Apple and AT&T have revealed three rate plans for the Apple iPhone, just days before the June 29 launch of the much-hyped mobile device. The three rate plans range from $59.99 to $99.99 a month and all include unlimited data, Apple’s Visual Voicemail, rollover minutes, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling—and iPhone users will also be able to choose from any of AT&T’s other service plans, if they like.
“We want to make choosing a service plan simple and easy, so every plan includes unlimited data with direct Internet access, along with Visual Voicemail and a host of other goodies,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs in a statement. “We think these three plans give customers the flexibility to experience all of iPhone’s revolutionary features at affordable and competitive prices.”
The three plans break down as follows:
- $59.99/month
- 450 minutes, 5,000 night and weekend minutes, 200 SMS text messages
- $79.99/month
- 900 minutes, unlimited night and weekend minutes, 200 SMS text messages
- $99.99/month
- 1,350 minutes, unlimited night and weekend minutes, 200 SMS text messages
Again, each plan comes with unlimited data, rollover minutes, unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling, and Apple’s Visual Voicemail feature. Apple is particularly keen on promoting Visual Voicemail, which presents a visual listing of voice mail messages waiting for a user and enables users to cherry-pick which messages they want to hear, instead of slogging through queued messages in a first-come, first-heard order.
Apple also announced today that iPhone users will be able to activate their phones on their own using Apple’s iTunes application rather than waiting in an AT&T or Apple store for a representative to activate the phone. Apple is requiring iPhone users have an iTunes account (in addition to their service account with AT&T) to use an iPhone. The iTunes application will walk users through the steps of selecting a service plan, authorizing their credit, and activating the iPhone. Users can then sync the iPhone with contact information, addresses, email accounts, bookmarks, photos, music, video, podcasts, and other items stored on their Mac or PC.
