iPhone pros and cons and data costs of plans

danger boy

in a few month's i'll be eligable for a new cell phone from AT&T. my friend just got a iphone and he loves it.. but he's been a MAC person for years.. buys all their products.. so it was just a natural that he would get the 3GS new iPhone.

so what I would like to know is from anyone here that has one... what are the costs of plans for the minimum amount and what does that include.

I'm just concerned that i'll want one and that plans will double what i'm paying now for service just because of all the things the iPhone can do.. but don't come cheap of course.

acsubie

i pay $78 monthly, but thats with a 20% gov't disocunt(although the discount is only applied to At&t charges such as the $39.99 monthly talk plan)

Plan includes 450 daytime minutes/unlimited night weekends free mobile to mobile- this is more than enough for me and i always have rollover minutes
1500 text plan
unlimited data plan

for an xtra $5 i could go unlimited text but i rarely ever come close to reaching my limit

I actually pay a little less now with the 3Gs than i did with the original since they did not allow gov't discounts on the 1st gen

Just get the phone! its very good and the apps are amazing

AudioGenics

spoke to two people that have iphone
better than sliced bread

one person is a systems programmer and said to get the older model but upgrade the OS. less expensive than getting the latest and greatest.

the other person is an early adopter and doesn't mind paying more for the current models and possible issues being so new.

cheapest that I could tell was $80.00 / month + the phone and extended service contract
still trying to confirm what that will all cost.

might just stick with a netbook and get the new google chrome OS and
WiFi access. In time the phone and netbook will get closer together in function

nguyendot

That depends on what plan you have or want honestly.

This is what I am offered:

iPhone 3GS - 16GB Black
Nation 450 w/Rollover $39.99
Data Plan for iPhone

Monthly charges of 55.99 for voice and data.
Text? That's extra - $20 for unlimited.

total comes to $235 for the phone (thats a new phone, upgrade might be more) and $75.29 per month.

Your rate may vary by about 15 dollars.

AudioGenics

you did not mention a service / warranty plan for breakage or defective return or loss.

maybe an additional 5.00 - 10.00 more a month ?

danger boy

i would never need 1,500 txt messages a month. the plan I'm on now is 400 per month and that's more than I need.. but it's not outrageous amount for that..

there are so many iphone clones out and coming out in the near future.. maybe in Nov when i'm due to get a new phone.. something else will catch my eye.

don't get me wrong.. i would like a iphone, but i'm not sure i would use all of it's features.

nguyendot

You say that now - but use one for a week and then you'll never want to go back. I've been doing the 'this has better features...on paper'. In the end though, the Iphone is better and I was just fooling myself. It has better synergy of usefulness than most. I'm using an HTC touch pro now, and the iphone blows it away in just about every respect. The issues I thought were a big deal, I'd forget about with an Iphone. I have an Iphone sitting on my JVC Teledock 42" that I play with from time to time, but never use as a phone (no ATT service!! $$$).

bobman1235

I've always been an Apple... well I won't say hater, but disliker. I don't like the company at all.... and I bought an iPhone, and love it. It's not the most state of the art thing, but it packages everything it does very well, and makes it a joy to use every day.

My bill is $83.60 a month. THat's for 450 mins (39.99), 200 texts (5.00), and unlimited data (30.00), plus taxes and all that nonsense.

obieone

I just signed up w/ ATT, and bought the Tundra-the MOST bullet-proof ph. on the market from what I could tell. It has all the bells and whistles of the other 3G ph.'s, but I'm not willing, and don't need to spend the other $30/ month.

I'm not knocking people who do, I just don't have the need. It makes sense for people like Bob, who work in IT, or if your SOME kind of contractor, on the road a lot, where constant comm.'s are part of your job- My isn't so....

Unless, ofcourse, you can AFFORD the novelty aspect of it.

AudioGenics

Public access good for IT use and iphone

Secured area.... better leave the toy home.

Ricardo

I pay $112 (including tax) for more minutes than we'll ever need, and unlimited text messages.

That's fo 4 phones in the family.

$75 for a single phone? You guys are crazy.

AudioGenics

ricardo....what cell phone provider are you using ?

Ricardo

T-Mobile

tcrossma

Ricardo wrote: »

I pay $112 (including tax) for more minutes than we'll ever need, and unlimited text messages.

That's fo 4 phones in the family.

$75 for a single phone? You guys are crazy.

Does that include a data plan? That's a big expense (and a nice feature) of many of the plans for smart phones.

I pay $78 for a 2-phone family share plan from Verizon, with plenty of minutes and text messages for me and my wife. No data plan though, which is something I would like at some point, but I just don't want to pay what Verizon is charging.

polkatese

I am on 2 phones Family Talk plan, 2100 minutes, 200 txt messages each on both, unlimited data plan, average bill is $135 per month with FAN discount.

I upgraded from ATT Tilt to iPhone 3GS. No comparison, from user interface, built in iPOD 16gb. 3GS just does it in style, intuitive, and easeness.

nguyendot

I pay $30 per line, and each line has: 500 minutes, unlimited text and unlimited 3G EVDO Rev. A data.

I just wish i could get an iphone.

Serendipity

I pay $39/month for my phone from AT&T...taxes add another few dollars.

$70+ a month for one phone? That's crazy!!

SKsolutions

2 lines with 2200 and text with the 7pm deal, 120 a month minus 25% for business discount. The iPhone is pretty cool, I can dig it, but I'd never get one. I need it to work.
I estimate that I have over 100,000 minutes racked up on my piece of crap phone that just keeps working.

engtaz

SK is that a LM discount?????

Ricardo

tcrossma wrote: »

Does that include a data plan?

No. I use the phone just for phone calls, though with the kids I've started some texting.

For data I use the laptop/PC. No need to be a slave of emails....luckily.
I uderstand some people require this due to the nature of their jobs, but I would bet that's the minority.

chef-nick

Iphone+pandora=awesome!

vlam

I am still using the Iphone 1st generation and is well suited for me. I never got on ATT data plan until the last year. I will give it another 5 months before switching to the 3Gs (that's when I can get the upgrade discount). As for now, I am on their $60/monht family plan with and additional $40 a month for 2 Iphone data/text plan.

There are occasions when I need Internet access for the laptop and tethering with the Iphone works pretty well.

bobman1235

Ricardo wrote: »

No. I use the phone just for phone calls, though with the kids I've started some texting.

For data I use the laptop/PC. No need to be a slave of emails....luckily.
I uderstand some people require this due to the nature of their jobs, but I would bet that's the minority.

Ricardo wrote: »

I pay $112 (including tax) for more minutes than we'll ever need, and unlimited text messages.

That's fo 4 phones in the family.

$75 for a single phone? You guys are crazy.

appadv wrote: »

I pay $39/month for my phone from AT&T...taxes add another few dollars.

$70+ a month for one phone? That's crazy!!

Well, you guys are paying 40 for the phone, and so am I. The extra 30+ is for the data, which is something you obviously don't need or use, but I do. But I'm not paying more for the PHONE service, I'm paying more for teh everything else service that you do not have (or want, which is fine).

danger boy

so with the iPhone. if you don't want the data package.. then it's just a phone and MP3 player right? the data package makes all the other 100000 features usable?? am I right on that with the iPhone?


right now with discounts.. i pay $70 for two phones, 400 text messages and simple 1MB data plan w/550 minutes. I don't talk much on my phone... and everyone I ever do call is also on AT&T or I call them on the weekends for free or from work free. plus the rollover minutes gives me more like 1,300 minutes every month.

for me adding an Iphone would bounce my two phone bill up to just over $100 a month.. not sure I want to do that just for the data plan. $30 x 12 = $360 yr just for the data portion. or $1,200 a year for two cell phones? :eek:

What could you buy for $1,200 instead? (any one of those below)
1. a kick **** subwoofer for the home theater
2. 40 blu ray movies
3. 24 dinners out on the town for you and the other half ($50 dinners)
4. 80 movies at the mega plex w/popcorn
5. a decent 5 ch amp
6. a new pair of LSI15's with spare change leftover
7. a new LCD or plasma TV set
8. 436 gallons of gas
9. 150 six packs of beer
10. 100 packages of condoms.. ribbed of course. :eek:

nguyendot

danger boy wrote: »

so with the iPhone. if you don't want the data package.. then it's just a phone and MP3 player right? the data package makes all the other 100000 features usable?? am I right on that with the iPhone?


right now with discounts.. i pay $70 for two phones, 400 text messages and simple 1MB data plan w/550 minutes. I don't talk much on my phone... and everyone I ever do call is also on AT&T or I call them on the weekends for free or from work free. plus the rollover minutes gives me more like 1,300 minutes every month.

for me adding an Iphone would bounce my two phone bill up to just over $100 a month.. not sure I want to do that just for the data plan. $30 x 12 = $360 yr just for the data portion. or $1,200 a year for two cell phones? :eek:

What could you buy for $1,200 instead? (any one of those below)
1. a kick **** subwoofer for the home theater
2. 40 blu ray movies
3. 24 dinners out on the town for you and the other half ($50 dinners)
4. 80 movies at the mega plex w/popcorn
5. a decent 5 ch amp
6. a new pair of LSI15's with spare change leftover
7. a new LCD or plasma TV set
8. 436 gallons of gas
9. 150 six packs of beer
10. 100 packages of condoms.. ribbed of course. :eek:

I guarantee if you get an iPhone however, you will use it more often than 1-10.

I see average iPhone users utilizing their phone 10+ times a day combined talk and data, not including apps. If you use your home theater sub that much a day.....you probably need to get a life

tcrossma

danger boy wrote: »

so with the iPhone. if you don't want the data package.. then it's just a phone and MP3 player right? the data package makes all the other 100000 features usable?? am I right on that with the iPhone?

Do they offer a plan without data on the iPhone, or is it a requirement?

I have an iPod Touch, which is basically an iPhone without the "phone" portion. They both have wi-fi, so around my house or in hot spots I can download apps and access the web. I can do everything the iPhone can except talk and text, so I'd say an iPhone without a data plan is far more than *just* a phone and MP3 player.

obieone

The data plan IS required w/ the iphone-I checked and that's why I didn't get it. You can't get the iphone @ $40/ month

nguyendot

Lasareath wrote: »

I have a Blackberry with Enterprise Data plan, 2 Iphone's & a Razor on my plan, 1400 minutes shared with rollover, all 4 phones have unlimited Data, Internet & Text.

$235 a month

My Wife does around 17,000 texts a month, my Sister-in-Law who is 17 and we pay for her Iphone 3GS does like 38,000 texts a month and I am not kidding.

That is insane! There are only 43,829 minutes in a month according to google. Assuming you sleep 8 hours a night like normal folk thats 14,400 minutes to subtract. That leaves you with 29,429 minutes awake.

So every 47 seconds your sister in law is sending a text for the entire waking day. And they say kids don't live on their phones.

I'd HOPE thats not during the school year!

Sami

I have a question for iPhone users. Can you now do the following without jailbreaking your phone?

1) Use as a modem to connect your laptop online
2) Group SMS (ok, it's not what it sounds!!! )
3) SMS forwarding

If you do get iPhone, make sure you TURN OFF DATA ROAMING! Unless of course you get the global data package. You do not want to get caught with data roaming charges!

bobman1235

SMS forwarding and group SMS stuff was added with OS 3.0.

vlam

Tethering is not supported by the IPhone unless you jailbreak and install 3rd party software. I use PdaNet and it works well both wirelessly and via USB connect. The software is not free ($30) but you can use it as a trial for a limited time.