I am not sure about Exchange email. A real nice rate.

Mark

I am also considering purchasing a 1st Gen iPhone off Ebay and trying to get the previous $10 cheaper-per-month iPhone data plans (20 vs 30). That along with the discount would help balance ATT's ridiculous text messaging costs.

BTW: Lawrence doesn't have 3G coverage.

That's $15 on top of the usual $30 iPhone data plan. AKA a $45 data plan ontop of base service ($40 per month).

$30 iPhone data plan??? I only pay $20. Maybe it is a area pricing plan.

Mark

iPhone G3 price hiked the data to $30 per month. Gen 1 iPhones are $20. Do you have iPhone or iPhone 3G?

No 3G and not about to with that 50% increase. I am happy with my old, antique.

Mark

So are a lot of experts. In 3G mode, the new phone supposedly drinks battery. Have you updated your phones to the 2.1 software and installed apps? Successful?

Yeap. Keep it updated all the time. Automatic when I plug into iTunes.

Thanks for the information. Are you connected to an exchange email account? After reading a few blogs, it appears as if one can connect to exchange servers on the regular data plan. I'm a little confused as to how it works though. Is the email pushed from the exchange service to the phone or does the phone go check for email at a specified time interval? Is this the capability the premium data plan provides? Are exchange calendars accessible or does one have to sync it with a computer to get this information? Anyone know?

PS: I think it's crap how much ATT charges for text messaging. I have yet to find another carrier that charges so much.

Reading this link makes me believe the capability is there on 3G phones. However, this link implies the premium service is required. Anyone know what services are available without the premium plan?

http://www.apple.com/iphone/enterprise/

Features include:

Push email
Push contacts
Push calendar
Global Address List (GAL) support
Certificates and identities
WPA2/802.1X
Enforced security policies

More VPN protocols
Device configuration
Remote wipe

Ha UGH!. Answering my own questions here.

All PUSH technologies appear to ONLY be available with the premium service. I guess thats what I should expect.

I suppose it wont be to big of a hassle to have my computer sync the information. It's just be nice to be able to make a change when im at work (which is were I am 80% of the time meetings are scheduled) and have it synced directly to my phone after I make the change on my computer. I guess the way around that is to just plug the information directly into my phone and have it sync back to my work computer when I get back around my personal laptop again (Exchange syncing).

Thoughts??

UPDATE: Now i'm MORE confused. After reading/watching about MobileMe, I have no idea what ATT plan is needed for the push ability. MobileMe is slick apple hosted software, but does it require the enterprise plan? It doesnt look like it does. However, what if you're apart of a large organization like I am that already has this technology (via Exchange without the galleries/idisk). Is the Enterprise service STILL needed for the push ability? Ugh my head is turning!

BTW:

Check this service out. Check out the Vista compatibility and the browser software. These are the types of software i'm in love with. Clean and simple; just set up to do what it's needed to do. You don't need a friggen Ph.D. in CS to understand the crap.

Check it out: http://www.apple.com/mobileme/guidedtour/index.html?size=large

Another update:

After doing some research, it appears as if KU's exchange system is accessible from the iPhone without a special enterprise data plan.

http://email.ku.edu/mobile.shtml#eas

Went to the ATT store. Typing doesn't seem to be a problem.

On Monday, I can on an online chat with an ATT rep to figure out what the monthly cost would be with a Gen 1 iPhone, basic plan plus unlimited text. I think I can get a brand new gen 1 iPhone off ebay for about $250 bucks. This keeps me out of a 2 year contract if I decide I don't like this approach. Plus, I will be able to recoup some of the iPhone capital cost.


THOUGHTS?

GSM...so ATT/T-Mobile? Any idea on release date? What are the 3rd party applications like for BlackBerry?

While we're on the subject, I'm with Sprint/Nextel, and looking to upgrade my phone. My only real requirement is I want to be able to sync my Google Calendar. Anyone know anything about this? I've been searching the internet, kinda confused on how it would work so far.