some good news...

[kgiglio2]

so i'm in college and on my families plan, and to get them to want to extend everyones plan and go through new phones and everything would be near impossible. so after some begging i came home from work today and my dad said he called our local corporate att store (chicagoland area).

They explicitly told him that there is NO NEED for a new contract. You can just buy the phone and add the necessary data to your current voice package (if you are currently an att customer.

I know this may just add to the many stories people have heard, but I wasn't a believer of any speculation until now.

This makes perfect sense. If you lose your phone, or it breaks and you want a new one, you can buy any phone but you need to pay the full price. Since the iPhone has no rebates or anything, just paying the flat price should allow you to buy it; just like any other phone. Of course they won't be unlocked, but you can just go, add to whatever plan you have, and walk out with the most amazing phone ever.


HOPEFULLY...

 

[sonarghost]

I actually would believe this to be true simply because I have been told the same info about other phones I have been interested about in the past years. Also the fact that this is a "cingular only phone" you would probably extend your contract when it ends anyways.. I hope this holds up because I am in a 2 year contract with cingular already.

 

[gr8tfly]

2 year contract supersedes your current contract and starts on the date of purchase.

(hope nobody minds my repeat posts on this, but it'll only be a few more days...)

 

[kgiglio2]

contract...

yeah but in this case there is no reason for a 2 year contract to supercede anything....with cingular you can add to your plan at any time (unlimited data), and this does not involve a new 2 year plan. i wouldnt want to have to extend a 5 person family plan....my grandma just learned how to use the phone we got her a year and a half ago hah

 

[gr8tfly]

Just quoting what I've been told last Wed. A 2 year contract is required with the iPhone. I'm with AT&T (the new Cingular), too, but when you buy a new phone, they've always made me sign up again. That was to take advantage of the "upgrade eligibility" discount, but in the case of the iPhone, there isn't any discount. When you buy the iPhone, it apparently will work the same way - you will sign up for 2 years. I doubt you have to keep your same plan, though.

 

[lekun]

2 year contract supersedes your current contract and starts on the date of purchase.

(hope nobody minds my repeat posts on this, but it'll only be a few more days...)

I have no doubt that was probably right when the AT&T rep told you (especially since that is what the VP's at then Cingular were saying in January) however as the latest press release shows, the pricing may very well be changing. The no mention of two year contract in conjunction with the state $499 & $599 price points tends lend credence to what the OP said.

 

[gr8tfly]

Where in the press release did they say the price was changing for the 29th release? If it's the one I'm thinking of, it was a comment on future sales, not the release. The contract wording had already been removed from the ads almost a week before my contact with AT&T.

 

[applehero]

I have no doubt that was probably right when the AT&T rep told you (especially since that is what the VP's at then Cingular were saying in January) however as the latest press release shows, the pricing may very well be changing. The no mention of two year contract in conjunction with the state $499 & $599 price points tends lend credence to what the OP said.

What PR are you referring to??? I haven't seen anything recent circulating that would lead me to believe the pricing may change.

 

[Eric1285]

What PR are you referring to??? I haven't seen anything recent circulating that would lead me to believe the pricing may change.

I think he's referring to the commercials, not the press releases. The new commercials had the "Requires 2 year contract" part removed.

 

[FreeState]

...however as the latest press release shows, the pricing may very well be changing....

How so?

Todays press release:

"Pricing and Availability
iPhone will be available in the US on June 29, 2007 in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US), and will work with either a PC or Mac®. iPhone will be sold in the US through Apple’s retail and online stores, and through AT&T’s select retail stores."

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/18iphone.html

 

[beate]

They explicitly told him that there is NO NEED for a new contract. You can just buy the phone and add the necessary data to your current voice package (if you are currently an att customer.

Exactly! I was told the same thing by Cingular/ATT corporate over a week ago - posted as much - and got a bunch of "naysayer" replys. Why can't people believe this? It's obvious. It's logical. It's ethical. Jeez.

 

[darwen]

Exactly! I was told the same thing by Cingular/ATT corporate over a week ago - posted as much - and got a bunch of "naysayer" replys. Why can't people believe this? It's obvious. It's logical. It's ethical. Jeez.

People do not believe it because AT&T are the only ones saying it. Apple said the exact opposite and people here are going to trust Steve Jobs more than an AT&T Retail employee.

 

[gr8tfly]

Exactly! I was told the same thing by Cingular/ATT corporate over a week ago - posted as much - and got a bunch of "naysayer" replys. Why can't people believe this? It's obvious. It's logical. It's ethical. Jeez.

The bad news is I ALSO got my info from ATT corporate - on the 13th.

My main concern was the typical "upgrade eligibility" discount issue, and it's moot for the iPhone.

I'll probably be staying with them for the next 2 years anyway, so it probably doesn't matter. And, even if there is a contract and I decide to switch to another company, they usually will buyout your contract.

edit: as other posts have said, there's no way AT&T is going to invest with Apple on this and not keep the product and brand (Apple) recognition TIED to AT&T. That means service contract.

 

[applehero]

When i spoke with at&t on the 16th, they said definitely a 2 year contract. I was also told if you are not eligible for an upgrade, you cannot get one.

Now, of course I don't believe the upgrade portion, the 2 year contract has been stated more often then not, as well as coming from Apple.

at&t has been too inconsistent with its replies in regards to iPhone which only proves that they know just a little as we do. The details will come out soon enough (well maybe not soon enough, but they can't wait much longer...)

 

[kgiglio2]

i still don't know how true the necessary 2 year contract is going to be anymore.....i mean apple fairly obviously removed that from their advertisements, press release, website, etc.... they wouldn't just do that because the ads look better without it, and like i said before....at att you can buy ANY phone without a new contract, but you just need to pay full list price (which in the case of the iPhone so far is 499 or 599)

 

[rdowns]

It's obvious. It's logical. It's ethical. Jeez.

3 things not usually associated with cell phone providers.

 

[joeconvert]

When i spoke with at&t on the 16th, they said definitely a 2 year contract. I was also told if you are not eligible for an upgrade, you cannot get one.

PLease stop posting this stuff. I don't care where you heard it, but you need to think about it. Every "hot" phone that has hit Cingular in the last 4 years has had some amount of buzz, and let me tell you, there were people paying $500 for unsubsidized RAZRs. This is the same issue.

 

[lekun]

How so?

Todays press release:

"Pricing and Availability
iPhone will be available in the US on June 29, 2007 in a 4GB model for $499 (US) and an 8GB model for $599 (US), and will work with either a PC or Mac®. iPhone will be sold in the US through Apple’s retail and online stores, and through AT&T’s select retail stores."

http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2007/06/18iphone.html

How so? How about that every time I can remember that Apple has officially listed the price they have had an asterisk stating "require two year contract." The reason: If you require a two year contract to obtain a certain price you can't advertise saying you don't. Violation of some UCC code.

The latest press release had no asterisk (maybe that changed like with N95 Wifi). So all of a sudden every mention of $499 & $599 had an asterisk, and now the latest one doesn't. May it be an oversight or mistake? Sure, but this is Forums at MacRUMORS. The whole point is rumors, not Forums at MacNEWS or MacFACTS.

I agree though that AT&T reps are speaking out their butts. As soon as they know officially the word it will come in some official document which will be immediately leaked. All of this is speculation... which is exactly what these boards are for.

 

[applehero]

PLease stop posting this stuff. I don't care where you heard it, but you need to think about it. Every "hot" phone that has hit Cingular in the last 4 years has had some amount of buzz, and let me tell you, there were people paying $500 for unsubsidized RAZRs. This is the same issue.

Excuse me....if you're going to quote me, don't edit the quote.

I'm not really sure what you're reply here has to do with what I posted...

 

[gr8tfly]

When i spoke with at&t on the 16th, they said definitely a 2 year contract. I was also told if you are not eligible for an upgrade, you cannot get one.

Now, of course I don't believe the upgrade portion, the 2 year contract has been stated more often then not, as well as coming from Apple.

at&t has been too inconsistent with its replies in regards to iPhone which only proves that they know just a little as we do. The details will come out soon enough (well maybe not soon enough, but they can't wait much longer...)

The reason I called was I checked my eligibility back in January, and it was this spring. I checked again last Wed, only to discover it was now Sept. Needless to say, I as more than annoyed. I spent a lot of time on the phone with them and supervisors to get an answer to the bottom line: can I get an iPhone?. My eligibility is only for a discount price on a phone upgrade (which did end up being Sept.). Since the iPhone isn't discounted, or subsidized, it's moot - one pricing. The only requirement for me at this point is to sign up again, for 2 years.

 

[kgiglio2]

are you sure you need to sign up for another 2 years.....i'd say for example, you lose your phone or it is stolen, but you aren't eligible to upgrade yet. you go into the store, buy an unsubsidized phone, and continue on your way. you can add whatever necessary data package you need, but unless you want a discounted cost (which the iPhone doesn't have), you don't need to start a new 2 year contract and you don't need to deal with anything superceding anything

 

[applehero]

I was simply stating what I was told, by 1 store and I have talked to several in different parts of the country. I also stated that I did not believe the upgrade portion. at&t HAS been to inconsistent with their answers to make me believe they know anything factual other than the release date and time.

 

[applehero]

are you sure you need to sign up for another 2 years.....i'd say for example, you lose your phone or it is stolen, but you aren't eligible to upgrade yet. you go into the store, buy an unsubsidized phone, and continue on your way. you can add whatever necessary data package you need, but unless you want a discounted cost (which the iPhone doesn't have), you don't need to start a new 2 year contract and you don't need to deal with anything superceding anything

This is the point I'm trying to make, nobody knows for sure as details have not been officially released.

 

[kgiglio2]

"QUESTION:
What is the no-commitment equipment pricing option?

ANSWER:
The no-commitment pricing option is the non-discounted equipment price available to customers that are not on a prepaid or GoPhone plan. This option does not require a new two-year service commitment.

If you are not eligible for an upgrade or do not want to sign a new contract but would like to buy a new phone at the no-commitment pricing, visit Upgrade Phone (Logged In Users Only) within myWireless Account for the convenience of purchasing online.

Note: You must be registered and logged into myWireless Account to view this information. For assistance with login and registration, please choose one of the following topics:


How do I register for myWireless Account?

How do I login to myWireless Account?

What if I forgot my password for myWireless Account?"
This is straight from the ATT website. I am pretty sure there's no way they can stop you from doing the same thing with the iPhone.

 

[gr8tfly]

There's one thing that's different about the iPhone. It is exclusive to AT&T for 2-5 years (depending on what you read). This means it won't be able to be used on another carrier. So, even if you don't have a contract (so you can switch carriers when you like), you'd have to do it with a different phone.