Rest Easy – the “iPlans” are a Good Deal – Here’s a Price Breakdown


new-att-logo.jpgOk, so last week I was guilty of spreading a little FUD after talking to an AT&T rep. I apologize. I’m very, VERY glad to have been wrong. Apple and AT&T announced the pricing plans for the iPhone today, and they are both fair and awesome at the same time.

I have to say I am officially beyond sold. I’m going to be moving from a crappy two year old flip phone with only the basic data plan and txting, to the iPhone with the (mostly..still no flash..argh) “real Internet” and my bill is going to go up $5 bucks a month.

Here’s how my standard bill plays out now:

$39.99 (for 450 minutes) + $9.99 (for 5mb of basic Internet) + $4.99 (200 txt messages a month) = $54.97

So, the same plan for the iPhone, but with UNLIMITED Internet and email is only going to cost me $59.99

You can break it down all the way up the scale, adding $20 to move up to 900 minutes and so on, and what it breaks down to is your unlimited Internet and email is actually costing around $15 bucks a month, and your 200 text messages about $5.

That’s a helluva deal. Very competitive, in my opinion.

What do you think? Did this put it over the top for you, or are you unhappy?


Kokou Adzo

Kokou Adzo is a stalwart in the tech journalism community, has been chronicling the ever-evolving world of Apple products and innovations for over a decade. As a Senior Author at Apple Gazette, Kokou combines a deep passion for technology with an innate ability to translate complex tech jargon into relatable insights for everyday users.

5 Comments

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  1. If your paying $500 or $600 for phone with no discount for signing a contract then At&T has some money to play with… it makes since that they would discount the service some. I think these plans also explain why the phone isn’t 3G. Unlimited EDGE access is more cost effective for At&T than 3G, which isn’t even available in most markets.

  2. Well, I am on the Sprint SERO plan. For $30 a month I get 500 anytime, unlimited roaming, unlimited Text, unlimited internet (EVDO) which is pretty fast, unlimited mobile to mobile, and Nights: M-Th 7PM-7AM Wknd: F 7PM-M 7AM. At twice the price the iPhone plan gives me less minutes, nights at 9 not 7, and much slower internet. Of course the iPhone can use wifi and my phone can’t, but I use my laptop for that. I think they should also offer a cheaper basic plan for $39 without EDGE internet for those people that will not use it but like all the other features and want the iPhone. Seems like AT&T know that people will definitely use wifi whenever possible for internet and want to tax them whether they use EDGE or not.

  3. The plan is much better than I’d expected, but I have to admit that I thought it would be good since they were delaying it for so long. I don’t think they would have wanted to spring Blackberry-level pricing on their customers and make them think twice about buying the phone.

    As it happens, even if you get your Blackberry for $100, the $500 iPhone + plan is about $100 cheaper over two years than the Blackberry with plan.