AT&T to Offer Data-Capped $20 iPhone Plan? $99 iPhones? Pre-Paid iPhones?
AT&T Mouth of Sauron Speaks!
Business Week is warming up the rumor we heard ten days ago about AT&T considering reducing the iPhone data plan from $30 to $20. This time, however, instead of just a price drop, it’s suggested there could be the introduction of a new, limited data option.
So, high end users could get “unlimited” data for $30, and lower end users could get a capped plan for $20.
Business Week’s sources also suggest that a lower price or price tier is part of the ongoing negotiations between Apple and AT&T regarding the extension of AT&T’s US iPhone exclusivity.
Of course, $99 and pre-paid iPhones are also tossed in for good measure. Apple has stated in the past that they wouldn’t leave an umbrella for the competition, so lower-cost — up-front up on plan — iPhones are seen as putting pressure on RIM’s BlackBerry and Palm’s upcoming Pre, and shoring up Apple and AT&T’s market share.
If you don’t use a lot of data, would a tiered option (already available on many international carriers) appeal to you? Would a lower end or pre-paid iPhone?
May 18th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
That would be great too bad i use data all the time, or i could be saving a nice 10 bucks.
May 18th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Would it include ROLLOVER DATA? Ha! good thinking?
May 18th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I am still curious in what the data size is that would make up the “cap”
May 18th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Will at&t really have UNLIMITED data? Will they allow Skype and Slingplayer to run on 3G?
They can’t continune to call it an UNLIMITED plan if it isn’t.
May 18th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
If the capped plan had a reasonable allocation this might be a great plan for the vast majority of users who do not stream gigabytes of stuff to the phone.
Without any idea of where the cap level may kick in, and the cost for minor over-runs its hard to make any rational judgement at this time.
This brings to mind prior reports http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2008/09/att-iphone-inte/ that data usage had not grown as fast as ATT had anticipated. Perhaps ATT will set a high cap, in light of excess capacity, but still protect them selves from the bandwidth hogs.
Personally I’d rather have Tethering included in the 30 dollar unlimited plan.
May 18th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
If the cap was 750MB or more I’d be all on that! I would not be interested, however in a less-capable version of iPhone. Please keep the iPhone full-featured, that’s why it is so popular!!!
May 18th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Apple is mass testing push I just received an email about it here is just part of it:
As a developer actively working with iPhone OS 3.0 beta, we would like your help in testing the Apple Push Notification service. We have selected a pre-release version of the Associated Press app for iPhone OS 3.0 to create a high-volume test environment for our servers.
May 18th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
As other have said it really comes down to the cap level. Most people don’t really sit on youtube all day and email doesn’t really use that much data so this could work out for quite a lot of people.
May 18th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Should have done that a while a go. Now I can get unlimited text plus capped data for 35$.
May 18th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
yepyep
May 18th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
This would be great for me considering I’m on wifi most of the time. I’m sure the same applies to many iphoners.
May 18th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
AT&T’s Unlimited plan is already capped at 5GB.
the plan I have on Rogers is the same price and it’s 6GB..
And to those of you saying how you use data all the time and it wouldn’t be sufficient… I don’t think you check your monthly data usage. It’s a LOT less than you’d think more often than not.
I use data constantly every day, I don’t even use WiFi when it’s available because my router at home is slow and gives terrible reception. My monthly usage is around 700mb.
If their capped plan is 1GB it’d be worth saving $10 because honestly I challenge you to use more than 1GB of data without tethering (which is not allowed on AT&T)..
May 18th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
@Mike:
They CAN continue to call it “Unlimited” because YOU CAN use as much data as you want. Whatever amount of data you would use with Skype or Slingplayer, you can currently use right now without those apps.
That’s why they call it Unlimited Data, not Unlimited Selection of Apps.
May 18th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
@Blake 2:
Very true. That applies to me as well.
May 18th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
whats the point of having an iPhone without UNLIMITED DATA? Nobody actually calls people on these things!
May 18th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
@Drake:
Read Adam, above. Then read your phone bill from ATT/Rogers and report back the number of months you got anywhere near 5Gig.
That’s the point. Why pay for unlimited if you never use anywhere near a single gig?
May 18th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
@icebike
You pay unlimited money even though you don’t use much so AT&T can RAPE your ***.
Every company does this. You think my dad watches 500 channels on Comcast digital TV? No, he probably only watches around 15 channels or so. But does he have to pay a ridiculous amount to see the channels he does want to see? Yes.
These companies aren’t in business to make you feel good. They are in it to rape you.
May 18th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Damn this place has become nothing but a rumor mill.
May 18th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
@Adam:
Where is this specified?
May 18th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I personally hope the iPhone family is NOT broken into two different groups. Of course Apple wants to make money. But I also believe that Apple’s success, thus far, is they have not sold out just to make an easy buck by catering to the masses. They strive to put out quality products that just work. That costs more money. Those not willing to pay for more usually get what they pay for.
As for the cap. If it is over a gig I am in. I rarely make it to 700mb. I have always had a good experience with AT&T. I am,again, willing to pay a little extra for quality. And at&t has not failed to deliver as far as I’m concerned.
May 18th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Cheaper data plan with reasonable cap at ~1GB, yes.
Low end iPhone, no way.
May 19th, 2009 at 5:49 am
What’s a “low end” iPhone though? No GPS? Only 8gb? Maybe even no wifi? Wouldn’t be a major concern for a large chunk of the potential market!
May 19th, 2009 at 9:23 am
i would certainly drop to the capped $20 data however… i would stay atthe $30 “unlimited” data is they threw in unlimited SMS.
May 19th, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Capped or Pre-Paid are attractive to me. I use such devices sparingly and only came back to mobile phone on a Pre-Paid plan, which I use about $5-$10 per month. I’d only use something like an iPhone to connect to the internet in a pinch when I really need something, not to sit on a park bench all day watching YouTube.
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