[Bunit]

I'm thinking about purchasing an iPhone. I'm currently on my parents family plan (Only 19). I'm to the point now where I'm working 40+ hours with a major company in the summer, and a job during the school year so I can afford to break away from my parents. I have a few questions about the iPhone:

-What is the actual cost on the phone bill? I know ATT will throw in some extra charges for the bill that they pass on to you.

-I will be a new ATT customer and will be porting my number to them, so should I go to the Apple store, or the ATT store?

-Are there any regrets you have about the phone?

[BoingoBongo]

I have the $40 voice plan and the $30 data plan along with a $5 basic text messaging package. It comes out to about $80. But if you're going to college, you probably qualify for a student discount from AT&T. That will cut 15% off your bill.

You can go to either store to buy a phone, but it seems as though you'd have a better chance of actually getting a phone the same day by going to an Apple store. They seem to have a lot more in stock.

I love the iPhone and would have a really hard time going back to any other phone, so it's definitely a good choice. However, my phone has started to show the cracks in its casing that many people have reported. I'm sure Apple will take care of it though. Other than that, everything is great!

[Rumor]

Woah, AT&T offers a student discount? Never knew that. I am having a hard time finding out if my school applies though.

[ghporter]

AT&T has more various discounts than you can shake a stick at. I've seen a list for local entities at a fairly new store near home, and the discounts go from around 7% on everything to 15% on some things but not others. I don't know what the precise discount percentage I get is, but it's nice, if not huge. Group and corporate discounts rock. It can't hurt to GO TO a local AT&T store (NOT a "partner") and ask whether any group you're in qualifies.

ADDED: I forgot to mention, AT&T store sales reps work on commission, so it is a Good Thing to cultivate a relationship with one. If this stupid "you can pick one up at the Apple Store but not at an AT&T store" iPhone supply problem wasn't there, I'd suggest going to an AT&T store to initially buy your phone, even if "AT&T is NOT Apple."

[Knof8]

I can't find it now, but I remember seeing somewhere that discounts did not work for plans involving the iPhone. In fact a friend of mine was the one who clued me in on this after he lost his discount. Someone else may want to verify, but I'll keep looking for the reference.

[slpdLoad]

Regarding the bill, I was pretty thrown off to have my first bill be over twice what my "contract" was for. Just remember and read the small print where they throw your monthly contract, your activation fee, taxes, PLUS an entire second month "pro-rated" in there. Fun stuff.

As for my college, we have 20% off for all cell plans, but that didn't apply to iPhones until the 3Gs came out.

[BoingoBongo]

I enrolled in the discount AFTER buying the 3G, so it seems to work just fine with it.

[vtboyarc]

whoa whoa a discount? How can get it? Is it through my college? Who do I go for that? I don't have an iPhone yet. What exactly do I do??

[BoingoBongo]

The discount is through AT&T. I don't remember exactly how to find it, but I'm sure a Google search would turn up the answer. I think most schools qualify.