AppleInsider Staff
Big box retailer Walmart announced on Tuesday that it will be selling Apple's iPhone 4 and iPhone 5 on Jan. 11, with no-contract plans furnished by cell provider Straight Talk Wireless priced at $45 per month for unlimited talk, text and data.
While the $45 flat rate pricing is enticing, Walmart's handset selection will be limited to the 16GB iPhone 5 and 8GB iPhone 4, which are priced at $649 and $449, respectively.
"We believe customers shouldn't have to choose between saving money and having the latest technology," said Seong Ohm, senior vice president of entertainment for Walmart. "Now customers can have the coveted iPhone with unlimited talk, text and data without a contract for $70 a month thanks to our exclusive Straight Talk plan and industry first financing offer."
Ohm is referring to a financing program aimed at making the high up front hardware cost somewhat digestible. The program, which requires a Walmart Credit Card, allows customers to pay off their iPhones for $25 a month on top of the $45 unlimited prepaid plan.
In addition to the $45 no contract plan, Straight Talk also has a $60 option that adds unlimited international calling to more than 1,000 areas in Mexico, Canada, India and other countries.
The program will roll out this Friday at over 2,000 Walmart locations across the U.S. as well as the company's online store.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Stephen Silver
Charles Martin
Amber Neely
48 Comments
Curious as to what network this will include. Do you get data and voice together, at the same time?
Is it 3G only? What about LTE?
[quote name="AppleInsider" url="/t/155374/walmart-to-begin-direct-iphone-5-sales-with-no-contract-straight-talk-prepaid-plans#post_2256018"]"Now customers can have the coveted iPhone with unlimited talk, text and data without a contract for $70 a month thanks to our exclusive Straight Talk plan and industry first financing offer." Ohm is referring to a financing program aimed at making the high up front hardware cost somewhat digestible. The program, which requires a Walmart Credit Card, allows customers to pay off their iPhones for $25 a month on top of the $45 unlimited prepaid plan.[/quote] Isn't $25 a month on top of $45 a month um … $70 a month? I guess the difference is that $449 for an iPhone 4 would be paid off in 18 months (plus some extra time to pay the credit card interest for carrying a balance?).
So in other words, it's like a conventional 2-year contract where you get a free phone and pay it back in higher monthly fees. And then, once you've paid off the phone... you STOP paying for it. The price of the phone itself is not infinite. That's so crazy it just might work!
[quote name="Rob Bonner" url="/t/155374/walmart-to-begin-direct-iphone-5-sales-with-no-contract-straight-talk-prepaid-plans#post_2256022"]Curious as to what network this will include. Do you get data and voice together, at the same time?[/quote] At&t,yes