AT&T iPhone 3G Pricing Details:

[eastcoastsurfer]

With all of that going for them, I wonder why it is that Sprint is the only major cell phone company to keep LOSING more customers than it gains?!

Couple reasons. Sprint has a poor phone selection. Their network integration with Nextel has been a disaster. Their customer service has been terrible. Finally, their cell service overall is pretty poor.

Sprints #1 priority right now is improving customer service, so at least they've recognized some of their problems and are attempting to fix them.

 

[paja]

Not worth it!

I'll be sticking with my rev.1 iPhone until my contract runs out a year from now and then move on to something new (maybe an Android phone).

I now wish I would have bought the iPhone Applecare the other day. Too late now. Damn you AT&T and Apple!

 

[imacericg]

Are these the prices for 2 iPhones on the same plan?

 

[ec51]

Really? I thought wireless providers in general let you carry through your old pricing plan. Case in point, I am on a 49.99 plan with ATT for 600 anytime, unlimited night/weekends.

They didn't force me to switch to a new plan when i got the iPhone, clearly.

Where does it say old plans are ineligible? No reason why you shouldnt be able to add the new iphone to your existing plan. Those new plans are for new customers.

 

[sanford]

Hey surely, don't forget about the triangulated-positioning on your EDGE phone. I won't nail you to the sidewalk like GPS, but it's great for driving, cycling or walking directions from your current position. Unless you need to know which exact tree you're standing by to figure out how to follow directions.

I think I'll be sticking with my 1st generation 16GB iPhone. The new features on the new iPhone aren't enough for me to upgrade and to pay an extra $15 for practically the same service. I'm not too happy with the increased pricing, but that's what happens when they lower the initial price point of the phone and subsidize and spread the cost out over two years.

I have no use for GPS- I'm smart enough to read a map and figure out where I am and how to get where I want to go. The Google Maps App is pretty awesome as it is. I don't really have a need for 3G- 95% of the time I'm at home or at the office, and we have wifi. I haven't found the EDGE speeds to be too painfully slow- I can wait the extra 5-7 seconds that it takes for a page to load.

Now, if the iPhone 2.0 firmware and the App Store would have been unavailable to me as a 1st gen iPhone user, that would be a whole different story. For me, July 11th isn't iPhone Day, it's App Store Day!

I can wait until the 3rd gen iPhone comes out- that's when I'll upgrade. That one will probably be able to drive your car for you.....

 

[Xiph0s]

Which is true, but I have to step in when people are pulling us fence sitters to the iPhone side with little facts and more opinions. There is a thread where another Sprint user was trying to make the decision to go AT&T and iPhone, and many of the posts simply tell him to do so since the iPhone is, "The bestest best phone in the hole wyde wurld!!!!1!!!"

Then it's time to debate, and bring facts and see. If the OP wants to move to AT&T then so be it, but don't let him do that because he thinks the phone is the end all be all in the cell industry.

For me, it's price. Not that I can't afford it, but I don't want to pay more that $50 extra for the only features that tickle my fancy: Mobile Me and iTunes syncing.

I do know that my mother and fiancee (Sprint fangirl for a decade) wouldn't mind moving over to the iPhone, but not necessarily AT&T, (been there done that ) but maybe a Family Plan under AT&T that I pay for myself will help offset the higher service plans.

Are you telling me that you are experiencing peer pressure to come over to the other side of the fence(to hold the analogy lol) because of electronic peer-pressure?

 

[Digital Skunk]

I think they finally AT&T'ed the iPhone.

Amen, Amen, and Amen!

It was inevitable. Welcome to the real world of American cell phone companies Apple, prepare to screw your customers.

Are you telling me that you are experiencing peer pressure to come over to the other side of the fence(to hold the analogy lol) because of electronic peer-pressure?

Not really, yes, but no, kinda, I guess..... It was during the keynote.... That's when I really wanted one, then the facts came and turned my stomach.

 

[sanford]

Where does it say old plans are ineligible? No reason why you shouldnt be able to add the new iphone to your existing plan. Those new plans are for new customers.

Wrong. New iPhones require a new plan, new two-year contract, at new plan rates.

 

[Diode]

Are these the prices for 2 iPhones on the same plan?

Yes.

 

[Fuizer]

Easy Plans

If anyone is confused I have answers about how much you will pay for your AT&T plan.

If you want a family talk plan with only 1 iPhone.
Pick any family talk plan available starting at $59.99 (550 minutes), then you will have 2 lines included.
For the iPhone you will need to add $30 for 3G unlimited data.
any additional line for a regular phone without data will be $9.99 with whatever you want for that line on top of that (data, text, etc.)

If you want a family talk plan with 2 iPhones but don't want to pay $129.99, then you don't pick that special iPhone plan AT&T has, you simply pick the cheaper $59.99 (550 minutes) then add 2 x $30 unlimited data add-ons. So you end up at $119.99. That is the cheapest you can do with a family talk plan and 2 iPhones.

I hope this clears up any confusion, it seems a lot of people think that you have to pick one of the plans AT&T listed today, and that is not the case. You can pick any plan you want, you are just going to have to add $30 for data!

 

[jflash07]

Ok so...

iPhone Edge
Pro: Aluminum backing (less scratching, better looking IMO)
Con: Edge is slower than 3G
Pro: Slightly smaller than 3g phone
Con: No GPS
Pro: Cheaper monthly bill
Con: Speakers not as good as 3G
Pro: Get a dock
Pro: 2.0 Software still works
Pro: No additional contract time with ATT
Pro: all of my iPhone accessories still fit

iPhone 3G
Pro: 3G
Con: $10 more a month
Pro: GPS
Con: Plastic Backing (hello scratches)
Pro: metal keys?
Con: Extension of ATT Contract and $18 for upgrade
Pro: sim ejector tool WOOHOOO lol
Con: No Dock
Con: Accessories (cases) no longer fit right
Con: 3G is not available everywhere

 

[barddzen]

This sucks

This totally sucks. I've been an AT&T customer for over 5 years and have been waiting for the price point of an iPhone to come down and now have to wait out my current contract before I can get one at the advertised price?

What a load of ****, Apple should be ashamed for allowing this to happen.

 

[coachingguy]

Man, after seeing the new pricing structure, I'm glad I'm keeping my gen 1 phone 16gig. Especially since right now 3G is so limited. I'd have to drive 3+ hours just to make use of it.

ATT is going to have to change this before I upgrade.

Just my .02¢ worth

Coachingguy

 

[Surely]

Hey surely, don't forget about the triangulated-positioning on your EDGE phone. I won't nail you to the sidewalk like GPS, but it's great for driving, cycling or walking directions from your current position. Unless you need to know which exact tree you're standing by to figure out how to follow directions.

Exactly. The triangulated-positioning is more than good enough for me. It works great. Even if it only gives me a location that has an area of a couple of blocks, I can still look up and see the street signs to zero in on exactly where I am and figure it out from there. And if you can't read a map and you need directions, it does that too.

 

[enjoiles]

Would we be able to take advantage of another line's eligibility?

 

[Baron58]

0.20¢ is one fifth of a cent
$0.20 is one fifth of a dollar

Actually, isn't .20 = 2/10 = 1/5 which != 1/20?

EDIT: Darn you Type121!

20¢ is twenty cents
0.20¢ is one fifthof a cent
$20 is twenty dollars
$0.20 is one fifthof a dollar

OK, ok, I was retarded. I fixed it. one FIFTH, not one twentieth. I was on the phone and copy/pasted myself into stupidity.

 

[abijnk]

Wrong. New iPhones require a new plan, new two-year contract, at new plan rates.

I really doubt this... I am operating under the assumption existing customer will simply have the data changed on their plans, just like it would be with any other phone or upgrade. Of course the contract with start again (thus constituting a "new" contract, as I said before) but I don't think they will force you into a new voice plan. Again, this is how it works with every other phone on AT&T, and since the iPhone is being treated just like any other phone I don't think it will be any different.

My opinion...

 

[bigmc6000]

Ok so...

iPhone Edge
Pro: Aluminum backing (less scratching, better looking IMO)
Con: Edge is slower than 3G
Pro: Slightly smaller than 3g phone
Con: No GPS
Pro: Cheaper monthly bill
Con: Speakers not as good as 3G
Pro: Get a dock
Pro: 2.0 Software still works
Pro: No additional contract time with ATT
Pro: all of my iPhone accessories still fit

iPhone 3G
Pro: 3G
Con: $10 more a month
Pro: GPS
Con: Plastic Backing (hello scratches)
Pro: metal keys?
Con: Extension of ATT Contract and $18 for upgrade
Pro: sim ejector tool WOOHOOO lol
Con: No Dock
Con: Accessories (cases) no longer fit right
Con: 3G is not available everywhere

You forgot the 1 big one
iPhone EDGE
Con: Unavailable
iPhone 3G
Pro: Available



Of course I have a V1 iPhone and the only way they are going to get me to upgrade is if they bring back the FAN discount - and that's a BIG if. I think I'll just wait for Christmas and the 32GB version

 

[Xiph0s]

Amen, Amen, and Amen!

It was inevitable. Welcome to the real world of American cell phone companies Apple, prepare to screw your customers.



Not really, yes, but no, kinda, I guess..... It was during the keynote.... That's when I really wanted one, then the facts came and turned my stomach.

I hear you, I'm definitely in the same boat but I will choke this one down because, well, I'm a computer scientist -- and I will inevitably waste money on electronics

 

[spencers]

I hope this clears up any confusion, it seems a lot of people think that you have to pick one of the plans AT&T listed today, and that is not the case. You can pick any plan you want, you are just going to have to add $30 for data!

Makes sense!

I really doubt this... I am operating under the assumption existing customer will simply have the data changed on their plans, just like it would be with any other phone or upgrade.

That's what I'm thinking.

 

[aristobrat]

It doesn't change the fact that they are the cheapest and offer better service in some areas and have had their 3G networks rolled out long before AT&T, and offer phone insurance while AT&T just tells you to f*** off.

Your point? Besides that Sprint isn't doing that well as a cell company though it's still 3rd, in front of T-Mobile Virgin Mobile All-Tel, Cricket and probably some that I have missed.

Not debating whether or not Sprint is doing that well business wise, just whether or not there are much better options out there, and whether or not those that don't have AT&T service should switch.

My point?

My point is that I'd be wary about suggesting a company as a "better alternative" (without a caveat) when that company's current customers are leaving it in record numbers.

Something else besides "cheapest rates, best service in some areas, long established 3G network, and phone insurance for everything" appear to be in play.

 

[bytethese]

If you truly LOVE and SUPPORT AT&T.

I'll be sporting my I AT&T t-shirt. On the back it'll have a customer bent over with a little white bubble saying "Please be gentle."

 

[Baron58]

You guys want something to get upset about?

I just found the thing that makes ME upset....

If you want to connect to an Exchange server, use VPN, or use productivity apps other than 'consumer' apps like games, you have to have the $45 data plan instead of the $30 data plan.

THAT pisses me off.

 

[sanford]

Amen, Amen, and Amen!

It was inevitable. Welcome to the real world of American cell phone companies Apple, prepare to screw your customers.

Yep. ATT played real nice on plans and pricing with the EDGE phone to win people over. We were on an ancient, out-of-contract but permanently grandfathered -- so long as you didn't change your plan -- T-Mobile plan when we got our iPhone a couple months after release. We wound up paying $30 more, tax and everything, than our eight-year-old T-Mo plans at eight-year-old pricing, for data AND rollover minutes AND unlimited mobile-to-mobile to any ATT customer.

It was a stellar deal. But if you didn't get in then, you're not going to get a good deal; you're going to get flogged. I'd say if you already have an iPhone, because of Apple's interest in building the number one mobile platform, they're going to support original EDGE iPhones with Apps and firmware updates, save hardware issues, really only GPS functions, 3G just being faster on the mobile data WiFi being the same, for a long, long time into the future. Getting people to bump up to a new iPod by shutting out feature updates and apps is one thing, but forcing people off the mark to upgrade by withholding doable features on a mobile phone, well, you set them looking at deals where they think they can get what is comparable in features to an iPhone for $99 subsidized, on a better special promotion rate plan, and they'll do that.

So if you have an EDGE iPhone, I'd stay out your contract and then just let it ride month-to-month. They can shaft you if you're off contract, but they seldom do try to force you to the newer, sorrier contract plans, because, once again, then you start shopping other carriers. You'll like get the same general deal off-contract with your EDGE iPhone as on-contract, for as long as you care to use it. Maybe tiny rate increases, for like over-limit text messages, but nothing wild.

If you don't have an iPhone, but were waiting for the 3G, you really, really need to shop around. The 3G iPhone is going to be a very expensive proposition compared to paying unsubsidized cash for an EDGE iPhone on the launch plan rates and features.

It's all how you want to spend your spare dollar. The only thing holding me back from upgrading to a $199 3G iPhone was that awful plastic back. Until I saw the new plan structure... I have a lot better uses for an extra $1,400 this year than a new, somewhat faster (nothing compared to WiFi mode) iPhone.

 

[sanford]

I just found the thing that makes ME upset....

If you want to connect to an Exchange server, use VPN, or use productivity apps other than 'consumer' apps like games, you have to have the $45 data plan instead of the $30 data plan.

THAT pisses me off.

You're right, but don't overstate it. There will be plenty of apps other than games that you'll find productive. But, yeah, if you want to use it for work, whether employed by another or employed by yourself, depending on what it is you do, you're very likely to get stuck with the $45 data plan.