Individual Plans
All of AT&T's individual iPhone 3G calling plans have risen $10 when compared to those offered alongside the original iPhone. That's because AT&T is now charging $30 for the bundled unlimited data plans rather than $20, as it expects subscribers to increase their internet usage and throughput as a result of the new iPhone's 3G chip, which downloads about twice as fast as the EDGE chip in the original iPhone.
At the same time, however, AT&T has obnoxiously reduced the number of standard SMS messages included with each plan from 200 to zero. To get those 200 text messages back, subscribers will have to pay $5.00 more per month. As such, we've factored that added fee, along with the additional $10 data charge into our chart (below). The chart compares the original iPhone plans offered by AT&T to the new iPhone 3G plans with the added costs required to maintain basic text message capabilities and unlimited data downloads. All iPhone monthly plans MUST include the $30 data plan.
(It should also be noted that AT&T also offers 1500 SMS messages a month for $15 -- a $5 increase when compared to the original iPhone 3G SMS plans -- and unlimited SMS messages for $20 per month. The carrier's charts, however, make it unclear whether individual subscribers can pay for text messages on an individual basis without an SMS plan. The charts appear to suggest individual users may have to buy a minimum of 200 messages for the $5 fee. We're working to sort this out.)
AT&T's original iPhone plans (top) compared AT&T's new iPhone 3G plans (bottom) | Copyright AppleInsider.com
Generally, iPhone 3G users subscribing to the entry-level plan with 450 minutes will find themselves paying 25% more for their monthly phone bill with 200 SMS messages, while users subscribing to the unlimited plan will be paying about 12.5% more.
Family Plans
AT&T has essentially carried over the same changes to its Family Plans. The cost associated with each line on a family plan has risen $10. Similarly, family plans no longer bundle 200 SMS messages as standard. Family Plan subscribers who want text message capability will only have two options: pay 20 cents per message and risk running up a huge bill, or subscribed to an unlimited SMS family plan for $30 a month.
AT&T's official SMS plans for iPhone 3G | Copyright AT&T.
For the purpose of our charts, which compare the original iPhone Family Plans to the iPhone 3G Family Plans, we've assumed subscribers will play it safe and adopt the $30 unlimited SMS plan. As a result, two-line Family plan costs rise $50 across the board, which translates into a 45% increase for families on the 700 minute plan with two lines, scaling down to a 15% increase for those on the top-tier 6000 minute plan.
AT&T's original iPhone Family Plans (top) compared AT&T's new iPhone 3G Family Plans (bottom) | Copyright AppleInsider.com
(AT&T's pricing for the Family Unlimited plan is somewhat murky. AT&T prices the plan at $259 per month but it's unclear whether that price includes two lines or one. We're working to sort this out.)
In addition, AT&T is also mandating that all current subscribers pay an $18 upgrade fee for each iPhone account that is upgraded to an iPhone 3G account.
Readers should also be aware of miscellaneous usages charges, taxes and fees that are tacked on to wireless bills each month. For instance, these charges added nearly $20 in June to an individual AT&T account in New York that was subscribed to the $109/1350 minute iPhone plan.
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