There has been no official word on the cost of an iPhone data plan. What if it was free for the life of the contract? Would you still want to cancel it? Having an outrageous data plan would counter at&t's goal of using the iPhone to attract more users to its network.
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Data Plan Optional? AT&T Activation
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KindredMAC
macrumors 6502a
I've been wondering about the Data Plan since the iPhone was announced.
Cingular/AT&T lkes to "plan you to death" with data. I have a Sony Ericsson W810i and the web button got activated in my pocket (even though key lock was on, one of my biggest gripes about the W810i) and the next month we had a data charge of $3 and some change because the phone was active on the net for some amount of time.
If someone purchases the iPhone, the intenet useage better not be an additional charge. Web is what the iPhone is all about. Look at WWDC and SJ saying that apps would be run through Safari.
Onto the simplicity of the iPhone and it "just working".... That is my #2 gripe about the W810i I have. Even though MacWorld this past month labeled it as the iPhone alternative, I have had my phone for the past 6 months and I have to say that it feels clunky in the OS.
Things don't make sense where they are placed or as to how you go about getting to something.
The internet is all but useless if you are in a jam or a pickle. It doesn't play well with iTunes and requires iTuneMyWalkman application, which is still limited. Getting photos off of it and into iPhoto is a chore.
I've been seriously tinkering with the idea and also have brought that idea to my wife to sell our PS3 and get an iPhone to replace my W810i. Don't ven get me started on the PS3. What a waste of investment that was. I was hoping for great games and now 8 months later I stil own the same 3 games I bought when I got the system. The internet is clunky on that too.... At least with an iPhone I could connect to my Airport Extreme and surf the net from the living room like I try to do sometimes with the PS3 if I don't want to get up and get the laptop or sit at the PowerMac G5.
Hmmmm..... anyone noticing a trend with Sony products and clunky rides here?
Cingular/AT&T lkes to "plan you to death" with data. I have a Sony Ericsson W810i and the web button got activated in my pocket (even though key lock was on, one of my biggest gripes about the W810i) and the next month we had a data charge of $3 and some change because the phone was active on the net for some amount of time.
If someone purchases the iPhone, the intenet useage better not be an additional charge. Web is what the iPhone is all about. Look at WWDC and SJ saying that apps would be run through Safari.
Onto the simplicity of the iPhone and it "just working".... That is my #2 gripe about the W810i I have. Even though MacWorld this past month labeled it as the iPhone alternative, I have had my phone for the past 6 months and I have to say that it feels clunky in the OS.
Things don't make sense where they are placed or as to how you go about getting to something.
The internet is all but useless if you are in a jam or a pickle. It doesn't play well with iTunes and requires iTuneMyWalkman application, which is still limited. Getting photos off of it and into iPhoto is a chore.
I've been seriously tinkering with the idea and also have brought that idea to my wife to sell our PS3 and get an iPhone to replace my W810i. Don't ven get me started on the PS3. What a waste of investment that was. I was hoping for great games and now 8 months later I stil own the same 3 games I bought when I got the system. The internet is clunky on that too.... At least with an iPhone I could connect to my Airport Extreme and surf the net from the living room like I try to do sometimes with the PS3 if I don't want to get up and get the laptop or sit at the PowerMac G5.
Hmmmm..... anyone noticing a trend with Sony products and clunky rides here?
Plans may have changed recently, but I know that AT&T (and then Cingular) required a data plan contract if you bought a pda or smartphone. I presume that if there is no phone subsidy that this may not be required, though.
Yes, this is true if you just want to use the iphone over wifi, no calling of course they will let you do this. Pretty cool, eh. Of course if you wan to hook it up just bring it to your local ATT store and you can then get a SIM card and have it activated. How, do they do this since you need to get insurnace on the first day or within 30 days of it being activated(if it's still working) Well, don't worry about that because you can get accidental insurance, of course AppleCare is still $129.99
yes...I had a sony w600i phone from cingular, it got so bad i had to accidentally break it to get a new one (i have insurance)
How to hack an iPhone?
I am no expert, admittedly. Real shame they left out the flux capacitor (maybe rev. c?). From my limited understanding of networking gear, I assume there is some chance that a mini-pci type interface is supporting the 802.11 transceiver. If that is the case, it would not necessarily be impossible to swap for EVDO. One of the modules used for built-in EVDO in laptops might be appropriate.
http://www.sierrawireless.com/product/mc5720.aspx
I am well aware of what EVDO is, since I use it every day with my PowerBook. I wasn't saying "they" would hack the iPhone (whoever "they" are). I was just wondering if it might be technically possible to make the iPhone EVDO capable.
Heck, mini-pci might not be needed - a dock-based adapter could be very much easier to implement. It would be a great option for those who need 3G.
Sorry if I sound like a moron. 😉
I am no expert, admittedly. Real shame they left out the flux capacitor (maybe rev. c?). From my limited understanding of networking gear, I assume there is some chance that a mini-pci type interface is supporting the 802.11 transceiver. If that is the case, it would not necessarily be impossible to swap for EVDO. One of the modules used for built-in EVDO in laptops might be appropriate.
http://www.sierrawireless.com/product/mc5720.aspx
I am well aware of what EVDO is, since I use it every day with my PowerBook. I wasn't saying "they" would hack the iPhone (whoever "they" are). I was just wondering if it might be technically possible to make the iPhone EVDO capable.
Heck, mini-pci might not be needed - a dock-based adapter could be very much easier to implement. It would be a great option for those who need 3G.
Sorry if I sound like a moron. 😉
Can I ask a stupid? question???
Can one get just the phone plan from AT&T (assuming it's required or can't be cancelled).... and get a 3g data plan like EVDO elsewhere? 2 Separate systems/carriers? I really want 3g on the data side.
Can one get just the phone plan from AT&T (assuming it's required or can't be cancelled).... and get a 3g data plan like EVDO elsewhere? 2 Separate systems/carriers? I really want 3g on the data side.
KindredMAC
macrumors 6502a
That's funny... Cingular told me that insurance wasn't available on my W810i.
I'm going to wait and see if Cingular offers any kind of Handset Trade Up promo in the near future.
Clive At Five
macrumors 65816
Why in hell would it be free?
And if it was, who in their right mind would cancel it?!
*mutters to self:* there are no stupid questions... there are no stupid questions...
-Clive
Billy Boo Bob
macrumors 6502
I'm just hoping that if/when I can buy one of these things that I'll be able to just plop my current (AT&T) SIM card in it and go without EDGE data. Wi-Fi access will be fine for me (if the data plan prices are the same as they are now for smartphones).
QCassidy352
macrumors G5
it's @#$@ing rediculous that we are still guessing at the answers to these questions on June 20th. 😡
No
Absolutely not. Phones that are locked to a carrier in the US will not work AT ALL without a SIM card. Some will allow you to dial 911, but you can't even get to the phone's main menu. That's part of what it means when they say that the phone is locked.
After a few months, someone may figure out how to unlock the phone, but remember if anything happens to it you will be out of warranty, you may not even be able to update it using iTunes and will be stuck only with updates that phone crackers are able to turn out.
As for phone plans, the cheapest unlimited data plan is currently 19.99. Texts are NOT included and are $9.99/mo/line unlimited. Talk plans start at 39.99 for individuals. If you get a group plan, you will have to add features (data, text etc) on a PER line basis AND you will have to pay 9.99 per month for EACH ADDITIONAL LINE (that's each month).
That's 59.98 for an unlimited data plan and 450 anytime minutes. And if you think you're going to get by without a data plan, that's a bad idea because you will pay through the nose every time you're out of a wireless router range and need to look up a map or show your friend a YouTube video, or check that essential email.
I have a shared family plan, three lines, all three have 100 txts (5.99/line), my line has unlimited pda data, and 550 shared minutes.
I pay an average of 150/month. When I only had my line with unlimited data (24.99) and 700 anytime minutes (34.99 with the OLD ATT wireless), I paid 86.00 per month with taxes and regulatory fees--they were 15.00 easy.
Just think long and hard about what you're geetting into--for TWO years. I think it's worth it for me and I enjoy having it, but I pay a hefty price for it.
Absolutely not. Phones that are locked to a carrier in the US will not work AT ALL without a SIM card. Some will allow you to dial 911, but you can't even get to the phone's main menu. That's part of what it means when they say that the phone is locked.
After a few months, someone may figure out how to unlock the phone, but remember if anything happens to it you will be out of warranty, you may not even be able to update it using iTunes and will be stuck only with updates that phone crackers are able to turn out.
As for phone plans, the cheapest unlimited data plan is currently 19.99. Texts are NOT included and are $9.99/mo/line unlimited. Talk plans start at 39.99 for individuals. If you get a group plan, you will have to add features (data, text etc) on a PER line basis AND you will have to pay 9.99 per month for EACH ADDITIONAL LINE (that's each month).
That's 59.98 for an unlimited data plan and 450 anytime minutes. And if you think you're going to get by without a data plan, that's a bad idea because you will pay through the nose every time you're out of a wireless router range and need to look up a map or show your friend a YouTube video, or check that essential email.
I have a shared family plan, three lines, all three have 100 txts (5.99/line), my line has unlimited pda data, and 550 shared minutes.
I pay an average of 150/month. When I only had my line with unlimited data (24.99) and 700 anytime minutes (34.99 with the OLD ATT wireless), I paid 86.00 per month with taxes and regulatory fees--they were 15.00 easy.
Just think long and hard about what you're geetting into--for TWO years. I think it's worth it for me and I enjoy having it, but I pay a hefty price for it.
My old BlackBerry Pearl, locked to T-Mobile, could do everything except register onto T's network and use the phone and data. Granted, a BB is almost useless without phone and data, but I could play games and use the PIM apps.
Perhaps AT&T is different. Wouldn't surprise me
You're still locked into a 2 year contract. Data plans have historically been different from the rest of your plan in that you can add/remove/change it from month to month.
more like flies in the face of COMMON sense, if you plan on using the iPhone to it's actual potential, dont ya think you'd want to have a data plan, unless of course your an idiot and like paying for it on a pay per use basis, how do u think your gonna do half the stuff on your iPhone..your gonna use DATA!! WiFi unfortunately is not avail everywhere, so u cant rely on that all the time.
nutmac
macrumors 603
This is false. Although salesmen will "require" data plan with PDA or smartphone, it is not at all required (you can drop it the next day).
Personally I could. I most likely would use internet my iPhone at work, in the supermarket, in the pub, and at home. All those places have free WiFi for me. Sure a data plan so I get internet everywhere would be nice, but I doubt I'd use it enough to justify the cost.
I know the "old" ATT required it because I looked at the contract instead of asking a salesman. They wouldn't even sell you a pda without signing up for a data plan contract. Perhaps in reality they didn't enforce it, but the requirement was there nonetheless.
It would be nice if you could then just use WiFi - but certain things would be broken - doesn't chat only work using SMS messages? You'd be using a phone with broken functionality.
$800 is a lot to spend for a tiny web browser (or however much that thing will cost)
apple is all about "just working". would it not be likely that the iphone seamlessly switches from wifi to EDGE? as i recall even if you dont have a data plan there is always a "per use" ability... so if you were in a wifi spot using data and lost the signal wouldnt it switch to EDGE if available? additionally i think that there will likely be a lot of pushed data to the phone (stocks, weather, other feeds). wouldnt this all be a problem if you dumped the data plan?
Uh..., I will get by just fine with WIFI, thanks. I have WIFI at home and at Work and at School. Thanks though for your concerns.
Not too shabby
So add the $9.99 for unlimited texts, and we're talking 70 bucks a month for a decent amount of minutes, and unlimited data and texting. Not bad, actually.
My bf is Deaf, so I'd text/chat more than I'd talk, anyway.
(I wonder if AT&T will have data/text-only plans for Deaf folks.)
There were rumors of $100+ monthly plans, and that definitely had me scared. $70 is much more reasonable.
So add the $9.99 for unlimited texts, and we're talking 70 bucks a month for a decent amount of minutes, and unlimited data and texting. Not bad, actually.
My bf is Deaf, so I'd text/chat more than I'd talk, anyway.
(I wonder if AT&T will have data/text-only plans for Deaf folks.)
There were rumors of $100+ monthly plans, and that definitely had me scared. $70 is much more reasonable.
Fees
Well there are considerable fees and taxes that usually add up to about $10-15 bucks. Also, I don't know that they have data/text-only plans but that is a GREAT idea... course they wouldn't make any money. TTD maybe, but you'll still have to pay for voice plans.
It's shocking how you think the plan is so inexpensive, but the overages and everything else adds up very quickly. To be safe, a good plan that will keep you out of overage land will run you about $90/month.
Well there are considerable fees and taxes that usually add up to about $10-15 bucks. Also, I don't know that they have data/text-only plans but that is a GREAT idea... course they wouldn't make any money. TTD maybe, but you'll still have to pay for voice plans.
It's shocking how you think the plan is so inexpensive, but the overages and everything else adds up very quickly. To be safe, a good plan that will keep you out of overage land will run you about $90/month.
I'd like them to make the phone plan optional 😀 . I wouldn't use the phone function much anyways. I'd love to dump my verizon dsl which is slow and expensive ($30/month) and somehow use the iPhone to get online with my computers. Even if it doesnt do that, it'd be awesome to get online anywhere without a laptop and such.
that's just me dreaming...🙁
that's just me dreaming...🙁