Customer Backlash on iPhone Rate Plans, Launch Approaches

[eastcoastsurfer]

Don't make me defend congress, but high oil/gasoline prices have zip to do with drilling restrictions, etc.. Refineries are run at far, far below capacity and the oil companies are happy about that. They're not even really that interested in drilling off shore, in ANWAR, etc., but are mostly interested in the access to it and tying it up for the future. And trying to put the blame on others. The US produces 3% of world petro, and uses 25%. That's the problem, and exploration and production are not going to solve that problem. If you want to blame congress for anything, blame them for not pushing conservation a long time ago because they're whores of the auto and oil industries.

I'm with you about finding alternative sources of energy. That's why when I was blaming congress I had 'etc...' at the end of my list of complaints.

Refinery usage generally goes up and down with gas demand. Refiners don't want to buy oil, refine it and then have it sit while prices go down from low demand. Gas demand in the US has finally started going down, so refiners cut back. Refiners cutting production should actually cause oil prices to fall because of less demand (they are the actual buyers of raw oil). The problem now has to do with other parts of the world where the govs. subsidize the cost of gas so demand is not eroding. China finally let the national gas price rise, but barely. A telling stat about China is that they currently use 2 barrels/person/year. In the US it's something like 25 barrels/person/year. If China hits 1/2 of what we use on a per person basis, there will not be enough oil to satisfy demand.

 

[mccldwll]

I'm with you about finding alternative sources of energy. That's why when I was blaming congress I had 'etc...' at the end of my list of complaints.

Refinery usage generally goes up and down with gas demand. Refiners don't want to buy oil, refine it and then have it sit while prices go down from low demand. Gas demand in the US has finally started going down, so refiners cut back. Refiners cutting production should actually cause oil prices to fall because of less demand (they are the actual buyers of raw oil). The problem now has to do with other parts of the world where the govs. subsidize the cost of gas so demand is not eroding. China finally let the national gas price rise, but barely. A telling stat about China is that they currently use 2 barrels/person/year. In the US it's something like 25 barrels/person/year. If China hits 1/2 of what we use on a per person basis, there will not be enough oil to satisfy demand.

Yes. Even at peak demand, refineries run below true capacity. Not enough domestic petro and not enough refineries are pure political games having nothing to do with reality.

 

[mccldwll]

Uhhh...that's what I said $70 plus text = $90. Uhhh...I also said my question is "Is it worth it?" Apparently, there is no limit to what you would pay. For me, $300 more = maybe. $550 more = probably not. I'm hoping others will feel the same way and a new plan will be offered in the near future. I'm going to wait and see.

Why are you so snarky? Does your well being depend on people buying the iPhone? I'm sure you'll survive if I decide it's not worth the extra cost TO ME. Plenty of folk like yourself will buy it regardless of cost or need.

No one should buy if it's not worth the cost to them personally. For some it's a necessity, for others a luxury, and many are on the fence in the middle trying to rationalize one. My only point is don't blame the companies if they are forcing you to make hard choices. If you want a hand-held computer for internet access, get an iPhone. Nothing else compares. If you want a cell phone with good texting plans, lots of good choices which will save you $. Put that 50 cents per day to a better use. It's your choice. Choose. But don't complain that you are being forced to make that choice. That's what life's about.

 

[thisegg]

iPhone Poll

http://www.thisegg.com/iphone/canadaiphone.html

A poll for all of us to judge what people are going to do in Canada on launch day.

 

[xDANx]

I'm not sure I understand why those who can't afford the iPhone feel as if they have some right to own one.

The price increase sounds very normal today, we live in a world where improvements come at a cost.

As time passes, you expect to get paid more, while paying more taxes and new technology will ALWAYS cost more.

However, the whiners in here -- expect to get the new iPhone and plan at a lower price point, but will demand higher levels of service quality from both Apple and AT&T.

Heck, if I were AT&T I'd be charging more if I knew I had to support a bunch of penny pinching whiners who should be using the free phone option anyway.

I have read numerous posts in here about $10.00 and $20.00 causing massive budgetary concerns. If $20.00 breaks you, then you have much larger problems then the data and texting plans of AT&T.

It's not a right, it's a choice! If you can't afford it and still do it, then it's irresponsible as well.

There are many things in life I can't afford and you won't find me posting online about it.

I can pretty much guarantee this is the same bunch of people who claim to be so poor, but are sitting in front of their LCD TV with cable and broadband Internet. Go check out the real world, they don't have that stuff and aren't in here whining about the price of a mobile data plan.

Now I expect to get all of the excuses why you feel justified and I am a rotten person for suggesting anything other than "you are right, and they are wrong".

i think that people are pissed because the monopolistic underbelly of the telecom beast has been more exposed through iphone pricing plans than it has been otherwise. i could probably manage to sneak an iphone from rogers into my budget...but i'm not going to because i don't want to feel ted rogers' gangly fingers creeping into my nether regions. the canadian mobile industry needs some serious shaking up.

now, excuse me while i get off your lawn.

 

[jazz4ivo]

The point is that many would be happy to pay $600-800 for an unlocked iPhone so long as they can choose their own carrier... people are not happy that Apple should be dictating to them what carrier to use.

Imagine if you bought a car from Ford or Honda and they told you:
"Sorry sir/madam but you can only drive your car on these pre-selected roads that we've chosen for you!" Does that sound like a good idea to you?!

Apple complains that there are hackers creating unlocking tools for the iPhone but the irony is that by locking the iPhone to a particular carrier they created the demand for such tools. Simple: supply and demand!

So yes vote with your wallets!

 

[mccldwll]

The point is that many would be happy to pay $600-800 for an unlocked iPhone so long as they can choose their own carrier... people are not happy that Apple should be dictating to them what carrier to use.

Imagine if you bought a car from Ford or Honda and they told you:
"Sorry sir/madam but you can only drive your car on these pre-selected roads that we've chosen for you!" Does that sound like a good idea to you?!

Apple complains that there are hackers creating unlocking tools for the iPhone but the irony is that by locking the iPhone to a particular carrier they created the demand for such tools. Simple: supply and demand!

So yes vote with your wallets!

Tired old song. Sounds exactly like the kind of crap that has been posted by spin shops hired by Nokia, Samsung, Sprint, Verizon etc.. Too transparent. By now everyone understands the necessity of Apple tying the iPhone to AT&T in the first place, whether we the consumer like it or not.

 

[samab]

Imagine if you bought a car from Ford or Honda and they told you:
"Sorry sir/madam but you can only drive your car on these pre-selected roads that we've chosen for you!" Does that sound like a good idea to you?

If you buy an off-road vehicle or a 18 wheeler --- then you can't drive on many of the roads (you can't drive a 18 wheeler in a small road inside a residential neighourhood).

Plenty of car dealers are "giving out" hundreds (or even a couple of thousand) dollars in "gas coupons" if you buy a new car with them. Some of these "gas coupons" are for specific gas stations as well.

 

[alleyslair]

No one should buy if it's not worth the cost to them personally. For some it's a necessity, for others a luxury, and many are on the fence in the middle trying to rationalize one. My only point is don't blame the companies if they are forcing you to make hard choices. If you want a hand-held computer for internet access, get an iPhone. Nothing else compares. If you want a cell phone with good texting plans, lots of good choices which will save you $. Put that 50 cents per day to a better use. It's your choice. Choose. But don't complain that you are being forced to make that choice. That's what life's about.

Uhhh....I don't recall complaining about how the evil companies are making my choices hard and wahhhh. Just stating the facts. The iPhone is going to cost considerably more because AT&T's plan is 30% more per month than Sprint's. That's fine. Please, buy it. I'm saying I might choose something other than iPhone because my cost analyis makes it hard to justify.

If everyone thinks the price is reasonable it will sell like hot cakes and there is little hope for a better plan. If others think the price is high and don't purchase or go elsewhere, AT&T may be forced to offer a better plan. Remember the first release? Apple dropped the iPhone price almost immediately.

I am not here to complain about hard choices or rave about Instinct or Zunes. Clearly, I want an iPhone but I don't buy everything I want. I check alternatives and try to balance want & need. I'm here to read other opinions about the plan, present my options (some people asked about costs for comparable plans) and announce that I may be part of the backlash. If there is one...

That is what this thread is about. Isn't it?

 

[lostngone]

You do understand that almost all phones in the US are carrier locked(GSM or CDMA). Apple isn't doing anything different then any other cell phone maker.

The point is that many would be happy to pay $600-800 for an unlocked iPhone so long as they can choose their own carrier... people are not happy that Apple should be dictating to them what carrier to use.

Imagine if you bought a car from Ford or Honda and they told you:
"Sorry sir/madam but you can only drive your car on these pre-selected roads that we've chosen for you!" Does that sound like a good idea to you?!

Apple complains that there are hackers creating unlocking tools for the iPhone but the irony is that by locking the iPhone to a particular carrier they created the demand for such tools. Simple: supply and demand!

So yes vote with your wallets!

 

[Cleverboy]

The point is that many would be happy to pay $600-800 for an unlocked iPhone so long as they can choose their own carrier... people are not happy that Apple should be dictating to them what carrier to use.

Imagine if you bought a car from Ford or Honda and they told you:
"Sorry sir/madam but you can only drive your car on these pre-selected roads that we've chosen for you!" Does that sound like a good idea to you?!

Apple complains that there are hackers creating unlocking tools for the iPhone but the irony is that by locking the iPhone to a particular carrier they created the demand for such tools. Simple: supply and demand!

So yes vote with your wallets!

:: YAWN :: People need to wake up and stop pretending that its JUST APPLE, and NO... no, it doesn't change anything for Apple to be non-exclusive, while everyone else continues to do it. Get the government to step in and do something... don't just sit on your duff until the phone YOU want comes up, and start hopping up and down like this is something new. Law makers look at it and just go... wow... I guess these citizens can't see out of their fishbowl. I mean, just look at Verizon... the entire network is architecture so that they can cut cut off ANY unapproved device. Meanwhile, in some countries, Apple needs to do business and sell their iPhone's without exclusives... BECAUSE THE LAWS SAY SO. Take this up as a cellphone industry issue, like cancellation fees moved into being... and something MIGHT happen.

As it stands, my fiance is on Sprint, and can't get out without a nasty fee. Moreover, T-Mobile doesn't have "better" anything in the U.S., except maybe customer service. They only started offering "unlimited" with the arrival of the iPhone, and their 3G coverage is whack. All the other carriers here work on closed non-GSM networks... so no one's exactly missing out. Most of the "bondage" complaints have been from people OUTSIDE the U.S. who wanted iPhones. If you were in Canada, you're actually LESS screwed on rates than you were months ago, but you still don't have much choice, unlock or not.

People need to get over themselves, some of the complaints are entirely pointless.

~ CB

 

[michaellinehan]

Email/Phone Rogers VP

"Potential Canadian iPhone customers have been particularly displeased with Rogers' iPhone rate plans..."

Here's another good place to kick up a fuss...

Bruce M. Mann
Vice President Investor Relations
Rogers Communications Inc.
T. 1.416.935.3532
E. bruce.mann@rci.rogers.com

Emailed him a while ago, and it didn't bounce.

 

[sjo]

Tired old song. Sounds exactly like the kind of crap that has been posted by spin shops hired by Nokia, Samsung, Sprint, Verizon etc.. Too transparent. By now everyone understands the necessity of Apple tying the iPhone to AT&T in the first place, whether we the consumer like it or not.

there may have been necessity for apple to make exclusive agreement with att, but this thread is about the backlash rate plans outside the us have caused. in most countries outside the us it's really really difficult to understand why apple has chosen the exclusivity. ppl are not used to that kind of agreements and it does not seem beneficial for apple nor for the customers.

 

[mccldwll]

there may have been necessity for apple to make exclusive agreement with att, but this thread is about the backlash rate plans outside the us have caused. in most countries outside the us it's really really difficult to understand why apple has chosen the exclusivity. ppl are not used to that kind of agreements and it does not seem beneficial for apple nor for the customers.

My best guess is essentially for the same reasons--because it had to for successful introduction. Without over-the-top cooperation from AT&T which desperately wanted to boost subscriber numbers and upgrade its network, the iPhone would never have been able to succeed to the same extent. The telecoms have always had the power, and the iPhone was able to change that model. Without limited carrier arrangements (partnering) also would not be as successfully introduced outside US. These "deals with the devil" have been necessary, but in the middle/long run the consumer should benefit. My best guess is that w/in 2 years at the most, the iPhone will not be tied to single carriers (and no, the AT&T deal is NOT 5 years exclusive).

 

[billmgaming]

I wish the government would step in and put price controls on these plans. Perhaps even nationalize Apple. We can't nationalize Rogers obviously, but a trade embargo against Canada perhaps?

wow please tell me you are kidding. why would you want the govt. to control more things? they control enough and they screw enough things up.......wow I can't believe someone would suggest this

 

[fr33 loader]

Funny

Its like people complaining about gas prices in Chevron, Shell or 76, being higher than other gas stations thats why they can't afford/not sensible to buy that new Hummer/Excursion that they really wanted.

There are other gas stations. A Corolla or Civic does a fine job too.

 

[sridharts]

Messed up the #G iphone pricing

They messed it up really bad with the iphone 3G. Before we used to get it for $400 and we dont need to sign up for a contract or be bound to a provider.
Now you pay $200 + plan pricing for 2 years . In that case how can Apple advertise "Twice as fast half the price. 3G iphone" ? When you add up the phone price with the 2 year contract it comes more than that.. Can anybody sue apple for false advertising. The way they are doing is like saying we give an item for free and say just pay like shipping and handling 400$..

 

[maestrokev]

wow please tell me you are kidding. why would you want the govt. to control more things? they control enough and they screw enough things up.......wow I can't believe someone would suggest this

You know it's bad when people start asking for more government regulation. You think private companies are better? Check out the history of Nortel, a major tech fallen angel.

You do understand that almost all phones in the US are carrier locked(GSM or CDMA). Apple isn't doing anything different then any other cell phone maker.

That's a comment Steve Jobs needs to read. Apple isn't doing anything different, they're just like everyone else. Yeah, that'll spark sales.

 

[ggibson913]

Some Common Sense

Like many here I was disappointed by the price increase. I was all ready to buy one at the old rate then they raised the rate and that gave me pause to think about it. After reading the article and thinking about it I have come to realize that AT&T can charge whatever they want. I as the consumer can choose to pay that price or not to pay that price. Which most folks are arguing here.

Prior to this release the iPhone was an extremely feature rich media phone. Couldn't do exchange, couldn't do third party apps so as a result AT&T kept the rate lower. WIth the addition of those two items, the iPhone is now a smartphone so AT&T treats it like any other smartphone in their line up. As a result, you are now going to pay more than you did. 3G isn't much of a factor for me.

In my situation, right now I am with Verizon. I don't have a smartphone, just a feature rich multimedia phone. So if I stay Verizon and want a smartphone, it is going to cost me more (though I get corporate discount). If I buy an iPhone it is going to cost me more as well (Still hoping for discount). So I have to decide if I want to pay more for phone service or not. I also have to decide if I want to switch phone service or not. It's really that simple. Personally, I like the unlocked phone idea where you pay alot for your phone then choose a carrier to use with that phone, but that isn't the way it works here in the US though.

So this isn't a reason to get angry or upset. You either want one or you don't and you have as much time as you need to make up your mind. Whatever happens I am just about sure that the iPhone isn't going away. With all that said I am jealous of 1st gen owners, they get the smartphone without the plan increase.