Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone
The Missing iPhone Data Plan
As you're well aware, data plans are pricey and limited. For example, AT&T recently revealed its new data options for the prepaid GoPhone service. $5 for one prepaid megabyte of data and $10 for 5MB. Other data plans charge a half penny or a penny per KB, or about $5 to $10 per megabyte. Bottom line, data costs a lot. So here comes Steve Jobs telling us that iPhone will do the "real" internet, none of this namby-pamby made-for-mobile sites. We're even talking YouTube video, some of the most bandwidth-intensive data on the net. Do you really want to pay $5 per video to watch a dog skateboarding? Maybe you should only use YouTube when you're on a WiFi connection.
So where are the pricing details? It's only 4 more days until iDay. Will Mark Siegel's promise of a pre-29th rate plan disclosure hold up?
And how much would you pay to watch a single YouTube video?
Update: Boy Genius Report claims possible inside knowledge about the iPlan: $35-$45, unlimited data, 2000 text or unlimited text.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
leel said 6:10PM on 6-25-2007
just hope you have a bunch free wifi hotspots close by... mobile data is a complete waste of cash unless your company pays for it..
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Bill said 6:11PM on 6-25-2007
Data plans are pricey? I wouldn't know - Sprint's $15 all you can eat is very very tasty (and at nice speedy EV-DO as well, haha you GSM suckers :P )
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Dripps said 6:11PM on 6-25-2007
I have read that Boy Genius reporting "possible" plan. I want to hear it from AT&T and I want it official, not another guess! This is ridiculous and keeping this information secret until the last second is nothing short of maddening!
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Joshua Ochs said 6:16PM on 6-25-2007
$15 a month on Sprint is the cheapest you can get, and the sole reason I'm a Sprint customer (you hear that Sprint? Don't mess with it!). Pretty much everyone else charges up to $40 a month.
I would expect something similar from AT&T, just because they know people are going to pay it.
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Frank said 6:19PM on 6-25-2007
over at macworld's iphonecentral, they are reporting $20 all you can eat data plan, and their source sounds a tad more credible (e.g., has a name) than the BGR's "high up anonymous" source:
http://iphone.macworld.com/2007/06/iphone_calling_plan_20month.php
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Chris said 6:24PM on 6-25-2007
Ouch, I'm in the UK and pay the equivalent of $15 for unlimited data through T-Mobile (And I have HSDPA!). Admittedly I have a 2GB fair use policy, but compared to paying $10 for 5MB it's a bargain!
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Eli Hodapp said 6:33PM on 6-25-2007
@5- Their "name" is some weirdo internet radio host, hardly a credible source by any means.
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dave said 6:43PM on 6-25-2007
Yeah, everyone else sucks compared to Sprint. I've got $10 a month unlimited EV-DO for my Treo 700p. Why couldn't Apple have gone with Sprint!? :( There's no way I'm giving up my cheep high-speed internet plan to switch to AT&T and pay a fortune for a slow data plan just to get an iPhone.
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MacSlut said 6:48PM on 6-25-2007
Apple has a unique method for phone activation. As such, the employees at the stores won't need to know what the prices are until iDay:
http://digg.com/apple/Apple_s_Plans_For_Instantly_Activating_All_Those_iPhones
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Gerry said 6:59PM on 6-25-2007
I can only wish Rogers in Canada can have a $20/month unlimited plan, even if it's just for the iPhone. I'm sure AT&T's plan is going to set the precedence for everyone else iPhone-wise.
AT&T's plan * 3 = Price of Rogers' plan.
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MacSlut said 6:50PM on 6-25-2007
Apple has a unique method for activation which is why employees won't even need to know what the pricing plans are until iDay when people are in the store and asking:
http://digg.com/apple/Apple_s_Plans_For_Instantly_Activating_All_Those_iPhones
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Leonard Nimrod said 8:39PM on 6-27-2007
Dripps said,
"This is ridiculous and keeping this information secret until the last second is nothing short of maddening!"
Yes it is, as it's supposed to be.
I believe that the reason AT&T and Apple are being so secretive about their plans is because it's the last BOOM before the the launch on Friday ( I refuse to refer to it as iDay). I think the intend to generate the last major pre-iPhone release buzz and free PR with plans lower than the most for equivalent services.
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Hehe said 7:05PM on 6-25-2007
I just love how much free advertisement they are getting by waiting until Thursday to announce the Data Plans.
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shon Dempsey said 7:11PM on 6-25-2007
at&t is not subsidising the phone. Give the customers a break on data plans. none of this $100 a month BS for 450 mins and unlimm data.
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Mike Piontek said 7:17PM on 6-25-2007
AT&T currently charges:
- $20 for unlimited data for Windows Smartphones. Not sure if this includes any text messages.
- $40 for unlimited data for PDAs. Not sure if this includes any text messages.
- $40 for "MEdia Max Unlimited" which includes unlimited data and unlimited messages.
So the $35-$45 rumor falls more or less in line with this. If can pay $35 for unlimited data and 2000 messages, I'll be happy. I'd much rather have something $30 or less though. Right now I've got a "MEdia Works" bundle... 5MB of data and 1500 messages for $15. Not a bad deal, but anything less than unlimited data is not going to cut it with the iPhone.
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Bassetbob said 7:46PM on 6-25-2007
It's the minutes plus data plus phone that matters. Lets see... $600 phone + $60/month (or perhaps $40 for < 1000 minutes a month) + $40/month data (unknown) * 2 year contract. Plus taxes. Plus cell phone risk factor. That's a $3000++ iPhone. I really, really, really hope Apple convinces AT&T that that amount is pretty stoopid to pay. I'm happy to pay a premium. But I'd just as soon stay T-Mobile and buy the next gen iPod if the $3K cost is what it is.
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djfred said 8:09PM on 6-25-2007
Interestingly, that same GoPhone pricing info lists $20 for an unlimited data plan, which is exactly the amount I'd be willing to pay on an unsubsidized phone costing upwards of $500. If they can do $20 unlimited on an unsubsidized phone without a contract, they can do it on the iPhone.
I wonder if the reason we're not seeing info is if they're waiting until the last minute to gauge reaction.
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Frank said 8:19PM on 6-25-2007
@7 -- yes, but at least it's someone who is willing to put their actual name on the line with the info, which gives him way more weight in my mind than some shadowy anonymous tipster. if you read the comments on that page, he also hints at knowing more stuff that he's not at liberty to talk much about right now.
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Jason said 9:44PM on 6-25-2007
How about this? Can you JUST get the data plan and not the minutes plan? I already have a phone and am not breaking my contract with Verizon. I would however like to get iphone to use as a ipod, net browsing on the go and messaging. I know you can do this with T-Mobile's Sidekick 3. I hope I can do it on iphone. Anyone know anything?
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KPO'M said 9:36PM on 6-25-2007
Leonard, if they announced the plans today, rather than on 6/28 ("pre-6/29"), they'd generate more buzz if the plan were cheap (e.g. $15 unlimited). For all you know, AT&T's trying to gauge reaction and see if they will still be able to sell out their inventory with a pricey $40 unlimited plan.
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