The Phone
To get the iPhone 4 for the lowest price, you must sign up for a two-year service contract with AT&T or Verizon. New AT&T customers get these subsidized prices, as will existing AT&T customers who are eligible for an upgrade. (AT&T offers early upgrades to some existing customers; here’s how to check your upgrade eligibility.) Verizon Wireless offers the same subsidized prices to new subscribers and those eligible for upgrades. Existing customers who are eligible for upgrades can get these prices through the carrier’s New Every Two program. Those who are not eligible for upgrades pay full price but may be able to take advantage of Verizon’s Trade-In Program.
16 GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $19932 GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $299
AT&T subscribers who are not yet eligible for a handset upgrade are charged the following Early Upgrader prices. (These prices require a two-year service commitment.)
16 GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $39932 GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $499
If you don’t want to sign a service contract with AT&T, you’ll pay more for the iPhone 4. The No Commitment prices are:
16 GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $59932 GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $699
Verizon customers who are not eligible for an upgrade pay the full retail price for the iPhone 4. These prices are:
16 GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $64932 GB iPhone 4 (Black or White): $749
Existing AT&T customers are charged an upgrade fee of $18, whether or not they are eligible for the discounted prices. Verizon Wireless doesn’t charge an activation fee for new customers.
Monthly Service
When purchasing an iPhone 4 with a service contract, you’ll need a voice plan, a data plan, and a text messaging plan to use the phone. Here’s how much you can expect to pay for your monthly service:
AT&T Data
AT&T offers two options: DataPlus or DataPro.
DataPlus is a $15-per-month plan that allows you to access 200 MB of data.DataPro is a $25-per-month plan that allows you to access 2 GB of data.
For a complete breakdown of these plans and how much data you’ll access with them, read AT&T’s Data Plans: All the Details. If you’d like to use your iPhone 4 as a tethered modem (to which you can connect other devices to the internet), subscribe to the $25-a-month DataPro plan and an additional $20-per-month Tethering plan.
Verizon Wireless Data
Verizon Wireless offers three data options:
2 GB Data Bundle with Personal Email: $30 per month5 GB Data Bundle with Personal Email: $50 per month10 GB Data Bundle with Personal Email: $80 per month
If you’d like to use your iPhone as a wireless hotspot (to which you can connect other devices to the internet), select one of these data plans:
4 GB Data Bundle with Personal Email and Mobile Hotspot: $50 per month7 GB Data Bundle with Personal Email and Mobile Hotspot: $70 per month12 GB Data Bundle with Personal Email and Mobile Hotspot: $100 per month
AT&T Voice Plans
AT&T offers a choice of voice plans for the iPhone 4. All offer a certain number of nationwide calling minutes, and all offer free calling to other AT&T mobile phones.
$69.99 per month: Unlimited voice minutes$59.99 per month: 900 voice minutes$39.99 per month: 450 voice minutes
All of the plans (except the unlimited plan) include rollover minutes, which allow you to save unused voice minutes and apply them to your next bill should you go over your allotment. Additional minutes cost between 40 cents and 45 cents per minute, depending on the plan. Most of the plans offer unlimited free night (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) and weekend calling; the only one that doesn’t is the plan with 450 minutes, which limits you to 5000 night and weekend minutes.
Verizon Wireless Voice Plans
Verizon offers three voice plans for the iPhone:
$69.99 per month: Unlimited voice minutes$59.99 per month: 900 voice minutes$39.99 per month: 450 voice minutes
AT&T and Verizon Text Plans
You also need a messaging plan if you want to use your iPhone 4 to send and receive text, picture, and multimedia messages, and instant messages via AOL, Yahoo, or Windows Live. Here are the options from AT&T.
$20 per month: Unlimited messages$15 per month: 1500 messages (sent or received); 5 cents for each additional message$5 per month: 200 messages (sent or received); 10 cents for each additional message
And here are the options from Verizon:
$20 per month: Unlimited messages$10 per month: 500 messages PLUS Unlimited Mobile to Mobile Messaging$5 per month: 250 messages
Without a plan, AT&T charges 20 cents for each text or instant message you send or receive and 30 cents for each picture or video message. Verizon charges 20 cents per text message and 25 cents per picture or video message.
