Pre-Paid iPhone Service to be Available?

[peharri]

I can't believe the level of ignorance and snobbery I'm reading on this thread.

Prepaid is used by a variety of groups from the economically poor to those not in a position to pass credit checks (the young), for a variety of reasons from wanting to pay a minimum and keep control on spending to wanting control over the account.

Service plans and phones of all shapes and prices have always been available on prepaid since the major carriers started taking it seriously. To the people who are claiming that no data phone has ever been released on prepaid in the US, perhaps you'd like to take a look at T-Mobile, who have offered the Sidekicks on a prepaid, PAYG, plan now for as long as I care to remember. Perhaps you'd like to take a look at Virgin Mobile USA's offerings (all their plans, PAYG and regular talk plans, are prepaid.) Cingular doesn't have any right now, but it does have a wide variety of phones on offer, from $30-$200.

I'm, right now, bewildered by the snobbery. Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves.

 

[MonkeyClaw]

Prepaid isn't just used by the economically challenged. It is a lot of the times used by people who need cellphones from time to time but won't use them enough to justify a full fledged plan that costs 50 bucks a month simply to talk. Both my grandmothers for instance use prepaid phone packages because they simply do not use the phones enough to justify so much money a month. Think about it though, 50 dollars a month just to talk on the phone is ridiculous. And thats not even an infinite amount of time, you are paying just for minutes of use. Prepaid is a great thing and while I wont be using it since I don't plan on having a land line phone and simply living off my cell phone, its great for people who need a cellphone for certain instances but just don't want to shell out 600 dollars a year to talk.

The arrogance in this thread is a prime example of modern American culture and it sickens me. I see it all too often where I live and I figured forums and other places would be a place for the educated who have overcome such ignorant and irrelevant concepts such as status symbols and materialistic walks of life. It really is a sad state of being since well, you cant take it with you once you're gone!

 

[ageis]

Cheers.

I'm American, financially well off and have to pay 90 a month for the least amount of minute family plan, and I talk less than an hour a month simply because I perfer AIM (which is why im irritated that there's now iChat on the iPhone, but thats a totally different subject) And then I hear that iPhone was going to have that much just for one person and became 100% uninterested....

but, a pay as you go plan is WONDERFUL! Question is, how does the data part of the plan factor in?

 

[mixgrafix]

iPhone and pre-paid contracts.

I am all for it.

I have ten lines for my business with Sprint with five active. I had to lay off five people due to financial reasons, and if I want to cancel those five lines, I have to pay $1000.00 to cancel them. Then I would have to pay another $200.00 to cancel my line if I port my number to my new iPhone. $1200.00 dollars. I would rather take that $12000.00 and buy a two year prepay contract and an iPhone, and not worry about cancelled contracts. For that reason, I pay thirty dollars a month to keep the lines active until my contract expires in 12 months.

Nuff said.

 

[Hollis]

@Tatoo

Reasons why I use pre-paid.

1) Not being locked down to any company. I can trade my pre-paid phone to any company and pay-as-you-go there, without a daunting fee from switching networks.

2) I do not use my phone that much. I have a pre-paid plan that has Unlimited Texting, Unlimited Night and Weekends, and Unlimited Mobile to Mobile for $1 a day. I don't call anyone on their house phones, so my plan costs me $30 a month. A comparable plan from my company (Alltel) is double if not more.

3) Being able to stop paying any time I want. If I'm going on a trip and don't have a SIM card I don't have to pay for that week or more that I don't have service.

4) Being able to monitor my minutes and cost effectively. With pre-paid I won't get any surprising cell phone bills, although I could pay them that doesn't mean I want a $200 cell phone bill when I usually pay $100. I can keep track of my money more effectively.

None of that has to do with a credit score. Not one bit. You're sweeping generalization that pre-paid phones are made for white trash rednecks who shop at Walmart exclusively is just plain wrong. I use it because it does everything I want my cell phone to do, for less money. Does saving money somehow make me poor? Don't really think so.

Also, you need to understand that the basis of economics is choices. If a company has more choices, AKA pay as you go services, then they can get more customers. Snobby people who whip out their wads of cash to impress people need-not-apply to any choices but the most expensive, but that doesn't mean the other choices are less affective.

So that fact that I have limited need for cell phone minutes, should limit me to the iPhone because it's expensive? Are you forgetting the music functions, the web browser, and all the other features that have nothing to do with cell phone capabilities? Should I not be able to use those because I don't want a premium cell phone plan that I won't ever use to the fullest? Did you ever consider that some people, like my self, would like a fullscreen video iPod but don't have a need for 1000 minutes that we'll never use? Start seeing through other peoples eyes instead of basing your facts around your "wealthier than thou" attitude. It's incredibly sickening. Hopefully this will knock some sense into you.

~Hollis

 

[skinnylegs]

Can we cut through all of the BS in this thread?

Everything all of you are saying sounds good in theory but the reality of the situation is that the vast majority of people who currently have prepaid phones do so because they have financial issues of some sort and if that's the case they probably have bigger fish to fry than watching Pirates of the Carribean on their widescreen iPod or scrolling through their Coverflow artwork. Let me cut to the chase. If you have the means to pay for monthly service and choose a PAYG plan; that's great! It's penny-wise and pound-foolish but have at it! On the other hand, if you opt for the PAYG plan because you don't qualify for a regular monthly plan than you really ought to consider whether you are at a place in life where you should be carrying around a $600 or whatever mobile device.

The thing that I find the most disturbing in this thread (and it has everything and nothing to do with iPhones) is that just about every time someone mentions someone who has accumulated a few bucks by working hard and smart they add an adjective like "snob" or "elitist" or "ignorant" or whatever. I'm also getting the sense that many of you feel "entitled" to data packages and cell phones and new technology. Want to guarantee yourself that you will spend the rest of your life living from paycheck to paycheck? Embrace that philosophy of "entitlement."

 

[freediverdude]

Well, I think a possible reason for all these different payment plans for the iphone, is that Apple wants this phone to appeal to a huge spectrum of people, from people who want just a video ipod and maybe make a few phone calls, all the way up to someone who really needs a top of the line smartphone for business. There are people who really use a huge data plan and lots of minutes, and so are willing to pay $100+ per month for that, and then there are those (myself included) who only use maybe 10 minutes a month, and would possibly visit a few web pages as a novelty on the device, and so aren't willing to pay for a huge plan, regardless of income or credit score. But the point is, I'm sure Apple wants this device to appeal to as many people as possible, and so they may be thinking about offering prepaid as well.

 

[Hollis]

The thing that I find the most disturbing in this thread (and it has everything and nothing to do with iPhones) is that just about every time someone mentions someone who has accumulated a few bucks by working hard and smart they add an adjective like "snob" or "elitist" or "ignorant" or whatever. I'm also getting the sense that many of you feel "entitled" to data packages and cell phones and new technology. Want to guarantee yourself that you will spend the rest of your life living from paycheck to paycheck? Embrace that philosophy of "entitlement."

We're not calling Tatoo a snob because he's rich. His wealth is left to be proven. We are calling him a snob because he believes that some people don't deserve the right to own an iPhone. That my friend, is snobbish and elitism.

 

[skinnylegs]

We are calling him a snob because he believes that some people don't deserve the right to own an iPhone.

Are you 'freakin kidding me? Nobody.....and I mean nobody....."deserves the right to own an iPhone." That is precisely the attitude of entitlement that I detest.

Allow me to offer up this......

BILL OF NO RIGHTS

The following was written by State Representative Mitchell Kaye
from Cobb County, GA.

We, the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to
help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice,
avoid any more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive
behavior and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to
ourselves and our great-great-great grandchildren, hereby try
one more time to ordain and establish some common sense
guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt-ridden, delusional
and other liberal, bedwetters. We hold these truths to be
self-evident: that a whole lot of people were confused by the
Bill of Rights and are so dim that they require a Bill of No
Rights.

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV,
'freakin iPhone or any other form of wealth. More power to you if
you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This
country is base d on freedom, and that means freedom for
everyone - not just you! You may leave the room, turn the
channel, express a different opinion, etc., but the world is
full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If
you stick a scre wdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful,
do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your
relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing.
Americans are th e most charitable people to be found, and will
gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of
subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch
potatoes who achie ve nothing more than the creation of another
generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That
would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just
not interested in health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other
people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim or kill someone,
don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the
electric chair.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of
others. If you rob, cheat or coerce away the goods or services
of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get
together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have
the right to a big-screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII: You don't have the right to demand that our
children risk their li ves in foreign wars to soothe your aching
conscience. We hate oppressive governments and won't lift a
finger to stop you from going to fight if you'd like. However,
we do not enjoy parenting the entire world and do not want to
spend so much of our time battling each and every little tyrant
with a military uniform a nd a funny hat.

ARTICLE IX: You don't have the right to a job. All of us sure
want all of you to have one, and will gladly help you along in
hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the
opportunities of education and vocational training laid before
you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE X: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an
American means that you have the right to pursue happiness -
which by the way,is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an
overabundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were
confused by the Bill of Rights.

 

[Tattoo]

Can we cut through all of the BS in this thread?

Everything all of you are saying sounds good in theory but the reality of the situation is that the vast majority of people who currently have prepaid phones do so because they have financial issues of some sort and if that's the case they probably have bigger fish to fry than watching Pirates of the Carribean on their widescreen iPod or scrolling through their Coverflow artwork. Let me cut to the chase. If you have the means to pay for monthly service and choose a PAYG plan; that's great! It's penny-wise and pound-foolish but have at it! On the other hand, if you opt for the PAYG plan because you don't qualify for a regular monthly plan than you really ought to consider whether you are at a place in life where you should be carrying around a $600 or whatever mobile device.

The thing that I find the most disturbing in this thread (and it has everything and nothing to do with iPhones) is that just about every time someone mentions someone who has accumulated a few bucks by working hard and smart they add an adjective like "snob" or "elitist" or "ignorant" or whatever. I'm also getting the sense that many of you feel "entitled" to data packages and cell phones and new technology. Want to guarantee yourself that you will spend the rest of your life living from paycheck to paycheck? Embrace that philosophy of "entitlement."

I LOVE YOU! BEST POST EVER

 

[Tattoo]

Well, I think a possible reason for all these different payment plans for the iphone, is that Apple wants this phone to appeal to a huge spectrum of people, from people who want just a video ipod and maybe make a few phone calls, all the way up to someone who really needs a top of the line smartphone for business. There are people who really use a huge data plan and lots of minutes, and so are willing to pay $100+ per month for that, and then there are those (myself included) who only use maybe 10 minutes a month, and would possibly visit a few web pages as a novelty on the device, and so aren't willing to pay for a huge plan, regardless of income or credit score. But the point is, I'm sure Apple wants this device to appeal to as many people as possible, and so they may be thinking about offering prepaid as well.

lol@ using the iPhone to visit web pages as a novelty device. Your the first person to want a $600 Smart phone using a "Walmart prepaid Card" to seldom use the phone for 10 mins a month. Sounds like you DONT need a Smart phone.

Next I will hear you say......
Im going to rent a BMW for $79.00 a day (Pay as you go). I cant afford a $700.00 car payment per month (Regular Cell phone plan) but hell - I only drive 10 miles a month. So when I drive I will rent the BMW for a day cause thats all I need and use. Sounds like you DONT need a BMW as well.

 

[pubwvj]

Everything all of you are saying sounds good in theory but the reality of the situation is that the vast majority of people who currently have prepaid phones do so because they have financial issues of some sort

I take it you're from an urban area where cellphone coverage is both available and inexpensive. Out here in the sticks, where a great many people live, cellphone coverage is not available or spotty at best and the quality is poor. I spend very little time on the phone - perhaps 10 minutes a month. A prepaid plan makes sense.

I'm not really interested in a cellphone. I use email. It's much more efficient and doesn't interrupt me. I can use it when I want.

I am interested in a handheld Macintosh, not for the network access but for being able to carry my data and applications with me and access them when I need them.

Your attitude of, "if someone wants something different then you then they are not worthy" is very ego centric.

 

[Lepton]

Everything all of you are saying sounds good in theory but the reality of the situation is that the vast majority of people who currently have prepaid phones do so because they have financial issues of some sort and if that's the case they probably

In the case of the iPhone, pay as you go (PAYG) is a great idea. It is the way people with phones on other carriers can still buy the phone. Then they can use it as an iPod, as a browser and an EMail device on WiFi hot spots without using any air time at all. They can do this and not incur any carrier charges. They can do this and not have their pockets any fuller than it was with a phone plus an iPod, plus they have a great internet device, widescreen iPod, and bragging rights. I think many people will do this.

For Apple and AT&T, the reason this is no problem for them is first, Apple gets their money for the hardware unit no matter what, and I think it's substantial, no way that thing costs $500.

But more important, obviously you would still use the phone for a call here and there, and an airtime browsing session here and there, and those charges will build up fast, AT&T PAYG isn't very cheap. And after a bit of use, you'll say to yourself why the heck are you carrying two phones? Now that you (AT&T hopes) see cell coverage is good, it doesn't drop calls, the data comes in reasonably fast for EDGE... well, it's like you had a free trial with the service. The fact is, you'll drop that old phone the second your old contract is up. This is what AT&T counts on with PAYG, I believe.

I blogged about this and predict more stuff, like WWDC attendees being able to buy iPhones in advance of the general public, here.

 

[skinnylegs]

Your attitude of, "if someone wants something different then you then they are not worthy" is very ego centric.

I think you need to re-read my posts. I never said worthiness is a prerequisite for owning an iPhone. I did say that if you think you deserve or are entitled to an iPhone then you should probably read the Bill of Rights that I posted.

 

[skinnylegs]

I think it's important to point out that we are talking about plans that are not set in stone. That said, making phone calls or sending or receiving data is 'gonna cost you a few ducats and the question is whether PAYG is really as economical as it appears. You see.....you're 'gonna pay for service regardless of which plan you choose and historically speaking, PAYG plans are much more expensive in the long run.

 

[jeremyrader]

I think the PAYG for iPhone would be fantastic, personally. I had been considering getting the iPhone, but really couldn't justify the cost of (American priced) voice + data plans. Heck, I'm hard pressed to justify the cost of my current plan - a second line for $10/month on a family plan. I hardly use it, as I have a company phone for the overwhelming majority of my calls. My personal phone gets used to locate my wife when I get lost at Home Depot. Total usage on my phone year-to-date is 37 minutes.

I had never really considered using a PAYG plan before. Like some here, I felt I was above such things. My credit score is still in the toilet after my divorce compared to what it used to be, but it's not that bad that I couldn't get a loan if I needed it, and obviously not bad enough to not get a cell phone contract. I'm not a drug dealer. And I haven't qualified for food stamps since my 4th year in the navy (no, not kidding). And I drive a BMW... aren't I the bomb?!

But after reading the discussions here, I'm taking a serious look at the phone PAYG plans. Heck, my Starbucks card is prepaid; what's wrong with my phone being so? The theoretical subject of a PAYG BMW came up, and I thought of some friends that live in big cities (Boston and San Fran specifically) that don't own cars. When they want to go for a weekend outing, they rent. The 4 or 5 times a year they shell out for a Jaguar S-Type or Grand Caravan for a long weekend is still less than they'd pay for even a Kia Rio plus insurance and a place to park for a year. Who cares if they can afford it, it's financially irresponsible, and "being cheap" allows them to have nicer vacations.

Then there's the question of why I would shell out $500+ for a device that I'm intentionally "crippling". Umm, it's a widescreen iPod, for one - PAYG doesn't affect that. I can use the phone if I have to (no second/third phone to carry around) - PAYG doesn't affect that either. While at Starbucks or Schlotzky's down the road from work, I can still check my e-mail and surf the web during lunch - so I can't use the data/web features at will, wherever I get phone service. Big deal. Maybe the American wireless providers will follow the European lead and offer reasonable data pricing, but I doubt it. I see too many people paying $8 for popcorn at the theater...

 

[Hollis]

I think you need to re-read my posts. I never said worthiness is a prerequisite for owning an iPhone. I did say that if you think you deserve or are entitled to an iPhone then you should probably read the Bill of Rights that I posted.

I think you need to realize that Mr. Tatoo is not 100% entitled to an iPhone either. The fact of the matter is, I plan on using Pay as you go service on an iPhone. Tatoo plans on having a plan. If AT&T offers both, we are equally entitled to an iPhone since AT&T is appeasing both of our needs. Flat out, that is the point. The fact that Tatoo thinks that since PAYG services are for rednecks is the part that makes him a snob, NOT the fact that he thinks someone is not entitled to the iPhone.

The point is: Tatoo believes that he is entitled to the iPhone but nobody who wishes to use PAYG service isn't.

And he is flat out wrong.

Now, why you are wrong.

Apple offers the iPhone for $600. If the said iPhone is available, and the customer has $600. THEN YES. THAT PERSON IS ENTITLED TO AN iPhone.

Anyone having both the willingness and money to buy a product that is avaiable for purchase is entitled to that object. Read an Economics book, seriously.

You did not even post the correct Bill of Rights by the way.

 

[Hollis]

lol@ using the iPhone to visit web pages as a novelty device. Your the first person to want a $600 Smart phone using a "Walmart prepaid Card" to seldom use the phone for 10 mins a month. Sounds like you DONT need a Smart phone.

Next I will hear you say......
Im going to rent a BMW for $79.00 a day (Pay as you go). I cant afford a $700.00 car payment per month (Regular Cell phone plan) but hell - I only drive 10 miles a month. So when I drive I will rent the BMW for a day cause thats all I need and use. Sounds like you DONT need a BMW as well.

First of all. The iPhone is NOT just a cell phone. It connects to the internet, it is a Full Screen iPod. Some people see these features as worth $500-$600. If I am not going to use the cell phone features as much as the plans cover and I can PAYG for cheaper. Why should I waste my money and pay the full plan when AT&T offers the coverage I need? YOu seriously need to get off the PAYG = Poor stuff, it's seriously retarded and you're sounding like a thick headed biggot in ever post in this thread.

Horrible analogy since like I said, the iPhone has a vast amount of features that have nothing to do with cell phone service. I think that a Full Screen iPod, Web browser, And excellent video player is worth the money. BUT I DON'T NEED 1000 minutes and unlimted data transfer, so why not just PAYG when it fulfil my needs?

Seriously, do you not understand that?

 

[Gleidus]

HAHAHA I love the fact that apple isn't going to let the greedy cell phone companies to get all the money.

 

[DaveGee]

I'm not sure if this point has been brought up before (probably has, I'm just too lazy to read the entire thread) but...

On the question as to IF the iPhone requires a contract or not...

The truth is the iPhone will only fully work (with all of its features) on the Cingular/ATT network. This is until such a time when the following things happen.

1 - Someone finds a way to unlock the phone (unknown issue at this point)

2 - The other carriers makes the changes needed to their network in order for the iPhone do do the voodoo that it do. (totally out of our control as to if/when they will do this )

So contract or not if you get an iPhone you're pretty much locked into Cingular for the foreseeable future anyway.

Dave

 

[Ugg]

I think the PAYG for iPhone would be fantastic, personally. I had been considering getting the iPhone, but really couldn't justify the cost of (American priced) voice + data plans. Heck, I'm hard pressed to justify the cost of my current plan - a second line for $10/month on a family plan. I hardly use it, as I have a company phone for the overwhelming majority of my calls. My personal phone gets used to locate my wife when I get lost at Home Depot. Total usage on my phone year-to-date is 37 minutes.

I had never really considered using a PAYG plan before. Like some here, I felt I was above such things. My credit score is still in the toilet after my divorce compared to what it used to be, but it's not that bad that I couldn't get a loan if I needed it, and obviously not bad enough to not get a cell phone contract. I'm not a drug dealer. And I haven't qualified for food stamps since my 4th year in the navy (no, not kidding). And I drive a BMW... aren't I the bomb?!

But after reading the discussions here, I'm taking a serious look at the phone PAYG plans. Heck, my Starbucks card is prepaid; what's wrong with my phone being so? The theoretical subject of a PAYG BMW came up, and I thought of some friends that live in big cities (Boston and San Fran specifically) that don't own cars. When they want to go for a weekend outing, they rent. The 4 or 5 times a year they shell out for a Jaguar S-Type or Grand Caravan for a long weekend is still less than they'd pay for even a Kia Rio plus insurance and a place to park for a year. Who cares if they can afford it, it's financially irresponsible, and "being cheap" allows them to have nicer vacations.

Then there's the question of why I would shell out $500+ for a device that I'm intentionally "crippling". Umm, it's a widescreen iPod, for one - PAYG doesn't affect that. I can use the phone if I have to (no second/third phone to carry around) - PAYG doesn't affect that either. While at Starbucks or Schlotzky's down the road from work, I can still check my e-mail and surf the web during lunch - so I can't use the data/web features at will, wherever I get phone service. Big deal. Maybe the American wireless providers will follow the European lead and offer reasonable data pricing, but I doubt it. I see too many people paying $8 for popcorn at the theater...

Excellent post!

Anyone who is buying the iPhone simply for it's phone capabilities doesn't get it. I spend $60 a year for my Virgin Mobile phone. I use it about 2 or 3 times a month so it's really pointless to lock myself into a two year contract that's going to cost me $480 or more per year.

The savings means that I can buy an iPhone, use it to replace my 4G iPod and email using wifi even when I'm not at home.

Why waste money on things I don't need? Too many here seem to subscribe to the American Ideal that spending money is virtuous, whereas saving it is a crime against humanity.

 

[Ugg]

Bad score = High Interest rates/Big Deposit (pay as you go plans )
Great score = Lower Interest Rates/Lower Risk for default on paying back creditors.

Shows you how ignorant you are about the whole deal. All you have to do is go buy a phone, put in the sim card, charge the battery, call an 800 number and bingo, you can start calling. The days of the deposit for prepaid phones are long gone. Hopefully you soon will be too...

 

[DataNoh]

Pay as you go

Wow, this thread has gotten off-topic. But I feel like chiming in. It is inaccurate to say that anybody on a pre-paid phone is in a lower social class, or that there is even anything wrong with having lower income. Some people simply don't use cell phones enough to justify the high costs of contracts -- in my experience, anyway; while I was under contract with Cingular, I was paying about $40 a month, and now I'm paying about $10 prepaid. Saving money is always a good thing, no matter who you are, because that's money that can go towards other gadgets, travel, charity... whatever your priorities are.

Also, while I was living in Europe, pre-paid wasn't nearly the scam it is here in the US, so it's even more cost-effective if you're not the type to make a mobile phone call every half-hour.

But anyway, this is all pretty moot. This device is a cell phone. Either by contract or prepaid, you will end up paying for calls and internet use you make with it. If you don't use a cell phone enough to justify having a contract, you probably don't really need a $500 phone. Paying that much money for anything that you will use infrequently does seem like a bad idea, no matter what your income level.

 

[severe]

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/06/27/att.publishes.iphone.faq/

"Current GoPhone customers need to activate their iPhones on a new account with a new phone number, however, and existing customers cannot swap out SIM cards to use the iPhone straight away. AT&T is also offering a 14-day return policy for iPhones, but requires that customers return the device to the original point of purchase. A 10 percent restocking fee is charged unless the phone is returned unopened and in its original shrink wrapping."

 

[Ugg]

http://www.macnn.com/articles/07/06/27/att.publishes.iphone.faq/

"Current GoPhone customers need to activate their iPhones on a new account with a new phone number, however, and existing customers cannot swap out SIM cards to use the iPhone straight away. AT&T is also offering a 14-day return policy for iPhones, but requires that customers return the device to the original point of purchase. A 10 percent restocking fee is charged unless the phone is returned unopened and in its original shrink wrapping."

So, there's hope that pre paid is an option. It's a deal breaker for me so let's hope it's true.