yeah, welcome to america, basically the only place in the world that isn't calling party pays. So, inbound and outbound are fee, save for the MVNO that are usually a flat free for unlimited calls a month, or the obscure accounts which are unlimited calls a month, like ATT GSM First User accounts, some sprint accounts and some nextel accounts.

Sprint still has FIFM (first minute free) for some users, or if you can get them to give it to you.

But, USA calls can be far cheaper per minute than other countries, since each party pays their side (technically), not CPP.

i might be a fan of the iphone if it actually talked on the phone for me, and didnt cost and arm and a leg

Though El Reg isn't exactly pro-Apple at the best of times, the recounted exchange when the reporter went to return his iPhone is rather interesting:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07...one/page2.html

Or in the US for that matter. (With a 2 year agreement.) Because they are SUBSIDIZED. The iPhone is NOT subsidized... because it doesn't HAVE to be. They're practically jumping off the shelves at $600. WHY would Apple and/or AT&T subsidize them as long as this is true? It's called supply and DEMAND.

the iphone isn't subsidized because the service plan is. Represents a pretty nice MRR for Apple as the subs go up.

[QUOTE=nmenaker;8072246]the iphone isn't subsidized because the service plan is. [QUOTE]

I find that last part hard to believe. I currently pay Sprint @ $90/month+tax for 2 phones with 2000 peak minutes, unlimited off-peak at 7pm, unlimited text messages, and full high speed wireless web access which is lightning times faster than the iphone.

The only service that I don't have is the WiFi access but I don't need it as I can always get a higher speed connection on sprint's network.

So basically I am getting better service than the iphone plan for $45/mo, plus I got my Razr phones for free.

Now I can't say that I wouldn't love to have an iphone especially after speaking with my friend who called me just to gush about his iphone - but no way I am going to pay more for monthly service on ATT's crappy network. Maybe I should just buy the phone as they do in Europe and not worry about connecting it to AT&T

compared to ATT regular plans, the iphone plans are subsidized or lower than other plans.

No, they're not. The cheapest iPhone plan is exactly the same price as a 450-minute plan with unlimited data added on.

Yeah, I checked the ATT website, and the plans are NOT lower for the iPhone.

The "standard" 450 minute plan comes with the same minutes (and m2m) as the iPhone plan, and costs $39.99. Add the $19.99 unlimited smartphone connect plan, and the total is $59.98. The only difference is the 200 SMS messages that come with the iPhone plan, a savings of $4.99.

thank you alanw for responding! whew

I am FAIRLY certain having been with ATT five years now with data, that the smartphone connect unlimited will not allow complete services with a pda device, access to corp email, pop email, etc. Internet, sure, but I don't think it is full boat. I could be wrong, but I THINK this plan only applies to the 3125 phone and NONE of the other PDA phones. If one tries to configure it online at attws.com, the only phone that this plan even shows up for is the 3125. And not the blackjack for example or the 8525.

For other phones one has to have a minimum of 29.99$ for the "PDA connect plan" or the "pda personnal max" 39.99$ unlimited plan. this has been the BANE of ATT and verizon for years and why sprint and t-mobile are so much cheaper in this area (of course with T-mo, you get what you pay for)

So, that is a minimum of a 25% discount to the standard rates, if we take the apple iphone plan and get just the 59.99$ 450 minutes plan.

The 700 minutes higher plan is only a 18% discount using these numbers. And that is the 29.99$ plan and not the higher UNLIMITED 39.99$ plan which I THINK is the one that is required.

If we were to have the true PDA unlimited plan it would be a discount of 41% and 35% respectively.

does anyone have any info that the "smartphone" plan is applicable to anything in the PDA line of phones?

I guess it is certainly POSSIBLE to GET ATT to put that plan on another phone that that they don't officially allow to be an applicable phone/plan combo, just like T-mo and the 8080 hack for 5.99$ a month, instead of 15.99$ a month, but I would not consider this any official plan or package supported or offered by the company as a phone/plan combo and certainly would not consider this a mainstrem user picking a phone and finding some sneaky work around for a cheaper plan, trying to convince ATT that indeed SOME PDA's are using SOME FORM of WinMo smartphone edition.

I think ATT considers a PDA a PDA and not a smartphone and makes one select and applicable PDA plan

Did you get that plan a while ago? or are you on a retention or SERO plan?

I just selected all those options on the sprint site and get $159 / month + tax, plus they didn't have an option for unlimited text messaging.

$149 / mo is AT&T's 2100 minute iPhone family plan with 2 lines.

just get a SERO. My monthly is 40$ a month for 1250 minutes, N&W from 19:00, MTM and unlimited TEXTS and unlimited data. I think the current price for SERO1250 is 45 or 49$. But, there are many corp discounts one can add. And, additional discounts. Plus, it is GREAT for tethering if you get a PDA like the mogul or the treo 700w.

Don't you need to get a referral from a Sprint employee for that?

I'm sure AT&T has something similar or their insiders as well. Shouldn't you be comparing apples to apples?

nah, you don't need an employee name really. there are many anonymous names that SPRINT gives out to use.

PM me if you want the full details. I've had about 10 people this year signup. Saved them about 300$ a year, and better plans!

Nah, SERO is available to anyone that wants it, it isn't much of a secret. Sprint must be desperate.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=714000

or this Fatwallet thread:

http://www.fatwallet.com/t/18/680568/