iPhone Cingular 2yr contract

[wakerider017]

I have heard some people say the phone comes with a 2yr contract...

Some people are saying if you pay the 499 or 599. That is all you have to pay. You will not have to pay for service as it is included in the phone.




I really don't beleive this. Can someone clear this up?

 

[jsw]

You pay $499/$599 plus the contract. The 2-year contract alone would cost more than $499... no way you get it free with the phone.

 

[Porksword]

Oh, you'll have to pay.

It's like a Treo. You pay however many hundreds for the phone and then you'll need a phone plan and data plan. Currenly my Treo plan is around $115/month.

 

[wakerider017]

Do you have to get a plan with edge and all that?

I would just like to get a cheap basic phone service.

That way i could just use the wifi.

 

[balamw]

Think of the 2 year contract as nothing but a commitment from you to Cingular to buy service for the device for the next 24 months.

Note that you can often get the same deals as a contract price through your employer or other associations you belong to with fewer restrictions. I've had no contract with Cingular for years since my wife's company knocks 1 year off the contract length and I got cheap 1 year contract phones.

B

 

[jsw]

Do you have to get a plan with edge and all that?

I would just like to get a cheap basic phone service.

That way i could just use the wifi.

It all depends on how deeply Cingular tries to screw you. I suspect there will be an "iPhone package" deal.

 

[topgun072003]

You pay $499/$599 plus the contract. The 2-year contract alone would cost more than $499... no way you get it free with the phone.

I think its with a two year contract because they normally discount phones if you get the discount. So these prices are the phones prices with a 2 year contract discount. You still have to pay for the plan.

 

[jsw]

I think its with a two year contract because they normally discount phones if you get the discount. So these prices are the phones prices with a 2 year contract discount. You still have to pay for the plan.

I think we're saying the same thing.

You buy the phone for $499/$599, then you're obligated to pay an additional monthly fee for two years.

 

[skubish]

I think the iPhone is clearly aimed at the Blackberry crowd. Unfortunately most of that crowd gets their Blackberries from the company they work for. I don't think the people that want the iPhone are also going to want to pay for Cingular's data plan. It will be interesting to see how this works out.

 

[Ugg]

I think the iPhone is clearly aimed at the Blackberry crowd. Unfortunately most of that crowd gets their Blackberries from the company they work for. I don't think the people that want the iPhone are also going to want to pay for Cingular's data plan. It will be interesting to see how this works out.

Yeah, I see no point in spending $50 a month just for the data plan. I would rather have an unlocked phone and a prepaid plan. The wifi is way more useful to me than some expensive and crippled data plan.

 

[LennyZ71]

I wonder if the iphone is going to be upgraded to be compatiable with the new 3G network instead of the edge have y'all heard anything?

 

[gauchogolfer]

Steve said in his talk that it will eventually be 3G.

 

[Hummer]

I hope they offer it prepaid for cingular, but I wonder what the price would be. I would guess something like 1k if they sold it at retail.

 

[UrsaMajor]

I mentioned this before, but I have Nokia e62. It's a stripped version of the e61 in Europe which has wifi. The US version doesn't and you can only access the net through cingular's slow service. (Note, you can buy a e61 and swap cards and get wifi)

Since Cingular uses sim cards, I can't see why I can't just swap my phone out for the iphone phone and skip all the contract nonsense. That is unless they MAKE you buy the phone full price AND lock you in a contract. If that's the case, It would sound like apple is setting themselves up for a disappointment in sales.

The main thing that appeals to me with any smartphone is the ability to use wifi and get fast net service and/or free phone calls at any hotspot.

 

[Tourist]

I mentioned this before, but I have Nokia e62. It's a stripped version of the e61 in Europe which has wifi. The US version doesn't and you can only access the net through cingular's slow service. (Note, you can buy a e61 and swap cards and get wifi)

Since Cingular uses sim cards, I can't see why I can't just swap my phone out for the iphone phone and skip all the contract nonsense. That is unless they MAKE you buy the phone full price AND lock you in a contract. If that's the case, It would sound like apple is setting themselves up for a disappointment in sales.

Thats exactly what Apple and cingular will do The iPhone will only recognise a cingular SIM as valid,(Based on what we have been told so far) basically it means that the iPhone costs way more to manufacture than the $500 asking price, and they chain you to cingular to get back to extra cash,

 

[Jay42]

Do you have to get a plan with edge and all that?

I would just like to get a cheap basic phone service.

That way i could just use the wifi.

I definitely agree, but I can't see that happening. It seems you would lose some functionality without EDGE such as the voice mail system, etc. Plus, Cingular is certainly going to milk the iPhone for all it is worth. If the most basic plan was more than $50 or $60/mo. tops, this would be a total deal breaker for me. It is hard enough for me to justify $500 or $600 for a phone, let alone an expensive data plan that would really just be a convenience for me more than anything else.

 

[brettbolt]

... It is hard enough for me to justify $500 or $600 for a phone, let alone an expensive data plan that would really just be a convenience for me more than anything else.

Yesterday while watching the keynote I was in awe, and figured that getting one was a no brainer.

Then I looked at Cingular's voice and data rates. $40 for voice plus about $50 or so for data. So the real cost for 2 years might be $500 + $90 X 24 = $2660 !!! I'm sure lots of others are settling down to reality about their purchase plans after the initial "wow" factor wears off.

I'd only be interested in the device if it had the choice of any phone carrier and no contract commitment.

 

[Mal]

Just like a Blackberry, Palm, etc, it will probably be possible, but very much discouraged, to simply use a regular voice plan. In order to promote it a bit more, they'll probably offer deals like they currently offer on the Palm Treo 680: $39.99 for the Unlimited PDA Data, plus any voice plan, nets you a $50 discount. Now, they may not bother with the discount, but you will likely pay about the same for the data access. You may also be able to sign up for something like the Blackberry Personal plan, which is data only (no voice calling included) for about $35 a month, and either tack on a voice plan or not use it for regular calling (chat, perhaps even some type of VOIP, though probably with an extra charge for that feature).

jW

 

[sikkinixx]

cell phone companies are as bad as the government.

"How can we **** over consumers best?"

"I KNOW!! lets make 10000 different plans with 10000 different prices, with hidden costs left and right, restrictions, contracts, and fees!!"

</rant>

A simple talk plan would be all I need if I were to get an iPhone. There is lots of wifi access for me to get on the net, and it is probably way faster than the 40-90kb edge...

 

[skubish]

Yesterday while watching the keynote I was in awe, and figured that getting one was a no brainer.

Then I looked at Cingular's voice and data rates. $40 for voice plus about $50 or so for data. So the real cost for 2 years might be $500 + $90 X 24 = $2660 !!! I'm sure lots of others are settling down to reality about their purchase plans after the initial "wow" factor wears off.

I'd only be interested in the device if it had the choice of any phone carrier and no contract commitment.

I agree, after the wow factor was wore off for me, I realized that this iphone is probably going to sell poorly in the US:

$500-$600 plus you have to lock into a 2yr and a data plan. I hope Cingular offers a better plan when its released but I doubt it.

 

[SC68Cal]

Good lord that's a lot of cash to burn

 

[Anuba]

I hate to post another one of these US vs Euro comments but this deal really blows.

If you sign up for 2 friggin' years you should get the phone for free, perhaps paying some symbolic figure initially. If you pay $499/$599 for the phone nobody should have the audacity to force you to commit to a contract with a carrier. It seems you guys pay through the nose for the phone AND sign up for 2 years of hefty fees. How does stuff like that happen, is there no competition in the cellular biz in the US?

Just an example from my country...

Nokia N80 (PDA-ish 3G phone w/ 3Mpixel camera, mp3, push mail etc): 18 month contract. Pay $49 once, then $33/month for 18 months, from month 19 and on you pay $8/month. Calls are $0.07/minute to any carrier, any time of day.

For the iPhone I'd imagine something like $79, then $40/month (1-18) and $8/month (19-??). That or it will flop.

I should add that we have a 25% sales tax in Sweden so to make a fair comparison you should cut these prices by something like 10-15%.

 

[BWhaler]

I'm sure lots of others are settling down to reality about their purchase plans after the initial "wow" factor wears off.

I'd only be interested in the device if it had the choice of any phone carrier and no contract commitment.

I have been waiting forever for the Apple phone because I am an international executive and every phone on the market sucks. I need a world class cell phone.

At the keynote, I was relieved and excited. I could care less about price.

But I agree with your comment. Yes, the iPhone is beautiful and does many great things. But there is enough flawed choices there, notably the mandatory 2 year contract, edge, that there is some serious risk there.

It reminds me of the Cube. Stellar product...in theory. In practice, train wreck.

But, back on point. Before the announcement, I was a lock for the Apple phone. Yesterday, I was mixed, but still going to buy one. Today, I am leaning towards passing....

 

[BWhaler]

I agree, after the wow factor was wore off for me, I realized that this iphone is probably going to sell poorly in the US:

$500-$600 plus you have to lock into a 2yr and a data plan. I hope Cingular offers a better plan when its released but I doubt it.

Agreed. At these prices, the Apple phone is going to be the PS3.

 

[scotty588]

I have a treo 600 right now from Cingular and all I pay is $20 for unlimited internet. They try and say oh you have a smartphone that means you need the data connect plan which is for your phone and it an extra $40 a month. That plan might be faster and is recommended if you use your phone as a modem but I think its BS. I have been using this other plan which is a lot cheaper and it works fine I believe its called media net unlimited.