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There’s been plenty of debate in the business domain regarding the viability of the iPhone. Yeah, it’s an awesome consumer product, but can it have the same place in the business world as the BlackBerry? Most of my corporate friends say no, that there are far too many security issues. That’s followed up by, “And dude, there’s no Enterprise to go along with it.” Well, the latter argument just went out the door, as AT&T has announced pricing for Enterprise data plans for iPhones.

The drawback is that you have to get your data and your voice separately. It might be a minor inconvenience, but it leads to larger bills than in the consumer realm. Instead of $60 for 450 minutes, 200 text messages, and a data plan, you’ll be paying $85. Then again, you’re getting the Enterprise benefits, which can explain the greater cost.

More text messages will cost you more money. Fifteen hundred SMSs will set you back $55, while unlimited will be $65. And remember, that’s all on top of the voice plan, which every iPhone must have.

The good news is that from now until March 31, AT&T is offering a $25 per month rebate on Enterprise Data Plans for the iPhone. This will last through December of 2008. So if you’re not a big texter and go with the 200 plan, you’d only be paying $60 per month — or the same as a consumer user — for your iPhone service.

Oh, and in case you’re a global traveler, $25 a month will get you 20 MB of usage within 29 countries, and $60 will get you 50 MB.

Personally, I don’t think this is going to move the iPhone into the business realm, especially if those mysterious “security issues” I keep hearing about actually exist.

[AT&T Wireless]

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