The current iPhone plan already isn't "unlimited.", it's got a 5GB soft cap. If anything, I could probably get away with 200 minutes and 1GB of data.
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AT&T CEO Confirms Cheaper iPhone Rate Plans Considered
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Offering a limited, discounted data plan would be a no-brainer move for AT&T. First, you suck in new buyers who weren't interested in the iPhone before because of the cost. Then they start using the iPhone, see how much they can really do with that connectivity, and realize that the limited plan won't cut it for them. Within a couple of months they'd be on the phone with AT&T upgrading to the unlimited plan.
I'll bet the conversion rate of limited data plans to unlimited data plans would be huge.
I'll bet the conversion rate of limited data plans to unlimited data plans would be huge.
If AT&T wants to do better by iPhone users, how about:
-not having a price jump from $5 to $15 for SMS and make it cheaper overall
-take all the extra $10/month you get and build up your network in major market areas (NYC?)
-allow video streaming apps on your network
While it may help out some in areas without 3g, people complain about quality of the network and not necessarily the prices
-not having a price jump from $5 to $15 for SMS and make it cheaper overall
-take all the extra $10/month you get and build up your network in major market areas (NYC?)
-allow video streaming apps on your network
While it may help out some in areas without 3g, people complain about quality of the network and not necessarily the prices
Where I live, in Quebec City, users can agree to a plan that is exclusively for call... (voice plan only)
The cheapest iPhone plan is 45 $CAD. It offers 200 min of calling, 500 MB of data and unlimited everything (SMS, calls) to 5 people of your choice...
It fits "normal" needs and is not that expensive!
The cheapest iPhone plan is 45 $CAD. It offers 200 min of calling, 500 MB of data and unlimited everything (SMS, calls) to 5 people of your choice...
It fits "normal" needs and is not that expensive!
Sweet, I hope they do. I want the cheapest one, because I rarely use more than a few hundred megabytes a month anyway. I could also get away with fewer minutes. I use about 85 minutes a month at most. Everyone I know has AT&T, so my free mobile-to-mobile takes care of that.
AT&T Service
Hey AT&T, I have an idea. How about....instead of cutting the rate plan, you take that money and improve your !@#$ing service! I refuse to buy an iPhone in the states until A) Apple brings on more service providers B) AT&T does something about their crappy service. I live in SF and routinely have my calls drop...in my house....in the middle of the city. you suck AT&T
Hey AT&T, I have an idea. How about....instead of cutting the rate plan, you take that money and improve your !@#$ing service! I refuse to buy an iPhone in the states until A) Apple brings on more service providers B) AT&T does something about their crappy service. I live in SF and routinely have my calls drop...in my house....in the middle of the city. you suck AT&T
So you have AT&T now, but refuse to get a better phone and continue using it because their service sucks?
That makes no sense.
As an iPhone user since day one, I think discounting plans will add many new customers. Apple has the potential to sell many more phones. I've many friends that have wanted, and can now afford an iPhone, but just haven't been able to justify the cost of the monthly plans. Hence, poorer sales than expected at vendors such as Walmart.
Under my plan, my voice call usage is adequate but the unlimited data plan is way over my needs. For instance, there's another 10 days left in my billing cycle and I have used 174MB of data. I'm online as often as needed and without caution of the data I use. I haven't paid much attention but I can't imagine I've gone much over 250MG per month in the past 2 years.
I'm ready to drop the cost of my plan to something geared more toward my own personal needs and usage. Apparently, some of us are not using much of the network, therefore we shouldn't have to pay a premium each month, no?
Under my plan, my voice call usage is adequate but the unlimited data plan is way over my needs. For instance, there's another 10 days left in my billing cycle and I have used 174MB of data. I'm online as often as needed and without caution of the data I use. I haven't paid much attention but I can't imagine I've gone much over 250MG per month in the past 2 years.
I'm ready to drop the cost of my plan to something geared more toward my own personal needs and usage. Apparently, some of us are not using much of the network, therefore we shouldn't have to pay a premium each month, no?
While I don't mind paying for texts (it IS a service being provided...), the rates are ridiculous. Especially considering, if what I've read is accurate, that they take essentially nothing in the way of bandwidth.
As far as opening up the iPhone to other carriers to generate competitive pricing, I say let the Pre and (to a lesser extent) the Storm take care of that. Check back in a year and, if the Pre is floundering, then maybe other carriers should be considered. As for me, I like it only being on one carrier. Having fewer cooks in the kitchen is what keeps the Apple experience worth the extra up front costs.
Me too, but they're going to win me over with the third gen iphone.
That's great, if everyone you want to text is signed on to AIM at all times...
There is a capacity limit for text messages and it can be reached. I believe sprint is having issues because of capacity problems with their unlimited everything plans.
haha, maybe they'll come to SF when they're done out here. They've been putting up 2-3 new towers a month for awhile out here. Definitely improving their service. Way to go AT&T!!!
Competition
I think we'd all like it to open up to all networks. Competition is healthy for everyone. Usually. Apple's has been trying real hard to have a least two providers in other nations around the world. But not us. I doubt it'll ever be Verizon until LTE (4G) picks up.
Yes, because data plans on Verizon are such a bargain.
I think we'd all like it to open up to all networks. Competition is healthy for everyone. Usually. Apple's has been trying real hard to have a least two providers in other nations around the world. But not us. I doubt it'll ever be Verizon until LTE (4G) picks up.
I don't think you'll see another AT&T deal where you pay out the butt up front in exchange for cheaper monthly plans (like you did for your $399 1st gen).
Maybe that's because other countries have two providers that use the same standards? To pick a second national carrier in the US, AT&T would either have to design a CDMA version or find a new radio that works with T-Mobile's weird 3G frequencies.
OK, so I understand from what others have posted that AT&T have a cap of 5GB. And although there's no firm figures, I also gather that the "average" iPhone user perhaps uses - let's say about 50MB a month. Now, AT&T's pricing won't be based on everyone using 5GB a month, it will be based on everyone using 50MB a month (averaged out of all users). So if they were to bring out a data plan with a reduced cap (say 500MB/month), nothing really changes for them - users are still going to be using the same capacity/bandwidth, they (AT&T) just get less income, so I don't understand their incentive.
I suppose it's a way of attracting new victims.
I suppose it's a way of attracting new victims.
I'm in a similar situation: I've had my phone 7 months now:
Data Sent: 40.3 MB
Data Received: 537 MB
A cheaper data plan would suit me fine.
Love how the AT&T exec says it would be "costly for AT&T to cut the price of its unlimited Web surfing service." Costly to who?? I think he meant "costly to the bottom line" lol
Unlimited?
As others have noted, it's not "unlimited" anyway, it's capped at 5GB/month. Also, AT&T won't allow some services to run on their "unlimited" 3G network because they say video streaming apps like SlingPlayer have the potential to use too much bandwidth.
To be fair, however, AT&T isn't the only carrier that is playing this game. Other mobile service providers also cap their "unlimited" plans and also block certain high-bandwidth applications.
Let's face it, the U.S. is practically a third-world backwater in broadband and wireless services. I think the U.S. ranks something like 20th in the world in broadband access, behind most of Europe (and even some former Soviet-block countries) and also behind several of the Pacific-rim Asian countries.
There are some practical reasons for this (large geographic area for one), but let's hope that the U.S. can move into the 21st century before the end of the NEXT decade (it's too much to ask to catch up by 2010).
As others have noted, it's not "unlimited" anyway, it's capped at 5GB/month. Also, AT&T won't allow some services to run on their "unlimited" 3G network because they say video streaming apps like SlingPlayer have the potential to use too much bandwidth.
To be fair, however, AT&T isn't the only carrier that is playing this game. Other mobile service providers also cap their "unlimited" plans and also block certain high-bandwidth applications.
Let's face it, the U.S. is practically a third-world backwater in broadband and wireless services. I think the U.S. ranks something like 20th in the world in broadband access, behind most of Europe (and even some former Soviet-block countries) and also behind several of the Pacific-rim Asian countries.
There are some practical reasons for this (large geographic area for one), but let's hope that the U.S. can move into the 21st century before the end of the NEXT decade (it's too much to ask to catch up by 2010).
I wouldn't mind paying $50 for unlimited data w/ tethering if they didn't also want to charge separate for unlimited text messaging.
Hopefully the push servers will force att to offer a better SMS plans as people start to use less and less text for things like instant messaging, twitter, etc.
Hopefully the push servers will force att to offer a better SMS plans as people start to use less and less text for things like instant messaging, twitter, etc.
Yes, because data plans on Verizon are such a bargain.
He didn't mean that other companies have cheaper plans, but that the competition would bring the price down.
Ditto here. Our purchase price was subsidized by AT&T and some of that was recovered throughout the 2 year contract. If we can get on a cheaper plan mid contract then AT&T will probably just allow the discounted rate but with an extension of the new plan - Yes???
Just for curiousity I went on my AT&T usage history online, it lists data used monthly back thru January 2008. Before I got the iPhone 3G, I used the first gen with Edge. Even before the App Store, the streaming apps, iTunes downloads, etc I was using 400-500mb. On Edge. And I'm not a big fan of Youtube.
Man, I don't know how some of you keep your data usage down. I'm scratching my head wondering if banner ad crap (like here and Endadget) is what is killing it for me?
Man, I don't know how some of you keep your data usage down. I'm scratching my head wondering if banner ad crap (like here and Endadget) is what is killing it for me?
Interested to know...
Like how Apple says a 1GB iPod can hold "X" amount of songs and "X" amount of photos and "X" amount of movies etc., what would a 5GB limited AT&T data plan or 2GB limited AT&T data plan or 1GB limited AT&T data plan cover?
How many web page views, e-mails received?, files downloaded? or what ever one might do with their iPhone will such a limitation cover? If you are a light user are you okay? What if you are a moderate or heavy user? If someone is a heavy user that is out there, how much data /web views etc. can you incorporate?
And would being on wifi calculate into that number?
What about apps from the app store? Would they "eat" away at "limited" data plan?
Just wondering if a cap is in reality, a hinderance after all? Thanks.
Like how Apple says a 1GB iPod can hold "X" amount of songs and "X" amount of photos and "X" amount of movies etc., what would a 5GB limited AT&T data plan or 2GB limited AT&T data plan or 1GB limited AT&T data plan cover?
How many web page views, e-mails received?, files downloaded? or what ever one might do with their iPhone will such a limitation cover? If you are a light user are you okay? What if you are a moderate or heavy user? If someone is a heavy user that is out there, how much data /web views etc. can you incorporate?
And would being on wifi calculate into that number?
What about apps from the app store? Would they "eat" away at "limited" data plan?
Just wondering if a cap is in reality, a hinderance after all? Thanks.