AT&T iPhone 3G Pricing Details:

[Paix247]

Current iPhone Owners

I thought that they said ALL current iPhone owners qualified for the upgrade? I currently have an iPhone but I am NOT elligible for an upgrade yet. Will I have to pay $399/$499?

 

[.:R2theT]

Wow, the mobile phone industry has some bad habits.

Apple controlled the first launch, and everything was simple.

Now, there's 10/mo more for 3G (not available in all areas) = 59 + 10 = 69. But the prices are not comparable because of the removal of a prior benefit text messaging, which makes a $5 difference. But what about a family plan with a new and old phone? What happens with the text messages? Ugh. It also bothers me that text messages, which are close to free for the phone company, are being charged with widely marked up fees. ATT is giving away something of worth (the iPhone and the newly updated 3G network) and trying to get people to pay for services like text messaging that really have no cost but still a lot of perceived value. This is a poor business model that hides actual costs, good or bad, and does not allow people to make decisions based on reality. No wonder the U.S. is several years behind the rest of the world in the mobile phone arena.

This mobile phone business model makes the Apple vision less compelling for me, and I plan to sit out this round.

Haven't you ever been into a grocery store? They are called loss-leaders. You come in for the sale items and they get you everywhere else. What did people think that a $199/$299 iPhone was going to come out of Apple's/ATT's pockets? Steve was just another sales guy at WWDC. "For the low, low price of...you get our amazing new..."

 

[cupjoe11]

Grab thy ankles

First I switched to AT&T over the winter, so I could get an iPhone, but then held out for the new model - which will cost me $200 more since I didn't wait to switch to AT&T. They get my money for 6 months and then want more! I should have waited...ok, my fault.

Now you have to pay extra for text messaging! So for my FamilyTalk plan, will now cost $160 ($130 + $30 for texting). That's about the same as my Comcast bill for High speed internet, home phone and hi-def cable tv with a couple premium channels!! WTF!!

It's a phone plan with internet and that's it!

 

[joemama]

Family Plan

Ok, it seems the Family Plan works like this:

1.) $130 for two iPhones includes 700 min. plus unlimited data for the BOTH iPhones. (Currently, it's $70 for the plan plus $30 for each data plan so it's basically the same, they just rolled it into one plan)

2.) $10 for 200 messages ($5 x 2 iPhones)

Total before taxes is $140. $10 more than the current Family setup.

3.) So, for $10 more you get faster internet service and exchange support. That's not (that) bad. I mean, did you expect ATT to give you more for the same price?

 

[Donz0r]

Oh yeah...you're right. How many months in are you?

"AT&T's plan is similar to Verizon's. For both, there is no cancellation fee for the 30-day trial period at the beginning of a new cell phone contract, during which new customers can quit the service if they're dissatisfied. Thereafter, the $175 fee on one- and two-year contracts is reduced by $5 for each month you stay with the service."

I'm 18 months in, so the ETF for me would be 85 dollars

 

[macbook123]

ATT/Apple just lost a customer

Having only 200 SMS with the current iPhone was ridiculous. Charging extra for it, as with the new phone, is just insane. The messages are submitted without any cost to the telephone company with tracker signals that are sent to the phone routinely. They shouldn't charge for this. Pure money making machinery. Apple stopped being a company that is trying to build products for the people. I was an iPhone/Apple fan until today, now I'll patiently wait for Google's phone.

 

[daveporter]

Just got off the phone with AT&T. I currently have a basic Family Talk plan, 550 minutes w/3 lines (1 iPhone, 2 non-iPhone). I pay $100 per month ($60 for plan + $10 each for 2nd and 3rd lines, +$20 for iPhone data). For the privilege of owning an iPhone 3G, I must switch to the new Family Talk plan, 700 minutes, for which I will pay $140 per month ($130 for plan, includes iPhone data, + $10 for 3rd line). Of course, I will lose 200 free text messages. To sum that up, owning one iPhone 3G will cost me $40 extra dollars per month, with associated taxes, plus fees, for minutes I won't use; and I can take advantage of some sorta cool new features and higher speed data; but I must give up free text messages, which if I want them back, will cost me another $5 per month. And now we know why AT&T can afford to subsidize the cost of the phones. I don't know about the rest of you out there, but I will not be adopting the iPhone 3G. It just isn't worth it to me. Hey, at least I won't be standing in line after all.

I have the same old family plan and circumstances as you do. I was told the same thing you were told by AT&T just a few minutes ago.

Since the 3G coverage is very very spotty right now where I live and travel, upgrading to the iPhone 3G make absolutely no sense for me. I will stay with what I have, perhaps the 4G iPhone will make more sense for me.

 

[Hattig]

I can't believe that in this day and age, a mobile phone service provider is rolling out plans that don't include texts. Is it 1999 in the USA?

 

[IJ Reilly]

But you HAVE to get a new plan, you can't keep your existing plan.

This is the show-stopper for me. We currently pay AT&T about $55.00 a month for our two phones. They are old plans and very limited in terms of the minutes included, but that works fine for us. I'd have to more than double our monthly charges to upgrade to iPhones. No thanks.

 

[drchipinski]

Haven't you ever been into a grocery store? They are called loss-leaders. You come in for the sale items and they get you everywhere else. What did people think that a $199/$299 iPhone was going to come out of Apple's/ATT's pockets? Steve was just another sales guy at WWDC. "For the low, low price of...you get our amazing new..."

To let you know...Loss leaders are illegal and considered preditorial practice (sp?) which is not legal.

Apple and ATT dropped the ball on this one for sure.

Snake oil salesmen are we?

 

[pcorrado]

Just got off the phone with AT&T. I currently have a basic Family Talk plan, 550 minutes w/3 lines (1 iPhone, 2 non-iPhone). I pay $100 per month ($60 for plan + $10 each for 2nd and 3rd lines, +$20 for iPhone data). For the privilege of owning an iPhone 3G, I must switch to the new Family Talk plan, 700 minutes, for which I will pay $140 per month ($130 for plan, includes iPhone data, + $10 for 3rd line). Of course, I will lose 200 free text messages. To sum that up, owning one iPhone 3G will cost me $40 extra dollars per month, with associated taxes, plus fees, for minutes I won't use; and I can take advantage of some sorta cool new features and higher speed data; but I must give up free text messages, which if I want them back, will cost me another $5 per month. And now we know why AT&T can afford to subsidize the cost of the phones. I don't know about the rest of you out there, but I will not be adopting the iPhone 3G. It just isn't worth it to me. Hey, at least I won't be standing in line after all.

now this doesn't make sense to me at all - where is the extra $30 dollars coming from? The way I figure it is the 700 plan is 69.99 for 2 lines plus 10 for the third line = 89.99 plus $30.00 for the iphone data = $110.00, the only justification for that $30.00 is that there are 2 lines with iPhone data, which is was I assumed when I read the little chart...I think the sales rep you talked to must have been confused. They would not charge more for family talk when it would be cheaper to get a separate iPhone line 70.00 plus a family talk without iPhones $70.00 for you plan that 1000.00 minutes total and the same cost!

The quoted family talk plans, must be for two iPhone lines...only explanation unless AT&T is really stupid with pricing...or thinks consumers are

 

[ec51]

Just got off the phone with AT&T. I currently have a basic Family Talk plan, 550 minutes w/3 lines (1 iPhone, 2 non-iPhone). I pay $100 per month ($60 for plan + $10 each for 2nd and 3rd lines, +$20 for iPhone data). For the privilege of owning an iPhone 3G, I must switch to the new Family Talk plan, 700 minutes, for which I will pay $140 per month ($130 for plan, includes iPhone data, + $10 for 3rd line). Of course, I will lose 200 free text messages. To sum that up, owning one iPhone 3G will cost me $40 extra dollars per month, with associated taxes, plus fees, for minutes I won't use; and I can take advantage of some sorta cool new features and higher speed data; but I must give up free text messages, which if I want them back, will cost me another $5 per month. And now we know why AT&T can afford to subsidize the cost of the phones. I don't know about the rest of you out there, but I will not be adopting the iPhone 3G. It just isn't worth it to me. Hey, at least I won't be standing in line after all.

Dont take everything ONE At&t rep tells you for the truth. I once had a bunch of them telling me I COULD NOT use the WiFi on my Blackberry withOUT data??!!

Anyway, just upgrading to a 3G iPhone on one or two of the lines and singing "a new 2-year contract" will most likely NOT change your rate plan, those rate plans are most likely for NEW customers. It seems the same whenever your upgrade with At&t, your contract is extended, but your RATE plan remains the same. That's why unless you actually change your rate plan you can continue to be grandfathered from year to year on some realllllly old rate plan. The "new" 2-year contract will probably just extend your contract lenght, not actually change your rate plan.

This is what happened to me when upgrading in the past and I dont plan it to be different. I spoke to a few At&t reps and they all told me my rate plan would not change. I have the Nation 550 Family plan with my iPhone as the SECOND line (non-iphone has primary) and when I add the 3G to my 2ndary line I do not plan that changing the rate plan on the primary phone.

 

[bacaramac]

First I switched to AT&T over the winter, so I could get an iPhone, but then held out for the new model - which will cost me $200 more since I didn't wait to switch to AT&T. They get my money for 6 months and then want more! I should have waited...ok, my fault.

Now you have to pay extra for text messaging! So for my FamilyTalk plan, will now cost $160 ($130 + $30 for texting). That's about the same as my Comcast bill for High speed internet, home phone and hi-def cable tv with a couple premium channels!! WTF!!

It's a phone plan with internet and that's it!

I think you are forgetting about the phone AT&T gave you at a discount when you signed up. You should be able to sell that one on eBay and recover some of the money. When I sign-up for contracts I always get the one with the biggest discount and that way I can sell it on eBay to make some money.

 

[Xtoo]

I am a big fan of the iPhone and over the years I've never had any issues with at&t UNTIL NOW!!!!!! This is RIDICULOUS! I understand 3G should cost more, but these new voice and date plans are a complete RIP OFF.

I was all hot on upgrading to the 3G iPhone but at these rates I refuse to upgrade. With this economy, this is not a good move. I will definitely wait for 3G speed user reviews and then some!

EDGE is not the fastest but I have lived with it for 1 year and considering that not "real" hardware upgrades have been done to the iPhone, 3G does NOT JUSTIFY the extra expense for the phone nor the plan.

Google maps on my edge iPhone is just as good without a GPS chip. I go from wi-fi to wi-fi anyway, there is not a huge memory upgrade and I'll get the same software capabilities withe the FREE 2.0 software upgrade.

No new iPhone unless I hit the lotto or a faster & better built phone comes out next year. What a freaking RIP OFF!!!!

 

[swordfish5736]

interesting theres no option of adding the iphone data plan to my current one

 

[iStefmac]

To let you know...Loss leaders are illegal and considered preditorial practice (sp?) which is not legal.

Apple and ATT dropped the ball on this one for sure.

Snake oil salesmen are we?

Yes, indeed they have. Its pathetic

 

[Donz0r]

Having only 200 SMS with the current iPhone was ridiculous. Charging extra for it, as with the new phone, is just insane. The messages are submitted without any cost to the telephone company with tracker signals that are sent to the phone routinely. They shouldn't charge for this. Pure money making machinery. Apple stopped being a company that is trying to build products for the people. I was an iPhone/Apple fan until today, now I'll patiently wait for Google's phone.

It'll cost you the same amount...
ATT and Verizon's data plans are the same I'm pretty sure, unless you switch to T-mobile, who barely have 3G.

 

[drb6]

I was an iPhone/Apple fan until today, now I'll patiently wait for Google's phone.

Agreed. Although I'm still a mac/ipod fan, I'm looking forward to what Google can bring us...hopefully it will truly be the phone that will change the way telcos do business.

 

[oticon6]

Didn't expect them to include text messages (though that would be nice for such a device) but what they charge for them is crazy. $5 for 200?! I'd pay $5 for 500 maybe. And I'm sorry, but $20 for unlimited texting is crazy. Verizon charges $10 for unlimited. I'm having second thoughts about the whole AT&T thing. It's like you lose no matter what carrier you are on these days. It sucks.

At 25c/message, as it is in Australia, you'd pay $50 for 200 messages.

 

[powermac_daddy]

ok this is just crap. ATT and Apple together. Crap.

 

[Donz0r]

I am a big fan of the iPhone and over the years I've never had any issues with at&t UNTIL NOW!!!!!! This is RIDICULOUS! I understand 3G should cost more, but these new voice and date plans are a complete RIP OFF.

I was all hot on upgrading to the 3G iPhone but at these rates I refuse to upgrade. With this economy, this is not a good move. I will definitely wait for 3G speed user reviews and then some!

EDGE is not the fastest but I have lived with it for 1 year and considering that not "real" hardware upgrades have been done to the iPhone, 3G does NOT JUSTIFY the extra expense for the phone nor the plan.

Google maps on my edge iPhone is just as good without a GPS chip. I go from wi-fi to wi-fi anyway, there is not a huge memory upgrade and I'll get the same software capabilities withe the FREE 2.0 software upgrade.

No new iPhone unless I hit the lotto or a faster & better built phone comes out next year. What a freaking RIP OFF!!!!

THESE ARE THE SAME PRICES FOR EVERY SMARTPHONE, EVEN ON VERIZON'S NETWORK!! GET OVER IT! THE FIRST IPHONE GOT SPECIAL TREATMENT, THIS ONE IS BEING PRICED THE EXACT SAME AS ANY OTHER BLACKBERRY!!with or without 3G Yes, that's right, These are the prices that every EDGE Blackberry owner has been paying...

 

[evilbert420]

From what I've read, you cannot use Exchange w/ the 2G iPhone. You MUST have a ATT corp acct which means 3G only. Without a corp acct ATT will not pass the Exchange data between your iPhone and company server.

AT&T isn't going to be packet sniffing. Exchange to mobile devices uses EAS or RPC over HTTP. They'd have to sniff every package to see what it contains, and since EAS is encrypted... well... let's just say that would be almost impossible.

Also, if you look at Apple's own page, they list Exchange support with the 2.0 update for earlier phones. It would be ridiculous for them to add support and then have it blocked by AT&T.

 

[Diode]

interesting theres no option of adding the iphone data plan to my current one

There is but you need to have a current (IE non-grandfathered) rate plan.

 

[ec51]

As a side note, anyone with a Family Plan on some type of discount. Assuming there is AT LEAST one non-iPhone on the plan, change that phone to be the primary and the iphone to secondary, this way you will continue to receive your discount on the voice plan (the more expensive line that is), this is how I have my plan set-up and I still receive my discount.

 

[arn]

I thought that they said ALL current iPhone owners qualified for the upgrade? I currently have an iPhone but I am NOT elligible for an upgrade yet. Will I have to pay $399/$499?

All iPhone customers are eligible for the iPhone 3G $199/$299 prices.

arn