I have a plan, will this work?

[angemon89]

So, right now I have an iPhone 3G with an individual AT&T plan. My family (Mom, Dad and Brother) are on Verizon (no contract) and they want to come over to AT&T.

What I want to do is make my individual iPhone 3G line into a Family Talk plan and port their Verizon numbers over to AT&T.

Now, when it comes to choosing phones, my brother wants a 3GS, I want a 3GS, but my parents couldn't care less what phone they have as long as they can make phone calls. The obvious choice for my parents is to choose one of the free flip phones, right? But when I think about it, a free flip phone that costs ~$50 new isn't worth a brand new 2 year contract.

So what I was thinking about doing is just buying 4 brand new iPhone 3GS's, selling 2 of them, and buying brand new flip phones off of eBay for my parents. All I would have to do is transfer the SIM cards from my parent's 2 iPhones and put them in the new flip phones.

Then I would just have to call AT&T and ask them to remove the 2 data plans because we no longer have the 2 iPhones.

A) Will this work? I've been thinking about this for a while and I see no real reason that it wouldn't, but I just want to be 100% sure.
B) Is this morally wrong? I just want your guys opinions on this.

Thanks

 

[GovtLawyer]

Interesting

I'm not sure whether or not you can do what you seek. I was interested in your statement that a $50 flip phone wasn't worth a 2 year contract.

Well, I did just that last November, and now I decided I'd get the iPhone. AT&T considers my last phone an upgrade, even thought the service wasn't upgraded and the phone was cheap. Now, they want $499 for the 32G iPhone and won't give it to me for $299, as I had an upgrade already.

I sent a letter to the CEO and told him that when I'm allowed to get another upgrade in July 2010, I might not be inclined to go to AT&T if the iPhone is available elsewhere, and may choose another smart phone entirely. I can't believe they don't want my 30 per month extra, for the next 24 months.

 

[-aggie-]

SNIP
A) Will this work? I've been thinking about this for a while and I see no real reason that it wouldn't, but I just want to be 100% sure. Sure, but you'll have to pay an EFT and other charges. You may recoup your money.
B) Is this morally wrong? I just want your guys opinions on this. You'll get a lot of people telling you this is morally wrong and those who say to stick it to AT&T. See the million threads on this.
Thanks

See my bolds above

 

[angemon89]

I will get an ETF for switching from an iPhone to a regular phone?

I thought that because I am NOT canceling the line, only removing the data plan, that I WOULDN'T incur the ETF.

 

[cardinal]

Yes, this will work exactly as you say. You will not have to pay any ETFs. You're not terminating any service agreements by replacing the iPhones with flip phones. You only need an iPhone data plan when there is an iPhone on the line, not for the duration of the agreement. I'd order the flip phones first, so you can swap the sims immediately and cancel their data plans the day you buy the iPhones.

I've told this to many people: The smartest thing to do with an upgrade on AT&T is buy an iPhone, whether you want it or not. You can easily sell it and buy any other phone, with cash left over.

 

[jackiecanev2]

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I believe there is a clause that you cannot downgrade your plan for the duration of the service contract if you purchase a subsidized iPhone. Removing $30 data plan = downgrading.

 

[thelatinist]

AT&T considers my last phone an upgrade, even thought the service wasn't upgraded and the phone was cheap. Now, they want $499 for the 32G iPhone and won't give it to me for $299, as I had an upgrade already.

Even the cheapest flip phones usually retail for around $250 (these are pretty amazing pieces of electronics, no matter how they pale next to the iPhone). That means you already got a $200 subsidy when you made that upgrade even though you didn't buy a data plan. Now you want AT&T to give you another $400 subsidy before you're eligible? They're offering you a $200 subsidy (making the cost $499 instead of $699). You'll have received $400 in subsidies in less than a year, the same subsidy I got when I bought my iPhone. What more do you want?

 

[angemon89]

Yes, this will work exactly as you say. You will not have to pay any ETFs. You're not terminating any service agreements by replacing the iPhones with flip phones. You only need an iPhone data plan when there is an iPhone on the line, not for the duration of the agreement. I'd order the flip phones first, so you can swap the sims immediately and cancel their data plans the day you buy the iPhones.

I've told this to many people: The smartest thing to do with an upgrade on AT&T is buy an iPhone, whether you want it or not. You can easily sell it and buy any other phone, with cash left over.

Yes, I will buy the 2 flip phones from eBay first because my parents wont be able to go a few days without their phones.

They want the samsung a237 phones, and on eBay they're $56 brand new in box.

 

[angemon89]

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I believe there is a clause that you cannot downgrade your plan for the duration of the service contract if you purchase a subsidized iPhone. Removing $30 data plan = downgrading.

This is what I was afraid of. But I was under the impression that this isn't actually true....

 

[cardinal]

It's not true.

 

[Tallest Skil]

It's not true.

Any proof thereof?

 

[cardinal]

Any proof thereof?

Yeah, I've personally taken the data plan off immediately. You can look at the various threads where people are using an iPhone without data plans (switching out sim, calling to take data off, switching sim back). I know there are some threads where people open a second line to upgrade early to the 3GS, move it to the main line, and take data off the 2nd line.

 

[angemon89]

Yeah, I've personally taken the data plan off immediately. You can look at the various threads where people are using an iPhone without data plans (switching out sim, calling to take data off, switching sim back). I know there are some threads where people open a second line to upgrade early to the 3GS, move it to the main line, and take data off the 2nd line.

Yeah, this is what I thought as well. But what I'm doing isn't as shady.

I'm removing the data plans because I wont actually be using the iPhones.

 

[Lakerfan210]

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I believe there is a clause that you cannot downgrade your plan for the duration of the service contract if you purchase a subsidized iPhone. Removing $30 data plan = downgrading.

There is no damn clause. The only way they'll charge an ETF is by cancelling the whole line not by removing a simple iPhone data plan.

Try looking for some cheap flip phones on eBay, I would even try craigslist. They'll have the phone right away and won't have to wait til it gets shipped.

 

[GovtLawyer]

Retail & AT&T

Even the cheapest flip phones usually retail for around $250 (these are pretty amazing pieces of electronics, no matter how they pale next to the iPhone). That means you already got a $200 subsidy when you made that upgrade even though you didn't buy a data plan. Now you want AT&T to give you another $400 subsidy before you're eligible? They're offering you a $200 subsidy (making the cost $499 instead of $699). You'll have received $400 in subsidies in less than a year, the same subsidy I got when I bought my iPhone. What more do you want?

Although I agree that AT&T subsidized my flip phone, I don't agree that comparing it to retail is a proper argument. Surely, AT&T gets a premium rate for moving so much product. As for the flip phone being a great piece of electronics; sure, I agree. However, AT&T will put some products as loss leaders, to get rid of old stock and to bring customers in.

I could have kept my 2006 model flip phone and would not have been any worse for it. However, AT&T enticed me to "renew" not upgrade my contract and offered me great incentives. The service was more important than the product.

I wish they had been clearer as to what I was actually doing and how it would affect me in case something better came along; iPhone! Yet, the details were buried in a long contract, in small type. What is missing in your argument is that I would be upgrading my plan to the tune of $720 over the next two years. That's $720 over what I pay now. Surely they could eat a few dollars on my current phone, which is a low end flip, to keep me contented and willing to fork over higher fees.

In any event, I sent a letter to the CEO of AT&T with these arguments. I'll see what kind of a reply I get.

 

[Applejuiced]

That's false.
You can do what u have planned with no probs.
Don't let the misinformation scare you.

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I believe there is a clause that you cannot downgrade your plan for the duration of the service contract if you purchase a subsidized iPhone. Removing $30 data plan = downgrading.

 

[bobthecat23]

aha. u can do this i did it. i had an individual line and wanted to get the 3gs but i had upgrade. i made my line into a family plan and used the upgrade from the the new line on my line the one with out the upgrade. i just told them i had another phone for the other line and was good.so in the end i made my individual plan a family plan by adding another line and used the upgrade from that on my line which wasnt able to upgrade. i wanted to do something similar to what you wanted to do add the line and then at the end of the month cancel the iphones data plan but this way saves u the 30$. sry for any parts u may not be able to understand

 

[abijnk]

I'll go ahead and chime in and say you should be able to do this no problem.

 

[GovtLawyer]

You Did What?

aha. u can do this i did it. i had an individual line and wanted to get the 3gs but i had upgrade. i made my line into a family plan and used the upgrade from the the new line on my line the one with out the upgrade. i just told them i had another phone for the other line and was good.so in the end i made my individual plan a family plan by adding another line and used the upgrade from that on my line which wasnt able to upgrade. i wanted to do something similar to what you wanted to do add the line and then at the end of the month cancel the iphones data plan but this way saves u the 30$. sry for any parts u may not be able to understand

Did I read this correctly? You added another line you didn't need. If so, isn't the cost of the other line, over two years, way more than you saved on the iPhone?

 

[lindsayanng]

Although I agree that AT&T subsidized my flip phone, I don't agree that comparing it to retail is a proper argument. Surely, AT&T gets a premium rate for moving so much product. As for the flip phone being a great piece of electronics; sure, I agree. However, AT&T will put some products as loss leaders, to get rid of old stock and to bring customers in.

I could have kept my 2006 model flip phone and would not have been any worse for it. However, AT&T enticed me to "renew" not upgrade my contract and offered me great incentives. The service was more important than the product.

I wish they had been clearer as to what I was actually doing and how it would affect me in case something better came along; iPhone! Yet, the details were buried in a long contract, in small type. What is missing in your argument is that I would be upgrading my plan to the tune of $720 over the next two years. That's $720 over what I pay now. Surely they could eat a few dollars on my current phone, which is a low end flip, to keep me contented and willing to fork over higher fees.

In any event, I sent a letter to the CEO of AT&T with these arguments. I'll see what kind of a reply I get.

So you are pissed because you didnt read the fine print and didnt fully understand the contract that you were entering into and now you want the new cool technology at a subsidized price because.. you didnt read the fine print?!

They arent going to give you a subsidized phone because you will be spending more money on a plan.. that is not part of the deal. If everyone who upgraded their plans got a subsidized phone, ATT would go out of business.. In your mind, everyone who adds a $10/month text plan and a $30/ month data plan to their contracts are automatically elidgable for a subsidy?!

 

[angemon89]

Thanks for the help guys. I just bought the 2 new Samsung a237 phones on eBay and once they get here I'm gonna go get the 4 iPhones. I'll keep you guys updated if you care at all.

It's gonna be weird to have 4 new iPhones in my possession.

 

[imachack]

Thanks for the help guys. I just bought the 2 new Samsung a237 phones on eBay and once they get here I'm gonna go get the 4 iPhones. I'll keep you guys updated if you care at all.

It's gonna be weird to have 4 new iPhones in my possession.

HI. ive been looking to do something similiar. I currently have a contract with att, and quite honestly i plan on staying with them. I currently having a samsung blackjack with no data plan, but i can upgrade to the new iphone for the 399/499, which seems a whole lot better then buying a no contract. The thing i am concerened about is that if i do this upgrade, can i cancel the data plan, say im using my blackjack, and put it back in my iphone? Or will att not let you because i bought it at a discount. And will my voice plan change? i am currently on a family plan. i pay 10 for voice a month, and 15 for texting. Will i have to pay more for the iphone? Or could i just switch back to my blackjack and say i dont need the iphone voice plan and what not. Well anyways, thanks for the help. Sorry for the questions!

John

 

[Dominat0r]

i think you need to keep the phone for 30days before you can cut off any of the data plans. If you turn off the data and cut the plan before the 30 days, they might want you to return the phones.

Im not sure on this though, but i know you need to keep the phone 30 days before its actually yours. After that you can try the deal above. I think you could get away with that. You not really trying to scam them out of anything and youre paying the ETF they should be happy.

 

[imachack]

i think you need to keep the phone for 30days before you can cut off any of the data plans. If you turn off the data and cut the plan before the 30 days, they might want you to return the phones.

Im not sure on this though, but i know you need to keep the phone 30 days before its actually yours. After that you can try the deal above. I think you could get away with that. You not really trying to scam them out of anything and youre paying the ETF they should be happy.

So do you say go for it and just pay the first month and cancel thereafter? And for the voice will that change if i have a family plan? Basically what i am trying to ask is can i keep my $10 voice line and pay the etf to get the iphone?
So basically pay 10 for voice 15 for messaging, or do i have to go on a certain iphone plan, even though im on a family plan

 

[Dominat0r]

So do you say go for it and just pay the first month and cancel thereafter? And for the voice will that change if i have a family plan? Basically what i am trying to ask is can i keep my $10 voice line and pay the etf to get the iphone?
So basically pay 10 for voice 15 for messaging, or do i have to go on a certain iphone plan, even though im on a family plan

i think you would have to work out the math....im just saying, i dont think its illegal what you are doing, just tricky. You might be better off just buying the off contract price, money wise =)

If you buy the phones through ATT, you will need to add 2-30$ iphone data plans. Plus the ETF of 175$ (ive heard it ranges in price).

Yes, you can disconnect the iphone plans and keep the plan you have now. Now, how this works or what time frame you have to do this, im not certain about. However, i THINK its 30days.

You HAVE to have a iphone data plan on each iphone you have on ATT, if you try and use a used iphone bought from the forums or ebay, ATT will still know you using a iphone. If the phone you are using is NOT a smart phone or iphone, then yes, you have no problems having a iphone and the normal phone on the same plan, if that is what youre asking.