** BUMMER the new rates do not appear to apply to the iPhone or BB **

AT&T Rebranding and Repricing Data Plans

[excludes smart devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or smart
devices with touchscreen displays]

* Written by Humberto Saabedra on January 22, 2009
* AT&T

Starting on January 25th, AT&T will be dropping the venerable Media
Net brand for data and messaging services used since the pre-merger
Cingular days.

In its place, AT&T will be branding the new data/messaging bundles and
separate add-ons under the new AT&T Data & Messaging brand. AT&T will
be keeping the $15 data-only add-on which will be known as AT&T
Unlimited Data while eliminating the Media Basic and Media Works
bundles on the same aforementioned date with no replacements for
either.

AT&T’s $35 Media Max bundle will see a $5 reduction and a rebrand to
AT&T Unlimited Data & Messaging for $30, with current Media Max
customers needing to contact customer service to receive the $5
reduction. The biggest change is in the Family Data plan for
FamilyShare plans.

Customers on FamilyShare plans with the Unlimited Messaging add-on
will be able to add unlimited data access for just $10 per line which
excludes smart devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or smart devices
with touchscreen displays.

AT&T you @#$%^&*(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha

"iPhone 3Gold" <vic.healey@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:06c5a3f5-9d4c-444b-bda0-7a5944874548@i18g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
AT&T Rebranding and Repricing Data Plans

[excludes smart devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or smart
devices with touchscreen displays]

* Written by Humberto Saabedra on January 22, 2009
* AT&T

Starting on January 25th, AT&T will be dropping the venerable Media
Net brand for data and messaging services used since the pre-merger
Cingular days.

In its place, AT&T will be branding the new data/messaging bundles and
separate add-ons under the new AT&T Data & Messaging brand. AT&T will
be keeping the $15 data-only add-on which will be known as AT&T
Unlimited Data while eliminating the Media Basic and Media Works
bundles on the same aforementioned date with no replacements for
either.

AT&T’s $35 Media Max bundle will see a $5 reduction and a rebrand to
AT&T Unlimited Data & Messaging for $30, with current Media Max
customers needing to contact customer service to receive the $5
reduction. The biggest change is in the Family Data plan for
FamilyShare plans.

Customers on FamilyShare plans with the Unlimited Messaging add-on
will be able to add unlimited data access for just $10 per line which
excludes smart devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or smart devices
with touchscreen displays.

AT&T you @#$%^&*(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At 23 Jan 2009 00:12:53 -0800 iPhone 3Gold wrote:

> ...which
> excludes smart devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or smart devices
> with touchscreen displays.
>
> AT&T you @#$%^&*(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So much for "handling the recession in style, eh?"

To be fair, you can't have your cake and eat it, too. In one post you
tell us how the iPhone is driving unprecedented use of mobile internet,
and in the next you want AT&T to price it the same as a dumbphone. As
Dany Carvey used to say (as George Bush) "Na' Ga' D'it"

If I were in a management position at AT&T or Rogers, I would be jacking
up prices for iPhone data service now.

Anybody who buys a smart phone in a recession is not price-sensitive, and
can be squeezed. This has always been done to BlackBerry customers (a BB
with tethering privileges adds a whopping $60 to a Verizon monthly bill).

iPhone customers have no alternative. Even if they jailbreak and unlock
their iToy (something that both Apple and AT&T have successfully spun to
naive customers as being "illegal"), what real choice do they have in the
North American market?

T-Mobile is the only other national GSM carrier in the USA, but it has a
much smaller coverage area and you can kiss your 3G goodbye since
T-Mobile's 3G band isn't supported by iToy. Rogers is it for Canada.

Sure, there are smaller regional GSM carriers; but you may not get 3G and
you certainly won't get national coverage.

iPhone users can't go to Verizon, because iPhone doesn't support CDMA.

Yes, the current iToy customers can hold on to their plans under
grandfathering. But it's easy to fix that. Just offer some "ooh, shiny"
iPhone application that ONLY works if you upgrade to the new more
expensive plan. Carriers in other countries have already done this.

-- Mark --

http://panda.com/mrc
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to eat for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote.

Mark Crispin wrote:

> Yes, the current iToy customers can hold on to their plans under
> grandfathering. But it's easy to fix that. Just offer some "ooh,
> shiny" iPhone application that ONLY works if you upgrade to the new more
> expensive plan. Carriers in other countries have already done this.

They already raised the price when they went to 3G, and with iPhone
sales in the tank they're unlikely to raise prices again anytime soon.

Remember, more than 20 million Windows Mobile phones were sold last
year, compared to 4.4 million iPhones. The last thing AT&T is going to
do is to do things that lessen the market share of the iPhone even more.

iPhone 3Gold <vic.healey@gmail.com> wrote in news:06c5a3f5-9d4c-444b-
bda0-7a5944874548@i18g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

> AT&T Rebranding and Repricing Data Plans
>
> [excludes smart devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or smart
> devices with touchscreen displays]
>
> * Written by Humberto Saabedra on January 22, 2009
> * AT&T
>
> Starting on January 25th, AT&T will be dropping the venerable Media
> Net brand for data and messaging services used since the pre-merger
> Cingular days.
>
> In its place, AT&T will be branding the new data/messaging bundles and
> separate add-ons under the new AT&T Data & Messaging brand. AT&T will
> be keeping the $15 data-only add-on which will be known as AT&T
> Unlimited Data while eliminating the Media Basic and Media Works
> bundles on the same aforementioned date with no replacements for
> either.
>
> AT&T’s $35 Media Max bundle will see a $5 reduction and a rebrand to
> AT&T Unlimited Data & Messaging for $30, with current Media Max
> customers needing to contact customer service to receive the $5
> reduction. The biggest change is in the Family Data plan for
> FamilyShare plans.
>
> Customers on FamilyShare plans with the Unlimited Messaging add-on
> will be able to add unlimited data access for just $10 per line which
> excludes smart devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry or smart devices
> with touchscreen displays.
>
> AT&T you @#$%^&*(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>

Vic, which of these plans will the simple sellphone with a Bluetooth DUN
modem in them be attached to? The pricing is very attractive and ATT
has a larger system footprint than Cricket does for it's $35 Unlimited
Data plan to a USB GSM modem.

One of the BEST things about a SEPARATELY tethered device is its
characteristic of NOT being linked to any particular carrier, so it can
very easily be connected to any of them that will permit tethering to
it.....like a laptop, my Linux tablets, etc....out of the grasp of the
sellphone bureaucrats.

SMS <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote in news:T1uel.9436$pr6.7245
@flpi149.ffdc.sbc.com:

> They already raised the price when they went to 3G, and with iPhone
> sales in the tank they're unlikely to raise prices again anytime soon.
>

iPhone sales in the tank?! But VIC said..........!

He just told us iPhone was going to replace NOKIA!

He wouldn't lie to us, would he??

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009, SMS posted:
> They already raised the price when they went to 3G, and with iPhone sales in
> the tank they're unlikely to raise prices again anytime soon.

I don't think that it has anything to do with the economy. Rather,
everybody who wanted an iPhone now has one. That's why it is now at
Wal-Mart; a last-ditch effort to get out a few more sales before the
product is discontinued.

> Remember, more than 20 million Windows Mobile phones were sold last year,
> compared to 4.4 million iPhones. The last thing AT&T is going to do is to do
> things that lessen the market share of the iPhone even more.

I disagree. Although the iPhone's market share has plateaued, the
existing market is completely captive. They can't go to another carrier,
and when (not if) their current iToys breaks they will just buy another
one...even if it's the same as they one they have.

That's an ongoing revenue stream that will continue no matter had badly it
is abused; a customer base that practically screams "exploit me".

True, now that the Steve Jobs era is over, Apple's luster will start to
fade (again). But, as was demonstrated in the 1990s, it will take some
time. Windows 95 completely obsoleted the pre-OSX Macintosh operating
system, yet the fanboys kept the Mac flame alive for another 4 years
thereafter.

5 years from now, AT&T can still sell the same model at higher prices than
more capable devices that support LTE. The fanboys will post "Apple slams
LTE - ends its future!" nonsense...

Perhaps to keep it fresh, they'll have them in multiple designer colors,
or various "limited edition" logos (The Hannah Montana iPhone! The
Wrestlemania iPhone!).

-- Mark --

http://panda.com/mrc
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to eat for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote.

Mark Crispin <mrc@panda.com> wrote in
news:alpine.OSX.2.00.0901232004070.283@hsinghsing. panda.com:

> The Hannah Montana iPhone!

WHOA! Where can I get one of THOSE?!!

Is the case titty pink??

That, of course, will be next door to the iPhone store in Walmart in
Toys....

On 2009-01-24, Larry <noone@home.com> wrote:
> iPhone 3Gold <vic.healey@gmail.com> wrote:
> bda0-7a5944874548@i18g2000prf.googlegroups.com:
>> In its place, AT&T will be branding the new data/messaging bundles and
>> separate add-ons under the new AT&T Data & Messaging brand. AT&T will
>> be keeping the $15 data-only add-on which will be known as AT&T
>> Unlimited Data while eliminating the Media Basic and Media Works
>> bundles on the same aforementioned date with no replacements for
>> either.
[...]
> Vic, which of these plans will the simple sellphone with a Bluetooth DUN
> modem in them be attached to? The pricing is very attractive and ATT
> has a larger system footprint than Cricket does for it's $35 Unlimited
> Data plan to a USB GSM modem.

Are we talking about what is allowed according to the ToS, or
what actually works? According to the ToS you can't tether the
phone with that plan, but in real life most GSM phones support
tethering (and AT&T-branded software seldom "fixes" this) and
the network doesn't have an easy way to keep you from doing so.
I can recommend the Motorola V3xx, the subsidized price isn't
terrible and it makes a very fine modem, if not much else.

The service won't quite be equivalent to what you've got from
Alltel, however, since the AT&T plans at that price use NAT.

> One of the BEST things about a SEPARATELY tethered device is its
> characteristic of NOT being linked to any particular carrier, so it can
> very easily be connected to any of them that will permit tethering to
> it.....like a laptop, my Linux tablets, etc....out of the grasp of the
> sellphone bureaucrats.

You know, as has been pointed out a number of times previously,
with GSM you are always free to buy unbranded phones which the
mobile phone companies don't get to touch and which exist solely
to please you. I hear the Nokia N97 will be their iPhone-killer.

In this case, however, I agree with you. It is significantly
harder for the phone company to figure out that something smart
is tethered through your dumbphone to use their dumbphone-only
plan than it is for them to figure out you are using a smartphone
on their dumbphone-only plan.

Dennis Ferguson

Mark Crispin wrote:

> I disagree. Although the iPhone's market share has plateaued, the
> existing market is completely captive. They can't go to another
> carrier, and when (not if) their current iToys breaks they will just buy
> another one...even if it's the same as they one they have.
>
> That's an ongoing revenue stream that will continue no matter had badly
> it is abused; a customer base that practically screams "exploit me".

You're basing that opinion on the crap that fanbois post here? There's a
whole other world out there of iPhone users that aren't like them at
all. I've never met a fanboi in person, but I've met many normal people
with iPhones that like them, but not enough to pay any more than they're
paying now. Also, they're rather displeased that the phone part of the
iPhone is on a network that isn't very good in terms of coverage.

> True, now that the Steve Jobs era is over, Apple's luster will start to
> fade (again).

I believe the opposite will be true. While the loss of Job's marketing
savvy will be gone, it's not irreplaceable. In some ways he held Apple
back. You can bet that selling iPhones at Wal-Mart was not something
that he was enthralled with. Next you'll see Macs being sold in mass
market outlets side by side with computers from Dell and HP. You just
can't limit your channels any more.

Dennis Ferguson <dcferguson@pacbell.net> wrote in
news:slrngnls9b.92m.dcferguson@akit-ferguson.com:

> In this case, however, I agree with you. It is significantly
> harder for the phone company to figure out that something smart
> is tethered through your dumbphone to use their dumbphone-only
> plan than it is for them to figure out you are using a smartphone
> on their dumbphone-only plan.
>
> Dennis Ferguson
>

AS with all discussions about phones with Vic, we are referring to iPhone,
which lacks any real bluetooth protocols to tether to, even stereo
headphones, making your correct comment on other phone, moot.

Alltel will sell you BT or cable tethered service from a SMARTphone for
only $10. From other phones like your V3 or my Z6m, the price is $25,
strangely enough. Go figure....(c;]

On CDMA, no data flows until the carrier turns it on from their end. I
could tether to the Z6m over BT but there's no internet connection until
the office puts it on your account. I can only assume GSM phones are
similarly controlled.

On Sat, 24 Jan 2009, SMS posted:
>> That's an ongoing revenue stream that will continue no matter had badly it
>> is abused; a customer base that practically screams "exploit me".
> You're basing that opinion on the crap that fanbois post here? There's a
> whole other world out there of iPhone users that aren't like them at all.

I admit that I know a few iPhone users who picked it because it was better
than Windows Mobile, but not out of Apple fanaticism.

> I've never met a fanboi in person, but I've met many normal people with
> iPhones that like them, but not enough to pay any more than they're paying
> now. Also, they're rather displeased that the phone part of the iPhone is on
> a network that isn't very good in terms of coverage.

If they cared about the network (or other technical issues), why on earth
would they buy an iPhone? As you say, AT&T's network isn't very good; and
the iPhone isn't a very good phone either. It's a great iPod, good (but
not great) Internet tablet, and mediocre phone.

> Next you'll see Macs being sold in mass market outlets side
> by side with computers from Dell and HP. You just can't limit your channels
> any more.

That may be the case with ordinary companies, but not necessarily with
Apple. Apple's market has always been in premium products. If they
market like other companies they will have to start pricing like other
companies.

Now that Linux (finally!) has a polished desktop distribution in Ubuntu,
it is increasingly difficult to justify paying twice as much for
Macintosh. With the exception of feeding iPods, Linux does just about
everything better than Macintosh.

I foresee a poor future for Apple in the mass market. They have to hold
onto the "ooh, shiny" market or they are toast. They must have some new
products in the pipeline from the Jobs era; but the problem is what will
they do after that.

-- Mark --

http://panda.com/mrc
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to eat for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote.

Mark Crispin wrote:

> I admit that I know a few iPhone users who picked it because it was
> better than Windows Mobile, but not out of Apple fanaticism.

I only know one non-Apple employee with an iPhone, and he really likes
the user interface. He's not trying to turn it into a Blackberry or
Windows Mobile device because he knows that it can't do a lot of those
functions. Other than the lack of Flash, he has no complaints.

> If they cared about the network (or other technical issues), why on
> earth would they buy an iPhone?

They did not realize how much worse AT&T was in terms of coverage. Not
everyone does due diligence prior to selecting a new carrier.

> That may be the case with ordinary companies, but not necessarily with
> Apple. Apple's market has always been in premium products. If they
> market like other companies they will have to start pricing like other
> companies.

The iPhone sells for less than many of the smart phones offered by other
carriers. I think there are two reasons for this. First, Apple wanted to
do high volumes to establish the iPhone brand. Second, the iPhone is
marketed to consumers rather than businesses, and consumers may be more
price sensitive.

As to computers, Apple may finally decide to expand their market share
once we reach the depths of the recession/depression.

> Now that Linux (finally!) has a polished desktop distribution in Ubuntu,
> it is increasingly difficult to justify paying twice as much for
> Macintosh. With the exception of feeding iPods, Linux does just about
> everything better than Macintosh.

How well does it run Final Cut Pro? How well does it run Microsoft
Office. And don't give me that "Star Office" line, it's a good product
but it doesn't do a great job on opening or saving in Office formats.

> I foresee a poor future for Apple in the mass market. They have to hold
> onto the "ooh, shiny" market or they are toast. They must have some new
> products in the pipeline from the Jobs era; but the problem is what will
> they do after that.

Other people besides Jobs are able to think up innovative new consumer
products. Cook solved a lot of Apple's core problems in the operations
and manufacturing and supply chain areas, but that doesn't mean that he
can't also think like a marketeer, and of course there are plenty of
other creative people at Apple. Apple has had a lot of time to plan for
this transition. Whatever they say publicly is not necessarily what they
all knew internally. They aren't allowed to lie about the CEO's health,
but it's perfectly legal to say nothing.