Customer Backlash on iPhone Rate Plans, Launch Approaches

[MacRumors]

As international pricing for the iPhone has been trickling out, customers in some countries are particularly unhappy about their rate plans for the upcoming iPhone launch.

Sweden's TeliaSonera rate plans, which started at 299 kr/month (~$50) for 100MB of data and a 199 kr/month (~$34) unlimited data add-on, were met with numerous complaints from their customers. In response, TeliaSonera is now offering the 199 kr/month ($34/month) unlimited add-on plan to any of their existing voice plans.

Potential Canadian iPhone customers have been particularly displeased with Rogers' iPhone rate plans announced 9 days ago. This resulted in an online petition attracting over 41,000 signatures. Rival Canadian carrier Bell Mobility appears to be taking advantage of the opportunity and will be offering the Samsung Instinct (an iPhone competitor) with a $10/month unlimited browser add-on data plan. The Samsung Instinct will be introduced in Canada on August 8th of this year.

Unconfirmed rumors suggest that Apple is displeased with Rogers and is reportedly diverting some of the Canadian iPhone stock to European launches.

Apple will be launching the iPhone 3G in 20 countries on July 11th. We'll provide ongoing coverage of the launch. MacRumors readers are organizing meetups around the world. One group has already started lining up at Apple's 5th Avenue store, but appear to be making a political statement rather than being particularly interested in the iPhone.

Article Link

[zakatov]

Can't please all the people all the time, especially if you're Apple.

[Papajohn56]

Good. Rogers really dropped the ball with that embarrassing pricing plan.

[Skylor]

Wasn't Apple supposed to be briefing their employees today with launch info?
What time are they launching?

[BigD58]

Hell yea! i Would be pissed too! God bless america!

[dmelgar]

Originally Posted by BigD58

Hell yea! i Would be pissed too! God bless america!

Not that I'm particularly happy with AT&T $30/mo when they have such lousy coverage in many areas.

[NewSc2]

Originally Posted by dmelgar

Not that I'm particularly happy with AT&T $30/mo when they have such lousy coverage in many areas.

The coverage is fine in my area. It's not like I'm happy with the $10/mo. price bump either, but at least it's unlimited. I would be pissed if I had to worry about data overage charges. It's not like I can forsee how large a web page is.

[Matthew Yohe]

Oh, how cell phone carriers want to be so much more than a dumb pipe...

These are just pipe dreams.

[popnfresh]

AT&T's 3G plan pricing is financial rape. Not only did they raise the rate on the data portion unnecessarily, but they made texting an additional charge. This is exactly why monopolies are a bad thing. AT&T obviously knows it's the only game in town as far as the iphone is concerned, and they're not hesitating to stick the knife in and give it a little twist.

[Andrew Henry]

Originally Posted by dmelgar

Not that I'm particularly happy with AT&T $30/mo when they have such lousy coverage in many areas.

Obviously it could be worse.

[nagromme]

I know in the US, the iPhone plans are the same as any other 3G device from AT&T.

Are some other countries charging extra for the iPhone, for the exact same plan that other 3G phones get for less from the same carrier?

THAT would make me mad!

Originally Posted by popnfresh

AT&T obviously knows it's the only game in town as far as the iphone is concerned, and they're not hesitating to stick the knife in and give it a little twist.

I think it's wrong that AT&T makes 3G pricing mandatory, even if you live an a non-3G area where a cheaper EDGE-only plan would serve equally well.

But it's not about the iPhone: their restrictive practices and 3G plans were the same before the iPhone. The knife was in long ago, and hasn't gotten a new twist. In fact, some educated guesswork seems to indicate AT&T paying a larger chunk of your phone's purchase price than they have been used to paying in the past.

We wanted 3G... now we have it It's too bad AT&T is the only 3G carrier in the US that is fully compatible with other countries' systems. Apple didn't have anyone else to go to when it came time to go 3G, unless they wanted to make multiple phones for different carriers. (There's always that hope--even an EDGE-only phone might return, in theory. Don't hold your breath.)

[mathewr]

Originally Posted by popnfresh

AT&T's 3G plan pricing is financial rape. Not only did they raise the rate on the data portion unnecessarily, but they made texting an additional charge. This is exactly why monopolies are a bad thing. AT&T obviously knows it's the only game in town as far as the iphone is concerned, and they're not hesitating to stick the knife in and give it a little twist.

i just called at&t and the guy i spoke to had no idea how much it would cost for data and such

[extraextra]

Originally Posted by popnfresh

AT&T's 3G plan pricing is financial rape. Not only did they raise the rate on the data portion unnecessarily, but they made texting an additional charge. This is exactly why monopolies are a bad thing. AT&T obviously knows it's the only game in town as far as the iphone is concerned, and they're not hesitating to stick the knife in and give it a little twist.

Their prices are almost exactly the same as any other American carrier. $30 (no texts included) is the charge for all smartphones, which is what the iPhone is classified as.

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

3597 people have signed the Norwegian petition against Netcom's plans, too, a protest mainly against the ridiculously low number of monthly MBs on the data plans.

The only concession we've gotten so far is a cap on NOK 990,- per monts for data (for when you go over the 100/250/1000 MB on the NOK 399,-/699,-/1099,- plans (that's about US$79/138/216, per month! and still we don't get free data). Oh, and that 990,- cap is, of course, on top of the plan...



More details.

[thecartoonguy]

Originally Posted by dmelgar

Not that I'm particularly happy with AT&T $30/mo when they have such lousy coverage in many areas.

You took the words right out of my mouth

[Glideslope]

Originally Posted by popnfresh

AT&T's 3G plan pricing is financial rape. Not only did they raise the rate on the data portion unnecessarily, but they made texting an additional charge. This is exactly why monopolies are a bad thing. AT&T obviously knows it's the only game in town as far as the iphone is concerned, and they're not hesitating to stick the knife in and give it a little twist.

Could not agree more. Was waiting, and waiting. Now it's renewal with a Blackberry Curve with Verizon.

Screw at&t. The 3G should be $299 and $399 with the same plan as V1.

Your all caught up in the frenzy while Apple gets more $ and at&t takes it from us.

Horse ****.

[thechidz]

Originally Posted by popnfresh

AT&T's 3G plan pricing is financial rape. Not only did they raise the rate on the data portion unnecessarily, but they made texting an additional charge. This is exactly why monopolies are a bad thing. AT&T obviously knows it's the only game in town as far as the iphone is concerned, and they're not hesitating to stick the knife in and give it a little twist.

this is a little overboard. the texting rates do suck but there are ways around it

[dagamer34]

Originally Posted by popnfresh

AT&T's 3G plan pricing is financial rape. Not only did they raise the rate on the data portion unnecessarily, but they made texting an additional charge. This is exactly why monopolies are a bad thing. AT&T obviously knows it's the only game in town as far as the iphone is concerned, and they're not hesitating to stick the knife in and give it a little twist.

Apparently you've never had a smartphone with AT&T. Any 3G data plan costs $30 per month for unlimited data. With the iPhone, it was effectively $15 for the MediaNET data package (EDGE data) + $5 for 200 SMS messages. They didn't "raise" rates. You are now paying for the increased services you are using.

And if you think that AT&T is screwing people over with these "increases", I don't think you understand how businesses work in the first place. Crying wolf all the time decreases its meaning when used on a whim.

[mrtravel123]

I was quietly hoping that there would be a similar "backlash" here in the USA with AT&T because of the $15/month price increase ($10 data + $5) text. Well, especially for anyone who can't benefit from 3G in their area, but has been waiting for this new version to come out. Too bad they can't give you a discount based on your zip code. But, I assume that some people would figure out an easy way to abuse that loophole.

And, well, I wish that there would have been another great feature on this new phone. Well, iChat, larger capacity, better camera, etc. This was my hope for the new phone. But, none-the-less, the upgraded phone we'll be seeing on Friday is an improvement. And, the apps will definitely give us lots of new features.

I jumped at the first iPhone for $600 + monthly fees. I'm much more cautious about buying a replacement (because of the increased monthly fees). I haven't decided yet... but I'm leaning towards getting one either Friday or sometime pre-fall. The 16GB model is my preferred choice.

p.s. I'm not really complaining so much. But, these are my thoughts anyway. I understand my "perfect world" can't always exist! haha

[BongoBanger]

Jeez! About the only people who seem happy are we Brits because our price plans are pretty good actually.

[theheadguy]

Originally Posted by dagamer34

They didn't "raise" rates. You are now paying for the increased services you are using. And if you think that AT&T is screwing people over with these "increases", I don't think you understand how businesses work in the first place. Crying wolf all the time decreases its meaning when used on a whim.

+1 for corporate PR.

The plans are pretty crappy. That is what people are saying. You don't have to worry about defending the big boys, their attorneys will do that. The prices should be lower; but of course, maximum profit is weight against a loss in sales and this is where they felt the price was right.

Oh well.

[gcmexico]

can someone post the data plans they pay on other networks? Honestly, I don't feel ATT&T is raping me...but I could be wrong, someone let me know what you pay

[sananda]

Originally Posted by BongoBanger

Jeez! About the only people who seem happy are we Brits because our price plans are pretty good actually.

our tariffs and purchase price are very good. but we like to moan so we're not happy about the on/off pay and go iphone.

[russellb]

$30 a month for unlimited data, I wish.

Here in AU I will have to pay $79 a month just to get 700 Meg of data a month (that includes phone calls on a cap plan) and if I only opt for a 12 month contract then PLUS an extra $27 a month for the Iphone handset payments, or 2 yr contract phone is free and just $79.

Gee I could go for the $59 a month 2 year contract plus $2 a month for the handset and I get a whopping 500 meg data a month.

Unlimited data .. you should feel lucky !

But it does seems we are luckier than a few other EU nations that have it worse than us, at least thats something.

[nagromme]

I won't be touching SMS, that's for sure. A free AIM client (or more than one) is clearly on the way. And AIM can send to SMS phones. And apparently, their phone can reply, too! So the only thing I'll be missing (IIUC) is the ability to have someone ELSE initiate a text message to me without having one of mine to reply to? And I won't get instant notification until Apple's notification system is in place in a couple months.

None of that will hamper my IM needs, luckily. If you need to reach me urgently, from your phone to mine, try this technique: CALL ME Because I'll be calling AT&T to have SMS blocked from day one.

(It amazes me how computers are transitioning from primitive text IM to voice chat, while people are desperate to get their phones to work via multiple number-presses instead of voice Yes, I know SMS has its uses. I think those uses are running out, as phones gain the Internet. Good riddance.)