AT&T's iPhone 3G Data Plan and No Longer Revenue Sharing

[Cougarcat]

Ugh. I don't even want a data plan, and certainly not at $30/month...college campus wifi is good enough for me, thanks.

Do you think that Apple will make the 3G iPhone available online eventually? If AT&T won't allow you to cancel the data plan, (I'd be surprised if they did) then I'd like to activate the 3G via pwnage and use my current AT&T sim.

 

[Jon5700]

Can anyone help me with a little calculating here?

I have Tmobile now but planning to switch to ATT for the 3G, and for the reason of future upgrades with the iPhone.

I don't need many minutes, probably under 600 or so. And as far as texting goes, not much either. But I would like unlimited use of 3G.

Anyone know how much actually purchasing the 16gb and my plan would run me?

 

[Jon5700]

OR I could stay with TMOBILE and just unlock it!

Suggestions?

 

[cWeems]

i think the "im buying it for a friend/family member" option will still stand... i doubt apple will activate them unless they r done through itunes.

 

[gonnabuyamac]

I was going to buy an iPhone, but with the $10 a month extra fee, I can't justify it. I barely had myself convinced that I could be ok with $20. I have an old plan from Cingular that I can add the AT&T service to, but for that much cash a month, I'll just drag along my laptop if I want to be online.

When my contract is up, I'll be switching to Verizon.

 

[AppleMojo]

Anyone else notice the "New BlackBerry Device" advertisement by Google at the bottom of this thread. ;-)

 

[jrbdmb]

most of us, i think, use the unlimited texting.. so its $40 and now going to $50.

i would eat 200 text in a day

Actually, only some of us (you) use unlimited texting. Some of us (like myself) send little or no texts, as we actually use a cell phone to make phone calls.

I'm OK having the text message plan as an optionaL feature. BTW, what did all you text-ers do in the old days when each text message was billed?

 

[cWeems]

I was going to buy an iPhone, but with the $10 a month extra fee, I can't justify it. I barely had myself convinced that I could be ok with $20. I have an old plan from Cingular that I can add the AT&T service to, but for that much cash a month, I'll just drag along my laptop if I want to be online.

When my contract is up, I'll be switching to Verizon.

another one bites the dust!! have fun w/ the samsung glyde i guess

 

[deathbyart]

Granted I did not read all these posts. I did have to respond regarding the "T Mobile and $45 data plans" I have a curve on T Mobile and my unlimited data plan is $20. So I don't get why a couple of the folks said that.

 

[proglife]

Actually, only some of us (you) use unlimited texting. Some of us (like myself) send little or no texts, as we actually use a cell phone to make phone calls.

do you wind your phone up, too?

 

[Howardchief]

T-Mobile's 3G in the U.S.A. is terrible. Why would you want to use it on T-Mobile?

1. Because they are building up 3g as we speak. I know it will take a while but still..

2. I can always turn off 3g on the new iphone

3. I can have someone else pay for my t-mobile service.

 

[cWeems]

Actually, only some of us (you) use unlimited texting. Some of us (like myself) send little or no texts, as we actually use a cell phone to make phone calls.

I'm OK having the text message plan as an optionaL feature. BTW, what did all you text-ers do in the old days when each text message was billed?

i dont think i was old enough to have a cell phone then

 

[matticus008]

So if I buy a new 3G iPhone at an Apple store they are going to require me to sign a contract on the spot? What happens where in some markets there isn't a single exclusive carrier- are Apple employee's suddenly going to turn into mobile phone contract sales people??

No, but Apple store computers will. You'll have to sign up with one of the available plans from one of the available carriers before they hand you the box.

And will be forced to display Network info/pricing if no exclusive carrier? What about training? So many questions....

They invented this thing called the Internet a while back, and it turns out it's pretty easy to share information with it. If you have a question, a complimentary call to the service line for that carrier will probably be right at your hand. It's not any different than how it works now with the online setup, except that the actual signup will occur in-store before you take your shiny new iPhone home and activate it on your home computer.

I imagine some form of authorization code will be printed to show the Apple store clerk, showing your plan. It'll work out just fine.

 

[8CoreWhore]

It isn't just the cost over two years

It's the cost per month for every month after that too, even though you may no longer have a contract. By paying up front, it's a fixed price. 360.00 the first two years and 360.00 the 2 after that. I rather pay 100.00 or 200.00 more now and avoid that 720.00 over 4 years!!!!! I WILL NOT BE BUYING AN IPHONE **** YOU ATT!

 

[UWSpindoctor]

Just a few thoughts/questions
1) Corporate discounts - are they coming back? AT&T says they are putting the iPhone on the same field as every body else so that should mean corporate discounts are back (which will pretty much cover the $10 a month issue...)

That's my hope. +10 for data, -10 for corporate discount means no change at all. Actually I suppose it's +5 for SMS.

 

[moonzilla]

Can anyone help me with a little calculating here?

I have Tmobile now but planning to switch to ATT for the 3G, and for the reason of future upgrades with the iPhone.

I don't need many minutes, probably under 600 or so. And as far as texting goes, not much either. But I would like unlimited use of 3G.

Anyone know how much actually purchasing the 16gb and my plan would run me?

Jon,

You're looking at $299+tax for the phone itself. Then $39.99/month for voice (450 anytime minutes/5000 night and weekends), $30.00/month for unlimited 3G data, and $5.00/month for 200 text messages. All in all, $74.99/month + tax for the service.

 

[jrbdmb]

I AGREE!...it definitely seems more appealing to me now.
plus the possibility of no longer having the option of buying one and using it on t-mobile after july 11th annoys me. because for me, i'm always in a wifi zone, so having internet for 30 bucks a month isn't worth it.

Again, the iPhone was meant to go with AT&T. There was no intention of the iPhone being used with jailbroken / put on TMobile / shipped to Russia etc. This is why you will now be forced to activate with A&T at time of purchase.

 

[Justinerator]

bull*****... That's all I have to say.

 

[cWeems]

It's the cost per month for every month after that too, even though you may no longer have a contract. By paying up front, it's a fixed price. 360.00 the first two years and 360.00 the 2 after that. I rather pay 100.00 or 200.00 more now and avoid that 720.00 over 4 years!!!!! I WILL NOT BE BUYING AN IPHONE **** YOU ATT!

lol any other carrier would do the same if they had the iPhone...

y is everyone on here calculating their bills over a 100 year period...

what ever happend to carpe diem?!?!?!? jus live life and stop worrying about your stupid money!

 

[KurtangleTN]

Wow a serious blow to me getting an AT&T iPhone at least, maybe I'll buy an international unlock one to T-Mobile.

What a damn joke it is that they think they can charge $30 for 3G coverage that is only in certain cities.

 

[Goliath]

Read the press release- ATT's 3G speeds are quoted as up to 1.4mbps! Mobile broadband my ars*

Here in the UK 3Mobile's HSDPA is up to 3.6mbps

o2, T-Mobile and Orange offer similar speed on their networks

And Vodafone is available up to 7.2mbps in London and selected cities/airports

 

[nickinc]

Possible taker!

For all of you who are completely pissed about the $30/data plan...

Who wants to buy my first-gen iPhone? $199 and you can use it on the Edge network for $20/month!

It will be available on July 12th.

You might have a taker if we can't figure out a way to get me the 3G on T-mobile!

 

[millertime416]

On the plus side...

In Omaha we have an apple store but no 3g service. This should dramatically reduce the wait to get one of these on July 11th. Good news for me...bad for Apple (wish I would have sold my apple stock last night)

 

[LociKW]

...only $720 Million...

"AT&T said it was providing a subsidy but declined to specify the amount per phone. The telecom giant did say it expects the subsidies to cut into earnings by up to 12 cents a share this year and next. Considering AT&T has about 6B shares outstanding, that works out to up to $720M in costs."

... so ATT is relinquishing nearly 3/4 of a billion $US to you, the iPhone 3G subscriber, in the form of a data rate discount, versus the revenue they would get if they charged their standard 3G rate which is similar throughout the (US cellular) telecom industry.

... yeah they are really miserly and short-sighted.

Read, people.

 

[Rot'nApple]

What?! The base plan jumps to $70/ a month! That is OUTRAGEOUS! I am a current iPhone user who would not extend my contract - but I think to get the $199/$299 price point you have to? Way to be entirely vague Apple - jesus, worst news ever.

Let me see if I got this straight...

Old iPhone 599.00, wait 200.00 price drop...

so old iPhone 399.00 plus 59.99 voice and unlimited 2.5g EDGE data plan for 24 month contract, so... 59.99 x 24 = 1,439.76 (not taking taxes into any consideration in my calculations) so, 1,439.76 plus 399.00 = $1,838.76 for 8GB iPhone and 24 month voice unlimited data plan from AT&T.

Now we have 199.00 3G iPhone and 69.99 voice and unlimited 3G data plan for 24 month contract, so... 69.99 x 24 = 1,679.76 plus 199.00 = $1,878.76 for 8GB 3G iPhone and 24 month voice unlimited 3G data plan from AT&T.

OR A DIFFERENCE OF.... $40.00 (over the life of the 24 month contract about $1.67 increase per month! And it's for 3G capabilities! Ooh, that's going to break the bank!).

The only thing... this is what the iPhone first Generation specs should have been. Wheres are the rumors about a front facing camera for video conferencing or iChat and an upgraded camera and whatever else was on peoples wish list since this phone first came out.

Does anyone think a mid year update of this iPhone will come out as a second phone for the market before the Christmas holiday buying season? Or will we have to wait until mid June 2009 to get the improvements and additions?

And that black case that those said was the back of the "iPhone" and was fake because it was all black and glossy and too plastic looking and tapered with a bulge.... Well now that the iPhone 3G is here, it's back sure does look a lot like that pic of the glossy plastic back all in black and tapered with a bulge that people said "Can't be!" But I could be wrong...