Ralph de la Vega, AT&T CEO, has confirmed reported that the company is considering a cheaper monthly data plan option for the iPhone. Considering 90% of the US population is having financial difficulties, this would be a good option — Assuming of course that you absolutely don’t need the unlimited data.

The executive said it would be costly for AT&T to cut the price of its unlimited Web surfing service. The minimum plan for iPhone users is $70 a month, which includes unlimited Web surfing and a certain amount of voice calls.

Of course, the cheaper data plan will have limitations on the amount of data that can be transferred monthly. The current iPhone Data Plan is unlimited for a $30/month fee. While such a move may make sense for the price conscious consumer, much of the iPhone’s success as a mobile net device seems directly related to the unlimited nature of its data plan.


De la Vega also dismissed the possibility of an iPhone with no data plan as AT&T makes the bulk of its income from selling these add-on services.

- source: reuters.com

BusinessWeek reports that AT&T is considering a discounted limited data plan for the iPhone at $20USD per month option. AT&T currently only offers a unlimited data plan for the iPhone for $30USD per month. The data transfer cap for the rumored discounted data plan is yet unknown. Considering it’s $10USD less than unlimited then the cap should be around 256MB or 500MB. If it’s anything less it’ll be a complete rip off at the rumored $20USD price. What do you guys think?

Analyst Richard Doherty claims that this additional data plan option is being driven by Apple, which wants to offer a lower-cost entry point for the iPhone.

The exclusive U.S. iPhone service provider is considering cutting the price of its monthly service package or offering a range of lower-priced plans, say people with knowledge of the company’s thinking. One plan that could be introduced as early as late May would include limited data access at a $10 monthly reduction, the people say.

The possible price cut likely reflects the back-and-forth between AT&T and Apple (AAPL) as they work out whether and under what terms AT&T would remain the sole U.S. iPhone carrier. Apple may want flexibility in pricing as a condition, analysts say. “We understand it’s part of the extension [of its contract] that AT&T wants to maintain,” Richard Doherty, director at consultant Envisioneering Group, says of the prospect of lower data-plan prices. As Apple considers whether to widen its circle of U.S. providers, AT&T may have less ability to balk at Apple’s requests.

The report also hints on the on-going rumor that AT&T is considering dropping the price from the entry-level iPhone to $99USD from the current $199. A prepaid iPhone is also rumored to be under consideration.