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Getting an iPhone 3G S On The Cheap

Submitted by Michael Johnston on June 19, 2009 - 5:49pm.
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iPhone 3G owners who are ineligible for a subsidized upgrade to the iPhone 3G S will really enjoy this little find. During my quest to buy a 3G S today (I'm ineligible for an upgrade) I stumbled across a way to get the 3G S at the full subsidized price. The trick is you need to go to an AT&T store to get it done. Read on for the details!

The process goes like this. Drop by an AT&T store and ask to get an iPhone 3G S. When the agent sees that you aren't able to get the subsidized price, tell them that you'd like to do the following:

1. You'd like to add the iPhone 3G S as a new line to your account. It will be the standard, subsidized price.
2. After you have the phone, you want to then "swap the equipment," which means you put your current SIM into the iPhone 3G S.
3. You then want to change the new line to a "basic line" with no iPhone features. This way the new line will only cost $10.

Be up front with your AT&T rep about your intentions. There's no trickery going on, and they'll be happy to do all of this for you in one visit. Once you're finished, you'll have two lines, one with an iPhone plan and one without. DO NOT use the new SIM as it won't have a data plan. It will just function as a very cheap extra line. You don't even have to use it.

That's about it! This is exactly what I did to get my iPhone 3G S, and my AT&T rep says she'd already done it several times throughout the day. Any AT&T rep should be able to do this without any problem.

If you buy your phone in this manner, let us know in the comments!

Submitted by katmail on June 19, 2009 - 6:14pm.
I'm not sure that is the best idea. Already have 4 phone lines (they tax them you know) I would ask about the line surcharge. and other fees before I would add a line.

Submitted by Brazenbuck on June 19, 2009 - 6:21pm.
I had a phone rep tell me to do this also. It wouldn't suprise me if you could turn around and cancel that new line in 30 days and keep the iPhone because the reps won't realize the hardware was switched.

Submitted by Hans on June 19, 2009 - 6:22pm.
if you have someone to use the line that works nicely, but otherwise you have a 10/month line for 2 years or 200 cancel fee right? either way that would negate your savings unless i am wrong on their charges.

Submitted by WmH2 on June 19, 2009 - 6:26pm.
actually, at $10 (before taxes) a month, you are looking at $240 for 2 years (24 months)... On my family plan, the extra phones work out to be about $13 a month or $312 for the 2 years.

AND that is what an add-on line for a family plan costs. If you don't already have a family plan, there could be some other issues with having to select the family plan you want to use. All the single plans don't all translate over to family plans at the same cost.

How quickly can you cancel the $10 Basic Line

Submitted by Swanvestas on June 19, 2009 - 6:43pm.
Your system makes sense except for one thing. Your new basic ($10) line will cost $120 a year to fulfill the two-year contract. That's actually $40 more then the cost to just buy the phone outright prior to your original contract expiration.

Submitted by hanguk9117 on June 19, 2009 - 6:50pm.
when you sign up a new line...isn't that line committed to the iPhone data plan?

Submitted by Brazenbuck on June 19, 2009 - 6:57pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Swanvestas View Post
Your system makes sense except for one thing. Your new basic ($10) line will cost $120 a year to fulfill the two-year contract. That's actually $40 more then the cost to just buy the phone outright prior to your original contract expiration.
If you follow Michael's notes, your new line ends up being a standard, non iPhone plan with no new hardware. I see no reason why you couldn't cancel this within the first 30 and walk away...

???

Submitted by Catasphere on June 19, 2009 - 7:02pm.
That seems awesome, but do you have to pay an extra $10/month for that extra line you just purchased? And if you do, aren't you stuck with the line for 2 years, so you can't just cancel out the line after 30 days and walk away...right?

I don't think so

Submitted by Brazenbuck on June 19, 2009 - 7:04pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catasphere View Post
That seems awesome, but do you have to pay an extra $10/month for that extra line you just purchased?
I can't say for sure, but I don't think you would.

???

Submitted by Catasphere on June 19, 2009 - 7:05pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brazenbuck View Post
I can't say for sure, but I don't think you would.
The people discussing above seem to think so..

cancel the new line?

Submitted by speedracer3000 on June 19, 2009 - 7:36pm.
If someone can confirm the new line can be canceled and you paid nothing more than the one-time $10 (plus subsidized price of the phone), then yes, this would truly be awesome!

Don't get your hopes up!

Submitted by Mysty on June 19, 2009 - 10:18pm.
Being that this new iPhone is under full-subsidy, I would say forget it to all those thinking or hoping they can just cancel after 30 days, as this will be subject to ETF if you cancel it. It will be subject to a 2-year contract on its own. That's $10 additional fee per month plus taxes and fees for two years.

However, if you are planning to upgrade again next year for the next iPhone, your original line will be eligible for full subsidy and the following year's upgrade will have your second line eligible for the next upgrade. At least that's how I think it would work. Only that you'll always be paying $10+ bucks extra per month for your vice.

Equipment swap gotcha

Submitted by mfryd on June 19, 2009 - 11:04pm.
According to the AT&T rep I spoke to today there is a special policy that applies to equipment swaps when iPhones are involved. When you swap equipment to add an iPhone, AT&T 'extends' your contract out to two years.

Say you are 1 year into your 2 year contract.

You add a subsidized iPhone as a new number. The new number now has a 2 year contract.

When you swap equipment to your original line, they extend that contract out to two years. After the equipment swap both lines have 2 years left on their contract.

Neither line will be eligible for an upgrade for at least a year.

Attempting to cancel the second line will result in an early termination fee.

Submitted by Mysty on June 19, 2009 - 11:17pm.
Aren't you able to just swap out the SIM cards so you can use the 3GS with your original line? Or do you have to tell them you are swapping them so they can extend your original line to 2 more years? Do they have to know it? I'm not sure about that.

Submitted by mfryd on June 19, 2009 - 11:21pm.
You can't switch a non-iPhone SIM card into an iPhone. It won't work (unless you unlock your iPhone).

If you just want to swap SIMs from a 3G to a 3GS, I suspect that this would work, but it would be a violation of the AT&T Terms of Service. (this is the reason why you shouldn't turn on tethering. It works but violates the rules)

Submitted by Mysty on June 19, 2009 - 11:24pm.
Yeah, sorry. I meant 3G to 3GS.

But tethering also works on the 3G with the 3.0. I guess though you'd have to limit to 3.4Mbit speed if you're going to use tethering and 3GS. Not sure if they even have 7.2Mbit now.

Submitted by Ps2lio on June 20, 2009 - 12:10am.
How about this. Just wait a year. Those who bought their iPhones on day one can have their bragging rights again. But next year my contract will be up and I'll have the braggings instead. Not to mention AT&Ts exclusivity contract will be up and who knows, I might be back in verizons neck of the woods.

Submitted by Stephen007 on June 20, 2009 - 9:48am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mfryd View Post
According to the AT&T rep I spoke to today there is a special policy that applies to equipment swaps when iPhones are involved. When you swap equipment to add an iPhone, AT&T 'extends' your contract out to two years.
I just called AT&T to specifically ask about this and they said that my wife & I could swap phones (I have an iPhone, her a regular phone). There would be no fee and it would not extend our contracts.

This is the part I hate... I believe you, that a rep said that. I hate that it matters who you talk to regarding stuff like this. One rep says one thing, another rep another thing.

I am planning on doing the equipment swap when my wife's contract allows "her" (me) to upgrade at the subsidized price in about a week and a half.

Submitted by Michael Johnston on June 20, 2009 - 5:47pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mfryd View Post
You can't switch a non-iPhone SIM card into an iPhone. It won't work (unless you unlock your iPhone).

If you just want to swap SIMs from a 3G to a 3GS, I suspect that this would work, but it would be a violation of the AT&T Terms of Service. (this is the reason why you shouldn't turn on tethering. It works but violates the rules)
Any SIM works in an iPhone as far as I know.

Submitted by thuggedout on June 21, 2009 - 9:37pm.
This sounds like a good idea, just make sure you ask the rep for advice and policies on switching your iPhone seem and the cancellation fees and if you have to pay full price once you cancel. But I may have to look into this on to get another 3G S and sell it on ebay, cause for some reason people are paying 600 plus for them. Oh and as long as its an at&t sim you can put it into an iPhone

Submitted by frannyc28 on June 23, 2009 - 12:25pm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen007 View Post
I just called AT&T to specifically ask about this and they said that my wife & I could swap phones (I have an iPhone, her a regular phone). There would be no fee and it would not extend our contracts.

This is the part I hate... I believe you, that a rep said that. I hate that it matters who you talk to regarding stuff like this. One rep says one thing, another rep another thing.

I am planning on doing the equipment swap when my wife's contract allows "her" (me) to upgrade at the subsidized price in about a week and a half.
Before you do ANYTHING get it in writing! Most of the AT&[shi]T reps have NO IDEA what they are talking about and if you call later and tell them THIS PERSON TOLD ME THIS they will tell you THAT PERSON WAS WRONG and guess whom it will be effed?! YOU!
In order to get that info in writing and being able to be covered and threat them with a misleading suit if they try to f*** you later, do this. Just call and ask to change your TXT message service. On the same call ask for the whole swapping phones question. Once they changed you to your new TXT message plan ask them to send you a confirmation with all the notes on the call and the notes on the change of plan. Once you get your email (you can ask them to wait on the line while you get your confirmation email) with the notes (where they will write that they told you all this swapping thing will be ok) wait a day or two and call back to ask to be moved back to your old TXT Message service. Ask them the questions on the swapping again and for the email confirmation with the NOTES in it again if you wish (having 2 morons sending you the same information that you can use to cover your ass will not hurt). IF you notice they screw you on your next bill you can call and tell them you ask and they told you you will have no problem and you can always tell them you have that info in writing, so either they solve the problem or you will sue them for misleading. 2 seconds later you will have eveyrthing solved...
AND I AM TELLING YOU THIS FROM EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST with AT&[shi]T and their misleading crap.

Submitted by kurtdahm on July 19, 2009 - 9:17am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brazenbuck View Post
If you follow Michael's notes, your new line ends up being a standard, non iPhone plan with no new hardware. I see no reason why you couldn't cancel this within the first 30 and walk away...
I believe you would have to return the new equipment when you cancelled.