AT&T iPhone 3G Pricing Details:

[Diode]

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

Yes you can. However the iphone would have to be for that line. If you move the iphone to another line the data plan would no longer apply and you would generate usage charges.

 

[Digital Skunk]

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.

Agreed, but I am not telling people to go to Sprint, just that their services are cheaper... If I have I am truly sorry.

 

[cliffjumper68]

you have made a great point!

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...

With my great deal on a marginally inferior phone, why should I upgrade and get hit in the shorts for it. 3G service is actually easier to service since it is more efficient as far as routers go for the cell towers, so the huge price increase for less is not really justified. I am staying with my slow 2G with free upgrade to the version 2.0 and paying much less for it. I am betting more iphone owners will opt to stay with there 2G version than upgrade once the nuts and bolts of the deal are examined. ATT had a great oppurtunity to evangilize there service and they blew it. Same packages plus $10 a month increase and they would have cornered the market and made there subsidy back. Now, they are placing downward pressure on demand when there are alternatives. I can get a unlocked iPhone from France, put a t-mobile card in it and be $40 to $50 cheaper per month quickly making up for the price difference in handsets. Remember also that the original iPhone was not subsidized, so the talk of waiting to upgrade does not fly. Shame on Apple and same as usual for ATT.

 

[bigmc6000]

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.

I think that falls under the same thing as tethering - if you want to strictly follow the rules you'll need to pony up the extra dough however there's no way they can kill the software that allows for VPN and Exchange access...

Of course you run the risk of getting caught (EXTREMELY unlikely) but I'd say for $15 a month it's worth the risk. The $45 is generally for those companies that 1) don't care that much about the rate they are paying and 2) take it off their taxes anyway.

Just think - it's an extra $15/month tax deduction! 🙂

 

[UnseenLlama]

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

It says "Includes 2 lines" right there in the picture.

 

[Digital Skunk]

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.

Agreed, not trying to be an ****** but now that the comp is getting the right idea, there are somewhat better options for those that don't have an AT&T contract.

The other phones aren't nearly as nice, but when it comes down to what you have to spend to get the iPhone and keep it, those other phones don't look that bad.

 

[Xiph0s]

Alright lets focus on the problem in hand here folks. When I go through the iReady process at an At&t store(opening acnt/credit check) can I then go to the apple store and get it? Whats apples pre-processes?

 

[teh_pwnerer]

Look at howardforums where people try and use cheaper data rates and tether or use the medianet packages (Only meant for medianet and not 3G/internet useage) with 3G cpable phones.

Eventually they get caught and either have to pay for their usage or agree to the more expensive 3G data/tethering plans.

I've been a customer since the old ATT Wireless or "ATT Blue" days. I've got a family plan with unlimited MEdia Net (Unlimited data).
I've been doing this for a while and I haven't been "caught". In fact I told them this was exactly what I'd be doing when I signed up for data and texting to be added to my five year old family plan last year.

When you compare the rates I get with my old plan I've been grandfathered in with to the prices released today, it would take a $900 iPhone to break even after 1 year.

It's probably been mentioned somewhere in this thread but I guess this means the $175 early termination fee is gone.

 

[Kar98]

Whoa, spendy. I guess I'll stick with my miserable piece of Sidekick 3 for another year then. Unlimited text messages, e-mail, web for a buck a day. Every minute at 15 cents.

 

[jflash07]

I have to vent haha

I love Apple, have a macbook, iphone edge, shuffle (for running) I love the company and the products.

This being said, it hurts me a little to admit this but I hope I turn on the financial news July 12th and hear that Apple and AT&T didn't reach any goals and missed their target. I want them both to understand how much of a let down this really is. The iPhone 3G lacks a lot of "duH' things like picture messaging and copy and paste, and the new plan prices are dumb. I was beginning to get over my bitterness for the $10 increase for 3G but to jack up the text plans is uncalled for.

I consider myself to be a three city person, one near Cleveland OH for school, one in Western PA for living and working and one in SE Ohio for my parents house. Two of these cities do not have 3G, including my city of residence. So I will pay $10 more a month for 3G service I won't get WRONG

I currently have 1500 texts for $10 a month, which sucks because I only use 500-600 of them. And to have to pay $5 more a month for texts I don't use... WRONG

I know that Apple and AT&T are ultimately trying to appeal to new customers but man, those prices are steep. I would be very surprised if these sales go well especially with the economy the way it is. People are cutting back vacations, driving and food and they expect people to shell out $$$ for a phone?

If At&t and Apple see any sort of big sales its going to because business are buying them for workers thanks to the new enterprise software.

GPS, not a necessity, triangulation works for me! Just go buy a TomTom One they are like $200 and last you forever! without montly bills!

There's my rant, I'm sticking with my iPhone Edge... I love the aluminum and the cheaper monthly bill.

I'll sit this year out and wait for the next one.

 

[GenericUsername]

so does anyone if this is possible? to just add the iphone data plan to your existing plan even if you dont have an iphone so you can lie and say you currently own an iphone.

i'm with this person! any idea? if so i'm gonna borrow a friends and activate otherwise, forget at&t, buy an unlocked 16gb on ebay or craigslist for about $300

Since you two are trying to think of ways to get an old iPhone contract in order to qualify for subsidized pricing on the new one, I assume each of you currently has an AT&T contract with a subsidized phone (that's not an iPhone, obviously). You would have to terminate that contract, and pay the ETF, to get a contract for an old iPhone — there's no way around it. 🙄

I'm a GoPhone + iPhone customer --- it seems as though i'm not an "ATT" customer...but i DO NOT want to switch numbers...will ATT facilitate the move to a new number so I can have my same number on iPhone 3G?
!!! HopefullY!!!

I can't imagine that a wireless phone service provider would dissuade its pay-as-you-go customers from signing a contract for postpaid service. EDIT: Are you using a GoPhone SIM with an unlocked iPhone? Not that it makes a difference, I'm just curious.

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.

Assuming you can commit to memory a map and the directions to a location you've never been to (so you don't become a menace to other drivers when you take your eyes off the road to consult a map and written directions), a GPS device would nonetheless make the task easier for you. Do you refuse to use a calculator because you can multiply large numbers yourself with a pencil and paper?

 

[gkarris]

It's probably been mentioned somewhere in this thread but I guess this means the $175 early termination fee is gone.

It is rumored that the iPhone's ETF will be $200-$300... 😱

And yes, you will need the new iPhone 3G Voice and Data plan - no using older plans.

Welcome to the new AT&T.... 😱

 

[cliffjumper68]

One upside

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

Think of all the deals on 1st gen iPhones from the upgraders. I wonder if they will be eligible for the old iPhone plans? If so, that makes them the best deal around IMO. 🙄

 

[GoldenGod]

Enterprise data vs. Personal data trap

Hello everyone first time posting here. Anyway, I have been following the iPhone 3G saga on these forums for a while now and have decided to start posting because I have some information that some of you may not know. I and many other many people have been asking if Microsoft Activsync would be available using the 30$ data plan vs the 45$ plan. Sadly, I have spoken with a network specialist at AT&T today and was told, without a doubt, that only POP3 and IMAP accounts are going to be able to be accessed with the 30$ plan. If you want any type of Exchange support than you will have to shell out for the 45$ plan. I am sorry, but I have to call foul here. I am paying AT&T for unlimited data so what difference should it make how often I am synching over the air? This is really upsetting to me because Exchange support is the one thing in firmware 2.0 that I have been dying for. I am pushing all my emails from Outlook>Yahoo>iPhone currently, but it's just not the same. Has anyone else heard similar news? Please tell me you have heard something conflicting and give me a ray of hope.

 

[ceuyan]

Since you two are trying to think of ways to get an old iPhone contract in order to qualify for subsidized pricing on the new one, I assume each of you currently has an AT&T contract with a subsidized phone (that's not an iPhone, obviously). You would have to terminate that contract, and pay the ETF, to get a contract for an old iPhone — there's no way around it. 🙄 I can't imagine that a wireless phone service provider would dissuade its pay-as-you-go customers from signing a contract for postpaid service.Assuming you can commit to memory a map and the directions to a location you've never been to (so you don't become a menace to other drivers when you take your eyes off the road to consult a map and written directions), a GPS device would nonetheless make the task easier for you. Do you refuse to use a calculator because you can multiply large numbers yourself with a pencil and paper?

so even if i get an old iphone for free i still have to terminate my contract and pay the ETF to get a contract for the old one? that doesnt make sense.

 

[bytethese]

--When AT&T expects me to STILL sign up for unlimited data at $30/month and a 2-year contract WITHOUT the subsidized price, yes I am still upset.

AT&T thinks we are all idiots! One the one hand, they try to convince us (and have convinced most of the people here) that the iPhone is now just like any other phone, with normal upgrading/subsidy rules applying like they do with any other phone.

HOWEVER, at the same time they say that the iPhone is a unique phone, and therefore you are required to pay the $30/month data plan (unlike any other phone) and that even if you don't get the cheap subsidized price, you still need to make a new 2-year commitment.

AT&T is trying to have it both ways, and people are buying it.

Personally, I'm one of those people who also feels that Steve lied to us at WWDC with the "Everyone will get the iPhone3G at that $199 price" shtick. Not everyone. Neither me nor the millions of other existing AT&T customers. I signed up for AT&T so that I could get an iPhone later one, promised by them that I could simply add it and renew my 2-year contract. Oh well, I guess you can't believe what any company tells you these days.

Settle down there buddy. 🙂

So if I gave you money off a product, and you signed a 2yr agreement to be my customer as a stipulation of said money off with the knowledge that you cannot get money off a future product until X-amount of time has passed, you think I should eat some $$$ so that you can get a new product, thus not abiding by your end of the agreement?

See how silly that sounds? The only exception for this should be if you joined AT&T and happened to activate some phone you purchased, a phone that's unlocked that you wanted to activate or if you have a 1G iPhone. Since AT&T did not give you any money off these phones, you have no obligation to them and should then be eligible to receive money off if you sign a new 2yr agreement. 🙂

Yes Jobs did put it like "Hey, everyone no matter what will get it for $199!" but when more details surfaced on the pricing structure, I can't be "mad" at Jobs. This is the way the cellphone industry currently works.

As far as I know, any 3G smartphone would have to pay $30/mo for data, the iPhone is no exception. They spent countless $$$ on upgrading several markets to 3G and want to recoup their investment.

With that said, I'm still on the lam about getting the new 3G since text messages are not included. Paying an extra $15/mo than I currently am seems a little steep but if I know I can customize my iPhone 3G the way I can currently customize my iPhone, than I may be willing to bite the bullet as I am a heavy data user and rent a lot of cars, hence the GPS would effen pwn. 🙂

 

[bigmc6000]

Since you two are trying to think of ways to get an old iPhone contract in order to qualify for subsidized pricing on the new one, I assume each of you currently has an AT&T contract with a subsidized phone (that's not an iPhone, obviously). You would have to terminate that contract, and pay the ETF, to get a contract for an old iPhone — there's no way around it. 🙄

I wouldn't necessarily think that's true. Since the original iPhone wasn't subsidized and their system only shows what phone you have now (view other posters who bought an iPhone as little as 2 months ago even tho they were still under a subsidized phone) it might be possible. However, that being said, if you go into an AT&T store and they bring up your history they may get wise to what you're doing - I would suggest going to an Apple store as they are 1) less likely to give a crap since they are Apple employees, not AT&T employees and 2) might not have access to your entire phone history - only what you have right now and if you're eligible (and as their rules specifically state if you have an EDGE iPhone you are eligible).

 

[gkarris]

Hello everyone first time posting here. Anyway, I have been following the iPhone 3G saga on these forums for a while now and have decided to start posting because I have some information that some of you may not know. I and many other many people have been asking if Microsoft Activsync would be available using the 30$ data plan vs the 45$ plan. Sadly, I have spoken with a network specialist at AT&T today and was told, without a doubt, that only POP3 and IMAP accounts are going to be able to be accessed with the 30$ plan. If you want any type of Exchange support than you will have to shell out for the 45$ plan. I am sorry, but I have to call foul here. I am paying AT&T for unlimited data so what difference should it make how often I am synching over the air? This is really upsetting to me because Exchange support is the one thing in firmware 2.0 that I have been dying for. I am pushing all my emails from Outlook>Yahoo>iPhone currently, but it's just not the same. Has anyone else heard similar news? Please tell me you have heard something conflicting and give me a ray of hope.

Whose Exchange server are you using?

MS charges our company extra per seat per month for Exchange Mobile, hence we go with Blackberry Enterprise instead (less per seat per month).

There is a license fee as well on the server side in addition to added fee from AT&T for using data to access your company's internet.

 

[Baron58]

Hello everyone first time posting here. Anyway, I have been following the iPhone 3G saga on these forums for a while now and have decided to start posting because I have some information that some of you may not know. I and many other many people have been asking if Microsoft Activsync would be available using the 30$ data plan vs the 45$ plan. Sadly, I have spoken with a network specialist at AT&T today and was told, without a doubt, that only POP3 and IMAP accounts are going to be able to be accessed with the 30$ plan. If you want any type of Exchange support than you will have to shell out for the 45$ plan. I am sorry, but I have to call foul here. I am paying AT&T for unlimited data so what difference should it make how often I am synching over the air? This is really upsetting to me because Exchange support is the one thing in firmware 2.0 that I have been dying for. I am pushing all my emails from Outlook>Yahoo>iPhone currently, but it's just not the same. Has anyone else heard similar news? Please tell me you have heard something conflicting and give me a ray of hope.

I just confirmed the same thing. I'm very unhappy about this. If I can only do that over wifi, I might as well get an iPod touch.

 

[nemaslov]

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

PRO: Plastic back gives you much better reception!

 

[gkarris]

so even if i get an old iphone for free i still have to terminate my contract and pay the ETF to get a contract for the old one? that doesnt make sense.

Yes it does.

All iPhone activations with AT&T REQUIRE a 2 year contract, subsidized or not...

You can transfer your old AT&T phone number and extend your contract 2 years from iPhone activation if you want.

 

[bytethese]

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

So wait, is that your 2 cents worth or do you only give 1/50th of a cents worth? 🙂

 

[teh_pwnerer]

It is rumored that the iPhone's ETF will be $200-$300... 😱

Their pricing is still out of whack then. All I have to do is sign up for a new contract then terminate it immediately and I still save about $150. (If they don't charge me for the first month than I save about $300).

And yes, you will need the new iPhone 3G Voice and Data plan - no using older plans.

How is this possible? I can use 3G devices on my old unlimited data plan now. I'll just get an unlocked 3G iPhone.

 

[Sonicjay]

And I'm sorry, but $20 for unlimited texting is crazy. Verizon charges $10 for unlimited.

lol, sadly, that would be a great deal compared to what they charge for iPhone if you click on the links there (sorry if this has already been posted, haven't had time to read the whole thread yet).

OMG!

 

[bigmc6000]

And yes, you will need the new iPhone 3G Voice and Data plan - no using older plans.

What? Those prices are for *NEW* customers. If you're an existing customer your voice plan isn't going to change 1 lick - I believe arn addressed that somewhere in this insanely long thread. They are just going to up your data fee and your text messaging fee (depending on what you've got right now).