AT&T exec: iPhone data plans to be announced June 29th - Page 3

Everyone considering that ATT had better offer a good deal had better think again.

While I HOPE they can offer a good deal (whatever that means to anyone), it must be remembered that if the RUMORS of Apple getting kickbacks on the sale of the phone, and kickbacks on the monthly fees, is true, then because of Apples' predatory ways, ATT may have no choice but to charge us more.

Apple's gain, in other words, will be our loss.

If this is all true, then blame Apple, not ATT.

Assuming that you will have to buy minutes with the iPhone, let's think about the plausible options here:

1. Choose talk minutes with unlimited data.
2. Choose talk minutes with limited data.
3. Choose talk minutes with NO data.

I don't see 3. as being much of a desirable option.

So what about this: What if AT&T offered data as part of a minutes plan (so that your minutes are used as data, say 1 min. per MB) with the option of an unlimited data plan (say $49) a month.

I have a feeling we're going to see some "outside the box" ideas from Apple and AT&T on this one.

Couldn't agree more.

AT&T is the corporate antithesis of Apple.

Where Apple is often viewed as charging more than their competitor (much better now in the last 48-months than it's ever been, I must say), they consistently deliver MORE. AT&T charges more and delivers LESS than their competitors.

I say this having been a near-30 year Apple customer and a former four year AT&T Wireless customer. It's simply a subjective opinion.

The fact that AT&T won't release their pricing plan(s) until the iPhone launch is pathetic, and SO AT&T.

But ultimately, it doesn't matter: there exists a contingent of us who will pay whatever Apple asks for the iPhone and whatever the required carrier asks for a service plan. Two years down the road, the iPhone/Service pricing structure will accommodate more price-sensitive customers, but for now it's all about the early-adopter: you've got to pay to play (and AT&T is relishing this, I'm quite sure).

If I at all gave a sh** about AT&T, I'd be interested in what their reasoning is for keeping the lid on their part of the equation. But I was a customer of theirs long enough to know better.

If I were to go out on a limb, I would guess that Apple has something to do with AT&T's last-minute service plan rollout. Perhaps Jobs is working to get AT&T to move away from doing something they would traditionally do in the past, and instead do something that would reinvent their corporate image.

Regardless, I think T-Mobile is a better match for the iPhone and Apple. But ideally the iPhone would have shipped unlocked (SIM-free) so we could use it with the GSM carrier of our choice and then none of this would have mattered.

Nobody that I'm aware of. That's why very few people outside of those who can write it off use smart phones. That's why it's not a mainstream consumer device, and it never will be unless the prises get realistic. Consumers are used to paying very small rates for their phones. You want to sell them on buying a $500 phone when they got the last one for free, you better not expect them to bend over on the monthly rates as well.

Example: My wife pays $15/mo for 250min peak, unlimited off peak, and unlimited text. If her rate goes up 400%, she absolutely WILL expect literally no limits on anything no matter how much the phone offers that she may or may not use. $100/month? Doesn't matter how good the unit is, the only people buying it will be those who can write that off (read: NOT consumers).

What you expect, and what you get are too different things. But, the companies have ways to make these offers better in one way, without giving up something else.

I pay $100 a month for my main contract. But, it's for 2,000 minutes peak, unlimited from 7:00 PM weekly, unlimited weekends. That's pretty damn close to being unlimited.

But, I also get another phone, and user, for that same amount!

Then, I get their Vision plan (internet, unlimited data, Tv, etc) for $15 a month. that $15 covers both phones. Then, I get another phone and user, with Vision, for $35, part of those 2,000 minutes.

So, no, I don't get unlimited minutes (big deal, no one can use that anyway), but I do get far more of value.

Unless you are a single person, that is, with no one to share the plan with.

If you dont want data and just want a basic voice and texts tarrif how much a month would you guys be looking to pay?

Yeah, this is bizarre. I bet there have been a ton of last minute negotiations on all of this - Apple wanting control and AT&T wanting money. I just don't see how the visual voice mail is so special or so difficult that Apple couldn't have made the device and then let the carriers fight for who could implement the services best. I suppose it would have meant a $700 iPhone, but it sure doesn't appear that AT&T is really subsidizing anything anyway so what the heck!?!

The little iPhone "How To" video has converted several friends, who have been on the fence or who are genuinely anti-Mac people, but a bad or even unusualy complicated service contract will kill the deal for all.

I'm sure future phones and carrier contracts with Apple will be much better, but this is such a huge build up and even non-early adopters are so interested in the device that it can have a stronger than usual backlash if it becomes to elitist. After the iPod, the rest of the electronic consumer world expects Apple to be more accessible.