Ok, soooo...... (AT&T Contract Question)

[skythefly13]

Ive seen all of the threads about contracts and so on, but none of them seem to be in my situation. I just want to get the iPhone, what will happen to my contract I currently have with Cingular (AT&T)??? I've been in it for about 8 months now. Will it:

Need to be extended, as in add another 2 years to my contract??

Stay the same? No contract charge, just buy the phone and use it instead of my slvr?

Need to be terminated and re-activate a 2 year contract? (Please say no)

I wish Apple or AT&T would post more details about this, rather than just say "Use requires a new 2 year contract" in a commercial.

Oh, and will I be able to use the phone with just wifi? I don't really feel like paying $25-$35 for a slow connection every month. Wifi would be much, much easier for me.

 

[PlaceofDis]

if its like most phone upgrades, your current contract will be extended for another two years.

i'm guessing you could. but i doubt eveything would work. a data plan might be 'required'

 

[Trent0341]

General opinion (and it's all just that until apple/att release the actual details) is that you can just extend for two years and that some sort of data plan will most likely be required.

As with every other unknown facet of the iphone this is up for much debate.

 

[skythefly13]

if its like most phone upgrades, your current contract will be extended for another two years.

i'm guessing you could. but i doubt eveything would work. a data plan might be 'required'

But if it isnt subsidized then why would I have to do that? I'd be buying the phone for its full price. This would be like buying a razr or something full price right now in my contract, and nothing would happen to it.

 

[mashinhead]

i'm in the same boat and i've called to get this answered and it will definately not be . (at least not intially, if you want don't expect to get it the first day. this is intially for cingular to get new contracts, later it's for everyone.) if you are eligible for an upgrade, which is a year or 18 months into your contract, you have the best case senario, which is this . Call and find out. They said i was after being a customer for a year, which i will have been a week before the release. But i have this sinking feeling that when i get there i'm going to be confronted with this . Ane if you get this it means you have to open another line on your current account to get one.

if they make me spend more money to get this phone after having been a customer, i'm leaving for good. within three weeks that phone will be hacked to death, and i'm sure unlocked.

 

[lekun]

New Commericial

The new iPhone commercial doesn't say a two-year contract is required. Oversight? New policy based on all the confusion?

It doesn't make sense that a phone that is not subsidized can't be bought outright! At least it doesn't from Apple's point-of-view, as for AT&T, they are money-grubbing wh**es.

 

[skythefly13]

The new iPhone commercial doesn't say a two-year contract is required. Oversight? New policy based on all the confusion?

It doesn't make sense that a phone that is not subsidized can't be bought outright! At least it doesn't from Apple's point-of-view, as for AT&T, they are money-grubbing wh**es.

Looks like (latest rumor) that little blurb is taken out of all the commercials for good. Maybe this could mean a smiley face for me? Just buy it and use it instead of my old phone, straight up!
GIVE US INFO APPLE!

 

[pellucidity]

How about those that have family plans?

Think you could explain to the (girl/boy)friend that you added a new line so they'd sell you an iPhone?

Sadly I suspect that this will turn out to be totally YMMV.

 

[Dippo]

How about those that have family plans?

Think you could explain to the (girl/boy)friend that you added a new line so they'd sell you an iPhone?

Sadly I suspect that this will turn out to be totally YMMV.

Another line is only like an extra $10 a month and over the two years, that would run you $240.

Is that worth it?

 

[beate]

Sales at ATT just told me that it would be possible to just buy the phone - no extension of contract as I'm an existing customer.

Of course this would be the case. I've bought a number of phones without adding to the contract. Why would the policy for the iPhone be different? The new 2 year contract issue comes into play when changing the principle plan or buying a new phone at a hugely discounted price.
Neither would be the case when simply switching to the iPhone as there is no discount and the data plans are a separate add-on.

 

[Eric1285]

Sales at ATT just told me that it would be possible to just buy the phone - no extension of contract as I'm an existing customer.

Of course this would be the case. I've bought a number of phones without adding to the contract. Why would the policy for the iPhone be different? The new 2 year contract issue comes into play when changing the principle plan or buying a new phone at a hugely discounted price.
Neither would be the case when simply switching to the iPhone as there is no discount and the data plans are a separate add-on.

Somehow I doubt this will be the case. I think in order to get the iPhone you will *have* to either sign a new 2 year contract or extend your existing contract by 2 years. No way around being stuck with AT&T for 2 years.

If you think about it, AT&T has to be getting something out of the deal. They're bending to Apple's every wish in terms of the way they will be marketing the product, so the real benefit is going to be in AT&T's ability to lock customers in for an additional 2 years, along with the influx of new customers from people switching to AT&T just for the iPhone.

 

[lekun]

If you think about it, AT&T has to be getting something out of the deal.

I think the idea was that what AT&T was getting out of the deal was the lure of the iPhone. The lure of people switching carriers to have "the iPod of cell phones" be exclusively with AT&T.

And of course what AT&T retail stores will make with each sale of the hardware.

This is why "hot" new phones go to one carrier or another. But they usually only go for a short time. Due to AT&T's willingness to bend the rules, they get at least two years exclusivity, which is practically unheard of. Palm may come out with a new phone on Sprint first, but for a few months, tops.

 

[AHDuke99]

i just reupped my at&t contract a month ago when i got my razr v3xx .. i guess i'll add another 2 years to make 4 total, but i figured i might as well take advange of getting a cheaper phone since the iphone isn't subsidized.

 

[feelthefire]

i'm sorry, but where are people getting the idea that the phone is not subsidized? I'm almost 100% sure that it is. There's no way those prices are without subsidy.

comparable windows mobile phones run $1000 with no subsidy. no way apple is undercharging, there would be pigs flying before that ever happens.

 

[nickspohn]

they will let you update to the iPhone but your 2 year contract will start over again.

 

[island]

they will let you update to the iPhone but your 2 year contract will start over again.

Exactly!

 

[marksman]

i'm sorry, but where are people getting the idea that the phone is not subsidized? I'm almost 100% sure that it is. There's no way those prices are without subsidy.

comparable windows mobile phones run $1000 with no subsidy. no way apple is undercharging, there would be pigs flying before that ever happens.

Because that has been the general sentiment.

That being said, on the AT&T price the list the 599/499 prices, and AT&T normally markets the subsidized prices. I just don't think it is going to be a case where people with Cingular contracts already, will be left in the cold.

They may simply not sell any non-subsidized phones. In other words you have to get the service to get the phone, no matter what.

 

[lekun]

i'm sorry, but where are people getting the idea that the phone is not subsidized? I'm almost 100% sure that it is. There's no way those prices are without subsidy.

comparable windows mobile phones run $1000 with no subsidy. no way apple is undercharging, there would be pigs flying before that ever happens.

The keynote and other sources since the Keynote. Jobs and Apple won't allow for carrier subsidies. The paraphrase the quote: They don't want subsidies to cheapen people's impression of the iPhone.

The price will remain $499 and $599 until the day they release version 2. Which is how they run their computers and iPods. The only tag that has been alongside the prices is "with 2 year contract." I mean that is my best educated guess, of course.

 

[oxymoron2007]

so if i buy the phone from an apple store is there going to be a place there were they are going to be doing contract activations, or is it going to be an online thing?

 

[skythefly13]

so if i buy the phone from an apple store is there going to be a place there were they are going to be doing contract activations, or is it going to be an online thing?

Hopefully just buy it, and either take it home (Id choose this) and activate it online yourself or......go and sit in the AT&T store for about an hour

 

[feelthefire]

The keynote and other sources since the Keynote. Jobs and Apple won't allow for carrier subsidies. The paraphrase the quote: They don't want subsidies to cheapen people's impression of the iPhone.

The price will remain $499 and $599 until the day they release version 2. Which is how they run their computers and iPods. The only tag that has been alongside the prices is "with 2 year contract." I mean that is my best educated guess, of course.

Right. "With 2 year contract" means there's a subsidy. If there wasn't, AT&T would be much better off selling them to anyone who wants one, no? requiring a contract is turning people off. There would be no reason for them to have a contract requirement, and I'd imagine apple wouldn't want one, if they weren't trying to recoup costs.

I can get an official answer on this, but I am really quite sure there is a subsidy behind the scenes. There's just no way an apple product undercuts competitive products by half. That's not stevie's way.

 

[Eric1285]

I think the idea was that what AT&T was getting out of the deal was the lure of the iPhone. The lure of people switching carriers to have "the iPod of cell phones" be exclusively with AT&T.

And of course what AT&T retail stores will make with each sale of the hardware.

This is why "hot" new phones go to one carrier or another. But they usually only go for a short time. Due to AT&T's willingness to bend the rules, they get at least two years exclusivity, which is practically unheard of. Palm may come out with a new phone on Sprint first, but for a few months, tops.

Yes, but Apple is also making AT&T do *a lot* of things their way. This is why we're seeing the iPhone on AT&T, and not T-Mobile or Verizon or any other company. AT&T was willing to bend over backwards for Apple, and in return I feel like they should be getting a little more than just the right to sell the iPhone. They should be able to lock people down into a 2 year contract, which is what they're doing.

 

[Squonk]

Contracts...

The thing that I find amusing about all of this contract talk is that sure, people may not want a contract. But if you want to use your iPhone, your only choice is with at&t, so what is the big deal. I guess, if you don't like at&t and you want to just walk away and not use the iPhone (and sell it) then not having a contract would be a good thing.

From what I have gleaned from the scuttlebutt on the web, even though I am a current "AT&T Wireless/Cingular/the new at&t" customer eligible for an upgrade, I will be paying the same thing as though I had walked in off the street? Right?

I am telling myself that I don't need one of these; that I don't use my cell phone very much as it is; yet I'm like a moth to a flame....

 

[MacBook Jedi]

Payment

Sorry if I missed this posted elsewhere.
In the past when I have gotten new cell phones that cost more than a couple of hundred dollars Verizon and T-mobile have broken up the cost with payments added to my monthly bill over the course of time. Does anyone think that this will be the case or should we all expect to walk in and dump $500/$600 on the spot? I think every cell company was offering payment options on the razr when it came out.
I don't feel it is to huge a reach to expect this option...AT&T wants to sign as many contracts as humanly possible and with Apple having their aggressive 10 million unit sales goal, I think it is a decent chance.

 

[dallasgrant]

The thing that I find amusing about all of this contract talk is that sure, people may not want a contract. But if you want to use your iPhone, your only choice is with at&t, so what is the big deal. I guess, if you don't like at&t and you want to just walk away and not use the iPhone (and sell it) then not having a contract would be a good thing.

Your only choice is not ATT ... your choice is any GSM provider. In the US, it is required that phones be unlockable meaning that the iPhone can be used on any GSM network ... you just have to buy it on eBay.

You should instead say that the only way to get the phone for a decent price will be through ATT. Meanwhile, I will stick with T-mobile because they are the best company.