Reuters (via Ars) has word from Ralph de la Vega, the head of AT&T's mobility and consumer business:
"Right now we continue to study what is the best thing that is available, not just from an iPhone point of view, but what you can do to stimulate additional demand,"
"Our business is to sell services," he said, adding that AT&T doesn't make money from the sale of devices like the iPhone, which it subsidizes heavily
"We view Apple as a strategic partner for us, a very good partner to have now and into the future,"
Like the old joke goes, if you ask someone if they've considered something -- bang! -- you just made them consider it. So, yeah, AT&T has considered making iPhone data cheaper... but we still don't know if they'll actually do anything about it.
Reader comments
AT&T Confirms Considering Lowering iPhone Data Plans... Maybe!
They should definitely lower the cost of the data plan. $30 a month is just too much
Or they could leave it at 30 and include text messages
Data plans should again include all SMS at the same $30 rate. AT&T's greedy agenda also deserves stiff competition. AT&T's data and voice reliability sux eggs.
should include unlimited text. Sprint has their everything plan with gps, text, and data all included.
Keep it at $30 and include texting and the elusive tethering... Folks would dig that!
ATT voice and data reliability ahve always been fantastic for me, but they are greedy little piggies not to throw text in with the $30 plan. That is some rank BS!
@Rene - Date Plan?
I don't think they need to include tethering for $30 because it makes sense to keep the iPhone data on the iPhone. But charging extra for texting is a crime when it uses data and phone lines that I already pay for $50 per month for unlimited texting and data is nuts.
This is one place i think its safe to say the UK is miles ahead of the US.
I never understood charging $20 a month for unlimited texting, is it that much different then sending data...?? Seriously?
They do it because they know people will pay for it. If they charged me $200 a month, I'd still have an iPhone
@Tweger
You're insane. The iPhone is nice but it ain't worth $200 a month.
Yeah the massive charge for unlimited texting is crazy but all the carriers know they have by the short and curlies and there is not a whole that can be done to convince them to bundle that in with a data package.
Date plan? Proofreading needed... :-)
Hey everyone is complaining about data rates come live in Canada. We pay more for our data. I don't see what all the fuss is. You guys have unlimited be thankful for that end of story.
If I could I would start my own company and really mess up all these others and include everything for a cheap price - :P
SMS on GSM locks up channels needed for voice calls. So the more text being sent, means the ability for a customer to make phone calls can be affected. It works differently on CDMA, far more efficient.
@ Terry - so, you would start something just like Revol. It's not a new idea. Also, everyone says that they would do that but if charging that much for texting raised your salary as a CEO by one or two million a year would you really lower the prices? A lot of people say they would but given the chance for that kind of money I don't know that a lot of people would lower their rates.
@frog
Then they should implement a more efficient way to do it.
The data plan will not be lowered especially with the new iphone coming out its a standard data plan for any PDA class phone so you will just have to love the phone and deal with your bill don't be cheap or don't buy the iphone ...
PS Sprint sux ballz
if at&t just included unlimited texting with the $30 a month it would skyrocket iphone sales for sure! or could you just purchase a data/texting plan for $50 a month? without voice? haha
at&t plans all around are crazy because the blackberry is just a much as the iphone..... all company carry the blackberry but at&t cost the most monthly. i dont understand why they just dont add texting with the data plan like every one else.
I remember I did this a while back. It brings back good memories. Nothing good seems to work the first time. How long did it take you? I look forward to your next story.