service in VoIP/virtual phone systems, Talkroute offers affiliate payouts in the telecom services category. It’s less about large mobile carriers, more about business voice solutions.
Spectrum / Cable & Internet Providers Affiliate Programs
Many regional cable / internet providers (e.g. those listed under “Cable TV Affiliate Programs”) provide affiliate opportunities. For example, Xfinity is in that list; other providers may likewise offer commissions for internet + TV bundles.
The Final Word: Is AT&T Worth It?
Join AT&T if:
- You get more than 100,000 visitors each month (500,000 is better).
- Your readers are actively looking for new phone or internet companies.
- You write articles focused on specific locations where AT&T service is strong.
- You are willing to update content every month as prices change.
- You are okay with getting paid through Payoneer.
- You can earn money with a low sales rate of 0.1% to 0.5%.
Skip AT&T if:
- Your tech blog gets under 50,000 monthly visitors (the math won’t work out).
- Your readers live in areas where AT&T service is poor.
- You want content that never needs updating.
- You need a sales rate of 2% or more to make the work worth it.
- You need to use PayPal or direct deposit (Payoneer-only is a big problem).
- You want to earn money without having to work on it often (telecom is not passive).
FAQs
Does AT&T have an affiliate program?
Yes. AT&T runs an affiliate program through CJ Affiliate. It pays $10 to $75 per sale, depending on the product (new lines, data devices, or upgrades).
Who should join the AT&T affiliate program?
Tech bloggers, phone company comparison sites, and local blogs in strong AT&T areas. You need a lot of traffic (over 100,000 monthly visitors) for the low sales rates to make sense.
Is there a fee to join the AT&T affiliate program?
No. It costs nothing to apply and join through CJ Affiliate.
Are there minimum requirements to become an AT&T affiliate?
You need a website, blog, or place with the right kind of content and real traffic. CJ Affiliate checks applications for content quality and traffic sources, but they don’t list a minimum traffic number.
Can I use the AT&T program with others?
Yes, and you should. The smartest affiliates use AT&T along with Verizon, T-Mobile, and local providers. This helps them get sales from people who prefer different companies or live in different coverage areas.
