Appreciate any advice on going with Cingular now.

[kavika411]

Thank you for reading this. Up until now, my mobile service and blackberry have been provided through work. I now must do it myself, which is fine. I plan to get an iPhone in June but need service started now. Can I just go in and get a Cingular plan and their cheapest phone and then replace the phone next month? Or do I risk some unecessary charges that way. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[iSaint]

You can expect to pay a higher price for the iPhone if you sign with Cingular now. You get better deals when you first sign on with Cingular, or when you sign a new contract.

 

[starcrossed]

I spent some of my day yesterday trying to cancel my Sprint contract without penalty, which I did, and then I went ahead and just signed up with AT&T/Cingular for the cheapest plan and phone just to get everything in place. The reason I went ahead and then rather wait for the iPhone because it has been said over and over that Apple doesn't want to iPhone to have any discounts on its price from AT&T, so you will pay the $499 or $599 no matter what for the phone. But if by some miracle things change you are welcome to sign another contract any time, which for example with me, in June would extend my current contract by 1 month, which isn't a big deal.

 

[island]

A buddy that works at a Cingular store signed me up with no contract and a sim card that I put in a used Nokia that he had at the store for a loaner phone. I'm using that till the iPhone and then I will start my contract then.

 

[siurpeeman]

i would get a pre-paid plan with a cheap phone to tide you over until the iphone comes out.

 

[yg17]

My advice? Don't get Cingular at all Terrible phone company.

 

[/dev/toaster]

If there isn't enough iPhones at launch, it wouldn't surprise me if they limited iPhones to new customers only. The iPhone is a risk for them, why not lock a ton of customers in regardless of how well it works out.

Crazy, but I wouldn't put it past em.

 

[janey]

If there isn't enough iPhones at launch, it wouldn't surprise me if they limited iPhones to new customers only...

and what's wrong with a 2yr contract regardless of whether or not the customer is new?

 

[buymeaniphone]

You can expect to pay a higher price for the iPhone if you sign with Cingular now. You get better deals when you first sign on with Cingular, or when you sign a new contract.

They only offer better deals to new customers when there are rebates involved but the iPhone wont be subsidized so the price should be the same for everyone new or current.

I think you plan should work, although I probably would have waited until the Iphone came out and then signed up a new contract, and after that I'd cancel my other contract. Just to play it safe.