If you MUST have an iPhone, it may run you $2245+
So now that the very slick Apple iPhone TV ads are available for viewing, I am sure many of us have our gadget lust peaked and are thinking about what our iPhone acquisition strategy may be on 29 June. As compelling as the iPhone looks, there are also many of us who are not AT&T customers and are locked into other carriers for a period of up to 2 years. My personal situation results in a couple of alternatives for me to get an iPhone, with a total price difference for 2 years of service totaling at least US$2,245 or US$2,383 and after putting it down on paper I may actually go for it so check out the details below if you are with another carrier and thinking about the switch or addition.
Source: Matthew Miller
Current T-Mobile Family Plan: I currently have 4 mobile phones on the T-Mobile 2000 minute family plan with unlimited text messaging and unlimited internet. The services and costs are as follows:
- T-Mobile 2,000 minute family plan - US$99.99/month
- Cost for each additional phone - US$9.99 (total US$29.97)
- Unlimited family plan text messages - US$9.99
- Unlimited internet (EDGE and T-Mobile HotSpot - US$29.99
- Usual monthly taxes and fees - US$20
- Total cost of monthly services - US$189.94
Strategy A: Add AT&T and keep T-Mobile service: Given the current family plan I have above and now adding AT&T and an iPhone while keeping my T-Mobile service yields the following costs:
- AT&T 450 minute individual plan - US$39.99/month
(There may be a minimum required voice plan to get the iPhone too.) - Unlimited data plan - US$39.99 (final data price still unknown for iPhone)
- Estimated monthly taxes and fees - US$15
- Total cost of montly services - US$94.98 (net increase in monthly costs would be US$64.99 since I would drop T-Mobile data plan, US$39.99 - US$29.99 for a US$10 net cost increase for data)
One time costs:
- Apple iPhone - US$650 (includes taxes)
- Activation fees - US$36
- Total - US$686
So I would have to fork over US$686 for one time costs and then US$64.99 per month more than what I pay for T-Mobile for a period of 24 months which totals US$1,559.76. Thus Strategy A yields a total additional cost out of pocket for the iPhone and AT&T service of US$2,245.76.
