Apple Announces iPhone Service Plans

[billchase2]

holy crap... this is WAY cheaper than i was thinking it was going to be.

now i have a HUGE decision to make. i realllllly want one... but i'd have to break my contract with sprint to switch to AT&T/cingular. plus... i'm not really sure how the service with them is in my area...

hmmmm.... what to do... what to do....

 

[ReMaDi]

Quick question from europe: Does the free minutes also count, if you are phoned? Or only if you phone someone?

I have an argument with an friend, who says in america it costs money for both calling partners.

 

[TheAnswer]

900+14400 (N&W)+ oh, how about 5000 (M2M) = over 20000 minutes for $79.00. Or roughly 4/100ths of a cent per minute. Compared to t-mobiles 6 cents/minute. Now which one is a better deal?

Now, if you use your phone at night or on the weekends for half of your minutes, you could go with the $59.99 iPhone plan instead, still have wifi and unlimited M2M, 5000 N&W (which is about 8-10 hours per day for every saturday and sunday), and unlimited wifi.

I call BS on "teh suck"

Great analysis...I never realized exactly how much T-Mo was ripping me off until now.

 

[plumbingandtech]

With most cell companies, you get a 15 or 30 day opt out period; if you can't stand the service, you can return phone for refund. Will you be able to do that with the iPhone. I'm switching from Verizon and I'm concerned about the ATT network

Maybe you should get a ATT freebie phone and get the "Pay as you go option" and have two phones for a month or so to try out ATT?

Then if ATT coverage is good for you, buy the iPhone since you have to pay full price anyway...

Just an idea...

 

[LaMerVipere]

I would go with the $60 plan but I also want unlimited Nights & Weekends which pushes me up to the $80 plan, and then I also need unlimited text messaging, which is another $20.

$100 a month for my iPhone? Hmm....

 

[germ war]

Amazing value on the plans. I'm only disappointed in the SMS, as my Blackberry has unlimited for the same price - I just have far less minutes per month (but I also don't use them!).

Well done, Apple!

 

[PBz]

With most cell companies, you get a 15 or 30 day opt out period; if you can't stand the service, you can return phone for refund. Will you be able to do that with the iPhone. I'm switching from Verizon and I'm concerned about the ATT network

The 30 day period applies I think as thay may be a law but you may want to find out if you have to pay a restocking fee.

 

[typerlover]

Plans look like they are the exact same as before, with a $20 data plan tacked on and 200 sms thrown in just as some candy.

Don't see anything special here to praise and nothing horrible to criticize.

 

[PBz]

Great analysis...I never realized exactly how much T-Mo was ripping me off until now.

Another thing to consider is how much data and SMS will replace voice minutes you use. I have always been a 1,300 minute a month talker and recently switched to CW from VZN. I use a Blackberry and over time my voice minutes have declined. In fact, I was on the 1,350 minute plan and in two months had 1,800 minutes of ROLLOVER!! I downgraded to the 900 minute plan and am saving $$. Just know that if you do this you can only keep the rollover minutes that equal your monthly plan minutes. I got to keep 900 minutes!!

 

[Project]

I would go with the $60 plan but I also want unlimited Nights & Weekends which pushes me up to the $80 plan, and then I also need unlimited text messaging, which is another $20.

$100 a month for my iPhone? Hmm....

You get 5,000 minutes - which is over 80 hours of time or close to 3 hours per day for night and weekends. Do you really need unlimited?

 

[yg17]

Normally adding a line is 9.99. The iPhone unlimited data plan with 200 messages adds $20 to any existing plan.
Thus, to add a line and the data plan = the 29.99 iPhone add a line.

As for the plan prices, they are very competitive if you compare voice and data plans.

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/Default.aspx?plancategory=7
Blackberry plan with 1000 minutes (total, no N&W, no M2M, no rollover), unlimited data/messaging - $59.99. ($69.99 if using BB enterprise server) and no wifi.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/easysetup/rateplans.html
iPhone plan with 900 "peak" minutes, plus unlimted M2M, unlimited N&W, and rollover, unlimited Data/Web, 200 messages and wifi whenever you want - $79.99

900+14400 (N&W)+ oh, how about 5000 (M2M) = over 20000 minutes for $79.00. Or roughly 4/100ths of a cent per minute. Compared to t-mobiles 6 cents/minute. Now which one is a better deal?

Now, if you use your phone at night or on the weekends for half of your minutes, you could go with the $59.99 iPhone plan instead, still have wifi and unlimited M2M, 5000 N&W (which is about 8-10 hours per day for every saturday and sunday), and unlimited wifi.

I call BS on "teh suck"

the T-Mobile Get More 1,000 is 40 bucks a month with free n&w. Add 20/mo for the Unlimited BlackBerry Plan (which you can use on ANY phone you want, even if it isn't a BB), and you're at the same price as the iPhone plan. The only thing you lose is free m2m, but with 550 more minutes, most won't need m2m.

I call BS on your BS. Do your damn research next time

 

[tobor68]

a real world price?

these prices are all well and good, but what's the real world cost?

here in canada, the monthly figure is just for air time. you're charged a $7 (approx.) system access fee every month, on top of your plan. not to mention the pst and gst (14% in taxes). so for a couples plan my wife and i pay for about 300 minutes between us, with seperate fees for voicemail, call display, and text messages. so a $50 per month plan actually runs us about $100+ per month. frankly, i feel like a cow on milk farm.

will at&t have hidden fees? better get the final figure before purchasing. i know, you really want the iphone, but find if there's hidden fees before choosing your plan.

it would be nice if (when it's for sale in canada) the monthly fee that apple advertises is THE fee we pay. none of that system access crap and extra fee nonsense.

really, it would be nice.

 

[gugy]

the plans sounds good to me.

Now the big question is if AT&T has a decent reception in San Diego.
If it does, iPhone here I come!

 

[PBz]

the T-Mobile Get More 1,000 is 40 bucks a month with free n&w. Add 20/mo for the Unlimited BlackBerry Plan (which you can use on ANY phone you want, even if it isn't a BB), and you're at the same price as the iPhone plan. The only thing you lose is free m2m, but with 550 more minutes, most won't need m2m.

I call BS on your BS. Do your damn research next time

..and I can get a trashy data network to boot!! woo hoo! I love paying less for less!!

 

[yg17]

these prices are all well and good, but what's the real world cost?

here in canada, the monthly figure is just for air time. you're charged a $7 (approx.) system access fee every month, on top of your plan. not to mention the pst and gst (14% in taxes). so for a couples plan my wife and i pay for about 300 minutes between us, with seperate fees for voicemail, call display, and text messages. so a $50 per month plan actually runs us about $100+ per month. frankly, i feel like a cow on milk farm.

will at&t have hidden fees? better get the final figure before purchasing. i know, you really want the iphone, but find if there's hidden fees before choosing your plan.

it would be nice if (when it's for sale in canada) the monthly fee that apple advertises is THE fee we pay. none of that system access crap and extra fee nonsense.

really, it would be nice.

no, all us carriers have those extra fees too

 

[yg17]

..and I can get a trashy data network to boot!! woo hoo! I love paying less for less!!

Trashy data network? EDGE? Yeah, T-Mobile doesn't have 3G, but neither does the iPhone, so your point is moot.

 

[imwoblin]

Not only are these plans unexpectedly great, they will also force the other carriers to lower their ridiculously high data rates to compete for customers. It looks like the consumer wins one for a change!

 

[Peace]

I'm very excited about these voice/data combo plans. I'll probably tack on unlimited texting since I'm a big SMS texter. For those of you who want to get pre-approved for the iPhone (or you're worried about your credit), take the following steps:

1. Call AT&T at 1-888-333-6651.
2. Choose option 3 for new service, and then 3 again.
3. Tell them you're interested in buying the iPhone and want to get pre-approved. They'll ask for your SSN, ID, address, etc. They'll run a credit check and let you know if you're approved or not.
4. Be sure to ask for a BAN number before you hang up. This BAN number is good for 30 days.
5. After buying your iPhone on Friday, enter the BAN number in the "pre-approved credit check code" field during activation.


Just one less thing to worry about.

WOOHOO!! Thanks for that info.Just did it and got my BAN number.although I wish they would use a different acronym than "BAN"


Good-Bye Qwest.

To let some people know.The lady I spoke with had NO clue about the iPhone plans.

 

[yayaba]

I was sad that the 450 minute plan had 5000n/w minutes. Then I counted my n/w minutes I'm using on my current unlimited, and it doesn't even come close . Plus, most of my minutes were spent to my gf who is a cingular member. I'm not currently, so upon switching, the 450 will be more than enough with the free mobile-mobile calling.

Niiiiccceeeee

Agreed. At first I was taken aback but after going through my bills, I spend rougly ~2000-2500 minutes per month on the gf. Comes nowhere near 5000. Awesome.

My gf is on AT&T as well so when all's said and done, I use probably 20 minutes a month as most of my friends are on AT&T as well

 

[bmx433]

sorry, but i have to laugh at this. this is a joke. i currently have a blackberry pearl that runs on the ATT EDGE network. it is ridiculously slow. just to get a weather report can take 30 seconds. can you imagine how long a movie from youtube would take to run. i would say apple might face some false advertising issues when actual speeds are compared to the running TV ads for the data. the reason data is unlimited and "free" is because it is terribly slow. if they had charged for it, poeple would have been complaining like crazy. if it's "free" you can't really complain.

 

[AlphaAnt]

Quick question from europe: Does the free minutes also count, if you are phoned? Or only if you phone someone?

I have an argument with an friend, who says in america it costs money for both calling partners.

Some companies offer "free incoming" as one of their sell points, but for the most part, both parties are charged minutes when one mobile calls another, so your friend is correct.

 

[daneoni]

We are so getting ripped off in the UK, i did a comparison excluding iPhone price and used O2 network. Also if anyone wants to correct the comparison feel free.

O2

£30/24 months = £720...no rollover, no night and weekend free calls, no email/web, 400 mins instead of 450...50 less minutes and double the text

AT&T

$60/24 months = $1440....rollover, 5000 night and weekend minutes, unlimited email/web, 450 minutes and half the text at 250

I think you defo get more for your money with the latter. Maybe this is why the networks cant agree to Apple's demands...they need to continue ripping us off.

Then again you could argue that we usually get our phones free and that the AT&T prices exclude tax but....

 

[PBz]

Trashy data network? EDGE? Yeah, T-Mobile doesn't have 3G, but neither does the iPhone, so your point is moot.

From someone in the business and who knows better. My point is FAR from moot.

 

[Peace]

sorry, but i have to laugh at this. this is a joke. i currently have a blackberry pearl that runs on the ATT EDGE network. it is ridiculously slow. just to get a weather report can take 30 seconds. can you imagine how long a movie from youtube would take to run. i would say apple might face some false advertising issues when actual speeds are compared to the running TV ads for the data. the reason data is unlimited and "free" is because it is terribly slow. if they had charged for it, poeple would have been complaining like crazy. if it's "free" you can't really complain.

That's why it has WiFi..

 

[jayb2000]

the T-Mobile Get More 1,000 is 40 bucks a month with free n&w. Add 20/mo for the Unlimited BlackBerry Plan (which you can use on ANY phone you want, even if it isn't a BB), and you're at the same price as the iPhone plan. The only thing you lose is free m2m, but with 550 more minutes, most won't need m2m.

I call BS on your BS. Do your damn research next time

Please show us the link on t-mobile with this option?

Please?