iPhone cost me $16 a month to use

[Mostly Harmless]

What might be the final blow to my iPhone days, I am now saving $16/month on my contact.

My story in short:
I have had the iPhone 3G since about 3 weeks after it was released (couldn't even find the phone before that). For the past two years I never really had an issue with it, it was a great phone and it was my first smart phone. Two months ago it broke, I tried to repair it, it worked for a while, then just went down hill. Apple wanted $200 for a replacement and with the new iPhone 4G around the corner I said no way.

I have always had the itch to try out Android but didn't really have a plan to do so, I was locked in a contact with a phone that worked. Now I was locked in a contract with a phone that didn't work. I saw the N1, fell in love and ordered one right away. My plan was to give Android a shot while I waited for the new iPhone to be released. Within hours of powering up the N1 I was hooked. Wallpapers, folders, multitasking, this was all possible on a smartphone (dumb user!)??? Fast forward till today and I am still learning a lot. The last thing I needed to do was to kill off the iPhone plan on my At&t plan. Mind you that my iPhone plan gave me unlimited text/data+my normal voice plan. I called up At&t to see what they could do for me. They asked me for my new IME number and changed that in there system (in order to get rid of the iphone plan the IME number can't be related to the iphone), gave me the same plan, unlimited text/data+my normal voice plan for $16 a month less! On a two year contract that is $384!

I am now completely firm in my decision to stay with android and the N1. With LauncherPro, Handcent SMS, and Dolphin HD my N1 is almost set up perfectly, the only thing missing is a good music player. Although I have no plans on trading in my N1, it is also nice to know that I can go hardware to hardware and still keep all my software. Not included in that $16 a month is the money I lost in apps that I couldn't return and now I don't use.

 

[ap3604]

Yeah me too!

I had a 3gs and was paying $70/no. Now that I have the N1 I only pay $34/no for data and make calls for free through sipagent

Over a two year period I save $36/mo X 24 mo = $864!!! More than enough to completely pay for the N1 and my ATT termination fee.

 

[snakeybidder]

Welcome to Android guys, iphone.........zzzzzzzz, good for kids games

 

[MartinS]

Welcome. I didn't regret selling my iPhone for the HTC Hero. Now I have an N1 I certainly don't regret it. I'm sure you won't either.

By the way. Check out bTunes in the market. This should satisfy your music player loss from iPhone. It's almost an exact copy of the iPhone/iPod Touch player.

 

[Schwin97]

So how did you setup sipagent, and how is the voice quality?

Thanks!

 

[Roze]

iPhone plans are always more expensive than any other plan for any carrier :/ I actually NEVER got into the iPhone craze...It didn't appeal to me in any way, looks (well it looks like my ipod...nothing special) and then when I played with it, I was like...these are what apps are...gosh...kind of boring (setting) and annoying (I was trying to find some specific apps and took me forever to find) ...all of the apps kind of LOOK the same with the icon being a square :/

When I read about Android OS, the way the OS worked blew me away. It's more interactive and the customization was something that interested me. When the N1 came to Canada, I saved my money to get it ^_^ and yeah...I just kind of scoff at my friends with their iPhones that think how great they are...cause I know better

I find it quite scary how much Apple has brainwashed some of them...I had to talk one of them out of getting the iPad. Reason why she wanted it: just because it's Apple and it's cool and 'everyone' has it.

 

[jjswee]

I didn't know the plan was different! I am gonna have to go get mine changed. Thanks for the heads up. What did you talk to them about to get the lower plan, despite the phone having the same features?

 

[Mostly Harmless]

I didn't know the plan was different! I am gonna have to go get mine changed. Thanks for the heads up. What did you talk to them about to get the lower plan, despite the phone having the same features?

I just told them that I not longer had the iphone (which they are going to want to verify with the IME number) and wanted the plan removed, after the lady removed the iphone plan I told her I wanted an unlimited data plan ($15.00) and an unlimited text plan ($20.00). I also get a discount from my company which also helped out since I don't believe you can get the iphone plan at a discount (I could be wrong). I didn't say anything other then that and it turned out to be about $16 cheaper. I might have to start looking into google voice for text messages, that could save me another $20 a month.

 

[Mofus]

You all are wrong about the pricing. After reading this I high tailed it over to AT&T and spoke with a CSR. All data plans are 30-bucks a month. If you want a similar experience as the iPhone you'll pay the same price. It's just you're not required to pay for the monthly data plan. I don't know about the visual voice mail. I forgot to ask, and I haven't received any since I got the N1 last week.

 

[shawn1224]

The thread title is a little misleading. I came in here thinking it cost 16 bucks a month for an iphone ... hell, for that price, sign me up.

Now I'm a bit disappointed

 

[Mostly Harmless]

You all are wrong about the pricing. After reading this I high tailed it over to AT&T and spoke with a CSR. All data plans are 30-bucks a month. If you want a similar experience as the iPhone you'll pay the same price. It's just you're not required to pay for the monthly data plan. I don't know about the visual voice mail. I forgot to ask, and I haven't received any since I got the N1 last week.

Mofus, I just contacted At&t to ask them about this and the following is what I was told by a CSR:

The IME that came up with this phone registers it as a non-smartphone with At&t's system, because of that the CSR could not put a smartphone data plan to this phone (apparently only certain IME numbers allows there computers to do so). So instead there regular unlimited data plan was tacked onto my bill. To me this didn't sound right so the CSR put a note in my file that said I called with a concern about this and that if anything was to happen (as in to be charged for excess data usage) I would have basically and excuse.

Does anyone else have any ideas that I could try, I have no issue paying what I need to pay, but from what it seems like, I have ran out of things to try.

 

[Schwin97]

I don't think there is a difference between the data plans - both smartphone and non-smartphone are 'unlimited'. With that being said, if the phone comes in as a non-smartphone, I would just enjoy the 50% discount for the data on your phone.

So I haven't called AT&T yet to check on lowering my cost since the data plan for the iPhone is working just fine on my N1. I figured I would have the smartphone data which is the same price so why make any changes. If this allows me to save 15, then I will have to call them up and make the change as well.

 

[Kage_]

I haven't called ATT, but looking at the options online for my line the only options it gives me is the $10 family data and the $15 unlimited data. I'm willing to be other N1 users will see something close to the same.

Kage_

 

[CirkDroid]

The smartphone plans only show up on the website if the phone in your account has an IME that they recognize as a smartphone.

Before I got my nexus one, I couldn't even SEE the $30 plan, because I was using a motorola rokr.

Now that I have an N1, well, it's there, and I'm paying for it, although I get my corporate discount.

 

[aglowlight]

I pay 10.00 a month for my unlimited data plan. If you are using an unlocked phone (smart phone or non smart phone) you can get unlimited data for 10.00(family unlimited data if subscribed to unlimited family messaging) or 15.00(not subscribed to unlimited family messaging) a month depending on whether or not you have the unlimited family messaging plan.

Never give AT&T your imei for your unlocked unsubsidized phone. Go get a go phone or any dummy phone for 20.00 at Walmart or where ever and give AT&T that imei.