Verizon Offer:
“Verizon Wireless will offer three bundles, all featuring an iPad Wi-Fi model and a Verizon MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, for a suggested retail price of $629.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 16GB + MiFi, $729.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 32GB + MiFi and $829.99 for iPad Wi-Fi 64GB + MiFi. Verizon Wireless is offering a monthly access plan to iPad customers of up to 1GB of data for just $20 a month. In addition, Verizon Wireless will also offer all three iPad Wi-Fi models on a stand-alone basis.”

Full Announcement

AT&T Offer:
“All iPad Wi-Fi + 3G models will be available beginning Thursday, October 28 in AT&T Stores across the US for a suggested retail price of $629 for 16GB, $729 for 32GB and $829 for 64GB. Domestic data plans for iPad are priced at $14.99 per month for 250MB and $25 per month for 2GB with no term contract. Both plans include unlimited access to AT&T’s 23,000+ domestic Wi-Fi Hot Spots. ”

Full Announcement

New plan changes:

DataPlus – 200 MB of data for $15 per month. If you use more than 200 MB, you’ll receive an additional 200 MB of data usage for $15, replenished as often as necessary during the billing cycle.

DataPro – 2 GB of data for $25 per month. If you exceed 2 GB, you’ll get an additional 1 GB of data for only $10. Each time an additional 1 GB is used up during a cycle, you will automatically receive another 1 GB at the same low price.

This is just the beginning of it all. 200MB of additional data for $15 but the other plan is only $10 for another 1GB (1,000MB). This is just stupid.

How much data do I really use on my iPhone?

Ok, so at first I was really mad about all of this. I use my iPhone all the time. A lot. I also think it’s stupid to have a cap on data. My local cable internet and DLS do not have this so why do cell companies. So, I’ve always been happy that my iPhone had no limit. Then I started thinking, do I use 2GB? I checked my usage on my iPhone and I had only used 500mb or so total. You can reset this number but I hadn’t since I restored it last and I don’t know that date so this didn’t help me. Then I found a way to check online what my usage was.

Here’s how to find it:
1. Just go to http://www.att.com.
2. Log into to your account under “Manage My Account” on the top right.
3. Once logged in, click “Bills and Payment” under the top menu.
4. Click “Billing Reports” from the menu on the left.
5. Change the second dropdown to “Data Usage Trend” and select the date range. (Note: Data usage prior to November 2009 is not available for trending.)
6. Click Submit and you should get a graph like the one above.

You can also find out your current data usage at anytime by dialing *data#

Ok, so yeah, I’m annoyed that I can’t have unlimited but since I haven’t really been using it much, I guess I’ll be fine and it will cost me less. Now this is all in the context of today, and the last few months, but what about the new iPhone 4? And where I live, I’m on EDGE most of the time when not on WiFi. So will iPhone 4 + 3G put me over? I’d say yes. We’ll see when our tower is upgraded to 3G and I get the new iPhone.

Can I keep my current unlimited iPhone plan?

Yes. AT&T will allow you to keep your current plan (unless you activate tethering). Here’s what their website says: “Current smartphone customers are not required to switch to the new plans, but can choose to do so without a contract extension.”

As a current iPhone owner, can I keep my unlimited plan when I purchase my new iPhone 4?

Yes. Although AT&T won’t comment on the new iPhone since it’s not released yet, they will say this:

What if my current iPhone is a 2G and I only pay $20 a month. Can I buy the new iPhone 4 and get unlimited data for $30 or do I have to use the new plans.

You can get the $30 unlimited. Here’s AT&T’s response to the same question on Facebook:

What about the iPad?

It also is losing the unlimited plan. Right now, information is flying all over. According to AT&T’s website, you can still get the unlimited plan and it says nothing about new plans on this page: http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/ipad.jsp?wtSlotClick=1-00398R-0-1&WT.svl=calltoaction but according to the AT&T Facebook page the plans will change on July 7th. See the _ tab here: http://www.facebook.com/ATT?v=wall&story_fbid=402179198908#!/ATT?v=app_10442206389.

For new iPad customers, the $25 per month 2 GB plan will replace the existing $29.99 unlimited plan. iPad customers will continue to pre-pay for their wireless data plan and no contract is required. Existing iPad customers who have the $29.99 per month unlimited plan are not required to change their plans.

This sounds great right? Wrong! Everytime someone on Facebook has asked the following question, they get the same answer:

So, as of right now, if you buy an iPad or already own and iPad and have the unlimited plan, you will lose it if you do not set it to auto-renew each month. This directly contradicts what is posted on AT&T’s website right now:

Extend the data coverage for your Apple® iPad™ Wi-Fi + 3G even further. Sign up for 3G data service from AT&T, the nation’s fastest 3G network. AT&T offers two data plan options – 250 MB or unlimited data, with recurring monthly charge and no long-term contract.

And this is what Apple’s website says:

In the United States, 3G service is available through a breakthrough deal with AT&T. You choose the amount of data per month you want to buy — 250MB or unlimited. If you choose the 250MB plan, you’ll receive onscreen messages as you get close to your monthly data limit so you can decide whether to turn off 3G or upgrade to the unlimited plan. Best of all, there’s no long-term contract. So if you have a business trip or vacation approaching, just sign up for the month you’ll be traveling and cancel when you get back. You don’t need to visit a store to get 3G service. You can sign up, check your data usage, manage your account, or cancel your service — all from your iPad.

iPad makes it easy to choose the data plan that works best for you. When you need more data, you can add another 250MB or upgrade to the Unlimited Data plan. Because you sign up for a data plan in monthly increments, you can cancel your plan at any time and then sign up again whenever you need 3G service.

What about tethering?

You can now tether your iPhone! But guess what? This is just another fail. With the new plan you can pay $20 to enable tethering. The key word here is enable. You do not get more data for $20, you just get to share your data with whatever your tethering with. And no, you can’t keep your unlimited plan and add tethering. If you add tethering, you lose your unlimited plan forever and have to pick from the new plans. And one more thing, you can’t tether your iPhone to your iPad. Great news huh?

What will I do?

Right now I already have my iPad ordered. It won’t be here for a couple more weeks. I’m really hoping that AT&T changed their position and allows me to turn on and off my unlimited data per month. If not, I’ll use the 3G much less. I’m on Wifi most of the time so I’ll just deal with it. I plan on keeping my unlimited data on my current iPhone 3GS and moving it to my new iPhone once they are released. For me, the main issues with all of this is that the reason I wanted the iPad was to be able to turn on and off unlimited data at anytime, without a contract, for $30 a month. As of now, this is not possible. Hopefully AT&T gets enough bad press/comments and changes things.

What will you do?

Let us know in the comments what you plan to do? Also, if you see any other hard information please let us know so we can update our article. If you have questions not answered here, ask them in the comments and I’ll get them added to this page.

Previously, Skype for the iPhone would only let you make calls from the iPhone if it was connected to Wifi. Now you can make them even when on the 3G cellular network. It doesn’t say anything about EDGE so I’m guessing it won’t work there. I even got it to work on EDGE. Check the video below. There are also some other improvements with the recent update including enhanced call quality indicator and improved start-up time. See below for a complete list.

Of course there is a catch to all of this. AT&T is only promising this to be a free service until the end of August 2010, then they may charge a small monthly fee.

Video

ScreenShots

Upgrades / improvements include:
- Call using your 3G connection. Skype-to-Skype calls on 3G are free until at least end of August 2010, after which there will be a small monthly fee (operator charges for data will still apply).
- Near CD-quality sound for Skype-to-Skype calls using wideband audio (SILK codec) on iPhone 3GS and 2nd generation iPod touch.
- Enhanced call quality indicator.
- Improved start-up time.
- Fast access to the dial pad from iPhone home screen.

Here’s what I’d like to know. If you have an iPhone right now, would you switch to Verizon if they get the iPhone? If you’re reading this and don’t have an iPhone and are with Verizon already, would you buy an iPhone once it comes to Verizon? Answer below in the polls and let us know more by telling us why in the comments.

Polls

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Links

Engadget article: http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/10/confirmed-apple-and-atandt-signed-five-year-iphone-exclusivity-de/

- Apple is closing stores from 4-5pm to prepare for the launch.
- Phone calls and text messaging are not supported although VOIP apps like Skype are.
- Preorders over the web should be delivered to your home today.
- No contract: The data plans automatically renew every 30 days but can be canceled with no penalty
- For billing purposes, AT&T will assign you a “fake” mobile number.
- Data usage is tracked on device through Settings>Cellular Data
- When using the 250MB plan you will receive popup notifications when you hit 200MB, 225MB, and 250MB.
- Switching from plan to plan restarts your 30 day plan

ScreenShots

Links

Check out this guide from AT&T on how the plans work.
Apple’s Official iPad 3G page.
arstechnica article on tips for which data plan to choose (good read)

AT&T Commercials:

Either way, I think both Verizon and AT&T’s commercials are slipping in quality. You can check them both out below.

AT&T Commercial:

Verizon Commercial:

It seems the Apple has quietly entered into this little drama. I’d say it’s becoming quite the thing. Personally, I like the subtle approach… these commercials made me smile!

AT&T Sets the Record Straight on Verizon Ads

To Our Customers:

As the U.S. market leader in wireless data service, we typically don’t respond to competitors’ advertising. However, some recent ads from Verizon are so blatantly false and misleading, that we want to set the record straight about AT&T’s wireless data coverage.

The key facts are:

AT&T’s wireless data coverage reaches 303 million people — or 97% of the U.S. population, where they live and work. Our data coverage consists of 3 different types of technology:

    * 3G. 233 million people or 75% of the population are covered by AT&T’s 3G network, the nation’s fastest.

    * EDGE. 301 million people or more than 96% of the population are covered by EDGE.
         o With both 3G and EDGE coverage, customers can access the Internet, send e-mail, surf the Web, stream music, download videos, send photos, text, talk and more. The only difference – with some data applications, 3G is faster than EDGE

    * GPRS. Covers 303 million people, allowing you to talk, text, e-mail and access basic websites optimized for wireless.

AT&T is the #1 network for smartphones, with twice the number of smartphone customers than Verizon, our closest competitor. Some of the reasons include:

Most popular smartphones. Unlike Verizon, AT&T offers the most popular smartphones in the industry.

More wireless apps. Unlike Verizon, AT&T customers have access to more than 100,000 applications, more than with any other wireless company.

Talk and E-mail at the same time. Unlike Verizon, AT&T’s 3G network lets wireless customers simultaneously talk and surf the web or do e-mail.

Fastest 3G in the nation. Unlike Verizon, AT&T has the nation’s fastest 3G network.

Thank you for allowing us to set the record straight. We appreciate your business and will continue to work hard to deliver the best wireless data experience in the industry.

Your AT&T Team

View the original letter on att.com.