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Apple and AT&T Announce iPhone Service Plans
daveschroeder writes "Apple and AT&T today announced service plans for iPhone, 4 days before its release in the US at 6pm local time on Friday, June 29. The plans are $59.99/mo for 450 minutes, $79.99 for 900 minutes, and $99.99 for 1350 minutes, and all include unlimited data, 200 SMS messages, rollover minutes, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. Any other standard AT&T service plan may also be used. A two year service plan is required, with a $175 cancellation fee if terminated early. In addition, activations are done via iTunes, so only the hardware is purchased in the store. Interestingly, activation of a contract via iTunes is required to enable the iPod/syncing functionality of the phone as well. (It will remain to be seen whether there are workarounds for this for those who only want the iPod functionality of iPhone, and whether the iPhone is easily unlockable for those who wish to try it on alternate carriers, and so on.)"
(It will remain to be seen whether there are workarounds for this for those who only want the iPod functionality of iPhone, and whether the iPhone is easily unlockable for those who wish to try it on alternate carriers, and so on.)
Apparently, Apple had to make AT&T make changes to the voicemail system to accommodate some nifty features, so if you switched carriers, you might lose voicemail.
Nope...The iPhone is exclusive to AT&Tingular for a "Multi year exclusive" So...unless someone finds a way to unlock it, the iPhone at AT&T are married for a minimum of 2 years in the USA...there has been speculation that it's a 5 year exclusive for the USA, but no one knows for sure yet.
:)
According to the article, you buy the phone from apple or AT&T unactivated...You then use iTunes to activate the phone and your plan. It seems Apple wanted total control over the unboxing and activation experience...they didn't want oily prepubescent AT&T sales reps get their greasy fingerprints all over someone's brand new iPhone
Actually, it's not quite that simple.
Here is who's carrying it:
- Apple retail stores
- Apple online store
- AT&T corporate stores (not corporate kiosks or resellers initially, but those may come in the future)
As to the other points:
Yes, it's always been generally said that iPhone would require a two year contract, but what was said at the keynote was that the agreement between Apple and AT&T was a "multi year exclusive", which has subsequently been revealed to be five years. Until today, it appeared that AT&T would be selling the phones with mandatory activation, whereas you could just walk out with a phone from the Apple store. So, a lot of people were hoping that the phone was hackable or easily unlockable, so as to use it with other carriers. If the iTunes activation thing is easily worked around AND the phone is unlockable in some way, then you might be able to move it to another carrier. The worst case scenario - assuming the phone is unlockable - is that you sign on with AT&T, have them unlock the phone after 90 days (assuming it's unlockable in this way), cancel the contract, and move to another carrier. Obviously, a lot of people are hoping they can just buy the hardware, unlock it somehow, and use it on the carrier of their choice. That may still be possible, but we really won't know until people start playing with these things.
Also...check out http://www.apple.com/iphone/usingiphone/activation .html for a video on how to activate using iTunes...It would seem that this is the same for iPhones bought at AT&T stores and Apple Stores. So...lines should be quick...just go in, pay for the phone, and go home to activate... None of this activating a plan and taking 30 minutes to get going bull that normally comes with buying a cell phone...In, Pay, Out, Activate.
Lines should move fairly quickly.
Last phone I bought was a Treo 650, thnking that I will be using the applications. A year later I use my phone for " Making phone calls".
I currently pay $60 for 450 mins, unlimited data, and 1500 text messages for my Treo with Cingular. Thing is, I bought the Treo on eBay, and I swapped SIM cards from my old Motorola. So as far as Cingular is concerned, I'm still using that. They normally want to charge $40/month for unlimted data for Treos (as opposed to the $20 I'm currenly paying), which doesnt really make sense since unlimited dats is unlimited data.
With that in mind this isn't too bad of a deal. It's the same as what I'm paying though 200 text messages instead of 1500. I assume there will be iChat for the iPhone which will use the data plan, so that won't be so bad.
A sentence you'll never see on an Internet discussion board: "You know what? You're right."
I believe that's for the credit check they run on you. Thus, the proper anger should be about why the phone company needs to run a credit check on you and/or why a social security number is required to do so.
11 was a racehorse
12 was 12
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Did anyone else notice this screenshot in the video?
http://bayimg.com/LAcLFaabd
It shows an iPhone with 75GB of storage. Earlier in the video they show the storage as 8GB.
Any speculation as to a hard drive version becoming available sometime soon?
I would be surprised if Apple didn't demand that AT&&T make unlimited data a manadory requirement to carrying the phone. Phone companies vary in price but every phone typically has data packages as secondary options. People who don't realize the data usage might be high refuse the purchase and pay for the kilobyte transfer or buy reduced programs, earning the carriers extra money for overages. Presuming that data transfer will be high on the iPhone, Apple thought to stem off complaints by removing the option.
Isn't that the same company that is stonewalling the investigations into illegal wiretaps of Americans?
Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
I couldn't build that plan out on the Sprint website. I can get 900 minutes for $59.99 but Unlimited EVDO for that phone is $39.99 (called "Unlimited Data Plan for Phone as Modem"), Insurance is $7 (called "Total Equipment Protection"). That is $106.98 per month by my math.
I assume you get no text messages since you didn't mention that but with Sprint those are 300 for $5 or unlimited for $10. Oh, and of course the phone which (subsidized) is still $400.
Can you help us out on how to get your deal?
Not to be a picker of nits... but the Bentley's insurance isn't necessarily more expensive.
Contrary to popular belief, insurance rates are determined by the frequency/cost of medical claims far more than the cost of auto body repair work... because medical claims are, by comparison, astronomical.
Case in point: I paid slightly less insurance on a Mercedes Benz than I am paying on my VW... the Benz performs better in 40mph frontal offset crash tests with little or no intrusion into the cabin. The Benzes are tanks... I've seen footage of two 100mph crashes on the Autobahn where the occupants of the vehicle got up and walked away.
I don't know the case with the Bentley specfically, but it is very possible that the insurance rates could be less given the number of safety features typical of luxury vehicles.
unlimited = limited read the fine print! Just like everyone else there is no free lunch: Prohibited and Permissible Uses: Data Service sessions may be conducted only for the following purposes: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) email; and (iii) corporate intranet access (including access to corporate email, customer relationship management, sales force automation, and field service automation applications). Prohibited uses include, but are not limited to, using Services: (i) with server devices or with host computer applications, including, without limitation, Web camera posts or broadcasts, continuous jpeg file transfers, automatic data feeds, telemetry applications, automated functions or any other machine-to-machine applications; (ii) as substitute or backup for private lines or dedicated data connections; (iii) for Voice over IP; (iv) in conjunction with WWAN or other applications or devices which aggregate usage from multiple sources prior to transmission; (V) Using the Services for any activity that adversely affects the ability of other people or systems to use either the Services or other parties' Internet-based resources including, but not limited to excessive consumption of network or system resources (whether intentional or unintentional) and "denial of service" (DoS) attacks against another network host or individual user; or (vi) Interference with or disruption of other network users, network services or network equipment. except for CONTENT formatted in accordance with AT&T's CONTENT standards, Unlimited plans cannot be used for uploading, downloading or streaming of video content (e.g. movies, TV), music or games. Furthermore, unlimited plans (except for DataConnect and Blackberry Tethered) cannot be used for any applications that tether the device (through use of, including without limitation, connection kits, other phone/PDA-to-computer accessories, Bluetooth® or any other wireless technology) to laptops, PCs, or other equipment for any purpose. Service is not intended to provide full-time connections, and the Service may be discontinued after a significant period of inactivity or after sessions of excessive usage. AT&T reserves the right to (i) limit throughput or amount of data transferred, deny Service and/or terminate Service, without notice, to anyone it believes is using the Service in any manner prohibited above or whose usage adversely impacts its network or service levels and (ii) protect its network from harm, which may impact legitimate data flows. You may not send solicitations to AT&T subscribers without their consent. You may not use the Services other than as intended by AT&T and applicable law. Plans are for individual, non-commercial use only and are not for resale. Security: AT&T does not GUARANTEE SECURITY. Data encryption is available with some, but not all, Services sold by AT&T. If you use your device to access company e-mail or information, it is your responsibility to ensure your use complies with your company's internal IT and security procedures. Changes to the terms and conditions: These terms and conditions may be changed from time-to-time. AT&T will post the most current version of these terms and conditions on the MEdia Net web site (www.wireless.att.com/medianet) or other appropriate location. Please check these regularly to inform yourself about changes to the terms and conditions, policies, news, etc.
I never understood that. A company can pull your credit without your SS#. I used to work in the mortgage industry. We just needed a name and an address to get a credit report. A SS# helped, but it wasn't necessary.
Depends. If you listen only to /. you'd think everyone in the world depends almost soley on SMS txt messaging. I guess it depends on your 'world', but, pretty much in my circle...it is very rarely used. I have friends that refuse to pay extra for it, and I myself really only 'discovered' it and the T9 functionality during the aftermath of Katrina, when voice was impossible to any phone in the 504 area code, but, text messaging would go through. I learned to use it then.
With the iPhone, I'd probably be doing the same thing...mostly either voice, or maybe email through my own servers....or picture mail which I do now (since with sprint vision, pic mail is 'free', so I send a pic and type text on it).
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
I'm sorry but as a long time Treo user, I'll have to call you on your crap.
The Treo was cool five years ago because it pioneered the idea of having a Palm PDA with a phone. It hasn't kept up, and Palm OS is creaky and needs a bullet in the head. Even Palm abandoned its own product to deliver a Windows Mobile version, which is actually less functional and more problematic.
I hope the iPhone results in Palm closing down. It really deserves the failure it earned by dumping trash on its own customers.
The Egregious Incompetence of Palm
Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Linux, and Symbian currently power the world's smartphones. How does each stack up against Apple's OS X in the iPhone? This article presents an overview of Palm. Palm's early products actually followed a trajectory strikingly similar to Apple's original Macintosh. Differences in the choices made at Palm provide an interesting glimpse into "what if" scenarios of a parallel universe.