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Tiered Data Plans Coming To the iPhone?

Posted by kdawson on from the too-good-to-last dept.

jfruhlinger writes "For years analysts have been insisting that Apple must introduce a cheaper iPhone, and soon. So, when Business Week heard that cheaper plans were coming, it reported the news in a positively giddy tone. But, I'm convinced that this is an under-the-radar move to shift to tiered data plans. Everyone who loves their all-you-can-eat iPhone data: enjoy it while it lasts."

7 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. I don't live in the US you insensitive clod by Norsefire · · Score: 4, Informative

    Everyone who loves their all-you-can-eat iPhone data: enjoy it while it lasts."

    In New Zealand on our iPhone plans,

    • the most expensive, $130/month, gets us 500MB.
    • The cheapest, $40/month, gets us 250MB.

    All only available on a 24 month contract. My heart bleeds you for America.

    1. Re:I don't live in the US you insensitive clod by Isaac-Lew · · Score: 3, Informative
      Live rates at 2009.05.19 13:55:38 UTC

      130.00 NZD = 78.1904 USD

      (According to www.xe.com)

  2. Re:economics by mcvos · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm really surprised to read that an iPhone subscription in the US costs $70 per month. Do people really buy iPhones at that cost? I'm paying EUR 30 per month, and although the euro is worth more than the dollar nowadays, it's not that much more. $70 is hideously expensive, and $70 without thethering is just criminal.

    I'm glad to see a tech gadget cheaper in Netherland than in the US though. Must have been a first.

  3. Re:economics by jasen666 · · Score: 2, Informative

    No. I have an iPhone on T-Mobile. My dataplan is an an extra $20 on top of my normal rate. I don't use many minutes, so have a cheap plan to start with, so my total monthly is around $50.

  4. Euro-Symbol by atrocious+cowpat · · Score: 3, Informative

    PS: Slashdot doesn't handle the Euro symbol properly. Looks like â.

    Apparently the HTML-Entity works, I saw it in another thread:
    & euro ; (withot the spaces) gives you: €.
    Viola. :)

    --
    sig? Oh, that sig...
  5. Re:I just wish I could use my existing AT&T pl by Scyber · · Score: 2, Informative

    I never tracked it precisely, but after getting the calls I checked my usage and every time it was over 1GB for the month. I used to use the phone tethered to my laptop during my commute (90 minute each way). I no longer have such a long commute, so I don't use nearly as much data.

  6. Re:Better make sure that phone continues to work. by bkaul · · Score: 2, Informative

    AT&T phones use SIM cards. You can pop your card into an unlocked phone that you buy somewhere other than an AT&T store with no problem - no new activation required. (I'm actually using an HP iPAQ 614c, which isn't even sold in the US.) You only need to cave and sign the new contract if you want them to subsidize your phone.