06/25/2007, 1:05pm, EDT
Monday, June 25thiPhone to get unlimited data "iPlan?"
The iPhone will launch this week with a special data plan attached to it, according to high-placed source with access to AT&T. The contacts claim that the provider has decided to create a custom plan for the device, known internally as the "iPlan," that will enable all its features without requiring a premium. Current details reportedly call for a price between $35-45 per month that would offer unlimited Internet access over EDGE as well as a minimum of 2,000 SMS messages. The plan may even grow to include unlimited texting, the source says.
Such a plan would be unique compared to those for other smartphones served by AT&T's network. Its closest equal would be AT&T's PDA Personal Max plan, which is intended for high-end smartphones and typically precludes the use of Wi-Fi without a more expensive plan. Other service options are also more specialized and include plans for BlackBerry messaging or PC data cards.
Differences in calling plans, if any, have yet to be revealed.
Also mentioned separately is word of added security for FedEx shipments of the iPhone to retail stores. The express delivery company is said to be pre-assigning drivers and will require that they ship the iPhone in teams, preventing theft either by drivers or by outsiders. The 6PM timing of the retail launch is similarly a deliberate maneuver to control the flow of phones by making the final leg of the shipment in the afternoon and prevent AT&T stores from selling the phone prematurely, according to the report. [via BGR]
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Sounds like AT&T is bringing it inline with the iPlan.
AT&T does have a Smartphone plan though that has unlimited data for like $20/month. I wonder why the iPhone plan wouldn't be priced similarly.
Most of the full featured smartphones AT&T sells (Treos, etc.) require the PDA data plan, which is like an extra $40 by itself. I think some of the more limited ones (the Windows Mobile-based ones without touchscreens, etc.) might have that $20 data plan, but I'm not sure.
Normally the $20 unlimited data plan is only available to regular phones.
If the iPhone does get a plan that is only like $35-45 for unlimited data plus good minutes and SMS's, it is awesome. over the life of the 2 year contract, that would be a savings of $960 compared to the $40 voice + $40 data plan you'd normally have to get.... and even a savings of $480 over the course of a 2 year contract compared to a $60 a month plan. That definitely would make up for the cost of the iPhone itself.
The $20 plan is a bit slower and things like images get extra compression. You also can't tether to a laptop and you don't get an externally accessible IP. Works well for me though.
Then again, if its such a great plan, why in the world are they keeping quiet with it? Announcing it as early as possible would be the best way to ensure mass hysteria.
I don't see what would be special about this plan then - it basically costs as much as the $40 a month PDA Connect plan (the only thing perhaps being the bundled text messaging).