A Few iPhone Questions Before I Buy

[MishoM]

I've got a few iPhone questions I'd like answered before I purchase one. I hope you guys can be real helpful because I'd really like to know some answers. These things have been bugging me:

Question 1: The Contract

I'm looking into getting a family plan with AT&T, I want an iPhone, however, my relative (the only other one who will be in the family plan) does not. Hes quite fine with just a normal-old flip phone you can get for free.

So I went to the iPhone Rate Plans section and noticed it was $110 a month. This is the price is two or more people in your family want an iPhone correct? We just want one iPhone, (for me), the other person is fine with an ol' phone. So will our contract be cheaper than $110? I sure hope so, this is the biggy.

Question 2: Activation

I noticed you had to activate via iTunes. Is it possible to purchase an iPhone through AT&T at one of their many stores, open it there, and have a helper activate it with you? The reason has to do with us rather having them at the store do the credit check, and etc. All that jazz we'd rather have done at the store, with someone whos done it before. Do they do this or is it iTunes only?

Question 3: The Bill

I heard people were getting like 57-page-long bills! And that the normal bill was about 30 pages long! Does this bill show EVERY SINGLE website you go to, or thing you type in, or text message?!?! Because wow, thats big. Is a 30-page bill normal? Or is that for people who just went way over?!

Thanks for all the help guys, if all goes good I should have a new iPhone next week!

 

[RosieO]

Question 1- I have three phones on my family plan. Only one is an iPhone. My total bill this month is $105.60 and that includes taxes. This includes 5000 N & W, free M2M, my data plan and 850 minutes for us to share.

Question 2 - Not sure

Question 3 - I do not have detailed billing so my bill is only 4 pages long, front and back.

 

[MishoM]

Question 1- I have three phones on my family plan. Only one is an iPhone. My total bill this month is $105.60 and that includes taxes. This includes 5000 N & W, free M2M, my data plan and 850 minutes for us to share.

Question 2 - Not sure

Question 3 - I do not have detailed billing so my bill is only 4 pages long, front and back.

Thanks man. Very interesting, Apple's "Rate Plans" page says a family plan for the iPhone costs $110 a month, so this MUST mean this includes two or more iPhone lines which I am not intending to buy. YAY! This was my biggest concern, if it was really that much money for two phones then I doubt I'd get one. Now considering you have three phones for $105, I'd say a ballpark for a free phone and an iPhone on the same plan would be anywhere from $80 - $100 (Possibly even starting at $70?)

This is awesome.

And good. I think I'll get that too, even if the bill is only the regular amount, I don't want a bill showing up in a box.

Thanks a lot man! If anyone can answer question number two, that'd be great as well. Much thanks though.

 

[gauchogolfer]

Activation of the iPhone is exclusively done via iTunes.

As for the bill, just add $20 per month to whatever family plan you like, to account for unlimited data access.

 

[RosieO]

I do believe that you can only activate it through iTunes on your computer. (I could be wrong!) It is actually VERY simple to do.

 

[MishoM]

I do believe that you can only activate it through iTunes on your computer. (I could be wrong!) It is actually VERY simple to do.

So altogether, I can have an iPhone on a family plan for $80/month! Sounds excellent in my opinion! Thanks for all your help guys!

 

[MishoM]

EEEKKK! I've got one more question!

When signing up, what is the credit card used for? If you get a bill in the mail which can be paid via check/money order/whatever why do I need a credit card?

Is it a security measure? I myself don't have one but can I just use someone else's like a parents credit card?

The lady at the ATT store said I could just use another credit card for activation leading me to believe its just a security measure. This is like the last step from me picking one up. Please answer mates!