Help me understand the business plan for 3G

[Detlev]

If I understand correctly I can purchase a voice plan for 39.99, for each phone. I will also need to purchase a $45 data plan. Here are my questions:

1. We don't need to access an intranet (we don't have one set up), so what benefits do I receive from this plan?

2. It says I can access my corporate email account. Again, we don't have a big system set up. Our host has provided a way for us to access IMAP accounts with our domain. Do we get something with this special data plan that allows us to access POP accounts? Does AT&T somehow block any email accounts that do not have mac.com/ me.com/etc. thus you have to buy the $45 plan?

3. The business plan says we will be able to use "business solutions/applications". Does this imply that some applications in the App Store will be off limits to anyone who does not have the enterprise/business plan?

In short, all we want to do for a three person business is buy some phones, access our email, surf the web when required, and take calls. Ideally the phones would be owned by the business but we can easily purchase them individually and take reimbursements from the business.

Any thoughts on how we should handle this? Your help is appreciated.

 

[/dev/toaster]

You have to get the data plan. Phone is fairly useless without it.

If your hosting provider uses IMAP or POP3 its very easy to connect either. When you send mail out, you will use your providers SMTP server. AT&T doesn't get involved at all in this.

Not sure on 3 ... could mean a few things

 

[dave006]

While AT&T has been slow to provde more details on the $45 data plan and the specific factors the determine if you are required to use it

I would suggest that you start with the $30 plan on each phone and wait for additional information to be available. There should be more business information posted on the AT&T Business page on July 11.

http://att.com/iphoneforbusiness

 

[ScottInTheOC]

I spoke to AT&T today about this. I currently have a Blackberry and my company uses Microsoft Exchange for mail. If you wish for your Exchange/Outlook mail pushed to you, you must have the Enterprise data plan.

My company does not support POP and IMAP outside of our network to access to corporate email. Having this will mean I can get rid of my BlackBerry. While I do have access to corporate email via a browser, it will mean I will have to "check" it to see if I have mail, rather than have it pushed to me.

 

[JBaker122586]

I spoke to AT&T today about this. I currently have a Blackberry and my company uses Microsoft Exchange for mail. If you wish for your Exchange/Outlook mail pushed to you, you must have the Enterprise data plan.

This is what I don't understand.

How the heck would AT&T know? They can't tell what information I'm accessing over WiFi.

 

[toneloco2881]

They won't know. Those enterprise plans are for large corporations, read: Fortune 500, where the employer purchases the device for the employee. An AT&T rep will come in and basically tell the company what they need to get up and running. It's nothing more than to squeeze a few dollars out of the pockets of bulk purchasers.

The fact of the matter is that exchange/activesync/etc' are based off standard protocols and there is no difference in the implementation between the $30 and $45 data plans as far as features. Sure, if you call AT&T and ask them what plan you needed they'd be happy to up-sell you on the higher rate; but the fact of the matter is you don't need it.

 

[Detlev]

They won't know. Those enterprise plans are for large corporations, read: Fortune 500, where the employer purchases the device for the employee. An AT&T rep will come in and basically tell the company what they need to get up and running. It's nothing more than to squeeze a few dollars out of the pockets of bulk purchasers.

The fact of the matter is that exchange/activesync/etc' are based off standard protocols and there is no difference in the implementation between the $30 and $45 data plans as far as features. Sure, if you call AT&T and ask them what plan you needed they'd be happy to up-sell you on the higher rate; but the fact of the matter is you don't need it.

That being said. Couldn't I just purchase the Family Plan with three phones and save a little bit? It is a family business. What would the processing difference be?