06/09/2008, 4:30pm, EDT
Monday, June 9thAT&T increases data price for iPhone 3G
AT&T today expanded on Apple's announcement of iPhone 3G by revealing that the carrier will increase data rates for iPhone customers. A data plan for standard users will cost $30 per month versus the $20 per month paid on existing plans; a separate, business-focused data plan will be available for $45 per month. The change reflects the iPhone's development into a full-fledged smartphone and is "business as usual" for AT&T, company President of National Distribution Glenn Lurie tells Electronista. The executive points to the BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices, which also receive similar pricing for unlimited data; without third-party apps, the iPhone is said to have been a more limited device.
Both home and business users will require a phone plan that starts at $40 per month but which will share the same terms as for the 2G model, which includes at least 450 minutes of calling time, 5,000 evening and weekend minutes, 200 SMS text messages, and Visual Voicemail. All iPhone 2G users will be grandfathered and won't be required to pay more per month for as long as they choose to use the service, including past the end of their contract.
AT&T has also revealed that it will have "several" apps of its own available along with the App Store in early July, including a YellowPages.com app for finding contacts and other unnamed applications. Pricing for those packages hasn't been announced.
The added speed of 3G service is believed to introduce concerns about bandwidth usage for carriers, which will have to support both typical browsing habits over the faster connection as well as an increased amount of downloading and streaming from additional services such as the App Store and YouTube. When announcing the App Store, Apple established a 10MB cap on downloads available through the online service and limits larger downloads to Wi-Fi; AT&T isn't specifically responsible for this threshhold but has "worked with Apple" on the iPhone 3G's development, Lurie says.
The official says that specific details of the iPhone's July 11th launch day are unavailable, though last year both AT&T and Apple opted for a coordinated 6PM launch that temporarily closed their respective retail stores.
Filed under: iPhone
Other story tags: AT&T, iPhone 3G, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile
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Bastards!
Oh, those rat bastards. $70/mo minimum is starting to get too pricey for cell phone service. I didn't wince too badly when I changed from a $50/mo voice-only plan to $60/mo for voice and unlimited data with the iPhone, but adding another $10/mo now is starting to get a bit ridiculous for phone service. How about they get their voice plans cheaper as they jack up their data plans, or offer some more limited plans for less. As it is now, I find it difficult to justify spending $70/mo for cell phone service, and I'll be sticking with my current first generation iPhone for the foreseeable future.
Are they f-ing serious?
So the $100 price cut from Apple is completely wiped out by a $10/mo increase from the Death Star. Each year will cost you an extra $120 over the 2G.
Weak. Way to kill the buzz, AT&T.
Oh C'mon...
"All iPhone 2G users will be grandfathered and won't be required to pay more per month for as long as they choose to use the service, including past the end of their contract."
So, yes, I hope they are "f-ing serious." Wow, maybe the buzz took out your reading comprehension skills. Consider pausing to think before typing the reflex reaction, maybe?
I was just waiting....
... for ATT to come along and s--t all over the iPhone :p
locked?
Does anyone know for sure if iphones will still be locked to AT&T? With release in so many countries with different laws, I would doubt Apple would want to go through the expense of essentially region coding every phone. Also I'm planning to move to Vermont where you can't get AT&T.
And if I have to pay that much for data, they could at least allow tethering.
What if we can't get 3G?
I sure hope a $20 data plan is still available for all of us that don't have 3G service within 300mi of us.. $10/mo more for what exactly???
I wish the 2.5g phone was still available anywhere.. I'd grab one in a heartbeat..
Explain this sentence:
"The executive points to the BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices, which also receive similar pricing for unlimited data; without third-party apps, the iPhone is said to have been a more limited device."
ATT: party pooper
Way to kill the joy, AT&T.
I was going to go 3G... now I'm not so sure :-(
What Apple giveth, AT&T taketh away.
Bunch of whiny cry babies
If you can't afford $10/month more perhaps you would be better off with a Pay-As-You-Go plan.
No one with a Blackberry or other 3G smartphone pays less than what AT&T is charging for its iPhone data plans.
Besides, if you don't want to pay more, you have the option of keeping and using your 2G iPhone at the current prices. No one is forcing you to upgrade.
we need to burn AT&T
Let's put together a planed event. We should get say 5 million iPhone users to not pay their bill in july. This will open some eyes. iPhone users have to get on the Apple bandwagon. We stick together and we will bring this price back down. I remember not to long ago we stuck together and helped bring apple back from the dead.
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