AT&T Considering $10 Drop in iPhone Monthly Plan Rates?

[KindredMAC]

Wrong! WalMart is in almost every town that has 10,000 or more people. There are many states that don't even have an apple store and as far as AT&T retail stores go many would have to drive a hundred miles or more to get to one of those. You people who live is metropolitan areas have no idea what its like to live in a rual area.

The best part was that ferlauto stated that going to an AT&T store meant that you were going to deal with "expertise".... snicker snicker.... He must work for AT&T. I've found that they are the dumbest bunch of sales associates next to Best Buy and Apple Stores.

Oh yeah I just called the workers at Apple Stores dumb also. The vast amount of them couldn't tell you why the new 4 Core Mac Pros are actually faster than the last gen 8 Core Mac Pros, but boy could they tell you how many songs you can put on that new iPod nano you are eyeing up in Purple. Plus if you do get the rare one that knows ANYTHING about Macs, they act like the know EVERYTHING and that you are just like that little teeny bopper standing in line to buy the latest iPod shuffle because all of her friends already have one....

We were looking at DSLR's at Best Buy a couple weeks ago and I was trying to figure out how to turn on the rapid fire shutter on a Canon Rebel. After about a minute of trying to figure it out, my wife said to me "Why don't you ask an associate for help?"
I said to her that if they look at me funny when I say the word "APPLE (insert product name)" there is no way they are going to know how to change a setting on a camera that they probably didn't even know they had in stock. One more minute later I figured out the menu setting.

It goes the same as the old saying, "Those that can't do, teach." except it is "Those that don't know, sell".....

 

[vipergts2207]

You sir, fail... miserably. The University of Michigan wants to disown you right now!

Well therein lies the problem. He goes to U of M.

 

[bigchief]

bigchief - that might be in part due to store location

Exactly. When it comes to commercial real estate the three most important things are 1. location, 2. location, and then there's 3. location.

 

[binaryskies]

Yay! I hope they follow through with this.
I just hope they don't drop the price by $10 dollars then add $15 dollars in taxes or extra fees.

 

[BobbyDigital]

This would be great. I've currently got an iPhone classic and I'm not eager to upgrade to 3G due to the extra $10 data fee every month. I'm interested in the new iPhone that's due this summer and for me, confirmation of this news would seal the deal.

Same here. I'm hoping this turns out to be true!

 

[old-wiz]

Yay! I hope they follow through with this.
I just hope they don't drop the price by $10 dollars then add $15 dollars in taxes or extra fees.

That's most likely what will happen. I can't see them dropping the price or real.

 

[reallynotnick]

$60 a month with unlimited texting mixed with a new iPhone and I'm sold. Otherwise the palm Pre is looking really nice. I really want to go to a new iPhone when I move this summer to ATT land (have an unlocked original on Unicel) but Sprints prices totally destroy ATT. Who gives a **** about dropping the phone below $200 when the prices are so high per month?

 

[terryzx]

They are just trying to do a SMALL drop to appease the people who hate them and want to go to Verizon

 

[charlituna]

I wonder if this is AT&T's/Apple's way to get first-generation iPhone owners to upgrade and get everyone on the same "platform" so to speak... or officially deprecate the old plan and have everyone move to the new plan. One of my big reservations with the iPhone 3G was 1) no 3g service around here and 2) $10 more a month for the service—the only big benefit was built-in GPS.

three things
1. everyone is assuming that because there was new hardware the last two years there will be new hardware this year. I think not. there is no major and ready for primetime cellular tech to support a new phone. the only thing I find likely is a slight drop in prices (say knock $50 off) and a 32 gb phone model. Next year when 4g/lte is up and running then there is cause for a new phone

2. don't see an iphone nano ever. don't see a drop back to edge ever. don't see dataless phone ever. it's not in Apple's general games to go backwards

3. I personally think the smartest thing ATT could do is to drop all their smart phone plans. this would help bring in and keep folks when the day comes that the phone isn't just for them, which is likely to happen at some point (next year perhaps even). go back to something akin to the old plans. $20 a month with say 500 texts included, $30 if you want unlimited texts and $45 for the business/exchange users (also with unlimited texts). and those in areas with a more limited 3g service (based on the recorded saturation of towers in the area) would receive a discount of say $5 a month until said coverage reaches a pre-stated minimum amount. that way folks out in the desert and such where there are almost no 3g towers right now aren't thoroughly screwed on the bill while the issue is being handled

 

[libertyforall]

And not a moment too soon, in this economy, people are looking for every way possible to reduce their monthly recurring costs -- ESPECIALLY those out of work!

 

[TraceyS/FL]

We were looking at DSLR's at Best Buy a couple weeks ago and I was trying to figure out how to turn on the rapid fire shutter on a Canon Rebel. After about a minute of trying to figure it out, my wife said to me "Why don't you ask an associate for help?"
I said to her that if they look at me funny when I say the word "APPLE (insert product name)" there is no way they are going to know how to change a setting on a camera that they probably didn't even know they had in stock. One more minute later I figured out the menu setting.

It goes the same as the old saying, "Those that can't do, teach." except it is "Those that don't know, sell".....

I have to take exception to that BB remark - because if you'd been my customer when i was selling cameras i'da been able to help you. It's why i was hired.... and got in trouble for spending too much time with my customers.

Then when i moved into customer service - i saved sales by showing people how to USE what they bought (since i could no longer ensure they were buying the right thing in the first place since i wasn't working DI anymore...).

That said, LOL, i wasn't your normal retail employee either! I was a knowledgeable customer they talked into working there.

I also shop at WM now so that i can afford to buy Apple products.

 

[djdole]

That seems nice but by the time they add their stinkin taxes it'll be the same price.

Only true if the $69 price didn't include taxes as well.

 

[portishead]

PLEASE! As others have said, this will save me $240 a year! But it's already $10 more expensive than the 1st gen was, so really, they should drop the plan by $10, and drop the data plan back to what it was, then I'd be happy. $80 for a cell phone plan is just crazy.

 

[bigchief]

What's the big deal about 10 frickin dollars?

Oh, probably several million extra units that will be sold.

 

[powers74]

I have two words for you...

I think pigs will be flying over Manhattan before this happens.

Swine Flu.

 

[reallynotnick]

PLEASE! As others have said, this will save me $240 a year! But it's already $10 more expensive than the 1st gen was, so really, they should drop the plan by $10, and drop the data plan back to what it was, then I'd be happy. $80 for a cell phone plan is just crazy.

I haven't read the whole forum but why do people keep saying $240 a year? Do you have a 24-month year? I understand it saves you $240 over the 2 year contract but that's only $120 a year...

 

[iPhoneNYC]

I'd rather pay $59 for bad service than $69.

 

[Revelation78]

Why not? People wondered why they charged for SMS for the iPhone 3G when other carriers and in fact AT&T themselves don't charge for it seperately on other phones.

EVERY carrier charges separately for text/mms messaging. Why don't you go to their website and see when you select any other phone, you'll have the option to add txt and mms at an additional charge.


Speak not of what you know nothing about....


Quote:
Originally Posted by W1LLk
I think he lives on Mercury.



Actually Mercury is closer to the Sun, thus taking fewer months to orbit the Sun, thus fewer months in a Mercury year.

 

[Revelation78]

double post

 

[Monty Burns]

three things
1. everyone is assuming that because there was new hardware the last two years there will be new hardware this year. I think not. there is no major and ready for primetime cellular tech to support a new phone. the only thing I find likely is a slight drop in prices (say knock $50 off) and a 32 gb phone model. Next year when 4g/lte is up and running then there is cause for a new phone

There will almost certainly be new hardware -- with all the competitors coming out and Apple releasing 3.0 software, it's just got to be happening. When the iPhone first came out, it was incredible. It's still pretty incredible, but the rest of the industry certainly anted up. People don't like AT&T and there are a lot of attractive alternatives coming out, so I don't see how Apple can continue to drive sales with the current hardware unless they drastically reduce the price. I'd say announcement in June with a release in October.

Also, even though the 4G network isn't ready yet, that doesn't mean they can't build a phone to support it. Go the opposite route of the original iPhone -- instead of releasing a phone with old tech while the carrier plays catch-up, have the current phones ready to go the minute the switch is flipped. That way the early adopters won't fell ****ed-over. But then again it's Apple -- ****ing over early adopters is kind of their MO.

 

[11800506]

If this rumor is true it would make it even easier to get an iPhone! So far the data plan price is one of the main barriers. I just wish AT&T would add plans with lower numbers of minutes since I really don't do that much talking.

 

[Digipimp]

before you know it their pricing will be in line with others 2 years after the fact. while youre at it how about you quit charging a $20 unlimited text fee since text is really data and this is just another scam. why am i paying for unlimited data and unlimited text, when unlimited data should cover it all.

 

[dizastor]

Over two years is $240. You can get an iPod Touch with that.

However, $10 probably isn't going to go into a special savings account every month targeted at your big iPod touch purchase.

In theory, yes it's an iPod touch... but in reality it's probably a couple extra cups of coffee, red bull, diet coke, a sandwich or lunch every month.

In any case, it's nice to see a smaller bill when you pay it.

 

[Lancelot9201]

For Those That Pay AT&T Rates - "More Money Than Sense"

What are you people doing.? How can you so willingly pay AT&T rates just to own an iPhone. Here some food for thought.. I have an iPhone on T-Mobile & get Unlimited Minutes, Internet Access & 200 text for $42.00 per month, after my 2nd phone discount & student discount. Anyone who can justify paying AT&T the rates they ask must have "More Money Than Sense" & deserve what they get. AT&T knows that there are other cells companies with better plans but just count on you impulsive iPhone buyers to pay their rates.. Sad really how some people wilingly waste their hard earned money.. Hopefully when Verizon gets their iPhone AT&T will be forced to lower their rates even further, but the number of people who continue to sign up will determine that. If activations decline then AT&T will be forced to get competitive.

 

[rhpenguin]

Hey Rogers, are you listening?

I might just jump on the iPhone bandwagon if they'd drop the data plan by $10 here in Canada. Or at least give us more than 500 freakin' MB's per month.

LOL.. I'm on Telus with unlimited data @ $45/mo w/ unlimited text, and a whole bunch of other goodies.

Rogers blows.