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Can you escape an AT&T contract if you move out of the country?

Let's Sekuhara!

Let's Sekuhara!

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 30, 2008
357
1
日本
If you move out of the USA does AT&T allow you to terminate your contract without penalty, or are you stuck with the early termination fee?

The answer to this question influences whether I will buy an iPhone or not.

Thanks
 
Thank you.
OK, one more question:

Can I reactivate the iPhone on a carrier of that other country?

So for example if I walk into a SoftBank shop (assuming SoftBank has shops?) in Japan and show them my U.S. iPhone and be like "please connect me", will they?

Just want to make sure the hardware would not be a lost investment.
 
You will first need to unlock your phone. IIRC, new 3GSs are resistant to jailbreaking and unlocking by extension. I could be wrong if anything has changed recently.
 
Not sure but if you do not buy yourself out your contract then surely the iphone would still belong to the carrier?????
 
stridemat said:
Not sure but if you do not buy yourself out your contract then surely the iphone would still belong to the carrier?????
Click to expand...

not unless they give you back the money you piad for the phone, which they won't. The phone is yours.
 
I was thinking more if you were on a tariff where you did not have to pay for your iphone? Or do you not have this in the USA?
 
outphase said:
You will first need to unlock your phone. IIRC, new 3GSs are resistant to jailbreaking and unlocking by extension. I could be wrong if anything has changed recently.
Click to expand...

OK, that's good to know.
So if I'm not certain I will be living in the U.S. for the next couple of years I should probably continue to refrain from getting an iPhone since it could be a waste of two or three hundred dollars.

You buy a phone, you move, then you need to buy another phone.
I'm probably best off not buying into their exclusivity games.
 
Let's Sekuhara! said:
OK, that's good to know.
So if I'm not certain I will be living in the U.S. for the next couple of years I should probably continue to refrain from getting an iPhone since it could be a waste of two or three hundred dollars.

You buy a phone, you move, then you need to buy another phone.
I'm probably best off not buying into their exclusivity games.
Click to expand...

Having moved to Germany and back, I would advise against it if you are not sure when you will move. You will have to pay the ETF (I did) and then there is the hassle of getting the phone to work overseas. Best just to get where you are going and get a phone from one of the carriers there.
 
Haha it's phrased like you're draft dodging AT&T. Man i gotta get out of this contract before things get bad...I've got to leave this country!
 
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