AT&T and Apple announced today that service plans for the much-hyped iPhone will range from $59.99 to $99.99 per month.
The companies also said consumers will be able activate the phone from home via iTunes so they won’t have to wait in line at stores to get the service launched.
“We view this simple software feature as a game changer that makes purchasing uncommonly easy,” UBS analyst John Hodulik said in a research note today.
The iPhone will hit stores Friday. It will cost for $499 for a unit with 4 gigabytes of storage and $599 for 8 gigabytes.
AT&T will be the exclusive wireless carrier for the device.
Monthly service plans, which include unlimited data transfers, free mobile-to-mobile calls and 200 text messages, are:
$59.99 for 450 anytime minutes, 5,000 nights and weekend
$79.99 for 900 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekend
$99.99 for 1,350 anytime minutes, unlimited nights and weekend
There will be a one-time activiation fee of $36.
The monthly fees also include visual voicemail, which allows users to see information about voicemails on the screen without listening to them so they can pick the voicemails they want to listen to first.
“Given the additional features embedded in the iPhone, we believe the pricing is attractive,” Hodulik said.
The iPhone is billed as three devices in one – a mobile phone, an iPod with a 3.5 inch screen and an Internet device with full Web-browsing capabilities.
Staff writer Andy Vuong can be reached at 303-954-1209 or avuong@denverpost.com.
