Filed under: iPhone
It isn't the news we were hoping for after Scott posted earlier. Mark Siegel of AT&T public relations has now officially confirmed that AT&T will not offer GoPhone plans for the 3G iPhone and that activation will take place in-store only.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Steven Sande said 9:14PM on 6-09-2008
GoPhone doesn't bother me since my company (i.e., me) pays for my cell service and it's a business deduction. And it really doesn't bother me that I'll have to activate at a store since that's where I'll buy my unit anyway.
Let the controversy begin!
TUAW Steve
Reply
Dave said 8:49AM on 6-10-2008
Since you're covered on the company dime, to hell with everyone else, right?
Nothing like the "me" generation proudly announcing that they don't care about anyone else's needs but their own.
Rubbinz said 9:17PM on 6-09-2008
Same info I got from 3 local AT&T stores, Erica.
Well, I guess it's been fun while it lasted Apple and AT&T. Since I use my Curve more often than my iPhone, due to speaker phone volume, I just cancelled my GoPhone plan for my iPhone.
I just unlocked it for use on my T-Mobile FlexPay plan so I can move the SIM to either one when I need to. If and when I buy a new phone, it looks like it'll be the BlackBerry Bold and relegate my current iPhone for iPod use.
Reply
Anthony said 9:26PM on 6-09-2008
Uh... AT&T is not getting my money, so I guess Apple won't see a iPhone3G purchase from me until those clever band of hackers unlock iP3G.
I'd rather pay $100 to hackers than give AT&T a dime.
Reply
mark said 9:55PM on 6-09-2008
They are going to get your money one way or another. With their new policy of must sign a contract, that forces either you (or the ebayer you buy it from) to cancel the contract and pay the stiff penalty to get the phone without a contract. Could be around the $400-$600 range. Ebay prices may be even higher considering the amount of leg work. I don't see people being able to hoard iphones to resell them anymore like before.
Cycomachead said 10:30PM on 6-09-2008
You may temporarily need to give ATT your cash, but you can cancel a plan within the first 30 days w/o charge except for maybe texts or something like that.
ChillyWilly said 12:21AM on 6-10-2008
Well, so much for me getting an iPhone anytime soon. I was hoping to get the new 3G on a Go Phone plan, but AT&T got greedy.
jwilliek said 10:19AM on 6-10-2008
^ agreed...I was hoping to go the route Erica found here
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/05/13/tuaw-hands-on-trying-out-the-20-month-contract-free-unlimited/
but it looks like i might have to wait and see how the whole in-store activation thing pans out
CT said 9:25PM on 6-09-2008
My question is will apple/att charge you more if you already have the plan and want to get a iphone? Ex. Get a phone tomorrow w/ contract then get a iphone on July 11th? Will it be the same price or will it be $200 more because "it's not time to renew?"
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Dave said 9:27PM on 6-09-2008
I don't care too much about activating at the store since I am not going to jailbreak or anything, but it still would have been nice to do it from the comfort and time of my choosing at home. For example people buying these for Christmas presents will have the issue of how to time the purchase and setup while before it was simple.
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Tom said 10:25PM on 6-09-2008
Well, I keep reading that the 'in store' thing is only for the beginning, and it will start being sold online soon after.
taoprophet420 said 9:27PM on 6-09-2008
So what about the 2 year wait between update on phones does that still stand or can u get the phone but have to pay full price nd wha is the full un subidised cost? It will suck for alot of people if they cant buy the 3g iphone cause there line is not available for updates do to the 2 year wait. Also any word on if the touches will have a price cut. I cant see people paying $299 for an 8gb touch when they can get an iphone for $199
Reply
Dave said 9:34PM on 6-09-2008
it appears that Apple/AT&T will allow a new iPhone purchase at anytime at the cost listed, however your 2 years will start fresh at the time of purchase. for example if you bought an iPhone in mid-2007 your contract would have been up in mid-2009. however if you buy an iPhone 2.0 in mid-2008 your contract will now end in mid-2010. not a bad deal at all because other companies offer lower credits to wait periods before allowing existing costumers to upgrade and then STILL add on to their contracts. this at least allows the upgrade at the same cost as the new user, albeit with the 2 year contract terms.
ballistik said 9:31PM on 6-09-2008
see.. that's what I was wondering about. You'd think they'd cut the prices on the ipod touch but I don't think they will. If you look at the APple Store right now, there's no "price point" for the new iPhone 3g, that's because in order to sell it you have to go to the store and are forced into a 2 year contract. That's awful. I just sold my iPhone 1.0 to fund me getting a new iPhone 2.0, but it looks like I'll be getting an iPod Touch since I just want the email/wifi capabilities anyway. I hate cell phones.
obey43 said 9:43PM on 6-09-2008
So has it been announced anywhere what the plan of attack is for those who have first generation iphones with AT&T contract?
Will it just extend the initial contract and +$10 to the monthly bill?
Reply
Dave said 10:05PM on 6-09-2008
several sites and several AT&T reps are reporting that if you upgrade to an iPhone 3G your voice plan cost remains the same, data plan increases $10 and your 2 year contract begins again as of the date of the change. it remains to be seen what the voice rates are across the board for the new iPhone 3G, but it appears as an existing customer of AT&T if they are more you can keep what you have 'cept for the data cost increase.
if you think about it the data cost increase of $10 = $240 over the 2 year contract... so you $199 iPhone v2 actual ends up being $40 total dollars in cost over the same time span than if you had a $399 iPhone v1... so much for "half the price". that said $40 more for 3G/GPS is likely worth it, but there are no "discounts" here, let's make that clear.
obey43 said 10:40PM on 6-09-2008
thanks so much for your informative reply.
what i wonder, which i bet i will be hard pressed to find the answer, what happens when i upgrade one iphone out of two on a family plan to 3g...
Doink said 9:46PM on 6-09-2008
So how does it work when I inevitably fail the credit check that is part of signing up for a new plan? I've been a goPhone customer since July of 2007 without any hassle at all and now I fear I'll be paying an extra fee on top of the $299 for a 16GB 3G iPhone.
How does it usually work? Do you guys think there's even a chance that failing the credit check in-store will result in a goPhone plan? And what about the fact that we're only a year from AT&T losing its absolute control over the iPhone?
Thanks!
Reply
Beanie said 9:52PM on 6-09-2008
Most likely you'll just be paying a deposit. I think that is usually around $400.
Rubbinz said 10:06PM on 6-09-2008
If you fail or refuse to disclose your SSN, which you are allowed to do under the law, they will either ask for a deposit that varies from as little as $300 and could go up to $1,000 for some people. Or, some reps will flat out refuse to make the sale to you since they don't get commission on you.