Problems with the AT&T contract if buying iPhone from eBay?

[zebu84]

Hello there!

I'm in Europe and I'm just sitting around pressing the refresh button in forums all day long waiting for the phone to be unlocked...well not really..but almost

Now to my concern.. I've seen a lot of iPhones around at eBay, so what would be a reasonable price to pay for a unpacked and unused phone? (I presume the phone will be unlocked in the near future..)

Doesn't everyone who's selling the phones have a 2-year contract to carry out?

So, my main concern still, if I buy a iPhone..can AT&T for example shut down the phone (which I'm using in Europe) with my phones IMEI number?
Or in some other way...
I don't know how these contracts are like in the US, but it wouldn't be too nice to pay that much for a non-working phone..

thanks for your time and replies!

//Sebastian

 

[fishkorp]

you don't buy the phone with a contract. the contract is set up when you open it and activate it.

 

[zebu84]

aah, I see
so in that case I easily could get one for $499 + shipping, and then "just" unlock it and use with my own carrier..

hmm..'cause I don't think I could order one from the Apple online store to europe..when they start selling them there..

 

[Diode]

aah, I see
so in that case I easily could get one for $499 + shipping, and then "just" unlock it and use with my own carrier..

hmm..'cause I don't think I could order one from the Apple online store to europe..when they start selling them there..

Considering no one has yet to unlock one your still SOL.

 

[fishkorp]

aah, I see
so in that case I easily could get one for $499 + shipping, and then "just" unlock it and use with my own carrier..

hmm..'cause I don't think I could order one from the Apple online store to europe..when they start selling them there..

if/when it's unlocked, yes, that's probably the way it'll work. if you bought one right now you'd have a nice $500 block that when powered on says "please activate via iTunes" and does nothing else although once the phone is unlocked, i'm guessing eBay prices will probably go up because everyone outside the US will be trying to purchase them.

 

[zebu84]

i wouldn't buy one before someone has proved that it can be unlocked, i just didn't know about the contract..now i know..

and yeah..the prices would probably go up...for a while..but eventually everyone should have one..you could imaging..