OK, if this is true, then we have a real case of AT&T screwing the pooch on this one.
This means that the entire business community is being written off. Who in gods name is going to buy an iPhone if they can't convert their business number? The millions of users who are just dying to carry 2 phones?
On the bright side it means I get to wait for the v1.0 silliness to pass while I wait for them to come to their senses.
Amazing.

I wonder if one can purchase iPhone as an individual personal customer, then migrate his or her plan to business and get discounts on the plan. Hopefully, this is merely to control limited initial inventory to iPhone's larger intended market (consumers). A number of phones that are available to consumers are "out of stock" for business users, most famous being Nokia N75.

Jeez... please don't be true. Was eager to get the phone, but not so eager to give up 14% monthly discount.

Test -- major problems on the forums today. We apologize.

-K

Thought the prices, $499 and $599 were not subsidized, so just buy the phone at the applestore and put your sim card in....that was my plan all along. Although i normally buy my phones thru the business store, here I don't see a reason too...

Tony

It sounds like this might tie into the need for an iTunes account, but I could also see a desire to have a better competition package to RIMM before making a push into the enterprise.

For round one, it also seems to make a bit of sense in controlling demand and making it a little harder to purchase. For the determined, it isn't hard to move your account from a CRU to IRU, and still get the discounts. Just ask your company... (I think you do lose the pooled minutes, but in this case it might not be much of a benefit except for the heaviest of users.)