Technology iPhone Rate Plan

[Doctor Grim]

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Is there a minimum rate plan that one must have in order to have an iPhone i.e. 900 min/mo for $59.99 to start?

What is the avg monthly payment for the iPhone?

Thanks.

 

[StatCoder]

$90 to $100 per month or more is probably minimum. I think you just take whatever ATT mobile phone/text msg rate plan you might be on or will choose and add $30/month for data/2 year subsidy of purchase price.

 

[polarbebe]

[GVIDEO][/GVIDEO]the cheapest plan is $70 month which includes 450 rollover minutes, unlimited Internet and no text messages.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I'm getting the 450 $39.99 plan with $5 for 200 texts and the $30 data plan so $75. $70 is the minimum with no texts. We can only choose between texts and minutes. The data plan is fixed. We'll see how many minutes I rack up because my fiancée will no longer be in my mobile to mobile.

 

[Doctor Grim]

I'm getting the 450 $39.99 plan with $5 for 200 texts and the $30 data plan so $75. $70 is the minimum with no texts. We can only choose between texts and minutes. The data plan is fixed. We'll see how many minutes I rack up because my fiancée will no longer be in my mobile to mobile.

Thanks. Is there additional charge for voice control?

Did you order/reserve your iPhone thru the apple website? The lines at my local apple store was rediculous last summer. Hope I don't have to wait too long next Friday.

 

[StatCoder]

Voice control is part of the iPhone OS so there wouldn't be an ATT charge for this.

The lines are always crazy at Apple stores when new iPhones come out. Many people, though, want the Apple Store experience. You can also get the iPhone at an AT&T store which is much less likely to have lines. There will not be nearly as many upgraders this year as last because people who bought the iPhone 3G are not able to buy at the lowest price yet.

Here's an article from PC Mag which explains it well:

The new iPhone 3G S is coming out on June 19. Because it's a mobile phone, the pricing is really difficult to understand. Here's the full deal.

All prices below are for the 16 GB model. For the 32 GB model, add $100. For the old 8 GB iPhone, subtract $100.
If you are an existing AT&T customer who has been in your current contract for at least somewhere between 18 and 22 months (it varies by individual), you pay $199.
If you are a new AT&T customer willing to sign a two-year contract, you will pay $199 plus a $36 activation fee, for a total of $235.
If you are an existing AT&T customer who hasn't been in your current contract for 22 months, and you're willing to extend your contract, you pay $399.
If you want no commitment and no contract, you pay $599 - plus the $36 if you're activating it on a fresh line.
You will want to get AppleCare, which gives you decent service beyond the iPhone's 90-day support period, for up to two years. That's an extra $69.
Now, this means that most folks who signed new contracts for iPhone 3G models a year ago are not eligible for the lowest possible price. That was in your contract. Your two-year contract only gets you a discounted phone every 22 months. You agreed to that.
iPhone service plans are similarly complicated. Here's how they break down.
The iPhone data plan is always $30/month. Don't want a data plan? Get an iPod Touch instead.
On top of that, you can pay $39.99-$99.99 for various amounts of voice minutes. 450 minutes cost $39.99, 900 minutes cost $59.99, 1350 minutes cost $79.99 and unlimited minutes cost $99.99
Text messages cost extra, too: $5 for 200 messages, $15 for 1500 messages and $20 for unlimited messages.
So an iPhone plan can run anywhere from $69.99/month for 450 minutes with no texting to $149.99/month for unlimited minutes and texting.
For more information, check out AT&T's official page on iPhone pricing.

 

[Doctor Grim]

Voice control is part of the iPhone OS so there wouldn't be an ATT charge for this.

The lines are always crazy at Apple stores when new iPhones come out. Many people, though, want the Apple Store experience. You can also get the iPhone at an AT&T store which is much less likely to have lines. There will not be nearly as many upgraders this year as last because people who bought the iPhone 3G are not able to buy at the lowest price yet.

Here's an article from PC Mag which explains it well:

The new iPhone 3G S is coming out on June 19. Because it's a mobile phone, the pricing is really difficult to understand. Here's the full deal.

All prices below are for the 16 GB model. For the 32 GB model, add $100. For the old 8 GB iPhone, subtract $100.
If you are an existing AT&T customer who has been in your current contract for at least somewhere between 18 and 22 months (it varies by individual), you pay $199.
If you are a new AT&T customer willing to sign a two-year contract, you will pay $199 plus a $36 activation fee, for a total of $235.
If you are an existing AT&T customer who hasn't been in your current contract for 22 months, and you're willing to extend your contract, you pay $399.
If you want no commitment and no contract, you pay $599 - plus the $36 if you're activating it on a fresh line.
You will want to get AppleCare, which gives you decent service beyond the iPhone's 90-day support period, for up to two years. That's an extra $69.
Now, this means that most folks who signed new contracts for iPhone 3G models a year ago are not eligible for the lowest possible price. That was in your contract. Your two-year contract only gets you a discounted phone every 22 months. You agreed to that.
iPhone service plans are similarly complicated. Here's how they break down.
The iPhone data plan is always $30/month. Don't want a data plan? Get an iPod Touch instead.
On top of that, you can pay $39.99-$99.99 for various amounts of voice minutes. 450 minutes cost $39.99, 900 minutes cost $59.99, 1350 minutes cost $79.99 and unlimited minutes cost $99.99
Text messages cost extra, too: $5 for 200 messages, $15 for 1500 messages and $20 for unlimited messages.
So an iPhone plan can run anywhere from $69.99/month for 450 minutes with no texting to $149.99/month for unlimited minutes and texting.
For more information, check out AT&T's official page on iPhone pricing.

Very helpful info. Thanks.

 

[polarbebe]

So if I buy the 16 GB iPhone 3G S through Bing at an AT&T store I would pay $259 (less the 35% discount) then if I sell my old iPhone on Ebay which I checked yesterday the going price for used 8GB is around $300. The net cost is then zero, actually make a few bucks.

Except I don't want to sign a new two year contract with AT&T, I will wait for Apple to go to Verizon (the new iPhone isn't that appealing over the current 3G with the added speed to me).

 

[TMP-SMX]

Why would you pay $259? The thing is $199 and $129 after the 35% cash back.

You'll be waiting a while for Verizon. They have to move to 4G when they claim they'll be switching to GSM plus AT&T has exclusive access to the iPhone until at least 2010. They are negotiating for an extension.

As for Bing, I used it successfully and got my confirmation for $94 cash back ($199+$69 for Applecare). I am a new customer. Interestingly enough, people have been successful in getting Bing confirmation despite being upgrade customers when the terms and conditions says pretty clearly that they are not eligible. So YMMV.

@Doctor Grim: Just pre-order through Bing and have AT&T ship it to you. No line-waiting required.

 

[polarbebe]

Why would you pay $259? The thing is $199 and $129 after the 35% cash back.

You'll be waiting a while for Verizon. They have to move to 4G when they claim they'll be switching to GSM plus AT&T has exclusive access to the iPhone until at least 2010. They are negotiating for an extension.

As for Bing, I used it successfully and got my confirmation for $94 cash back ($199+$69 for Applecare). I am a new customer. Interestingly enough, people have been successful in getting Bing confirmation despite being upgrade customers when the terms and conditions says pretty clearly that they are not eligible. So YMMV.

@Doctor Grim: Just pre-order through Bing and have AT&T ship it to you. No line-waiting required.

Because existing cutomers pay more.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I thought you meant you were an original iPhone user and therefore would be eligible for the subsidized price? If you have the 3G you are out of luck for another 6 months or so.

 

[polarbebe]

I thought you meant you were an original iPhone user and therefore would be eligible for the subsidized price? If you have the 3G you are out of luck for another 6 months or so.

Why 6 months? According to the above post in PC Mag its $399 for those current 3G subscribers who haven't been active for at least 22 months.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I believe it is variable what AT&T is saying. I heard it was 18 months for the normal 199/299 subsidized price. After 12 months it is 299/399.

I also read somewhere that the primary account holders are eligible for earlier upgrades.

 

[Doctor Grim]

I'm currently using the 900 min/$59.99 plan but I don't use this much at all with >4500 rolled over min and I'll never finish using.

How or when do I get to down grade it to the 450/$39.99 plan?

I've reserved my phone and will pick it up next Friday at a nearby Apple Store. Will I be able to do it when they help me activate my phone?

 

[espaceLumiere]

Don't forget to see if your hospital qualifies for a discount on the monthly plan. I've heard it varies between 15% (most ppl. get this)-25%(rumors I've heard) and can be applied on anything, from just the data, just the voice, or the entire bill.

 

[silas2642]

I'm getting the 450 $39.99 plan with $5 for 200 texts and the $30 data plan so $75. $70 is the minimum with no texts. We can only choose between texts and minutes. The data plan is fixed. We'll see how many minutes I rack up because my fiancée will no longer be in my mobile to mobile.

Make sure that you check to see that ATT doesn't offer your med school a discount; I know that they offer ours a 15% discount-- it's not much, but ever little bit helps, right? Oops. Didn't see the post right above me.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Yeah I don't get a discount as far as I know. I'll ask around though.

I'm currently using the 900 min/$59.99 plan but I don't use this much at all with >4500 rolled over min and I'll never finish using.

How or when do I get to down grade it to the 450/$39.99 plan?

I've reserved my phone and will pick it up next Friday at a nearby Apple Store. Will I be able to do it when they help me activate my phone?

I think you can change your account plan online. Maybe with the phone itself too? I think you can. If not, then obviously with a phone call. FYI, I've heard that if you switch from a 900 plan to a 450 plan you can only have 450 rollover minutes that come with you. I obviously don't know for sure.

 

[royalchallenge]

Hello,

Could u please let me know how u used bing to get 35% cash back as I'm interested in buying an I phone .

Why would you pay $259? The thing is $199 and $129 after the 35% cash back.

You'll be waiting a while for Verizon. They have to move to 4G when they claim they'll be switching to GSM plus AT&T has exclusive access to the iPhone until at least 2010. They are negotiating for an extension.

As for Bing, I used it successfully and got my confirmation for $94 cash back ($199+$69 for Applecare). I am a new customer. Interestingly enough, people have been successful in getting Bing confirmation despite being upgrade customers when the terms and conditions says pretty clearly that they are not eligible. So YMMV.

@Doctor Grim: Just pre-order through Bing and have AT&T ship it to you. No line-waiting required.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Hello,

Could u please let me know how u used bing to get 35% cash back as I'm interested in buying an I phone .

Yeah no problem. Go to Bing and sign up for a cash back account. Then when you are signed in search for "att wireless" in the search box. In the top of the search results you will see a tan box that says AT&T™ Official Site with a Bing cashback symbol. Click the AT&T link and enter your email in the bing popup that comes up. Next, order your phone from AT&Ts page. Don't close your browser and stay on the same page at all times. You should get a notice that your order went through and your cash back is valid within a day or two.

 

[Slevin]

Yeah no problem. Go to Bing and sign up for a cash back account. Then when you are signed in search for "att wireless" in the search box. In the top of the search results you will see a tan box that says AT&T™ Official Site with a Bing cashback symbol. Click the AT&T link and enter your email in the bing popup that comes up. Next, order your phone from AT&Ts page. Don't close your browser and stay on the same page at all times. You should get a notice that your order went through and your cash back is valid within a day or two.

When do you finally get your money back?

 

[Doctor Grim]

My brother told me all available iPhone 3G (S) for pre-order are all gone. Is it true?

 

[TMP-SMX]

When do you finally get your money back?

60 days from the purchase date. 55 days to go for me.

My brother told me all available iPhone 3G (S) for pre-order are all gone. Is it true?

From AT&T yes. They would just come the following week if you pre-ordered from AT&T rather than the 19th.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Ok so it looks like I do get a 15% discount on the monthly plan from AT&T for Wayne. You can easily check by going here and entering your school email.

FYI, I recommend you do the bing discount through the normal AT&T website and then go to the premier site and change your monthly plan later so that you lose out on the bing cash back. I'm also not sure if I should do it in the first two months of service until I get the cashback because of their terms that discounts are not eligible. I'll have to continue to look into it to figure it out whether I can use both at first. (Obviously I'll only be saving about $10 per month).

 

[themule]

Ok so it looks like I do get a 15% discount on the monthly plan from AT&T for Wayne. You can easily check by going here and entering your school email.

FYI, I recommend you do the bing discount through the normal AT&T website and then go to the premier site and change your monthly plan later so that you lose out on the bing cash back. I'm also not sure if I should do it in the first two months of service until I get the cashback because of their terms that discounts are not eligible. I'll have to continue to look into it to figure it out whether I can use both at first. (Obviously I'll only be saving about $10 per month).

So maybe I'm ******ed but I'm not seeing the Bing cash symbol next to the official att website. I log in do a search and the official website pops up but no cash symbol. Does my account have to be fully registered and a paypal account added before I would truly qualify for this?

 

[TMP-SMX]

Did you search for "att wireless"? Also, turn off adblock or any other blocker you have and make sure you are accepting cookies. You should be registered with bing beforehand but it doesn't require a paypal account.

 

[Doctor Grim]

TMP-SMX:

Did you get your iPhone 3G S yet?

 

[Slevin]

TMP-SMX:

Did you get your iPhone 3G S yet?

Got mine... now to sell my iPhone 3G

 

[TMP-SMX]

Not yet. It said it was on truck for delivery early this morning but fedex is slow I guess. They say guaranteed by 3PM which is in an hour.

Unfortunately even when I get it I'm not opening it because I really wouldn't get any studying done because I have Step 1 on Tuesday.

Edit: Spoke too soon. FedEx guy just delivered the Phone and Applecare. Good job AT&T.

 

[Slevin]

Not yet. It said it was on truck for delivery early this morning but fedex is slow I guess. They say guaranteed by 3PM which is in an hour.

Unfortunately even when I get it I'm not opening it because I really wouldn't get any studying done because I have Step 1 on Tuesday.

Edit: Spoke too soon. FedEx guy just delivered the Phone and Applecare. Good job AT&T.

Eh if you've had an iPhone before you're not really going to play with it very much since everything is almost the same however I really love playing with the compass 🙂

 

[southerndoc]

Wow, ePocrates is really really fast on the 3GS!

My upgrade didn't go without a hitch. I had to call AT&T and give them my IMEI number because the iPhone never registered. It kept saying "waiting for activation" while my old iPhone was still connected to AT&T's network.

 

[Doctor Grim]

I'm about to leave work and head to the nearby apple store. Hope the line won't be too long (had already reserved mine) and also hope that the activation process won't take long either. Good luck to me.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Eh if you've had an iPhone before you're not really going to play with it very much since everything is almost the same however I really love playing with the compass 🙂

I'm new to the iPhone though my fiancée has the iPod Touch. I wouldn't get anything done because I would be downloading apps.

 

[Doctor Grim]

Waited in line for about an hour yesterday. I had to wait for about 15 min after activation before I could use the phone. But I love this phone.

 

[Dr. Will]

Holy crap! First time Iphone user. Finally made the switch from verizon and the storm. I'm amazed at how fast and smooth this phone is. I feel like I've lost out on time with it. My att store didn't have any left yesterday and had me order one (2 week wait). I went to the apple store today. No line but tons of people walking out with new iphones. So did I. 👍 Now my only question...to pepid or not?

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

Im in a little bit of a scenario.

Facts:

Tmobile customer until February.
My BB 8100 is fried. The trackball doesn't select, it randomly calls people/sends texts and the only thing that will stop this is taking the battery out for an extended period of time.
Tmobile does not have any BBs on their 3G network.
Early Termination Fee is 200$.

Iphone 3gs availible. My hospital will pay for either an Iphone or a BB. So, I could get a new BB from Tmobile or I could get the Iphone, and have it paid for, but still have the 200$ ETF (so basically, Id be paying for the Iphone)

I was talking to a few people with the non-S 3G. They are saying the battery has a touch time making it through the day. This is ok when you aren't on call, but when you are, I don't want to be toting my charger around or walking around with my **** off for extended periods of time. How is the battery life on the new 3gS?

I am kind of leaning towards the IP with its 3g speed and apps. The financial side of me says, welp, thats 200$ down the drain. Any thoughts? Any other phones I should look at? The TMo phone I am considering is the BB Curve 8900.

 

[polarbebe]

Im in a little bit of a scenario.

Facts:

Tmobile customer until February.
My BB 8100 is fried. The trackball doesn't select, it randomly calls people/sends texts and the only thing that will stop this is taking the battery out for an extended period of time.
Tmobile does not have any BBs on their 3G network.
Early Termination Fee is 200$.

Iphone 3gs availible. My hospital will pay for either an Iphone or a BB. So, I could get a new BB from Tmobile or I could get the Iphone, and have it paid for, but still have the 200$ ETF (so basically, Id be paying for the Iphone)

I was talking to a few people with the non-S 3G. They are saying the battery has a touch time making it through the day. This is ok when you aren't on call, but when you are, I don't want to be toting my charger around or walking around with my **** off for extended periods of time. How is the battery life on the new 3gS?

I am kind of leaning towards the IP with its 3g speed and apps. The financial side of me says, welp, thats 200$ down the drain. Any thoughts? Any other phones I should look at? The TMo phone I am considering is the BB Curve 8900.

I don't have an iPhone 3GS can't comment on its battery life. Since the phone doesn't have a removable battery, there are plenty of options for external batteries that extend the life. Check out mophie.com or other external battery suppliers.

 

[TeamZissou]

Early Termination Fee is 200$.

I was talking to a few people with the non-S 3G. They are saying the battery has a touch time making it through the day. This is ok when you aren't on call, but when you are, I don't want to be toting my charger around or walking around with my **** off for extended periods of time. How is the battery life on the new 3gS?

I am kind of leaning towards the IP with its 3g speed and apps. The financial side of me says, welp, thats 200$ down the drain. Any thoughts? Any other phones I should look at?

I dunno how T-mobile is but ATT will let me change around my contract as much as I want raising or lowering the service as long as I remain with them. This was something Verizon didn't do for me and it's been really useful because I pay for a ton of minutes one month and then take my plan lower and use those extra minutes as rollover minutes for the next year so I never go over. I got the iPhone original the first day it came out (now have the 3G) and I have to say the new update to the 3G and the 3GS is what they should have released then. I always found it stupid that the most advanced phone out there couln't send fu*(in picture messages. This ability should be here towards the end of the summer.

In regards to battery life here are some links for you to check out
http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/08/iphone-3g-vs-iphone-3g-s-the-tale-of-the-tape/

http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/200...ction-charging-for-the-iphone-and-ipod-touch/

One thing to keep in mind is that their "benchmarks" are not very useful for hospitals. Depending on the layout of the hospital all GSM phones will have a difficult time getting service. Point is my 3G battery will last me ~3 days if I'm not using it much. I used to work in a hospital and over the course of an 8 hour shift going everywhere in the hospital would drain it quite a bit. So you should ask people there how their phones handle it. Another feature is you can turn off the 3G data and operate on the "edge" network and this will save some battery life if your in a crunch. Also it is nuts how fast these batteries recharge when they are plugged in. It's basically 3/4 of the way charged after ~ 30-40 minutes but will take another hour to completely charge. (those times are just my rough estimates)

As far as the apps go, I can't comment on many medical ones since I don't really know what is needed but the ER docs at the hospital I worked at loved their iPhones for them and as far as just random apps like figuring out the name of a song that's playing or Pandora, weather, poker, ESPN's scorecenter, food reviews of places around you based on your location/price, it's just crazy how many things it can do.

If you do get one I recommend getting the invisishield its like $40 but protects it really well. It's just a thin layer of plastic that goes all the way around it and really helps if you drop it. If you do drop it, it can be easy to crack the outer glass on the screen or the screen sensors. The glass is a minimum of $80 to fix and the glass and screen runs minimum of $150.

 

[royalchallenge]

Thanks for your reply.

I just checked... I'm unable to find the deal now.... I guess I've missed it...

Anyways, Thanks though....

Yeah no problem. Go to Bing and sign up for a cash back account. Then when you are signed in search for "att wireless" in the search box. In the top of the search results you will see a tan box that says AT&T™ Official Site with a Bing cashback symbol. Click the AT&T link and enter your email in the bing popup that comes up. Next, order your phone from AT&Ts page. Don't close your browser and stay on the same page at all times. You should get a notice that your order went through and your cash back is valid within a day or two.

 

[themule]

BUMP TMP are you still able to get this deal I can't find it either anymore. Also did you ever get your cash back award?

 

[TMP-SMX]

The Bing Cashback for AT&T is over. I have 29 more days until they deposit my check to paypal.

 

[CptCrunch]

The Bing Cashback for AT&T is over. I have 29 more days until they deposit my check to paypal.

Did you order off the AT&T Premier site? How long did it take yours to ship? I know the 3GS is backordered but I ordered over a week ago (without the cashback) and the order status site hasn't even given me an estimated shipping date.

 

[TMP-SMX]

I didn't use the premier site. I know that you get a lot less feedback about your order if you order from there. I added premier after activating the phone.