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

[cWeems]

What about importing unlocked 3G iphones from over seas? would this allow for lower data plan costs?

yes u could "technically", ya know, hypathetically(sp) speaking, put a dummy IMEI on the account and put the $15 unlimted web on there, then add whatever text package you wanted. But u cant use visual voicemail or call into customer service with questions.

 

[cWeems]

everywhere is saying it's just a new 2 year for current att/iphones.

heres my entire post from earlier
got a few email from work... heres some info for yall.

-data plan will be $30 for the 3G iPhone, no text included.... u can add text a la carte ($5-200, $15-1500, $20-UNL)

-iPhones will be activated in the store at the time of purchase, whether it is an upgrade or a new activation... then all your iTunes stuff u do at home or w/e

-Pricing shown ($199 & $299) are for new two year agreements for new customers or QUALIFIED upgrading customers renewing. Unlike the 2G iPhone you cant just get this one and have your agreement automatically renewed if you arent already eligable (BUT i will say whenever you come into the stores we are fairly easygoing on over riding that, assuming you are atleast one year into your agreement).

NOW as for existing 2G iphone owners.... depending on contractual status and payment history(on time ya know!!) and account is in good standing we will review the account for an early upgrade, and most likely let you upgrade to the new one...

jus a few things for now... will post more when i know more.

 

[ddTaylor]

Cracks me up to see people complaining about the price! If you are too poor to afford $10 a month then don't buy the iPhone. Buy a "free" basic Nokia!

Bad math and poor choices are why so many Americans are in debt and consume beyond their means.

Also all studies show Mac users have a higher income on average than most Americans. So shouldn't be an issue. AT&T in the US will make it expensive though on a per month basis!

Wow - I am not sure I have seen such a condescending post! I am not 'POOR', I just choose not to sign a long-term contract and PAY MORE for the same thing I am getting NOW just for a newer phone.

On the other hand - I agree that most people (not JUST America) cannot add numbers together and use poor judgment...but to make an arrogant comment like that shows lack of tact and class.

Way to go...try some manners and put yourself in the shoes of others as YOU DO NOT know what they are thinking and why. That just shows a lack a maturity - maybe, if you are lucky, you will gain some insight and maturity.

Good luck, though. With that attitude you will need it - as will the rest of us.

D

 

[cWeems]

guys, where are you getting the info about the 200 sms's not being included anymore? i didn't see anything about that..

other than that, a $10 difference won't upset me too much. i pay roughly $83 with 1500 sms's. if i can get the same with 3G for $93 i'll be fine with it.
i mean we're getting much faster internet. EDGE has always been the worst aspect of the iphone for me..

well if your 83 included 1500 sms (which is the $30 iphone data+1500 txt im assuming) then the new plan will be $30 for iphone data only, then $15 for 1500 text... sorry to dissapoint on that one. might as well pay the extra 5 and get UNL txt

 

[michaelsviews]

now we have a cheap plastic phone with apps that iPhone 1 users will get anyway

BINGO , you hit the nail on the HEAD, all you have is PLASTIC , which is going to scratch to hell, and 3G which is limited and in major areas pretty good but NOT as fast as Verizon's data speeds and never will be, but this I blame on the FCC, not AT&T. And you have a GPS module, which is MORE THAN LIKELY why you do NOT have 32 gig this time around and the space being tite enough , apple wants to sell more here and abroad , they will make there money and laugh all the way to the bank.

One thing that would make me buy an iPhone, the fact that I do NOT have to deal with AT&T's horrible pitiful support and phone replacement boneheads.

 

[Cougarcat]

Does AT&T require you to purchase a data plan with their other smmartphones? Will they let you just get a voice plan w/ the iPhone?

 

[xerenthar]

heres my entire post from earlier
got a few email from work... heres some info for yall.

-data plan will be $30 for the 3G iPhone, no text included.... u can add text a la carte ($5-200, $15-1500, $20-UNL)

-iPhones will be activated in the store at the time of purchase, whether it is an upgrade or a new activation... then all your iTunes stuff u do at home or w/e

-Pricing shown ($199 & $299) are for new two year agreements for new customers or QUALIFIED upgrading customers renewing. Unlike the 2G iPhone you cant just get this one and have your agreement automatically renewed if you arent already eligable (BUT i will say whenever you come into the stores we are fairly easygoing on over riding that, assuming you are atleast one year into your agreement).

NOW as for existing 2G iphone owners.... depending on contractual status and payment history(on time ya know!!) and account is in good standing we will review the account for an early upgrade, and most likely let you upgrade to the new one...

jus a few things for now... will post more when i know more.

Bought my iPhone in August, and want a new one bad!

Any rumors in-house of FANs coming back?

 

[jswimboy]

Ok, I just got off the phone with ATT Business Care, and was told that text messaging wasn't included in the $30 3G plan. Rates for text messaging plans are as follows:

Unlimited-$20
1500 messages-$15
200 messages-$5

My god, you'd think they'd throw that in the 3G price! But no...

Good god, so it will cost 50 dollars a month just for unlimited data and sms. you've got to be kidding me. looks like i'll be waiting another year

 

[MTWomg]

What I'm trying to figure out is what I do to purchase it? My current phone is a Blackberry Curve, purchased in store from AT&T over a year ago. My contract is for voice, not for data, though I do have data.

How do I purchase the new iPhone? Do I renew my contract? If so, am I stuck paying for two plans, one iphone voice and one blackberry voice?

While paying the ETF and starting a new contract isn't unreasonable, if i can avoid that I'd like to.

 

[harrier]

Watching CNBC's Fast Money -- interesting how they're saying by dropping the price they'll attract more buyers but they're not mentioning the bump up in the data plan.

 

[ddTaylor]

Cracks me up to see people complaining about the price! If you are too poor to afford $10 a month then don't buy the iPhone. Buy a "free" basic Nokia!

Bad math and poor choices are why so many Americans are in debt and consume beyond their means.

Also all studies show Mac users have a higher income on average than most Americans. So shouldn't be an issue. AT&T in the US will make it expensive though on a per month basis!

Wow - I am not sure I have seen such a condescending post! I am not 'POOR', I just choose not to sign a long-term contract and PAY MORE for the same thing I am getting NOW just for a newer phone.

On the other hand - I agree that most people (not JUST those in America) cannot add numbers together and use poor judgment...but to make an arrogant comment like that shows lack of tact and class.

Way to go...try some manners and put yourself in the shoes of others as YOU DO NOT know what they are thinking and why. That just shows a lack a maturity - maybe, if you are lucky, you will gain some insight and maturity.

Good luck, though. With that attitude you will need it - as will the rest of us.

D

 

[P-S-3]

What about the family plan? Wil it stay at $109 a month for 2 lines...with $29.99 for add-a-line? I hope so.

 

[cWeems]

Does AT&T require you to purchase a data plan with their other smmartphones? Will they let you just get a voice plan w/ the iPhone?

do not require on any of the other phones... its jus the way iTunes was setup i guess because it didnt give you the option...?

 

[cWeems]

Bought my iPhone in August, and want a new one bad!

Any rumors in-house of FANs coming back?

u should b fine for upgrading to the new one if u bought yours that long ago...

havent heard anything on the FANS yet, i want my discount!! im having to convert to a regular account to get this new one lol

 

[Telp]

Good god, so it will cost 50 dollars a month just for unlimited data and sms. you've got to be kidding me. looks like i'll be waiting another year

Yeah, I'm going to have to agree. I don't know if I will be purchasing this new iPhone. I may stick with a refurbished one. As much as I like this new one, an extra $60 a year on top of the extra $120 for data. If it included 200 texts that wouldn't be too bad. I'd live with it, but...

 

[elektrikq]

Watching CNBC's Fast Money -- interesting how they're saying by dropping the price they'll attract more buyers but they're not mentioning the bump up in the data plan.

Thats because a bump in the data plan doesn't really hurt Apple. The sticker price on the iPhone is about 50% of what it used to be so that gets people in the door. They're basically assuming that demand for the iPhone is extremely inelastic, while demand for the service plan is inelastic (as it's required for your iPhone). I really think everyone is exaggerating the effects of a $10 bump in the data price.

If you went to your internet service provider and requested an increase in your data speed I guarantee they'd also increase your monthly bill. Everyone clamored for faster speeds on 3G and the provider is responding by increasing the price.

 

[cWeems]

What I'm trying to figure out is what I do to purchase it? My current phone is a Blackberry Curve, purchased in store from AT&T over a year ago. My contract is for voice, not for data, though I do have data.

How do I purchase the new iPhone? Do I renew my contract? If so, am I stuck paying for two plans, one iphone voice and one blackberry voice?

While paying the ETF and starting a new contract isn't unreasonable, if i can avoid that I'd like to.

your contract is to stay with at&t, no particular requirement as far as a data or voice plan....

if u have voice and data already chances are your rates wont change. if you are eligable for an upgrade or someone at the store approves it when u go to purchase the new iphone then you will renew your agreement to get the discounted price, they will rid you of your old contract at no penalty due to the new renewal

 

[kkachurak]

Good god, so it will cost 50 dollars a month just for unlimited data and sms. you've got to be kidding me. looks like i'll be waiting another year

In another year the cost for any data plan on any network will be more than it was today.

That's how it works. Prices go up.

 

[stairway123]

Genius pricing strategy...

So in other words, the price is virtually the same if not more:

$10 * 24 mos = $240 + lots of federal taxes...

If you take Time Value of Money into consideration... that lowers it to about a $200 difference.

Ha, if you really thought Steve Jobs was "lowering the price" because he's a "nice guy", think again. They aren't losing a penny. Rather, they're selling a crapload of cheaper, thicker, plastic phones and reaping the profits! That and now they are luring us in to their application store. And most will likely buy in to Mobile Me for another $99.

Still better than BlackBerry plans @ +$50/mo.

 

[noodle654]

Wait...I am on a plan with my parents (we share a plan) and its $10 for every additional line. My dad was barely spending money on my stuff because we all share the same minutes plus the $20 for the internet. So now I have to have my own account right? Is that how if works?

 

[HLdan]

this seems weird, AT&T has other 3G devices and the data plans arent more expensive for those phones.

They aren't MORE expensive but the Blackberry's data plans are at least $30.00. I just checked, you should too before posting.

 

[kkachurak]

Watching CNBC's Fast Money -- interesting how they're saying by dropping the price they'll attract more buyers but they're not mentioning the bump up in the data plan.

It's really not a bump up. It's a different type of service. A slower service costs less and a faster service costs more.

This isn't really considered a "raise" in price. I'll go back to my analogy. Would CNBC report "ZOMG hi speed cable is gonna cost more than dial up!"

A higher cost for a faster service is a given. Like it or not, the low price IS going to attract hundreds of thousands if not millions of more users. As stupid as it may sound, lots of people would prefer to pay less now and more over time rather than more up front and less over time.

 

[ipodtouchy333]

It's not actually a $10 increase, it's a $15 increase. Now they don't even include any text messages so you have to pay an extra $5 for 200 now.

 

[Telp]

If you went to your internet service provider and requested an increase in your data speed I guarantee they'd also increase your monthly bill. Everyone clamored for faster speeds on 3G and the provider is responding by increasing the price.

True, and the only reason im upset about it is the drop of SMS included with the plan. Terrible move.

 

[macenforcer]

It's really not a bump up. It's a different type of service. A slower service costs less and a faster service costs more.

This isn't really considered a "raise" in price. I'll go back to my analogy. Would CNBC report "ZOMG hi speed cable is gonna cost more than dial up!"

They would if the hi speed cable was only 2.8 times faster than dial up and you lost the option of ever getting dial up. See the difference??