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$200 Off Of Your iPhone!!

I

iPhoneHome

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 8, 2007
335
0
2 weeks before I bought my iPhone I switched to AT&T and bought the BlackJack for $75 after rebate. After purchasing my iPhone I sold the used Blackjack on Ebay for $250...Sweet Deal right?? Well for all of you people who are thinking about switching to AT&T, I would suggest buying a phone at the discounted 2 year contract price, and then just Selling it on Ebay for at least $150-200 more.

Right now the BlackBerry Curve is like $199 after rebate and they are going for like $430 bucks on Ebay...

Just Some Friendly advice...
 
So when you sign on to the iPhone-compliant aspect of the plan, do you add two *more* years to your contract, or are you back at two years from the time that you activate the iPhone?
 
mkrishnan said:
So when you sign on to the iPhone-compliant aspect of the plan, do you add two *more* years to your contract, or are you back at two years from the time that you activate the iPhone?
Click to expand...

No it just resets your two years beginning when you activate your iphone.

I did the same thing, got a free samsung phone for a back-up, because I was elgible for an upgrade, then the next day I I activated my iphone.

a friend of mine works for Cingular/ATT and told me a lot of people are doing this, becuase the iPhone is the only phone you can get if your not eligble for an upgrade,
 
Just the two years from the iPhone activation point. Cell phone companies can not have contracts for more than 2 years. So a 4 year hold on you wouldn't be lawful.
 
iPhoneHome said:
Just the two years from the iPhone activation point. Cell phone companies can not have contracts for more than 2 years. So a 4 year hold on you wouldn't be lawful.
Click to expand...

Is that something new? Because I had a 3-year contract with Sprint...I signed it in mid 2002.
 
iPhoneHome said:
2 weeks before I bought my iPhone I switched to AT&T and bought the BlackJack for $75 after rebate. After purchasing my iPhone I sold the used Blackjack on Ebay for $250...Sweet Deal right?? Well for all of you people who are thinking about switching to AT&T, I would suggest buying a phone at the discounted 2 year contract price, and then just Selling it on Ebay for at least $150-200 more.

Right now the BlackBerry Curve is like $199 after rebate and they are going for like $430 bucks on Ebay...

Just Some Friendly advice...
Click to expand...
Yes. I got 2 free Nokia 6126s. My wife has a almost new unlocked phone, and I have the iPhone, those Nokias should fetch me about $300 on Ebay. ;)
 
I have a friend who worked for AT&T before it was Cingular the first time and he mentioned the 2 year contract thing a while ago. Im not familiar with Sprints rules, but that seems iffy. Did you get a really deep discount for a 3 year obligation??
 
blah..just spoke with an AT&T rep and they are well aware that people are selling phones then purchasing iPhones...sucks for people like me who would be happy just to have the extra phone.
 
Sobe said:
blah..just spoke with an AT&T rep and they are well aware that people are selling phones then purchasing iPhones...sucks for people like me who would be happy just to have the extra phone.
Click to expand...
Its explicitly allowed by AT&T to do so, even says so in their FAQ. What sucks about it exactly, that you didn't realize before buying a iPhone? Can you not still get a free phone afterwards, I thought that the iPhone as it doesn't have a subsidy doesn't affect your "upgrade eligibility", that might mean you can "upgrade" now to a discounted phone. Its worth a try if you want one.
 
iPhoneHome said:
2 weeks before I bought my iPhone I switched to AT&T and bought the BlackJack for $75 after rebate. After purchasing my iPhone I sold the used Blackjack on Ebay for $250...Sweet Deal right?? Well for all of you people who are thinking about switching to AT&T, I would suggest buying a phone at the discounted 2 year contract price, and then just Selling it on Ebay for at least $150-200 more.

Right now the BlackBerry Curve is like $199 after rebate and they are going for like $430 bucks on Ebay...

Just Some Friendly advice...
Click to expand...
Be careful.

If you read the rebate that you send in, for data devices like the BlackJack, there's usually a stipulation that you have to meet before they'll give you the rebate.

For example, on the BlackJack that you bought:

"+Requires activation on a PDA Personal Plan or a $39.99 or higher unlimited data rate plan or a $19.99 or higher messaging plan plus an AT&T Voice Plan of $39.99 or higher"

So when they process your rebate form, I don't know if your $20.00 iPhone data plan is going to qualify, as it's $9.99 cheaper than the PDA Personal Plan that they want you to have. Hopefully you have the $20.00 unlimited SMS package on your account!
 
iPhoneHome said:
I have a friend who worked for AT&T before it was Cingular the first time and he mentioned the 2 year contract thing a while ago. Im not familiar with Sprints rules, but that seems iffy. Did you get a really deep discount for a 3 year obligation??
Click to expand...

As I recall, the phone discounts at the time were $50 for a 1-year contract, $100 for a 2-year contract, and $150 for a 3-year contract. That's about it.

mkrishnan said:
I think the year where you can change cell phone companies, but you're still the cute CSR's sex slave, doesn't count. :eek: ;)
Click to expand...

Oh...I thought that was standard operating procedure. :eek:
 
dr_lha said:
Its explicitly allowed by AT&T to do so, even says so in their FAQ. What sucks about it exactly, that you didn't realize before buying a iPhone? Can you not still get a free phone afterwards, I thought that the iPhone as it doesn't have a subsidy doesn't affect your "upgrade eligibility", that might mean you can "upgrade" now to a discounted phone. Its worth a try if you want one.
Click to expand...

Yup it's not an option after the fact. Unless the rep I spoke with got it wrong or was lying to me.
 
aristobrat said:
Be careful.

If you read the rebate that you send in, for data devices like the BlackJack, there's usually a stipulation that you have to meet before they'll give you the rebate.

For example, on the BlackJack that you bought:

"+Requires activation on a PDA Personal Plan or a $39.99 or higher unlimited data rate plan or a $19.99 or higher messaging plan plus an AT&T Voice Plan of $39.99 or higher"

So when they process your rebate form, I don't know if your $20.00 iPhone data plan is going to qualify, as it's $9.99 cheaper than the PDA Personal Plan that they want you to have. Hopefully you have the $20.00 unlimited SMS package on your account!
Click to expand...
Yes. This is why I went with the no-strings-attached (read no mail in rebate) free phone from AT&T. Some deals are too good to be true and the small print can bite you in the ass. For example, I looked into Wirefly, but although you can get a better deal there, if you change your plan/cancel before the end of the 2 year contract it looks like they can charge you $250. The extra "cancellation fee" is one reason why I never buy a subsidized phone from a third party.

Sobe said:
Yup it's not an option after the fact. Unless the rep I spoke with got it wrong or was lying to me.
Click to expand...
If you're still within the 14 day period, you could cancel your service, and then sign up again with a free phone. I did this once a while back.
 
Yeah I just upgraded as the iphone didnt take away my eligibility for a new upgrade. Got the refurb treo 750 for only 150, no rebates, seeing as how I wouldn't quallify for the rebates and I hate rebates. They go for 350-450 on ebay. Not a bad discount for the iphone.
 
dr_lha said:
If you're still within the 14 day period, you could cancel your service, and then sign up again with a free phone. I did this once a while back.
Click to expand...
Maybe? I know T-Mobile won't consider you a new customer again (based on your SSN) until 90 days after you cancel. I thought AT&T was 60, but I could be wrong.
 
aristobrat said:
Maybe? I know T-Mobile won't consider you a new customer again (based on your SSN) until 90 days after you cancel. I thought AT&T was 60, but I could be wrong.
Click to expand...
Hmm.... I don't remember how long I waited. I had Verizon at the time and switched over to AT&T, then I gave it up. I signed up again with AT&T again later, although a few months may have passed.
 
aristobrat said:
Be careful.

If you read the rebate that you send in, for data devices like the BlackJack, there's usually a stipulation that you have to meet before they'll give you the rebate.

For example, on the BlackJack that you bought:

"+Requires activation on a PDA Personal Plan or a $39.99 or higher unlimited data rate plan or a $19.99 or higher messaging plan plus an AT&T Voice Plan of $39.99 or higher"

So when they process your rebate form, I don't know if your $20.00 iPhone data plan is going to qualify, as it's $9.99 cheaper than the PDA Personal Plan that they want you to have. Hopefully you have the $20.00 unlimited SMS package on your account!
Click to expand...

My rebate is already being processed so i should receive a check in the mail in the next 2 weeks. The only thing that matters is that i signed up for it that day, and never changed a thing until i got my iPhone. AT&T can't fault me for buying the iPhone and changing plans. in my opinion these outsourced companies that send out the rebates hardly ever have access to your status. For instance, i bought a new HP laptop 2 months ago and i just received a Windows Vista Premium Home edition in the mail, and NEVER even filled out or mailed in the rebate. These companies are sidejob businesses that will send you anything lol.

Actually we can take the Rebate discussion out of the picture, because you will almost always buy the phone at a discounted price whenever you sign up to a new company. Ultimately the prices will always be less than what they go for on Ebay without contract. Win-Win
 
iPhoneHome said:
2 weeks before I bought my iPhone I switched to AT&T and bought the BlackJack for $75 after rebate. After purchasing my iPhone I sold the used Blackjack on Ebay for $250...Sweet Deal right?? Well for all of you people who are thinking about switching to AT&T, I would suggest buying a phone at the discounted 2 year contract price, and then just Selling it on Ebay for at least $150-200 more.

Right now the BlackBerry Curve is like $199 after rebate and they are going for like $430 bucks on Ebay...

Just Some Friendly advice...
Click to expand...

I returned my iPhone and still have an active account that's under 30days.

Can I still do this?

Buy a discounted phone, attach it to the sort of "existing" new contract, then go buy an iPhone?
 
dr_lha said:
If you're still within the 14 day period, you could cancel your service, and then sign up again with a free phone. I did this once a while back.
Click to expand...

Yeah too late for that now though.

I wasn't going to sell it anyway so with the restocking fee and everything it's not really worth it.
 
If you know how to unlock phones, you can buy a phone at the discounted contract price, unlock the phone, sell the phone on eBay for double (unlocked phones go for a lot on eBay), and then use that money to put towards your iPhone.
 
So what you are doing is switching to AT&T, signing a 2-year contract and getting a smartphone with rebate. Then, selling the smartphone on ebay full price, and buying iPhone? Are there any loops you might have to go through with this plan?
 
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