Does the 550 minute rate plan work on iPhone?

Rob Clarke · ‎12-12-2011

I have an iPhone 4S and my wife has a 4. We're on the 700 minute rate plan but we barely use the phone for calls and I'm looking to trim some cost off the monthly bill. I noticed on the AT&T website that there is a 550 minute plan for $10 cheaper. Is this compatable with the iPhone and the models of phone we have?

Dunno if it matters but we also have the 2GB data plan for both phones and the unlimited texting plan.

Thank you for any advice/replies.

SLIKRICK · ‎07-27-2008

Yep. Sure is. I have it.

Rob Clarke · ‎12-12-2011

On a 4S?

I asked in the AT&T store local to me and the guy there said he wasn't sure if it would lead to problems. When I asked him what possible problems there could be he mentioned things like calls dropping out, spotty service etc. Anyone on the 550 plan noticed this or was he talking nonsense?

archermoo · ‎11-29-2006

Rob Clarke wrote:
On a 4S?

I asked in the AT&T store local to me and the guy there said he wasn't sure if it would lead to problems. When I asked him what possible problems there could be he mentioned things like calls dropping out, spotty service etc. Anyone on the 550 plan noticed this or was he talking nonsense?

Sounds like a salesman trying to upsell you. It isn't like they have separate towers for people who have less expensive plans. The only difference in the different plans is how much talking you can do before you start getting charged more.

And yes, I have the 550 minute plan and a 4S.

tonester · ‎07-14-2006

Rob Clarke wrote:
On a 4S?

I asked in the AT&T store local to me and the guy there said he wasn't sure if it would lead to problems. When I asked him what possible problems there could be he mentioned things like calls dropping out, spotty service etc. Anyone on the 550 plan noticed this or was he talking nonsense?

Was this at a corporate AT&T store? Just asking because I'm sure the pro-AT&T folks would undoubtedly offer that no AT&T employee would ever utter such nonsense...

GeekBoy · ‎11-06-2008

My wife has the 450 minute plan on her iPhone 4, and I have the 550 minute plan on my iPhone 4, and they both work fine. The only real difference I see is that in my market, you need at least the 550 minute package to be a family plan, and you get slightly better "perks" (unlimited nights & weekends vs x000 nights & weekends, I think it's 2000 but I'm not sure). The minute package doesn't really have anything to do with the service quality, it has to do with the quantity before you start to pay extra each month.

It sounds more to like the sales person was encouraged to suggest smart phone buyers get more minutes so they make more profit, and they weren't coached on how to upsell the minute package.

Rob Clarke · ‎12-12-2011

I had no idea there was a 450 plan.

Will downgrade my plan next time I am in the store, thanks for the advice folks. Happy holidays.

archermoo · ‎11-29-2006

Rob Clarke wrote:
I had no idea there was a 450 plan.

Will downgrade my plan next time I am in the store, thanks for the advice folks. Happy holidays.

The smallest individual plan they currently offer is 450 minutes. The smallest family plan they currently offer is 550 minutes per month.

GeekBoy · ‎11-06-2008

I don't believe that the 450 minute plan is available in all markets either. Some regions don't offer lower than the 550 minute plan.

21stNow · ‎07-07-2010

GeekBoy wrote:
I don't believe that the 450 minute plan is available in all markets either. Some regions don't offer lower than the 550 minute plan.

Really? Can you give an example?

GeekBoy · ‎11-06-2008

21stNow wrote:
Really? Can you give an example?

Nope, just reporting what I was told when I got my first iPhone a couple years ago. The clrk was surprised that I was eligble for the 450 minute plan as he said it wasn't avaiable in some areas. Since then my account has converted to a family plan, so I'm not able to get it any longer and I haven't kept up on it for that reason...

johninsj · ‎07-07-2010

Rob Clarke wrote:

I have an iPhone 4S and my wife has a 4. We're on the 700 minute rate plan but we barely use the phone for calls and I'm looking to trim some cost off the monthly bill. I noticed on the AT&T website that there is a 550 minute plan for $10 cheaper. Is this compatable with the iPhone and the models of phone we have?

550 family plan is available. Limited to max of THREE lines on the family plan vs four lines for the 700 minute plan

I've been on the 550 for 18 months with three lines. We currently have 6535 rollover minutes available. Clearly we don't use many minutes with nights, weekends, and MTM all being unlimited.

You should also see if you are eligible for any employee discounts (many large companies do have such agreements with AT&T), and if so have those added to your account.