AT&T considering cheaper iPhone plans?

We're getting close to WWDC, which means the Apple rumor mill is nearing redline -- today it's BusinessWeek saying AT&T's working on cheaper iPhone data plans. It's not clear exactly how that would play out, but the most popularly-discussed option is a $20 "limited-access" plan potentially offered alongside a cheaper iPhone to be introduced at WWDC -- an option that's almost certainly being discussed as the two companies sort out that exclusivity extension. Of course, we're extremely curious to see what "limited access" means, given AT&T's recent SlingPlayer debacle -- cheap certainly isn't worth it if you're not allowed to do anything worthwhile. Phil, you have anything to say?

[Via AppleInsider]

[liamdevlin Posted May 18th 2009 3:16PM]

@ljm - I know people who have Touch Pro/Diamonds and Blackberrys and are on the CERO/Club Advantage plan. For BB phones, you still need to pay $30/month for the RIM service.

[robothero Posted May 18th 2009 3:29PM]

Not really interested in sprint because their coverage sucks where I live and I have an iPhone already. Just a general gripe about AT&T's plans.


I remember when my family first got cell phones it was 300 total minutes across four phones. Whew!

[WannaCub Posted May 18th 2009 3:43PM]

@liam devlin:
Ditto! I am always in the US, so I don't need the GSM thang, and as for BB's, if you have the Simply Everything or Everything Data plans, the BIS is included!

[liamdevlin Posted May 18th 2009 3:53PM]

@rob - Yes, it's worth it only if you know someone in Sprint, if their coverage is good in your area, and of course, if CDMA is not an issue for you. If someone is anal/obsessed about an iPhone and willing to pay so much money each month, then this information is not for them. It is possible that AT&T and other carriers have similar plans for family and friends of their employees - best to find out than pay so much money each month.

@richard - Yes, you are right about that. I was talking specifically about the CERO and Club Advantage plans - you pay the $30/month on top of the CERO/CA plan bill for the BB phone's data plan.

[robothero Posted May 18th 2009 4:32PM]

@liam I get a discount through my employer so it's not really that bad, a little under 70$ monthly for the 3G phone/texts/etc. I just know a lot of other people are in the same boat I am and would jump on the option for a 200 minute plan.

[Hydra Posted May 18th 2009 3:53PM]

Current iphone plan is a rip off , best to just buy one on ebay and dont tell them and use it with media net unlimited access its far cheaper, about $15.00

[(Unverified) Posted May 18th 2009 6:18PM]

They do sweeps so I am sure they'd find out soon.

[Mikiet77 Posted May 18th 2009 4:13PM]

i wanted to get my wife a new phone this past weekend and was told by verizon that if she wanted a (smart phone) blackberry she would have to pay for the data plan, which is an extra 30 dollars. So went to at&t and they told me same thing, What the F*&@ , my wife doesn't need to get email or anything else on the phone other then calls she just likes the damn phone. Now the at&t guy told me that even if i buy a phone third party unlocked at&t is doing some sort of sweep for smart phones and if you have one they put you on the data plan no matter what. Unless you are grandfathered in. Now what do i do? Do i wait for the new iphone with the better camera or just go get a nice new nokia for the wife from the flagship store. N97 maybe in june.

[Mez Jr Posted May 18th 2009 5:33PM]

Is that Tom Brady?

[(Unverified) Posted May 18th 2009 6:17PM]

Does he have a Bionic Knee?

[dudebro Posted May 18th 2009 8:19PM]

@ TheSuburbanWhiteBoy

are you serious? no, not 30 + 20, just 20, probably for 20 MB a month or something. i'm blown away that you got highly ranked.

[looselycoupled Posted May 18th 2009 11:03PM]

Pricing is only an issue for people coming from regular phones... Every blackberry in existence has required an unlimited data plan from ATT, Verizon, etc.

I think the far bigger issue is producing a CDMA variant for Verizon and Sprint.

[blash Posted May 18th 2009 11:05PM]

- No voice
- Unlimited texts
- Unlimited LTE
- Tethering
- Los Angeles + DC

-$40, maybe $50/month.

Let me use Skype thanks.

[wwwmumonteacom Posted May 19th 2009 11:15AM]

Www.mumontea.com

[jimpr1524 Posted Jun 6th 2009 11:02AM]

Me personally I have no complaints on the 89.99 a month for
450min
5000 nights and weekends
unlimied text
and iphone package

but........obviously I wouldnt complain over it being slightly cheaper either, I mean after all
its right in line with Verizon anyway(Ive had Verizon so I know that for sure) and if its not the exact same its i think... a $5 difference.