I respectfully disagree Chad. While it’s not good customer service to remove the voice-only plan, AT&T had nothing to do with the $27.99 plan. That was by a single store in Colorado who broke protocol.

The voice-only plan may have been pulled because no one wants it. I cannot imagine any single person not wanting internet on the iPhone. That’s nearly all the fun, right? I can understand people having voice-only plans on other phones, but the iPhone? Please.

These plan changes may be a hint of things to come. Keep rattling them. I’m thinking about contacting FCC.

@Tayler: While I can understand why you disagree, I am speaking from the perspective of the customers when the $27.99 plan was taken away from us. From that perspective, they see them as “AT&T” only and not necessarily from a single store.

Yes, that single store broke protocol; however, that store also represented AT&T as a whole, which is why AT&T has a brand management department to ensure consistency across stores but it does not change how we, as customers, perceive that particular store: They are AT&T, as a corporate.

I know a few who only wanted a voice-only plan because they were satisfied with their wifi coverage at work and home. If the iPhone didn’t come with a wifi feature, then the Voice-Only plan would be futile.

I believe the plan was taken away not because it was unpopular but because of our voice.

I don’t think the voice-only plan was pulled because of the few emails they received from us. Meanwhile it makes me wonder why they didn’t instead do what was better for consumers, which is to offer a data-only plan. This would have allowed AT&T to continue offering the voice-only plan. Maybe they can’t? Well, we’ll see.

So that it is clear: the $27.99 deal was not AT&T’s doing. A single AT&T store in Colorado thought they had found a loophole. They may have communicated with corporate offices, but if they did, it wasn’t communicated clearly at first. I applaud their efforts, but it would have been a costly mistake for consumers who bought the iPhone only to learn their plan was not legally applicable to the iPhone. And to think about the possible impact on their credit history (which is potentially more disastrous). We’re lucky the deal was aborted early enough.

Did anyone order the iPhone from iPhone4deaf? I hope not.

I am optimistic. I feel AT&T is working on an accessibility plan designed for the iPhone. They have to. The deaf community composes a considerable market segment in T-Mobile Sidekick sales that they are exhibiting at nearly every deaf trade show. It would be an unwise business move to ignore the deaf community–who has a craving for devices that go beyond a voice-only phone.

I agree with Tayler. I know AT&T is concerned enough about the perception of the iPhone among the deaf that they have at least reached out to some of us regarding this. I’ve been emailing my AT&T contacts about this situation.

I would find it hard to believe that a company (Apple) which has added Closed Captioning to Quicktime, and ensures that its DVD Player on OS X has CC support, etc – would willfully ignore the fact that the current AT&T plan for the iPhone is burdensome on those who cannot use the voice portion of that plan. We ought to email Mr. Jobs and see if he will twist AT&T’s arm on our behalf.

I’d like to recommend you add a link to email, phone or send letters to AT&T so people can contact or take action… this is just dumb of AT&T.

I mean, I can envision many hearing people being interested in the iPod or iPhone as a data-only device – and this would open the door to many more customers. But I think they just want to avoid people using something like Skype on the iPhone and losing all their voice customers.

Nothing new. ATT is leading in worse customer service even Sprint. Best customer service are T-Mobile and Verizon. Check our report

I wish Apple to select T-Mobile and other carrier than AT+T so we sure they will list us and offer liek 29.99 per month like Sidekick plan. T-Mobile is the first company to offer to deaf in 2002 or 03 , right away when first Sidekick is released, Deafpagers.com was one of first dealer to sell Sidekick to deaf community. T-Mobile already started to sell iphone in Europe.

@genius — that’s exactly my thoughts. That’s why I keep thinking Apple will come through.

Apple is an innovator in accessibility. I just hope they see offering data-only plans as another opportunity to further prove themselves as a leader in providing accessible solutions.

Whether or not they see it as an accessibility issue, we shouldn’t have to pay more for something we cannot use. That’s the bottom line. It does not cost AT&T or Apple any more to turn off a phone’s voice–so why not offer this and get at least what they can in initial device purchase and data-only monthly payments. And gain a whole bunch of happy and loyal Apple consumers who will continue to purchase other Apple products.

Colorado AT&T store did find the loopholes by applying a lower voice plan (Novell $7.99) to unlimited data plan ($20.00). The Novell $7.99 voice plan, they thought, was an authorized voice plan listed on their computer that they can do whatever they want. That is UNTIL Corp AT&T heard about our promotion and DECIDED that they disconnected Novell voice plan on iPhone. Therefore, our promotion collapsed. The Corp AT&T just want to keep entry level of $59.00 no matter what until they decide what to do for the deaf community. They are having someone in ‘disability division’ to work up of a plan. That is all I heard.

Randy, a Colorado Store Manager, have communicated with Corp AT&T regarding our desires for hours on conference calls and debate whether Corp At&T’s disconnection of Novell voice for iPhone is fair for us.

You see, what Colorado At&T did was fine, until Corp AT&T decided to pull Novell rate out for iphone, so we could not take advantage of that rate for promotion. See?

Regardless, Colorado AT&T store decided to have OPEN HOUSE for the hearing impaired this Sunday on Blackberries and TAP, I do not think they will see a deaf person that day through.

Erik

They have a plan now, $40ish dollars, must qualify (fill out forms), but it’s unlimited, iChat, text and e-mail.

check with your local AT&T