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This is going to sound silly, but what do I need to get the iPhone...

B

BigPrince

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Dec 27, 2006
2,053
111
This will be my first time being on my own plan signing my own contract. Is being over 18 and having a credit card suffice to get the iPhone?

Do they check credit history or something? or something else funky that I may not be knowing about?

Sorry if this is silly, but I just want to make sure I am prepared.

Thanks.
 
BigPrince said:
This will be my first time being on my own plan signing my own contract. Is being over 18 and having a credit card suffice to get the iPhone?

Do they check credit history or something? or something else funky that I may not be knowing about?

Sorry if this is silly, but I just want to make sure I am prepared.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

they will check your credit, and if you don't meet their standards they will make you pay i think about 700 dollar deposit before they'll give you a phone.
 
You are also going to need to have the ability of using your fingers. :p

Seriously though, one segment of people this is excluding, as well as the current multi-touch craze, are people with disabilities.
 
I don't have bad credit, just I am 19 years old and the only credit I have is the credit card payments I make on my credit card, on time each month.

I really do not have a clear understanding how "credit history" works or how they check it so rapidly.

In the past everything was bought in my fathers name, so I had nothing to worry about.
 
BigPrince said:
I don't have bad credit, just I am 19 years old and the only credit I have is the credit card payments I make on my credit card, on time each month.

I really do not have a clear understanding how "credit history" works or how they check it so rapidly.

In the past everything was bought in my fathers name, so I had nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...

there are credit reporting agencies that keep a database of everyone in the country's credit scores. i dont' know what your score needs to be or exactly what att bases their check on, but i think it's fairly strict.
 
Well I didn't have a problem buying my MBP on credit from Apple, is this a good sign?
 
BigPrince said:
I don't have bad credit, just I am 19 years old and the only credit I have is the credit card payments I make on my credit card, on time each month.

I really do not have a clear understanding how "credit history" works or how they check it so rapidly.

In the past everything was bought in my fathers name, so I had nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...

If you've had your credit card for over a year, you should have no problems.

ATT allows you to be pre-approved. Just go to your att store and fill out an application, they'll check your credit history on the spot and you'll be already to go.

I would recommend doing it before the 29th. I believe they allow you to be pre approved up to 30 days before you purchase a phone.
 
Since the general opinion is that you won't activate the cell plan at the Apple Store, then I don't think you'll have to worry about credit checks then.

AT&T will do a credit check no doubt, and if you have bad credit history, or minimal credit history (which sounds like is your situation), they may require certain things for you to open an account. This could involve putting a larger deposite down on your cell plan bill, or sometimes I've seen companies just put a cap on your bill, meaning they won't let you use more minutes than your plan includes. They're protecting themselves from someone using thousands of minutes but never being able to pay for the overages.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, but you might be prepared to have a slightly different plan setup than someone with a solid credit history.

Cheers,
Josh
 
If you need your credit score, go to myfico.com and then just cancel before 30 days.
 
If paying your bills on time is good credit history then I am fine.

How do you get "bad history" and "good history."

My concern is more that I do not have a long enough history.

I think I am going to do a credit check before hand with them as someone suggested.
 
i did some quick searching around but havent been able to find anything...

Ive never owned a cellphone before and so i dont know how the whole plan thing works. What kind of plan is it? Pay as you go? Is there a monthly fee? Is textmesseging included in the plan?

I'd like all the information you can provide about the plan.

Thanks,
Matt
 
iHerzeleid said:
so if i have a debit card... taht wouldnt be enough?
Click to expand...

umm...no. debit cards have no effect on your credit. if thats all you've had, then you have no credit, and will for sure have to do something more to get a plan than someone with good credit.
 
BigPrince said:
If paying your bills on time is good credit history then I am fine.

How do you get "bad history" and "good history."

My concern is more that I do not have a long enough history.

I think I am going to do a credit check before hand with them as someone suggested.
Click to expand...

Having a long enough history typically only matters with larger loans (auto, home, etc.). For the most part, cell companies check your credit to make sure you aren't paying bills late. I would guess that if you had no credit, a cell company would still sell you a phone, but I could be wrong.

If you have a credit card, and you pay it on time, that's all you'll need.

Look at it this way...I had a bankruptcy on my credit report, and Cingular still gave me a contract.
 
Dimwhit said:
Having a long enough history typically only matters with larger loans (auto, home, etc.). For the most part, cell companies check your credit to make sure you aren't paying bills late. I would guess that if you had no credit, a cell company would still sell you a phone, but I could be wrong.

If you have a credit card, and you pay it on time, that's all you'll need.

Look at it this way...I had a bankruptcy on my credit report, and Cingular still gave me a contract.
Click to expand...

Uhh this coming from a poster named dimwhit... :rolleyes:

I don't think you'll have a problem getting a contract, but please get pre-approved. If you are in my line filling out a loan application... :mad:
 
Having no credit is just as bad as having bad credit when it comes to getting a cell phone. Get them to run your credit _before_ you go to the store. Otherwise, you will be standing in line for a long time for nothing.

Chances are, they will want $500+ for deposit.
 
I just got pre approved and am 19 and only have had a credit card for a few months and have financed a Bose Aviation headset since January and have never been late. And I have no deposit.
 
I'm guessing different providers have different policies but if you've been paying your bills on time for at least a year, I'd say you're good to go.

I was watching the iPhone video on Apple and after finishing I went to AT&T's website. $600 for the 8GB model + rate plans is almost the cost of a refurb macbook. Thinking about all this got me hungry so I went to grab something to eat. Does thinking alot make you hungry?
 
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