Rate plans for iPhone unveiled by Apple

[vision63]

Since Cingular isn't subsidizing the cost of the iPhone, I don't see how they can justify a 2 year agreement. With Sprint and the others, you agree to the 1 or 2 year agreement because they're paying for the phone for you to a degree.

So the 2 year agreement is the first ripoff.

Those rates suck. I get 1100 minutes, unlimited text messages and mobile to mobile, nights starting at 7 for just $66 dollars total with Sprint. That includes an extra line and phone.

[chas_m]

[quote Ken Sp.]chas_m was EXACTLY wrong!!!!
http://forums.macresource.com/read/1/318423
Wow, sorry your reading comprehension is so poor.

I was exactly RIGHT -- my prediction was that AT&T would offer a special plan exclusively for the iPhone. This was exactly right, and was exactly CONTRARY to many, many pundits and speculators on this and other forums.

MacNN was wrong (not me) about the cost of the iPhone plan -- they said the data component would be $45/month. I was just speculating that IF the MacNN report was correct, that it would be a promotional rate only.

I also predicted that the iPhone plan would feature unlimited data (right again) and would cost up to $99.99/month (right a third time). I freely admit that I did not get the number of minutes or number of sms correct, but on everything else I was EXACTLY right.

The point is that I was the ONLY one here (at least that I can find so far) who said the iPhone would get its own rate plan that would be completely different from AT&T's/Cingular's existing rate plans (and I first predicted this weeks ago).

And I was right.

[Will Collier]

Whoops, wrong thread (how the heck did I do that?).

[AllGold]

[quote vision63]Since Cingular isn't subsidizing the cost of the iPhone, I don't see how they can justify a 2 year agreement. With Sprint and the others, you agree to the 1 or 2 year agreement because they're paying for the phone for you to a degree.

So the 2 year agreement is the first ripoff.
I agree that there is no good reason to require a contract. The not-good reasons, in no particular order, are:

* AT&T feels like it.

* AT&T can get away with it.

* We've become accustomed to being locked into a contract. Too few of us are noticing that there's no reason for a contract since there is no price subsidy and saying "Hey, what's the deal here?"

* Many of the people who DO realize there's no good reason for a contract are too excited about the iPhone to exercise good judgement.

If the majority of those who are wetting themselves over the iPhone would stop for a minute and refuse to buy an iPhone unless it comes free of a contract then the problem would be solved. But that's not going to happen.