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Apple and AT&T Announce iPhone Service Plans
Posted by
Zonk
on Tue Jun 26, 2007 09:24 AM
from the they're-going-to-zing-you dept.
from the they're-going-to-zing-you dept.
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.)"
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A few other notes (Score:5, Informative)
- Since one would presume the iPod functionality of the device still needs to work when the contract expires, there is probably going to be a fairly easy hack/workaround to use only the iPod functionality (e.g., perhaps just a file sitting somewhere, a la
- It will be interesting to see whether AT&T will unlock the phone on request, as they do for other GSM phones (for international travel and prepaid SIMs), and if that is the case, how well other carriers' networks work with iPhone (obviously sans things like Visual Voicemail).
- Still no word on battery replacement specifics, but it seems safe to assume that iPhone is the same as iPod in this respect; namely, that it is sealed and that the battery isn't "user accessible", but that there will still be plenty of ways to replace the battery [ipodbatteryfaq.com] yourself or via third parties if you so choose (battery failure under warranty would be covered by the warranty [ipodbatteryfaq.com]). I'm going to be tracking this issue here [ipodbatteryfaq.com].
- Still no word on insurance or AppleCare, but since all iPods have AppleCare options ($59 for two years), iPhone probably will as well.
- Two more days to determine this for certain, but it appears that if only the iPod/syncing functionality (or first time setup, anyway) is what is tied with iTunes activation, WiFi via the browser will probably work fine as-is without a contract. Note: it is not certain that this is the case, but it seems likely. (Just a point of information; not stating this as inconrtovertible fact. The only way this might not be the case is if the entire phone is just locked until activated, which seems unlikely.)
- Also remains to be seen how "hackable" the phone is in general. Here's to hoping.
2nd gen? -- rubbish (Score:5, Funny)
According to the rumor mills, the 4th gen may also come in watermellon red, which as far as I'm concerned is the color of Kings.
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Re:A few MORE notes (Score:4, Insightful)
Sleazy? What a strange word to use here. I think you overestimate the importance of Slashdot karma... and probably of Slashdot in general. Most of us like to browse Slashdot, looking for some interesting news, and partake in the discussions. Karma helps us get our points across, but for most of us, it's not the end of the world if we lose some now and again. In any case, it's pretty judgmental to assume that dave is preparing to launch an assault on some Slashdot sacred cow, and he doesn't have any links in his posts (in a sig or in the header) to a commercial site or blog, only his webpage at his school, so he's not making money off of people reading his posts.
Let's all take a break from our computers now and step outside for some fresh air.
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Yes but (Score:4, Funny)
Unlimited Data. (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Unlimited Data. (Score:4, Insightful)
Maximum transfer rate per second * 60 seconds * 60 minutes * 24 hours * 31 days.
That should give you your monthly limit.
Anything below that should be called "limited".
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Re:Unlimited Data. (Score:4, Informative)
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iPod functionality (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:iPod functionality (Score:5, Insightful)
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Re:iPod functionality (Score:5, Informative)
It's a great looking iPod and I'd be tempted if it were a little cheaper even with just 8Gb. But I live in the UK so we're not going to see it until Christmas anyway.
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Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Alternate carriers (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Alternate carriers (Score:4, Informative)
You misunderstand what "visual voicemail" is. It has nothing to do with video, but means that you can browse your voice mail messages visually via the phone interface, giving you random access to them rather than the sequential access you normally have. So people who keep all their voicemail can pick one out of the bunch by simply scrolling to it instead of whatever kludgy audio keypad-based navigation they normally have when they dial into their carrier's VM system.
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AT&T? (Score:5, Funny)
Man, it sure is expensive these days to get illegally wiretapped.
Re IPhone (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: Treo 650, etc. (Score:4, Informative)
http://google.com/gmm/treo [google.com]
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Rate plan not so bad.... (Score:4, Interesting)
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.
There's method to that madness... (Score:4, Informative)
IIRC they have a blurb in the TOS of the $20 plan saying you may not use the handset as a modem and they certainly do their damnedest to try and prevent you from using that feature, though basic GPRS is pretty crap on their network. I just got a 3G data card and they want $50/month for "unlimited" data for that.
I wonder if the SIM card trick would work on it. I mean, they had to assign it a telephone number (quoi?), so methinks they might not be able to tell the difference.
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SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER? WTF? (Score:5, Informative)
System Requirements
Social Security number? WTF? This is 2007, companies that want my business should need my social security number.
As the Social Security Administrationtells us, [ssa.gov] "Your number is confidential... You should be careful about sharing your number with anyone who asks for it (even when you are provided with a benefit or service)." I reluctantly give it to banks and brokerages who need it for tax purposes. I very, very reluctantly give it to medical organizations.
A phone company? No, thank you.
Re:SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER? WTF? (Score:5, Interesting)
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Re:SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER? WTF? (Score:4, Informative)
Once more, if you loose your password to the AT&T or Verizon websites, I have seen both sites require a SSN for password recovery.
Tracfone and some other pay-as-you-go plans don't require any such sillyness.
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Re:SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER? WTF? (Score:5, Interesting)
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74GB capacity? (Score:5, Interesting)
http://bayimg.com/LAcLFaabd [bayimg.com]
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?
Re:For the Love of Money (Score:5, Informative)
So, people aren't interested in this?
Ooookayyyy...
You want me to spend a minimum of $59.99/mo. + $499 for an iPhone?
No, I don't "want" anyone to do anything, other than know that plans have been released for iPhone.
Which is what a lot of people have been waiting for.
Which is why I submitted the story.
What else can you expect from a fat cat sconnie who prides himself on the BMWs he's owned and lists his top 'interest' as Apple?
Sorry I didn't submit as AC. Maybe I will next time to please you! And "fat can sconnie". Heh.
Also, I must deeply apologize for being interested in Apple. I know it's a rare ailment, and that it must offend you greatly. I'm almost shedding a tear!
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Re:For the Love of Money (Score:4, Informative)
I just submitted it because one of the most awaited pieces of information about iPhone was its plans, and since every other story here and on other tech blogs lately seems to be about iPhone...well, you get the idea.
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Re:For the Love of Money (Score:5, Informative)
I dunno what the big deal is. In the US, you buy a phone and you're signing a 1 or 2 year contract, that is the norm here.
My phone with SprintPCS is about $80/mo, unlimited nights and weekends...I think about 1000 anytime minutes, SMS is extra, but, I don't use that much, nor do I ever come close to the daytime minutes. I have the full Vision plan...unlimited data, picture mail...and since I 'unlocked' the bluetooth modem capabilities in my Samsung A900...I can tether it to my laptop as needed.
The latter point, is the main reason I'm not going with the iPhone in Jan. when my current contract is up. It isn't price, it is the stated fact [macworld.com] that iPhone will NOT allow tethering to a laptop as a modem as part of their 'unlimited' data plan.
The price and monthly cost is no big deal to me....but, I want my tethering capability.
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Re:For the Love of Money (Score:4, Insightful)
I heard the other day on NPR how it was difficult for Apple or any other hardware manufactuer to get into the phone market because of the service cartel. Personally, I think talking about $80/mo as if its nothing is crazy. I pay like $30/mo for my phone and I think I'm getting ripped off (~ 12-15 of that is taxes and fees and other crap).
I simply don't understand how I can use the internet for $20-40/mo, unlimited "minutes" worldwide access, but talking to someone on the phone frequently costs more?
To me, in 2007, phone service should be less than $20/mo, but being that people are willing to spend over $100/household for phones, the phone service people will gladly take their money.
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Re:Unlimited data, eh? (Score:5, Informative)
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Re:Unlimited data, eh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Without Flash or Java? I'd say pretty damn hard.
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Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Ah ha! (Score:5, Insightful)
I think you may have just hit on the very reason why Apple isn't supporting 3rd party apps. I'll bet the deal with AT&T had some sort of language to prevent this very thing since many of the iPhone's coolest features require a lot of data access. Since non-unlimited data plans are nightmarishly expensive if you're a heavy web user (like I am), it seems almost a prerequisite that iPhone plans come with unlimited data.
Naturally, this opens up the very possibility you just mentioned, so both AT&T and Apple are probably very keen on making sure that it doesn't happen. Hence, no iPhone SDK for 3rd parties. All the bluster about controlling the experience is probably just that -- bluster meant to distract from the real issue.
Why else would Apple cripple a brand new platform that could fuel a rush of developers for them except to appease AT&T?
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Re:Ah ha! (Score:4, Interesting)
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Re:Ah ha! (Score:5, Insightful)
I think you may have just hit on the very reason why Apple isn't supporting 3rd party apps. I'll bet the deal with AT&T had some sort of language to prevent this very thing since many of the iPhone's coolest features require a lot of data access.
Indeed. Having worked in wireless myself, down in the customer support trenches, I can tell you that most carriers rue the dawn of Treo's and Win smartphones and such. If they could take it all back without blatantly appearing to be the complete and utter bastards what that they are then they certainly would faster than a 10khz tone drops an old fashion amps call.
Enter his Steveness wielding the iPhone. It does a few nifty tricks heretofore unseen from cellphones and oh, look, it's an iPod too. "Smartphone schmartphone" sez AT&T execs, "it's an iPhone and that's different. Make Mr. Jobs tweak the reality distortion field to our liking. He will acquiesce if he wants his precious to ever touch a network like ours, Muwahahaha!" Making a deal with a carrier is akin to making a deal with the dark one himself. I'd not be surprised if the iPhone has shed features along the way, features some of us have been bitching for. I've seen this first hand many times. Think Motorola and Verizon for example. Or Nokia and most any US carrier. And need I remind you how supposedly Jobs had approached VZW first who then sent him packing? It's my observation that most of us will never again see the day of newer "smart" phones getting to market 100% unmolested and in their original state as intended by the manufacturers.
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Re:Ah ha! (Score:5, Informative)
Wow: nice conspiracy theory. According to Merrill Lynch, return rates at HTC (the world's largest maker of Windows Mobile phone) at 2.2%, against an industry average of 3%. So, those "nightmare" return rates are... made up.
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Re:Ah ha! (Score:4, Insightful)
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Handled on the network (Score:5, Funny)
Not an issue; that functionality is already handled by AT&T.
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Re:Ah ha! (Score:4, Interesting)
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).
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Re:Alternate Carriers (Score:4, Informative)
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Re:Alternate Carriers (Score:5, Interesting)
Here is who's carrying it:
- Apple retail stores [apple.com]
- Apple online store [apple.com]
- AT&T corporate stores [att.com] (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.
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Re:Alternate Carriers (Score:4, Funny)
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Re:Alternate Carriers (Score:4, Interesting)
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 [roughlydrafted.com]
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.
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Re:Alternate Carriers (Score:4, Interesting)
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
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Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Also, they make it super easy to transfer an existing number. Bravo Apple!!
Re:Alternate Carriers (Score:5, Interesting)
Lines should move fairly quickly.
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Re:Slashdot is against the wrong monopoly (Score:4, Insightful)
You can't do the same in the PC market. You will grow grey hairs before Dell or HP or any other PC maker will offer you real options in your OS. Sure, a few token free OS offerings to hobbyists, but no commercial competition, and no hope for that situation to change. It's been the same since the early 90s. That's a monopoly.
Avoiding Windows is like trying to avoid roads or money. Sure you can barter and live in a cave, but there is really no option to avoiding Windows. You can easily avoid any products from Apple and find all sorts of competitive alternatives.
Apple: iPhone Now Costs Less than Ballmer's Lame Motorola Q [roughlydrafted.com]
After earlier blowing apart iPhone battery panic with an announcement of 8 hours of talk time, Apple dropped yet another bombshell upon "business as usual" in the mobile market.
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Re:Plans are not cheap (Score:4, Informative)
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Re:Who came up with these prices? (Score:5, Insightful)
Bentley Vs My Car (VW Passat)
Both have 4 doors. Tie
Both Seat 5 People. Tie
Both drive on the same roads and get the passengers from A to B. Tie
Fuel Consumption. My car is better. Win my car
Price. My car is about 1/10th the price. Win my car
Speed, the Bentley is faster although given both a limited most of the time by the law and traffic conditions. Just win for the Bentley
Space. Win Bentley
Insurance cost. Win my car.
So is my car better then a Bentley. Nope although it is better value then a Bentley. It also doesn't go into all the little detail that make a Bentley better quality of finish etc. just like you fail to mention the experience of using the iPhone.
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Re:Who came up with these prices? (Score:4, Interesting)
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.
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Re:Who came up with these prices? (Score:4, Interesting)
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?
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