Cingular just recently released a plan that includes unlimited text messages to any provider in any form including IM. This would come up HUGE if apple hopefully includes iChat in the phone. But do you think this plan will be available with the iPhone? I don't think i'll be getting the data plan cuz i can really care less about the internet.
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iPhone Texting Plan
- Thread starter emanaydin
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I highly doub't they'll require it.. theres not a fone out there where the provider requires you to have the data plan. By adding the text messaging plan instead of the data, all i really lose is the internet browsing and email. That's not a big deal to me, i still have all the rest of the features.
Providers have been known to artificially cripple phones--like disabling Bluetooth to force you into using their network to synch data across 7 inches 
So I can see AT&T wanting WiFI disabled unless you buy their data plan.
But in this case the manufacturer is Apple, and probably won't put up with that nonsense.
So I can see AT&T wanting WiFI disabled unless you buy their data plan.But in this case the manufacturer is Apple, and probably won't put up with that nonsense.
a couple months back i asked a cingular sales rep about plans and i asked him if you needed a data plan with it and he said most likely you will be required to have one
It will be a "bundle" plan
It will be fierce competition between mobile carriers and phone makers come iPhone's release. iPhone aside, the plan should be cheap enough to attract customers to sign a 2 year plan. That's 2 years of customer "stickiness" for AT&T and possibility of a high customer churn rate for other mobile carriers. The competitors will definitely come out with competitive mobile plans to de-rail the iPhone's success.
No doubt, AT&T will offer a "bundled" plan and hopefully an "unlimited" plan attactive enough for people to switch and buy the iPhone. Without data, the iPhone loses one of its features - Internet Communicator.
Apple wants to "revolutionize" the mobile industry, "unlimited data/text or everything" mobile plans could be one of the items they're trying to "revolutionize" with the iPhone. iPhone or no iPhone, this is great news for consumers. Wishful thinking - maybe.
It will be fierce competition between mobile carriers and phone makers come iPhone's release. iPhone aside, the plan should be cheap enough to attract customers to sign a 2 year plan. That's 2 years of customer "stickiness" for AT&T and possibility of a high customer churn rate for other mobile carriers. The competitors will definitely come out with competitive mobile plans to de-rail the iPhone's success.
No doubt, AT&T will offer a "bundled" plan and hopefully an "unlimited" plan attactive enough for people to switch and buy the iPhone. Without data, the iPhone loses one of its features - Internet Communicator.
Apple wants to "revolutionize" the mobile industry, "unlimited data/text or everything" mobile plans could be one of the items they're trying to "revolutionize" with the iPhone. iPhone or no iPhone, this is great news for consumers. Wishful thinking - maybe.
I really hope the only difference in the plans are the amount of minutes. Everything else should be unlimited, including data, SMS, Picture/Video MMS, etc.
don't delude yourself. Apple will be right in the pocket of all that "nonsense" because it benefits manufacturers too. Expect an all-inclusive plan only, and expect it to not be cheap.
yea i figured the plan would be pricey, but i am ok with that considering all that it will do for me.
I hate the mobile phone industry with a passion... It's all marketing BS, bundles, hidden costs and all around crap
i really don't see cingular REQUIRING to have the data plan though.. they don't do that with the blackberry, treo, or pocket PC.. Verizon doesn't even do that either.. or T-Mobile. They dont REQUIRE you to get the Sidekick plan when you buy a sidekick.
Don't delude yourself, but don't delude that Apple is willing to take it in the chin either. Apple knows what people want, and they know that they might have the best thing ever, but if it costs 100 bucks a month to use, nobody will use it.
Apple is a company, they do want to make a profit, but they don't want to lose it because some other chump-ass mobile phone service provider wants to make a profit through what they have created.