STILL no prepaid plan?

Wiggo · 06-11-2009, 11:07 AM

So there are soon to be thousands if not millions of 3G iPhones with no commitment attached as people upgrade to the 3GS, and AT&T *still* won't offer a prepaid plan?

What a great business strategy. Piss off and alienate millions (including Apple) and force them to get contracts and pay the subsidation price for a non-subsidized phone (and pay a $250 deposit, since many prepaid users have credit issues).

And AT&T will be shocked when Apple lets their exclusivity deal expire.

[End rant]

iphun · 06-11-2009, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Wiggo

So there are soon to be thousands if not millions of 3G iPhones with no commitment attached as people upgrade to the 3GS, and AT&T *still* won't offer a prepaid plan?

What a great business strategy. Piss off and alienate millions (including Apple) and force them to get contracts and pay the subsidation price for a non-subsidized phone (and pay a $250 deposit, since many prepaid users have credit issues).

And AT&T will be shocked when Apple lets their exclusivity deal expire.

[End rant]

I don't personally want a prepaid plan, I like my normal monthly plan just as it is. But for those who cannot afford a monthly plan and with the 8GB 3G being lowered to $99 I think it would be a smart move on their part. They would sell so many more iphones plus get another couple million subscribers for prepaid plans. Until someone else offers the iPhone at&t will keep everything the same because they don't have to change what they are doing. But I still don't know if another US company would offer it on prepaid. It's just the US cell phone providers that just aren't the best businesses, but cell phone providers in other countries for example like the UK gets prepaid options and in Canada you won't have to pay a penny more on top of your current data plan to use tethering.

shutter13 · 06-11-2009, 12:02 PM

They won't do it cause of the data plan, it is required by AT&T on all models of the iPhone. They make out like bandits with the data plan, I pay 2 dollars less for my iPhone data plan than I pay for my dsl from my phone company. Almost all my data transferred is over wifi, say 90% and I live in an edge only area. So long story short, they are making money hand over fist with the data plans and aren't going to stop requiring it.

iphun · 06-11-2009, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by shutter13

They won't do it cause of the data plan, it is required by AT&T on all models of the iPhone. They make out like bandits with the data plan, I pay 2 dollars less for my iPhone data plan than I pay for my dsl from my phone company. Almost all my data transferred is over wifi, say 90% and I live in an edge only area. So long story short, they are making money hand over fist with the data plans and aren't going to stop requiring it.

See now for someone like you who is on wifi 90% of the time they need to offer a $20 limited data plan. They should be paying you for not putting a strain on their network

And hopefully when they come out with the 3G Microcell they will offer the unit for a price but do not make you pay a monthly fee since you already do to use the 3G data plan which you don't have the ability to take advantage of in your edge only area. But yeah I agree about the data plan, but I know o2 in the UK offers a prepaid plan with the data so it is possible.

shutter13 · 06-11-2009, 12:10 PM

I can't really see the point of the microcell for me, my edge service is fine at the house for voice and I get simultaneous voice and data already with wifi and data transfer is faster and more efficient (battery consumption) on wifi over 3G. I suppose it would benefit people in edge only areas that do not have a wireless network set up in their home...but I do. I want 3G in my area for when I am away from my wifi connection and sending mms which isn't done over wifi.

iphun · 06-11-2009, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by shutter13

I can't really see the point of the microcell for me, my edge service is fine at the house and I get simultaneous voice and data already with wifi. I suppose it would benefit people in edge only areas that do not have a wireless network set up in their home...but I do.

And in that case they should offer you a $20 limited plan since you don't really use it. Too bad you can't make them come out and assess your area and if they determine you can't get 3G then you can get the V1 unlimited $20 plan.