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04 Jul 2008
AT&T has revealed a new pricing structure for the iPhone 3G in the US.
The company is making a few changes to its monthly plan, boosting rates and adding a separate charge for text messages.
Users will pay an extra $10 for the upgrade from a slower Edge connection to the 3G network.
Prices will range from a $69.99 monthly plan with 450 anytime minutes and 5,000 night and weekend minutes, to a $129 plan with unlimited minutes. Each of the plans will include unlimited data transfers.
SMS will be separate, with prices ranging from $5 per month for 200 messages to $20 per month for unlimited messages.
AT&T also revealed a new pricing plan for the handsets. Customers signing a two-year contract can pick up the iPhone 3G for $199 (8GB) or $299 (16GB).
Customers not deemed eligible for an upgrade will have to pay $399 and $499 respectively for the iPhone 3G.
"We cannot wait to offer the iPhone 3G to our customers, and we want to make sure that the buying process is as easy as possible," said Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive at AT&T's wireless unit.
"Considering all the great new features of the iPhone 3G, we think our pricing and monthly plans present a tremendous value for consumers and businesses alike."
AT&T said that it will also soon offer the iPhone without a contract for $599 (8GB) and $699 (16GB).
The handsets themselves will still be locked into the network, although the iPhone hacking community will no doubt be hard at work on another 'jailbreak' procedure.
Apple has long distanced itself from the efforts to remove the iPhone from its exclusive network.
The company has said that, while it does not deliberately cripple hacked iPhones, it will not be held responsible for the compatibility issues that often arise with firmware updates.
The iPhone 3G will go on sale on 11 July at 8.00am and will be available only at Apple and AT&T retail stores.
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Price confusion
Why can't ATT explain their fees so that people can understand them?
Posted by: Old blue 05 Jul 2008
Pricing blows for loyal customers
the IPhone is a unique item that many customers desire. The full retail value of the 3G IPhone is $599 for the 8G and $699 for the 16G. In order to accommodate as many of our valued customers as possible, we are making the 3G IPhone available at discounted pricing to all of our customers. Customers not currently eligible for a discount on other equipment will be able to purchase the 3G IPhone at discounted prices of $399 for the 8G and $499 for the 16G. These prices will require a new 2 year contract and there will be an $18 upgrade fee per line that upgrades on the customers next bill. $199 /$299: for new customers, current IPhone customers prior to July 11, and AT&T non-IPhone customers who are currently eligible for an upgrade discount. This requires two-year service agreement. This is from a Customer Service Rep. that I was emailing back and forth to find out how much I'd be paying to get one since I am not eligible for an upgrade yet and I don't have an older iphone. So basically I get a small discount if I want to buy one. They also can't provide me the information that says what a "Qualified Customer" is. I was kind of wondering if they get to change what that means for each phone that comes out so they can charge you whatever they feel like. Where or what does it say about how long I have to wait from upgrading to be eligible for a new upgrade?
Posted by: Jon 04 Jul 2008
Why the price change?
How come all of a sudden now people who are not current iphone customers have to pay $200 extra to get the phone?
Posted by: Andres Catlla 04 Jul 2008