AT&T iPhone 3G Pricing Details:

[dmelgar]

Why is the 550 minute family plan not listed?

I'd like to end up with 550 minute family plan w 2 regular phones and an iPhone on a corp discount. I think its doable. But I don't know how I need to do it without confusing the heck out of AT&T.

My coverage at my house is iffy. I'd like to get the iPhone 1st on a new single line plan. Then get a second phone via letstalk and change the plan to a 550 minute family plan at that point, then add the corporate discount after that.

And I want it all setup within 30 days so I can return the whole mess if it doesn't work passably at home.

I'm worried if any of this will work. The lines at AT&T stores will be outrageous. They haven't figured anything out. They will spend an hour per customer at this rate..

 

[natejohnstone@g]

Here's an idea...

Does anyone know of ways to "convince" that AT&T customer's service to move up your upgrade eligibility? Does complaining that your phone doesn't work right (mine doesn't) enough, or what other issues might there be?

My current eligibility isn't until Feb '09, which I think is pretty poor considering I bought my phone in June '07.

Anyone know of convincing ways to help AT&T get me eligibility?

 

[Cobra2001]

No.



Chill. It's a company-to-company, discount-to-discount thing.

Wow, don't think I was talking to you but I have time for one more post before I head home for the day so why not.

I realize that the discounts vary by company based on the amount of business the company does with at&t. However, I did not realize that specifically what the discount applies to also varies as well. I thought that might be the same but apparently not. At least the poster I was replying to, UWSpindoctor, answered as well. Thanks!

 

[teh_pwnerer]

If I want to get a 3G iPhone, but keep my 2G plan, is it possible?

Actually, that is possible. ATT will lie to you and tell you it's not but don't believe them. All you have to do is get an unlocked 3G iPhone, whenever those are available, and you're good to go.
There is no such thing as a "3G plan". If you have a data plan, any data plan, and a 3G device AND you're in 3G coverage, you have 3G.

 

[BrittQ]

Do we know what the activation process will be like for existing iPhone customers?

Walk in, they look up account to see you are existing iphone customer - sell iPhone at subsidized price.

You go home and sign up for the data plan/activate it at home? Or does it have to be done in store??????

 

[abijnk]

Wow, don't think I was talking to you but I have time for one more post before I head home for the day so why not.

I realize that the discounts vary by company based on the amount of business the company does with at&t. However, I did not realize that specifically what the discount applies to also varies as well. I thought that might be the same but apparently not. At least the poster I was replying to, UWSpindoctor, answered as well. Thanks!

Its a forum, anyone can reply to anyone else, that's actually the point...

I answered you question so what's the big deal? Why the need to be snarky?

 

[msw123307]

I just got off the phone with Billy Crabtree a sales associate from AT&T. I'm an existing customer who switched to AT&T from Sprint last year in the hopes of getting an iPhone. When I switched the iPhone was announced, but yet unavailable.

Now that iPhone 3G is coming out I'm thinking that it's time to finally get one. I have found that my AT&T account is not available for an upgrade which is understandable as I'm on a 24month commitment with a $175 cancellation fee.

What I can't understand is what Billy tells me the fees per month for the iPhone are.

Here's an example:

For my voice service I spend about $85/month for TWO phones.

Billy tells me that in addition to the purchase of a $400 iPhone I must add a data plan that will raise my bill by 39.99 a month. That's $124.99/month! PLUS a $400 iPhone.

That's unacceptable.

There's more. Billy told me that EVERY existing AT&T customer will have to add at least 39.99 a month to their bill to upgrade to an iPhone. This fee is for the DATA plan that AT&T needs to charge.

In addition he said that it's not much better for NEW AT&T customers who should be expected to pay a minumim of $93/month per line for a voice/data plan for the new iPhone.

Does anyone else think these prices are a little extreme!?!

I originally thought that AT&T is too busy wooing new customers rather than paying attention to keeping their existing customers, but I'm not so sure they want either...

There's no way you'd have to add $39.99 to any existing plan. If you are a previous iphone owner, the net fee would be an increase of $15 for data (3g + 200 txt).

And if you don't have an iphone, the increase should just be $30 for data + whatever texting plan you want...if any.

To me, it seems that unless you are already an Iphone customer or eligible for an upgrade..you may want to wait (imo)

 

[abijnk]

There's no way you'd have to add $39.99 to any existing plan. If you are a previous iphone owner, the net fee would be an increase of $15 for data (3g + 200 txt).

And if you don't have an iphone, the increase should just be $30 for data + whatever texting plan you want...if any.

To me, it seems that unless you are already an Iphone customer or eligible for an upgrade..you may want to wait (imo)

I think what the sales rep meant, was to add another line to the plan that has an iPhone on it. That's $30 for the data and $9.99 for the standard additional line costs. Otherwise the numbers don't add up...

 

[3goldens]

Screw the 3G, ATT and Apple for that matter!

I was so looking forward to this phone but this whole new pricing plan, actually I should say price gauging has just made me rethink my whole plan.

For months I had planned to jump over from Verizon, what $150.00 for their termination fee, now these new inflated added costs it no longer makes sense financially for me any longer. Obviously Apple has sold us down the river in their quest foe cellular dominance.

I am usually a big advocate of apple and the iphone and a relatively new one at that, but together with ATT who is taking advantage of this product launch in a very big way has now lost me and it appears others as new customers.

I say screw the 3G! I can live with out it.

for the time being at least.

 

[teh_pwnerer]

Does anyone know of ways to "convince" that AT&T customer's service to move up your upgrade eligibility? Does complaining that your phone doesn't work right (mine doesn't) enough, or what other issues might there be?

My current eligibility isn't until Feb '09, which I think is pretty poor considering I bought my phone in June '07.

Anyone know of convincing ways to help AT&T get me eligibility?

What I do is I call up and demand whatever it is I want and take it up the chain of command. If that fails I try again at a different time. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't but I'll tell you this: I'm sitting pretty over here with a 5 year old "Blue" plan (before AT&T, before Cingular), unlimited data and a 3G device for a rock bottom price (by today's standards).
Another tip, when I'm speaking to them and they say "we can't do this" or "we can't do that" I always correct them with "no, you mean you won't do that".

 

[Darthzilla]

Im a bit mystified by the hate and venom...

Im an exsisting ATT customer, and about two years ago i got my razr...I never upgraded, cause....its a phone...it makes calls. nuff said. So Im eligible for the 199.00 price point.

My current plan is 59.99 plus 2 bucks for the 200 txt messages. Im 31 years old enough to remember phones with wires...and a world w/o text messaging...I cant fathom the world of 1000+ txt messages....way too far removed from humanity for me....lest I digress.

So I'm adding 30 bucks for data ( which is aparently what it costs ) and getting an iphone for 199.00...gonna be about 90 bucks to own a phone...thats actually like a small computer with constant internet access....plus im in NY so it makes sense there 3G available.

Sounds fair ? No ones forcing anyone to buy this thing....

Alot of people here need to settle down and take a chill pill.

 

[AlphaAnt]

Im a bit mystified by the hate and venom...

What I don't understand is why people changed to AT&T in advance in preparation of getting an iPhone. That seems like folly to me...

 

[Filmoetonyc]

had to go!

I waited a long time to switch to att. I did it and after a week I'm going back to sprint. I can get a new macbook and free touch for the savings. $3600 for 24 months is too much for the iphone. I wanted one bad, but at that price..no! I cant justify paying that much. My same plan with sprint was $90 for unlimited everything..

 

[gugy]

Im a bit mystified by the hate and venom...

I agreed with you.

I am switching from Verizon to AT&T. I pay close to $90 p/month (voice only,900 minutes) for a family plan for two normal phones. I am getting the cheaper family plan from AT&T and having only data plan for me and I'll get my wife a regular phone. That will add only $10 more a month on my bill and I have the iPhone that is fantastic. I don't think the plans are really that bad. Sure I would like to have text messages include on the cost of the data plan, but I do not use it that much anyway.

Remember, we need to wait another 4 years until the contract with At&T expires with Apple. Maybe by then we all my benefit of Apple ditching AT&T. We'll see.

 

[airlights]

Arn, you make me all sorts of warm and fuzzy. I still can't believe people who got a free/reduced cost phone in the past 18mo expect another price reduction. Wow.

It's beautiful watching this unfold. Even I -- an 18 year old with her first mobile phone plan -- knew that isn't how companies work. People who switched before iPhone 3G had a release date weren't really thinking this through. It isn't Apple's fault. It isn't AT&T's fault... they can only place the blame on themselves. Sorry to say that, but it's true.

 

[know-it-all5]

do incoming text messages count towards your quota/limit?

 

[diamond.g]

do incoming text messages count towards your quota/limit?

yes

 

[bigmc6000]

I waited a long time to switch to att. I did it and after a week I'm going back to sprint. I can get a new macbook and free touch for the savings. $3600 for 24 months is too much for the iphone. I wanted one bad, but at that price..no! I cant justify paying that much. My same plan with sprint was $90 for unlimited everything..

$90 for unlimited everything since when? Have they already dropped their prices since the commercial I saw last night? ($99.99) Also, the point of having unlimited voice vs, say, 450 is only a valid point if you actually use all those mins. I, personally, don't use 450 day time non-AT&T mins a month. I use plenty of weekend and AT&T mins but those are (virtually) unlimited. So - that's $69.99 + $20 for the texts.

So 450 mins isn't enough? Ok - what about 900? Do you honestly use more than 900 mins a month? And don't forget you get rollover with AT&T so if you average only 700 but peak at 1000 that's no big deal at all.

A 900 min plan with unlimited texts would be $109.99 so all of $10 more a month. So, REALLY, you're only saving $10 a month. I realize this line of logic requires you to actually figure out how many mins you actually use but it would make your argument far more viable...

 

[i4k20c]

"the most affordable iphone ever"

thanks steve, i appreciate you selling me a scam, i'm glad apple is another company that sold its soul to the telecommunication companies. I actually thought that apple could single handedly walk into the cell phone provider giants and actually get a fair price for their consumers, looks like i was wrong.

Apple: The first 50 years were just the beginning, sure was apple, doubt there will be another 50 more.

 

[dgdosen]

How can some of you people be happy about these rates? I think they're a bit usurious.

I'm of the opinion that as technology becomes more democratized, the prices should decrease. AT&T doesn't seem to understand that. I'll bet there were some late nights of AT&T execs sitting around the white board asking themselves "Can we really charge this much?"

Their ranks will now fatten to go along with fat prices they're charging while they have sole rights to marketing in the US. I hope their prepared for the day when Google has a great hardware alternative and Apple is no longer betrothed to a single vendor in the USA.

I'll bet they won't be, and they'll probably be left high and dry.

 

[Filmoetonyc]

$90 for unlimited everything since when? Have they already dropped their prices since the commercial I saw last night? ($99.99) Also, the point of having unlimited voice vs, say, 450 is only a valid point if you actually use all those mins. I, personally, don't use 450 day time non-AT&T mins a month. I use plenty of weekend and AT&T mins but those are (virtually) unlimited. So - that's $69.99 + $20 for the texts.

So 450 mins isn't enough? Ok - what about 900? Do you honestly use more than 900 mins a month? And don't forget you get rollover with AT&T so if you average only 700 but peak at 1000 that's no big deal at all.

A 900 min plan with unlimited texts would be $109.99 so all of $10 more a month. So, REALLY, you're only saving $10 a month. I realize this line of logic requires you to actually figure out how many mins you actually use but it would make your argument far more viable...

no I had the $150 plan unlimited with the pc card. I dropped the pc card part and they left my plan at $90. they just gave me The intsinct for $85 with mail in rebates. My friend has it. its a good phone, but I'm not paying $3600 for the iphone. My friend got a buddy fly free plane ticket on the release date of the instinct. I didn't get that deal. They gave me a $12 credit of the $99.99 unlimited plan, so my plan would be $90. I'm not trying to sell sprint, but its just smarter for me at this point. I need unlimited calling I recruit college football players and I'm on the phone with them a lot, plus now that I switched to att I have a ton of dropped calls in my house now and most of my family members who have been working for att for 30 plus years ( mother and father) cant even get service in their own homes, made it easier to switch back after seeing the rate plans.

 

[bigmc6000]

"the most affordable iphone ever"

thanks steve, i appreciate you selling me a scam, i'm glad apple is another company that sold its soul to the telecommunication companies. I actually thought that apple could single handedly walk into the cell phone provider giants and actually get a fair price for their consumers, looks like i was wrong.

Apple: The first 50 years were just the beginning, sure was apple, doubt there will be another 50 more.

Well it depends on where you live - here in the US we're getting shafted a bit however in places like the UK and Switzerland they are getting a pretty good deal. Also, $199 < $399 so *technically* Steve was right

Considering how much Apple is banking on the iPhone I would suspect that another 50 years is almost a given as their cash on hand will do nothing but grow, big time. (could be better for the consumer, great of the companies bottom line and great for the stock holders)

 

[robbiekins]

I won't be investing in a 3G iPhone.

AT&T is increasing prices across the board because they won't have exclusivity forever, so they are trying to milk it for all it's worth.

The phone costs "half," but when you factor in all of the plan increases and "upgrade fees" you're going to end up not saving 200, but paying 200 more per year on top of the 200 it costs just to buy the phone.

And the phone itself looks like a cheapened version of the first iPhone, with it's smudge-prone, scratch-prone plastic backing.

No thanks Steve.

Apple has really been disappointing me lately, first with the Diablo2/Starcraft issue, and now this. I'll stick with my first iPhone.

 

[bigmc6000]

no I had the $150 plan unlimited with the pc card. I dropped the pc card part and they left my plan at $90. they just gave me The intsinct for $85 with mail in rebates. My friend has it. its a good phone, but I'm not paying $3600 for the iphone. My friend got a buddy fly free plane ticket on the release date of the instinct. I didn't get that deal. They gave me a $12 credit of the $99.99 unlimited plan, so my plan would be $90. I'm not trying to sell sprint, but its just smarter for me at this point.

Still - how many mins are you ACTUALLY using? Most get unlimited plans because of the convenience even tho they don't need it - that's what Sprint is banking on - getting all those people who thought about a $60 or $70 a month plan to sign up for the $99.99 plan even tho they aren't going to utilize it for anything.

Also - the buddy fly free deal is meant to encourage you to take a trip you wouldn't take otherwise. Unless you use it for a trip you planned on going on anyway it's actually COSTING you money - not saving you a dime.

 

[emulator]

this is good news for the rest of the GSM world while apple/iphone fanboys can keep their elitist status.