iPhone 3G: SMS Messages No Longer Included in iPhone Data Plan

Looks like the monthly cost of using the new iPhone 3G on AT&T will go up a little more than I first thought. Not only is AT&T bumping the iPhone data plan price up from $20 to 30, but they're also going to charge for SMS messages on top of that. The original iPhone data plan bundled in 200 SMS for that $20/month; the new one offers no including messaging.

AT&T currently charges $5/mo for a 200 message add-on plan. Figuring the extra five bones into the new iPhone data plan brings the cost up to $35/mo, or $15 more each month than the old plan. Over the course of a two-year contract - the minimum required to activate iPhone 3G - that's a total of $360 more than the old data plan.

Om Malik got a sit down with AT&T Mobility head honcho Ralph De La Vega yesterday, and Ralph said it straight up:

"The SMS messages are not bundled anymore, and you pay for what you want."

The rest of the interview, BTW, is a worthy read if you're interested in AT&T's view of how iPhone 3G may "change the game" again.

Considering that, best anyone can tell, AT&T is no longer beholden to the crazy revenue sharing arrangement they had with Apple for the first-gen iPhone, it makes sense that the carrier would want to milk all the data fees they can out of iPhone users. Personally, I'm feeling a little more like sticking with my current EDGE-only, unlocked iPhone (running on T-Mobile) might just be okay for the time being. That's not to say that AT&T is charging an unreasonable amount for the iPhone 3G data plan - it's the same monthly fee that smartphone users pay. Rather, I'm thinking that I already pay for cable modem service at home and at my office; if I'm going to pony up $30+ monthly for mobile broadband, I think I'd look into a 3G data card (or a phone with laptop tethering) to get the most flexibility possible for my dollar.

But, hey, I'm cheap like that ...

Comments on this Post

emanrules @ Jul 4, 08 1:07 PM

I was just wondering if att and apple new what they were doing when the put down pricing on the new 3g phone. a noted on another page the new customers pay 199.99 not elegable upgrades and replacements are 399.99 no contract 599.99 all these are for 8gb, so they are now allowing a person like myself to walk in pay $200 cancel for 175 or 200 and i an keep the phone. Hello 400 buck iphone and 20 bucks to unlock it, thats a steal. ( unlock @ puremoile.com not my web site )so who would pay 600?

Spam

User (174762) @ Jun 20, 08 9:40 PM

Here is three words....Family unlimited texting. This way if you have 3 people in your family and you want unlimited texting for the iPhone it would only be 10 bucks for unlimited

User (174514) @ Jun 19, 08 3:13 AM

hey i want to ask if you can use the iphone 3g for t-mobile?

User (172972) @ Jun 11, 08 11:58 AM

There should be no arguments about this. This is the same as Black Berry (BB) plan. This is nothing new about this. If you get a BB or WM Device and you want Unlimited net & txting then you pay $50 a month for the service in addition to your monthly calling plan. You have to pay to play!! The iphone plan was an old data plan called "Media Max 200" ATT has done away with this plan about a year ago, and has continued to let iphone subscribers use and utilize this plan with every new iphone. Quit whining and go with it their is no price gouging or anything else like that going on here. Every other 3G/PDA device you have to pay the same rate as above in my article. The 3G iphone is no different.

User (172948) @ Jun 11, 08 3:30 AM

1500 texts a month?! Damn, get a job! I wonder what is going to happen to existing iPhone users under contract? Does this not violate their contract to change prices/services (aka - bait & switch)?

User (172627) @ Jun 11, 08 12:12 AM

Get sprint....

User (172924) @ Jun 10, 08 7:49 PM

that does it for me...no 3g iphone. i send over 1500 texts a month so my monthly bill would be outrageous. no thanks i'll stick with sprint

36FEEC53263643B38866 @ Jun 10, 08 3:36 PM

yikes its getting harder to swallow justifying getting one of these from a Sprint PPC device. Were now talking a minimum of $75/month for the lowest voice plan with data and 200 texts.

User (172855) @ Jun 10, 08 2:54 PM

Yeah $360 over 2 years but you pay $200 less for the device so it's only $160...

User (172851) @ Jun 10, 08 2:31 PM

Why wouldn't push mail be a better option anyway?

User (170383) @ Jun 10, 08 12:23 PM

Noah.. i have a question for you. If one person on your verizon family plan has had an upgrade and the others have not does that mean that everyone is stuck with verizon for another 2 years? And i was also wondering if you would reccomend verizon or at&t?