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Thinking/Wishing about getting iPhone...AT&T Family Plan????

zagato27

zagato27

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Aug 10, 2003
1,541
3,653
The Hill
Gosh, I feel reallllllly stoooooopid asking this question but here goes. I have a AT&T family plan with four phones (mine, wife's, daugher, and son...all SE W810's). I've had this plan for over 2 yrs and would love to upgrade to iPhone's for all. I know that I would have to purchase the data plan and wouldn't mind a reasonable increase in my rates but if I have to get a data plan for each of the four phones that would be too costly. So, my question is: does AT&T offer a family data plan that would cover four iPhones or would I have to get a data plan for each phone. I'm so :confused:
Thanks in advance. Cheers
 
So, an additional $120/month(4 phones @ $30/month).....plus the cost of 4 iPhones......YIKES! Ok, just too rich for me. Have to wait til I'm down to only 2 cell phones;) (me and she). Cheers
 
zagato27 said:
So, an additional $120/month(4 phones @ $30/month).....plus the cost of 4 iPhones......YIKES! Ok, just too rich for me. Have to wait til I'm down to only 2 cell phones;) (me and she). Cheers
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Yeah on the Family Plan, the first phone would be about $70 and the other phones would be $9.99 plus the $30 data plan. Then if you add family messaging, that's another $30 so it can get very expensive simply because it's an iPhone with a required data plan. BlackBerrys would be the same way.
 
You would not need to make all 4 iPhones. Just to throw another option out there. You could stay on the family plan with all 4 and choose to add only 1 or 2 iPhoens and then you would only have to add 1 or 2 data plans respectively.
 
Why dont you and your wife just get one or just for yourself. Would doubt that the kids all need iphones too, that would be to much money.
 
Rob Mclovin said:
Why dont you and your wife just get one or just for yourself. Would doubt that the kids all need iphones too, that would be to much money.
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only way I would add kids to my family plan with iphones is if they helped pay for some of the cost. That way they will also respect the device more and I would hope be more careful about misplacing it or destroying it.

I would say 14 is the youngest age I'd get a child an iphone. Either they helped pay for their phone by baby sitting or paper routes.

No free rides. It teaches kids the opposite lesson that you want them to learn in life.
 
Barbs said:
only way I would add kids to my family plan with iphones is if they helped pay for some of the cost. That way they will also respect the device more and I would hope be more careful about misplacing it or destroying it.

I would say 14 is the youngest age I'd get a child an iphone. Either they helped pay for their phone by baby sitting or paper routes.

No free rides. It teaches kids the opposite lesson that you want them to learn in life.
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Ehh id go at the max 16 if i had a kid. 14 there still immature. At 16 they can start working.
 
Barbs said:
only way I would add kids to my family plan with iphones is if they helped pay for some of the cost. That way they will also respect the device more and I would hope be more careful about misplacing it or destroying it.

I would say 14 is the youngest age I'd get a child an iphone. Either they helped pay for their phone by baby sitting or paper routes.

No free rides. It teaches kids the opposite lesson that you want them to learn in life.
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Well, both kids are in college, so they're old enough. Paper routes might be a bit of a stretch:) Their full time job is getting good grades to maintain their scholarships. I'll think about it though.
 
zagato27 said:
Well, both kids are in college, so they're old enough. Paper routes might be a bit of a stretch:) Their full time job is getting good grades to maintain their scholarships. I'll think about it though.
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If they're on scholarship sounds like they are responsible kids? I'd get them iPhones and not worry about the cost, they're probably saving you way more than what you would spend on their phones. It is almost Christmas anyway!

Although, maybe you should just get yourself one to try it out and make sure it would be worthwhile before taking the plunge for the rest of the family. :)
 
beeh said:
If they're on scholarship sounds like they are responsible kids? I'd get them iPhones and not worry about the cost, they're probably saving you way more than what you would spend on their phones. It is almost Christmas anyway!
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Excellent point! Responsible kids....definitely! Yes, to the saving too. However, things can be tight with two kids in college at the same time.

beeh said:
Although, maybe you should just get yourself one to try it out and make sure it would be worthwhile before taking the plunge for the rest of the family. :)
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What an idea! Arrrrrrgggggghhh, don't think everyone would understand though:)
 
get your own iphone, and one for your wife if she wants one. the kids are old enough that they can pay for their data plan if they want iphones.

i didn't have a phone until i was 18 and paid for it myself. i had to work hard to pay for my phones and plans over the year. (working 2 jobs, going to college, and on scholarships). If they are responsible kids, they can manage $30-40 a month.
 
Have you thought of going with a Tmobile family plan? You could buy the iphones(maybe first gen ones for the kids to save money) then just use them with Tmobile.


Unlimited EDGE data would be $24 per month per phone.

IMO the iphone is still a great device to have even if you don't have data. Its basically your simple phone+iTouch all in one.
 
kinkster said:
Have you thought of going with a Tmobile family plan? You could buy the iphones(maybe first gen ones for the kids to save money) then just use them with Tmobile.


Unlimited EDGE data would be $24 per month per phone.

IMO the iphone is still a great device to have even if you don't have data. Its basically your simple phone+iTouch all in one.
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Uh...that's $4 more than unlimited EDGE for AT&T, plus AT&T comes with 200 free text.

Great idea, let's pay more and switch!
 
Tmobile will treat it as an unsupported phone so you won't have to get data like you do on ATT.


If he doesn't need data on all the phones, as I was reccomending.
 
kinkster said:
Tmobile will treat it as an unsupported phone so you won't have to get data like you do on ATT.


If he doesn't need data on all the phones, as I was reccomending.
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Might as well just get a Touch...and spend half the $400.
 
ZiggyPastorius said:
Or they could save $400 and deal with the extra couple of ounces...
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I think your underestimating how much carrying around a couple extra ounces around is. Realistically they wouldn't end up carrying around a cell phone and an itouch, and having one device is allot easier to deal with.
 
kinkster said:
I think your underestimating how much carrying around a couple extra ounces around is. Realistically they wouldn't end up carrying around a cell phone and an itouch, and having one device is allot easier to deal with.
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seriously, why would you buy an used iphone at $400 and not have data subscription.
 
Because data is really expensive. The iphone is still a nice device to carry around without having data.
 
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