and since I'll be back at school and hardly driving at all...then it'll even out even more and the iPhone is more fun
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AT&T iPhone 3G Pricing Details:
- Thread starter iphone529
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and since I'll be back at school and hardly driving at all...then it'll even out even more and the iPhone is more fun
No problem! Between the confusing way ATT presented this, and all of the 'sky is falling' people on the boards sometimes, it can be hard to get a real answer to a good question.
I just signed with ATT a few days after Job's $199 announcement. I asked the salesperson at my ATT store and he said I can definitely get the $199 price even if I sign up for it afterwards. He told me to sign up for ATT now so I can get a free phone and also get the iphone afterwards. I didn't think it was the right thing to do, but he suggested I do that.
Now, I'm stuck with a crappy phone and have to ask ATT if I can return my phone tomorrow. ATT has a 30 day customer satisfaction guarantee, but I think I'm screwed because they cut the upc code for the rebate the minute I signed the ATT contract.
I don't think they were trying to trick me, but I think they were just misinformed. I really don't want to argue with them, but I can't wait 2 years to get a iPhone 4G or whatever is out then. I also have 5 ppl on my family plan, 3 of which want a 3G iphone. ATT can make so much money from us, so I don't understand what else they want from us. Is anyone on the same boat as I am??
I'm in a similar boat as you, only I did it a full year ago. When I signed up for AT&T, I did it to get an iPhone2G, but they were not available. The rep told me that I should sign up with a normal phone, and then any time I wanted I could simply buy the iPhone and renew my 2-year commitment.
Well, now I don't qualify for the subsidized price because I got a cheap phone when I signed up (that cheap phone is going to end up costing me a lot!). The stupid phone doesn't even work right anymore. I'm going to try calling AT&T to get them to make me eligible for an upgrade. Here's hoping.
I REALLY wish this phone was offered on other carriers, more competition warrants batter pricing for customers. ATT has 71 million users, and their plans are getting worse and worse. I have been with ATT 10 years....and am nowlooking to switch
okay so i have an iphone and my girlfriend has a regular phone on my plan, we have a familytalk plan i guess. i have the iphone $30 a month plan, unlimited data and 1500 text messages.
if i get the new 3G iphone i have to switch it to $30 unlimited data AND $30 a month unlimited text messaging?
are you freakin' kidding me?! thats $60 a month for data and text messaging, it's also called RAPE if you search Websters.
someone tell me im wrong, please.
if i get the new 3G iphone i have to switch it to $30 unlimited data AND $30 a month unlimited text messaging?
are you freakin' kidding me?! thats $60 a month for data and text messaging, it's also called RAPE if you search Websters.
someone tell me im wrong, please.
+1!
although im not a hater yet....but im getting there. I have disliked att more and more ever since they mingled with Cingular. Even though it says ATT, its still Cingular pricing. They have had the same plans for years now. I could care a less about rollover minutes, why not make more plan choices and include more. Offer more texting choices. offer more unlmmited everything plans like Sprint. yah it might be desperation on sprints part, but i see it as being competitive and aggresive. I used to be a sprint hater, but im really warming up to them now
These are the dutch prices...
I think we actually have the best prices in the world. Unlimited data, including unlimited use of T-Mobile hotspots, 150 minutes and 150 messages at 29,95/month. Also, the iPhone 8GB will cost me just 79,95.
I think we actually have the best prices in the world. Unlimited data, including unlimited use of T-Mobile hotspots, 150 minutes and 150 messages at 29,95/month. Also, the iPhone 8GB will cost me just 79,95.
You would need the $30data and $15 text package if you want to stay at the unlimited data and 1,500 text package. Both unlimited data and 1500 text would be just for your line.
At the end of the day it comes down to consumers being so caught up in marketing and advertising because people have forgotten how to think for themselves. The purpose of a company is to provide a product and make as much money as they can. I do not see how ATT is 'evil' because they have a great opportunity to make some money. If they charged too much they'd lose money, and if they charged too little they wouldn't make as much as they could. They find the price equilibrium and go with it.
I have no problem with people complaining or being upset, but the worst part of this whole thing is that easily more than half of the people arguing will not only get the iPhone 3G, but will probably wait in line for it.
I have no problem with people complaining or being upset, but the worst part of this whole thing is that easily more than half of the people arguing will not only get the iPhone 3G, but will probably wait in line for it.
I'm tired of reading through 95% of these postings.
People who are complaining:
STOP IT! If you are seriously dissatisfied with ATT/Apple, there is a very simple solution. Just. Don't. Upgrade!!! Speak through your pocketbooks. It's as easy as that.
Somehow, I think most of you will gladly hand over your credit cards on July 11... *sigh*
People who are complaining:
STOP IT! If you are seriously dissatisfied with ATT/Apple, there is a very simple solution. Just. Don't. Upgrade!!! Speak through your pocketbooks. It's as easy as that.
Somehow, I think most of you will gladly hand over your credit cards on July 11... *sigh*
Nope, The $70 INCLUDES the $30 unlimited data portion. Let's do the math:
$39.95 for the 450 minute voice portion + $30 for the unlimited 3G data. This equals $70.
What is confusing is that last time AT$T separated the portions to make it look cheaper. This time they are just making it clear that the consumer has no choice about the data portion.
The data plans increased by $10 and text messages are no longer included at all. NO OTHER CHANGES WERE MADE TO THEIR RATES !!!!!
+1 Although in about 5 minutes I'm sure there will be 5 posts that look something like this:
"Last I checked this is a message board and a place for people to speak their mind."
"Simple solution, if you don't like it, don't read it!"
And many others
I'm not complaining at all... If you see my post from the last page, you will see that I re-upped with T-mo because of the increase in pricing. It would have cost me $45 more per month for 2 lines just to get battery draining 3G.
That said, the problem I have is that I really don't understand AT&T's mentality here. With the price drop, the iPhone truely has the ability to be a mass market phone. People will go to the store and see the nice low prices on the iPhone and want one but will leave without one because they won't want to pay 3G prices. It seems to me that RIM, Samsung, LG, Nokia etc. whined to AT&T that Apple was getting preferential treatment in pricing so AT&T changed their contract. The problem is that those companies haven't made handsets that have the ability to put Sprint and T-mobile out of business with mass exodus'. As I said in my earlier post, if MS/Danger/T-Mobile can get off their duff and make a few improvements to their Sidekick line they could probably stop the bleeding even without 3G.
Honestly, the average user probably doesn't care about data at all. They just want an iPod Touch that can make calls, text, and that has a decent camera. I know iPhone users use a ton of data but I'm talking about the mass market user.
That said, the problem I have is that I really don't understand AT&T's mentality here. With the price drop, the iPhone truely has the ability to be a mass market phone. People will go to the store and see the nice low prices on the iPhone and want one but will leave without one because they won't want to pay 3G prices. It seems to me that RIM, Samsung, LG, Nokia etc. whined to AT&T that Apple was getting preferential treatment in pricing so AT&T changed their contract. The problem is that those companies haven't made handsets that have the ability to put Sprint and T-mobile out of business with mass exodus'. As I said in my earlier post, if MS/Danger/T-Mobile can get off their duff and make a few improvements to their Sidekick line they could probably stop the bleeding even without 3G.
Honestly, the average user probably doesn't care about data at all. They just want an iPod Touch that can make calls, text, and that has a decent camera. I know iPhone users use a ton of data but I'm talking about the mass market user.
ATT hired teams and teams of people to price these iPhones. ATT's mentality is to make money for their shareholders. And IMHO, I think they'll have a hard time keeping these iPhones on the shelves, even at these prices.
I don't think it has as much to do w/ companies complaining to ATT. With the first iPhone they had to think that few people would pay $600 AND $35+/month for data and text, so they went w/ a lower monthly bill. Sure there are going to be some people who won't buy the new phone because of the higher data rates (compared to the first one) but I think right now it's mostly just a smoke screen. Once that phone is out and in the flesh the people who want it will get it, even if they don't agree with the prices.
I don't like the prices I'm paying for a lot of things, but I'd rather spend the money and have them than save the money and not.
I would love to set up a poll on this page 2 or 3 months after the phone is out and see how many posters who said they wouldn't buy it ended up with it. More than 50% I'd bet.
Could be, we will see. From personal experience, making decisions by committee doesn't always pan out. Of course, that is what the telecoms always do.
I don't think people on this board are the norm though. I have an iMac, Macbook, several smartphones, 2 game consoles, big screen HD plasma etc. In short, I'm a tech whore. The average consumer is just now starting to think about getting an HDTV, and probably has a nokia or samsung flip phone that they got for free with a $30 per month plan. $200 is still the optimal price to sell a gadget to these people but honestly I think the plans need to be along the lines of the Sidekicks to sell to them $20 all you can eat Edge, Emails, MMS, SMS. Maybe Apple will release an iPhone Nano in the fall to cater to this group though...
Maybe you can say that this isn't the market you want to hit because you make more per unit with premium buyers (people like us). But you make more money in the long run and can dominate the competition by capturing the mass market. The iPhone has the potential to be the next Razr but as I said before, not with the current pricing IMO.
That might be true, but how much more money did the carriers make because someone had a razr instead of another flip phone?
ATT is fine with less people having the iPhone as long as EVERYONE that has an iPhone is paying an extra $30+ a month to them. There may be less iPhone customers than Razr customers, but they are more profitable.
I'm just talking about switchers though. Is it more profitable to make $30+ a month with 5 million new subscribers (coming from other carriers), or $20+ a month with 20 million new subscribers?
It is just anecdotal, but pretty much everyone I've talked to about the new iPhone lately whose is a normal consumer has said they want one. Then I tell them what the plans start at and they say "uhh no thanks, I'll just keep using my company Blackberry, or does that LG Vu or Samsung Instinct require 3G?"
Your correct on that. I would love to be a fly on the wall when ATT was figuring out potential customers for new plans. If your numbers are correct than obviously it's not a good decision for them. I'd love to see what numbers they came up with using some 'sophisticated' method.
Well, I'm just guessing but I worked in telecommunications at the corporate level for a while (before I decided to be an engineer) and from listening to quite a few meetings at the Manager/Director/VP level I can tell you that they are terrible at predicting numbers. From my experience, they usually have someone with an AA who has a rudimentary knowledge of pivot tables rather than a PHd in Statistics trying to figure these things out.
On another note, do you guys think the addition of exchange support etc. will help Apple eat into Rim's corporate phone dominance? It seems that with the new features and plan pricing this is what they are aiming for.
Personally, I doubt it since corporate IT departments probably could care less about the superior web browser and multimedia functionality in comparison to Rim's "perfect email".
If it were me setting the pricing and the design, I would have added a better Camera even before GPS, and probably, even before 3G, and tried to keep the plan pricing the same in order to hit the consumer market rather than try to hit the corporate market. But then again, as was pointed out earlier Apple/ATT have teams (although probably dumb as dirt) devoted to these decisions.