What happens when contract expires?

[burnsaa]

Does anyone know what will happen in one year when my current iPhone contract is up, will AT&T then up my data plan to the new $30 data and no SMS plan or will they keep things as normal?

Just wondering because if they are going to charge me in a year maybe I should just cave in and do it anyways. But if they won't I might as well wait till next year for the next iPhone (which will probably have a mandatory $50 data plan that is capped at 200 mb a month)

 

[carsly]

Magic 8-ball says "Try again later"

Seriously though, I doubt AT&T execs know what they will have for lunch today let alone what plan pricing for data will look like a year from now. Heck, 30% of those execs will probably be gone by then anyway so even if they knew the plans today it doesn't mean that the people in charge a year from now won't have their own ideas.

What is probably reasonable to expect from Apple, however, is a real next-generation iPhone instead of the mid-model refresh that is the iPhone 3G. In which case, you and I and others who wait until end of contract will likely get subsidized sweetness on upgrading our phones whereas the the iPhone 3G adopters only 1/2 way into their contracts will likely have to go for a non-qualified upgrade (ouch). I doubt they would give them the same upgrade pricing as the 1st gen iphone customers now since we purchased unsubsidized phones thus the 'upgrade any time you want' philosophy from our cell network overlords.

 

[xintelinsanex]

Does anyone know what will happen in one year when my current iPhone contract is up, will AT&T then up my data plan to the new $30 data and no SMS plan or will they keep things as normal?

Just wondering because if they are going to charge me in a year maybe I should just cave in and do it anyways. But if they won't I might as well wait till next year for the next iPhone (which will probably have a mandatory $50 data plan that is capped at 200 mb a month)

I've read rumors that since we originally adopted the iPhone, we could potentially keep the $20 price tag with SMS for the life of our contract (including renewals). Also, we could get the 3G access for the same price, we are "grandfathered" in so to speak. If this was not the case, I think that we will keep the $20 price plan beyond the year, but only limited to EDGE speed.

 

[IrishJK09]

I've read rumors that since we originally adopted the iPhone, we could potentially keep the $20 price tag with SMS for the life of our contract (including renewals). Also, we could get the 3G access for the same price, we are "grandfathered" in so to speak. If this was not the case, I think that we will keep the $20 price plan beyond the year, but only limited to EDGE speed.

First gen owners are only grandfathered if they keep the first gen device. The moment they buy an iPhone 3G, they have to get the 3G data plan, regardless of coverage. At&t can't magically tell the data to only transmit at EDGE speeds to certain device because the owner is using an EDGE plan.

If you are really having a hard time with the data changes, your best bet is to keep your original iPhone. I say this because based on the presently available At&t info, there is NO way to keep the $20 data plan and move it over to the iPhone 3G.

At&t has two choices in this matter:

1. Stick to their guns. Stop giving the iPhone special treatment and price it at $30/mo for data just like all their other PDAs and BlackBerrys.

2. Cave in, keep the iPhone on a MEdiaNet plan for $20/mo + 200 texts. They will have to offer this to EVERYONE though.

If they only allow current iPhone users to upgrade to the 3G model and stay at $20/mo, they are alienating every single one of their new customers and/or existing customers jumping from other phones.

If they keep the 200 texts attached to the data plan, they are alienating every other PDA/BlackBerry customer that pays $30/mo for nothing more than internet.

I can actually respect the predicament At&t is in. I am fine with it as it is now, but apparently, I am one of the few...

 

[burnsaa]

So I wonder what would happen if I got an iPhone 3G from ebay that was unlocked (assuming that this happens shortly after the launch) and just stuck my current iPhone sim card in it. I would technically be on my current iPhone plan but using the 3G iPhone. Does anyone see any reason that this wouldn't work?