vB Easy Archive - How to Get 3G iPhone w/o ATT?

Pages: 1

How to Get 3G iPhone w/o ATT?
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: Legaleye3000

I'm currently using an iPhone on T-Mobile, but with the process of buying/activating in-store, how are we supposed to get a non-ATT unit?

Any ideas?

Posted by: Cell2Be

Well, in my opinion you won't get one on day one. However you should be able to pick-up an iphone on ebay within a few weeks probably without a contract.

Posted by: XanderMac

fly to France and buy an unlocked one. Better still, wait 6 months for Apple to release their new "unlocked" phone. I guarantee its coming.

Posted by: Legaleye3000

I wonder if I can use my brother's ATT account (he currently has iPhone) to buy the 3G iphone and then call up ATT to have them put the iPhone 1 plan ($20/month) back on his line? Just like if you have the iPhone and you call ATT up because you switched to another phone... they will switch your internet plan to match your phone...

Posted by: kbright1892

Why bother with the 3G version unless it's just a status symbol to you? The 3G won't work on the Tmo network anyway.

Posted by: faroqui

Will the TomTom GPS feature work on the iPhone 1?

Posted by: Marc_G

Quote:

Originally Posted by XanderMac

fly to France and buy an unlocked one. Better still, wait 6 months for Apple to release their new "unlocked" phone. I guarantee its coming.

Will France definitely sell an unlocked 3G iPhone?
If so, I can't wait to see the price tag on such a phone...

Posted by: tks989

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc_G

Will France definitely sell an unlocked 3G iPhone?
If so, I can't wait to see the price tag on such a phone...

$600 USD is my bet. And thats on the low end.

Posted by: RussPath03

$600? LAUGH! It won't be near that high.

Posted by: tks989

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussPath03

$600? LAUGH! It won't be near that high.

How quickly we forget.

Posted by: samab

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussPath03

$600? LAUGH! It won't be near that high.

They already sell the unlocked generation 1 iphone for 750 euro ($1200 US).

Posted by: silver439

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussPath03

$600? LAUGH! It won't be near that high.

it WILL be that high! evern higher!

Posted by: jsnead

Quote:

Originally Posted by RussPath03

$600? LAUGH! It won't be near that high.

Agreed. Getting an iphone w/o AT&T sounds very easy indeed. Purchase the phone, cancel the contract, and pay the $175 ETF - so for $375 or $475 you have your own already activated 3G iphone. Then, you just need to unlock it, and I'm betting there will be good ways to accomplish this before the end of July. If all goes like it seems like it will, I'll be picking one up in August & using it on t-mobile.

Posted by: Cuthroat

Quote:

Originally Posted by silver439

it WILL be that high! evern higher!

Agreed It will be over 600usd im thinkin between 700-800usd

Posted by: reas0n555

My question is why bother getting it on tmobile? I'm not sure the hacker community will put in alot of work this time around to unlock it if its point less, its like playing a ps1 game on a ps3.

Posted by: tks989

hackers will continue to hack the phone. also, you never know what other loopholes or suits can affect things. its still way too early to draw a line from either side. one thing that seems possible right now though, is the ETF way. i predict phones will be available and hackers will still hack.

Posted by: Saoirse1916

Quote:

Originally Posted by reas0n555

I'm not sure the hacker community will put in alot of work this time around to unlock it if its point less

There's more to unlocking an iPhone than just using it on T-Mobile in the US. Unlocking gives you the option to use a prepaid SIM during foreign travel as well, and there's some value to that. Plus, don't forget the hacker community's need for notoriety -- they'll hack it just to say they did.

Posted by: steine1988

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsnead

Agreed. Getting an iphone w/o AT&T sounds very easy indeed. Purchase the phone, cancel the contract, and pay the $175 ETF - so for $375 or $475 you have your own already activated 3G iphone.

What if canceling the contract results in de-activation?

Posted by: mongoos150

Theoretically, people can purchase the phone in-store, activate it, and simply cancel their account once they get home. If people cancel within 30 days, the ETF should not apply. I did this with an iPhone I purchased in the AT&T store, 4 days after I activated it (switched to T-Mobile). You're out $35 for activation, maybe a bit more for some minor usage, that's it.

Unless something has changed with the iPhone 3G. I HIGHLY doubt there would be any kind of IMEI blacklisting.

Posted by: jsnead

Quote:

Originally Posted by mongoos150

Theoretically, people can purchase the phone in-store, activate it, and simply cancel their account once they get home. If people cancel within 30 days, the ETF should not apply.

From everything I've read, even if you cancel within the first 30 days, you need to either return the phone or pay the ETF, you can't simply keep the phone and not pay the ETF, regardless of when you cancel. This seems fair to me, since the price remains the same as the first gen iphone. My only concern is whether you also need to pay for the first month of (usuriously expensive) service. I hope early cancelation gets you out of that.

Posted by: jsnead

Quote:

Originally Posted by steine1988

What if canceling the contract results in de-activation?

I'm far from certain this is even possible - I don't think anyone can remotely deactivate any phone. Even if it is (which I sincerely doubt), you can hacktivate a gen 1 iphone, why should it be any different with this one?

Posted by: mongoos150

I purchased my iPhone, 16GB, in February, had it for less than a week, and cancelled the service. I had to pay for activation and a bit of service, was around $39. That's it - I didn't have to pay the ETF or return the phone. Because the new iPhone is subsidized, perhaps we will have to pay the ETF. Unfortunately we won't know until July 11th.

Posted by: mongoos150

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsnead

2.0 supports Exchange, which has a remote wipe feature (for corporate devices which are lost with sensitive data on them). I doubt AT&T would have the capability to do a mass-wipe on phones that were unlocked however - even if they were, they would receive a HUGELY MASSIVE backlash from the media, lawsuits, etc...

Posted by: bchristensen225

From what I've been reading, and from how all other phones are...I'm assuming you have 2 options when buying the iphone.

1: Sign or resign a new contract and get the phone for $199

or

2: Don't sign a 24month agreement and still get the phone, but pay $375 for it.

From what I understand, the $199 is a DISCOUNTED price....not RETAIL.

Which would explain why the ones on craigslist and ebay haven't dropped in price yet. (and probably arent going to, or wont drop that much)

Posted by: mongoos150

It's been stated from AT&T that there will be no non-subsidized price - an iPhone purchase must be accompanied with a new contract sale. Best bet sounds to be signing up in-store, then canceling the contract when you get home.

Posted by: jsnead

Quote:

Originally Posted by mongoos150

I purchased my iPhone, 16GB, in February, had it for less than a week, and cancelled the service. I had to pay for activation and a bit of service, was around $39. That's it - I didn't have to pay the ETF or return the phone. Because the new iPhone is subsidized, perhaps we will have to pay the ETF. Unfortunately we won't know until July 11th.

It looks like we have some hard data to work with: To cancel service within the first 30 days, the customer must return their equipment to the place of purchase (no exceptions). If the customer cancels service after 30 days, they will be charged the ETF. The customer is not required to return the device to cancel after 30 days.

Posted by: mongoos150

Worse comes to worse, we have to keep the service for a month before canceling and paying the ETF. My question is, what if you don't return the phone? What will they charge you? Sounds like we CAN cancel within 30 days and keep the phone, but we have to pay the ETF.

Posted by: tks989

they may mess up your credit somehow if you don't return the phone within the first 30days

Posted by: mongoos150

Could always buy with a pre-paid credit card, but this is getting sticky. We'll have to wait and see if Apple will TRUELY not sell you an iPhone without activating (I doubt this because there was an AT&T statement I read somewhere today on HoFo stating the online activation system would be available, but in a limited fashion).

If Apple refuses to sell an iPhone out of contract, I'm not sure I want to deal with setting up a contract and later canceling. Don't want to be gouged on eBay either. We'll have to wait and see, unfortunately.

Posted by: tks989

Quote:

Originally Posted by mongoos150

Could always buy with a pre-paid credit card, but this is getting sticky. We'll have to wait and see if Apple will TRUELY not sell you an iPhone without activating (I doubt this because there was an AT&T statement I read somewhere today on HoFo stating the online activation system would be available, but in a limited fashion).

If Apple refuses to sell an iPhone out of contract, I'm not sure I want to deal with setting up a contract and later canceling. Don't want to be gouged on eBay either. We'll have to wait and see, unfortunately.

u'll still be under contract before the phone is handed to you. its just that it won't be up & running till u get home & "activate" w/ itunes
this is from apple stores only though

Posted by: flyingdutchman

Quote:

Originally Posted by mongoos150

Worse comes to worse, we have to keep the service for a month before canceling and paying the ETF. My question is, what if you don't return the phone? What will they charge you? Sounds like we CAN cancel within 30 days and keep the phone, but we have to pay the ETF.

Quote:

To cancel service within the first 30 days, the customer must return their equipment to the place of purchase (no exceptions).

Seems pretty clear to me. Cancel within 30 days, phone has to go back no exceptions. And if you don't you better believe they will make you wish you did.

Now you can cancel on day 31, pay for a month, the ETF, and the activation fee, and then MAYBE have a phone that will work. But as much as I love my iPhone, there is no way I would go to all of that trouble. NTM, there really isn't a giant leap forward from the first to the second gen. 3G and GPS aren't THAT big a deal.

Posted by: unicorngoddess

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsnead

Hmmm...wonder if I could cancle after 30 days and just put in my GoPhone SIM with Unlimited Media Net????

Posted by: mongoos150

Quote:

Originally Posted by flyingdutchman

Yes, it'd be a big hassle. Which is why I might buy off of eBay (or better yet, HoFo BST), or purchase a PAYG from Orange/O2 when they become available in the UK. I'm moving to Glasgow in August, so this may be the ideal solution.

Posted by: Legaleye3000

Some people are asking why get the new iPhone if you are a T-Mobile customer... My reason is for the GPS feature, headphone jack, and from what I heard from people at the event who got to test it out, the sound quality is a lot better, AND the battery life is a lot better.

So those are good enough reasons for at least me to get the new iPhone eventhough it won't work on T-Mobile's 3G network.....

Posted by: mongoos150

^^ Same here, and I'd love a white edition. Plus, if you travel (like me), 3G would be nice to have in Europe with a local SIM card.