Apple Announces iPhone Service Plans

[desimus]

lest we all forget our lovely friend Beth Anne...

Sure, it may be an exaggeration... But you need to remember, this is the US where cellphone companies actually charge you for messages RECEIVED as well as sent. So it's not hard to imagine people sending and receiving 100+ messages a day.

Mother: Beth Anne!
Daughter: WU?
Mother: Your cell phone bill is what's up. All this texting.
Daughter: OMG, INBD.
Mother: It is a big deal. Who are you texting 50 times a day?
Daughter: IDK, my BFF Jill.
Mother: Tell your BFF Jill that I'm taking away your phone.
Daughter: TISNF!
Mother: Me paying this bill, that's what's S.. N.. F.

 

[someninjamaster]

They shouldn't cut you off. When you run out of contract you can quit anytime. I have one phone thats been out of contract since march of 2006.

 

[diamond.g]

My contract with Verizon expires tomorrow. I was going to survive without my cellphone for a couple of days until the iPhone came out on friday. Should I go ahead and open a new account with AT&T, get a subsized phone, and then sell it on ebay after i get the iPhone on friday?

Is this a good idea? If it is, what cellphone do you recommend I should pick?

Just cause your contract expires tomorrow doesn't mean your phone will quit working. I would just keep your phone till Friday and do all the porting yourself when you get home. Then turn around and sell your phone to someone looking to get Verizon service.

 

[NevadaJack]

If you have 2 lines, I'm assuming that both lines will have a new 24 month contract even if you add the iPhone plan to one of them, since the first two lines are billed together.

I'm trying to figure out if it's possible to get the iPhone plan on a third $10 line without having to affect contract of the first two phones in the family plan.

As I understood the rep...the phone line I switch to the iPhone will have the 24 month contract. The other phone line's date will not be effected. If you add a new (3rd line) it would have to be at $29.95 and it should not effect the other lines. The contract is for each phone, not the plan...you can change your plan anytime.

 

[chubad]

WOW! Smart move AT&T. I'm now really excited to get an iPhone. This is only slightly more than I pay now for voice annd text service!

SWEET!!!!

 

[NevadaJack]

If there were 2 iphones on the account, would it be $20 for each phone for the data?

No. If you want the data on the non-iPhone then you would select an option for the standard list of optional features for that phone. A similar plan to the iPhone one I think runs $19.95.

 

[diamond.g]

No. If you want the data on the non-iPhone then you would select an option for the standard list of optional features for that phone. A similar plan to the iPhone one I think runs $19.95.

I think you misunderstood the question. If there are 2 iPhones on a plan then each iPhone will cost 20 dollars plus 9.95 for the line after the first line.

 

[NevadaJack]

Forgive me if this was answered, I went through about 15 pages and didn't see it.. for existing customers:
I have a blackjack I got a month ago that I need to tether to my mbp for a trip in July. I have unlimited pda plan with 450 voice. I haven't used AT&T/Cingular for about 4 years.. it used to be that you could purchase a phone and then if you wanted to upgrade etc you could buy the new phone stick your sim card in and voila you have activated the new phone. You could however be able to put the same sim card back into your old phone and still be able to use the old phone if needed.

My long winded question is: if I buy the iphone and will be using that primarily but every once in a while want to use the blackjack as the modem for the mbp (or do not want to take the iphone b/c I'm going camping or something), would I be able to?? Basically have the blackjack and the iphone interchangeable on the same phone number? I'm not sure how the new 3g sim cards work.. That stupid AT&T site is no help either. Any ideas if this is possible?

I am no expert but was told by the AT&T rep that the SIM is specific to each phone and if removed, lost or damages, a new SIM would be needed and a new 24 month period would start at that point.

 

[slffl]

Well Apple updated their Family Plan fine print to say the prices reflect one line. Ouch! This is not looking good.

 

[sonicboom]

WHat is this???
On the family family plan, is it $80 for the 1st line/plan and then an additional $30 each for other lines?? That's A LOT!! Does that mean we're going to pay $110+tax every month, as oppose to $78, tax included with Sprint??! (Yes, with unlimited data!)

Ouch!

When iFirst saw the family plan iWas psyched, and was planning to buy two iPhones (one for the wife, and one for me)... but that was when iThought it cost $80+tx/mo for the two of us. Seemed like a good deal.

$109+tx/mo is another story.

NOT worth it to me

 

[diamond.g]

Ouch!

When iFirst saw the family plan iWas psyched, and was planning to buy two iPhones (one for the wife, and one for me)... but that was when iThought it cost $80+tx/mo for the two of us. Seemed like a good deal.

$109+tx/mo is another story.

NOT worth it to me

Um, it was like that since the plans were posted. For the other person with sprint, it isn't that much more expensive. I pay 129 a month for two Treo's with 700ish minutes, unlimited web, and through a fluke unlimited txt. AT&T's plan would just add 10 bucks a month for me (with two iPhones).

 

[jayb2000]

Ahh, the iPhone without the phone. That's one I haven't heard before.

I think that is called a Palm or Visor.

 

[slffl]

Ouch!

When iFirst saw the family plan iWas psyched, and was planning to buy two iPhones (one for the wife, and one for me)... but that was when iThought it cost $80+tx/mo for the two of us. Seemed like a good deal.

$109+tx/mo is another story.

NOT worth it to me

Ya it's not. And what's funny is that the iPhone family plan is $10 more than a regular family plan, which is $70 for 700min.

 

[dAlen]

Im not at all impressed.
note: The only phone I use is skype-in and skype-out.

Having said that, this is the issue I have with the iphone service plan.

1) Unlimited emails, but limited sms.
SMS is like a quick skype message, etc. no? Why not just send email, its just as fast for all intents and purposes.
Q: Why then have limited SMS (sounds like greedy company wanting money)

2) What is still with the fact of paying per minutes.
Like Im going to keep up with or want to concern myself with how many minutes. Someone commented that 5ooo is more than enough. If so then why do they even bother with minutes? Why not unlimited if no one can chat more than 5000 minutes. - its a scam man. They want your money.

So my beef is simply this:

Unlimited everything. You pay one price per month, and you get unlimited usage. No need for the caps, its silly. But people seemed over joyed, but since thats all they know with cell phone providers, I guess that is why.

Reminds me of a BBC article about a 2 tier net coming are way.
They (ISPs) want to charge both consumer and now the person with the website for premium services. They already (isps) are putting a throttle (actually brake) on peer-to peer connections regardless of what connection you have.

So again, here we have it - it seems that a simple life of one price isnt good enough. But whatever...

Peace

dAlen

 

[sonicboom]

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.
QUOTE]

I'm still trying to understand the family plan. $80 for 700 minutes with "one line" and $30 for each additional line. So the base rate of $80 is just for the primary line (dad) ? or is it for two lines (dad and mom) ? That extra $30 makes a difference to me: I have Verizon with 3 lines now, $60 family plan for 700 minutes, pay for any texting, $10 for each additional line, and $45 for unlimited data just on my primary line, not for the other lines. So ATT would actually be about $10 cheaper a month for me, IF the base rate included 2 lines.

The $80 is just for Dad (one line).
The family plans appear to be a major ripoff.

 

[diamond.g]

The $80 is just for Dad (one line).
The family plans appear to be a major ripoff.

They aren't.

Subtract the 20 bucks for the first iPhone and it is the same price as the "normal" family plans.

 

[slffl]

The $80 is just for Dad (one line).
The family plans appear to be a major ripoff.

They are definitely a ripoff. For two people who want an iPhone, it would be better to get two individual plans than to get a 'Family' plan.

 

[DakotaGuy]

I am a kid on my pop's family plan, and thats exactly what i'm going to do. Our plan expires in july, so i will tell him to get the regular family plan, then i will give him the addition media MAX money that is required for existing customers w/iphone. You're line will cost 29.99, and all the other lines will continue to be 9.99 each. So: Choose a regular plan, add as many lines as needed, then take the iphone line and pay the 20 bucks extra for the media MAX package. It's all on the iPhone website.

Ha things have really changed since I was a kid. I would have never TOLD my father what to do. Heck I still don't...lol

Anyhow for many of us in the upper midwest the iPhone is nothing but a paperweight. AT&T doesn't even offer phone contracts where I live. I guess Apple and AT&T just says the heck with you to rural people. Sure you can say that there is no money to be made by selling phones in the rural states, but we use cell phones just like everyone else. I am glad that the CDMA providers have not forgotten us, because if it was up to the GSM providers a large chunk of the United States still would not have decent cellular service.

 

[sonicboom]

Um, it was like that since the plans were posted.

Um... so.

Whether or not I missed it the first time around is not the point.

The family plans are still a rip-off.

Disappointing, and a deal-breaker for me.
No iphone for me, or the wife.

 

[brooksfow]

Wow! I sure didn't expect that. This price is radically lower than I expected at all plus rollover minutes - only $25 more than my plain - no roll over - 450 min plan with Verizon. It's only 40% more than what I'm paying Verizon now for a non-Mac phone.

Afraid I may have to pay the penalty and quit Verizon now instead of in another 9 months when my contract expires. On the other hand, I suppose there will be a better iPhone 2 by next Spring. This lower price is really an amazing shock. Now I have to contemplate switching when I thought I wouldn't be switching at all.

Sarcasm noted. I'll keep my cheap as free phone and continue to patrol neighborhoods for wireless with my macbook. It's reciprocal. Pops had a couple parked outside his house the other day partaking in the WWW.

 

[pika2000]

OK, we know it is going to be locked to AT&T. But what if I already have a cingular SIM card (Prepaid). Will it work? Or will it only work with the included SIM card?

 

[sonicboom]

They aren't.

Subtract the 20 bucks for the first iPhone and it is the same price as the "normal" family plans.

The family plan says $80. Includes one line. Additional iPhone lines are $29.99 each. Which means $109.99 for two iphones on the family plan.

For $10 more you can have two individual plans, and twice the resources (minutes/srs)... not that *I* would pay that much. No family bargain to be had here.

Where are you getting "subtract 20 bucks" from?
Am I missing something?

 

[diamond.g]

The family plan says $80. Includes one line. Additional iPhone lines are $29.99 each. Which means $109.99 for two iphones on the family plan.

For $10 more you can have two individual plans, and twice the resources (minutes/srs)... not that *I* would pay that much. No family bargain to be had here.

Where are you getting "subtract 20 bucks" from?
Am I missing something?

You know what I just checked... AT&T does give you two lines free when getting a normal family plan. WTF are they not doing the same for the iPhone?

Question can you pay two individual plans with one credit/debit card? I know Sprint frowned upon that.

 

[sonicboom]

Family Plan Info Updated

I was hoping I was misinterpreting the Family Plan information. I happened to refresh the page for an update, and low and behold... the wording has been clarified:

*Price reflects one line. A minimum of two lines are required. Additional iPhone lines are $29.99 each. Family plans for two iPhones start at $109.99. Additional SMS text messages can be added to any plan.

Ack! Not what I was hoping to see. These family plans don't make any sense.

They should not be advertising a $109.99 plan as costing $80.
That's just wrong! And it pissed me off too.

 

[powerbook911]

Is there any hope AT&T will give us like $10 off for a year or something?

Can I buy a AT&T phone today and get it free, and then get a iPhone, since they aren't giving me anything for the iphone?