My comparison of AT&T’s post-paid versus prepaid calling plans gave me some insight into how wireless service providers make their money. Based on this empirical evidence, the bottom line is that, just as people thought, we’re being overcharged.
My TDMA service through AT&T Wireless is numbered. More so now since they’re upping the maintenance charge from $5 to $10 next month, giving me an even greater incentive to switch plans. The reason I’ve been holding back on upgrading, despite having an ancient brick of a phone (Nokia 5165), is because even with the maintenance charge, my bill is $10 less than the cheapest contract available from AT&T. Now that the price gap is smaller, this gave me the motivation to analyze my usage and compare rate plans.
The iPhone, after years of speculation, rumor, hope, and anticipation, finally debuted yesterday. The flurry of accolades and criticisms (for a demo product mind you) exploded over the next 24 hours, as Asia and Europe woke up to the news, and the commentary hasn’t slowed down since. I’m going to hold off on my final judgment until June, but as far as first impressions go, this one was amazing.