Iphone help please

[BRPORSCHE]

Time to upgrade to a new phone. I want to get the Iphone within the month, but do you have to sign a new contract to get the phone? There is a very good possibility I won't be in the U.S in two years. Can I just waltz into the AT&T store and get a brand new one? Also can you pay month to month?

[adamred]

Just got one, 2 year contract required...I was on AT&T already so no biggie to me...

[RickM]

FWIU, you have to get a new contract.

Some have unlocked the I phone to work with other providers, including overseas, but new service patches/upgrades from Apple have rendered many unlocked phones inoperable.

[BRPORSCHE]

I already have AT&T so biggies there. Just don't want to have the contract when I go overseas. Can I just resign my contract when I get the phone, and then when I move close the contract?

[RickM]

You can probably terminate the contract for a fee...according to the site below $175.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/06/26/iphone_contract_prices/comments/#c_26955

Some other tidbits:

"ATT (Cingular) customers pay only $20/month to add an

iPhone = $1000/2 years (about half what this story quotes).

http://www.apple.com/iphone/easysetup/rateplans.html

on left it states:

"If you’re already an AT&T customer and want to keep your current voice plan, you can just add an iPhone Data Plan with unlimited data (email and web) and Visual Voicemail for just $20 per month."

Who can do better for unlimited WIFI & ATT web access anywhere plus phone and iPod for $20/mo anywhere in the world?

======= other links to $20 fee to ATT customers ===========

http://www.slashgear.com/att-unveils-new-wireless-plans-for-the-iphone-265921.php

http://www.rcrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070626/FREE/70626004/-1/allnews

http://www.apple.com/iphone/easysetup/rateplans.html"

[adamred]

You actually don't have to wait out an existing contract with AT&T. Buying an IPhone automatically cancels any existing AT&T contract you have and puts you into a new 2 year contract.
If you close the contract before the end I'm sure there is some sort of penalty, don't know the full details, but I understand these contracts are darn near impossible to break without penalties, and if you skip paying the penalties you get hunted down by the collections agencies and your credit can be damaged...

[adamred]

I had a $59.99 contract with AT&T for voice, now $79.99 which is unlimited data and 200 txt msgs per month...the phone is really sweet...I resisted the temptation for a while, but with the price drop and getting a full demo at the store the credit card just floated out of my wallet and swiped itself...

[stomachmonkey]

You can do a monthly plan simply by failing the credit check. Enter 999-99-9999 as your social and it will trigger the prepaid Go Phone screens.

NOTE: the plans for pre paid are not as good as contract, but that's with every carrier.

Scott

[FrayAdjacent911]

Getting an iPhone would RENEW your contract for 2 years. Not sure if it will leave you on the same voice plan, but you do have to pony up $20 for the unlimited data plan.

I have an iPhone if you have any other questions.


Oh yeah, you can add international calling and international data for a monthly fee if you travel a lot. If you need to, I believe you can call and add those, and then have them removed if you're not going to travel abroad. I have read one guy's review of using his iPhone in Germany and a couple other countries.... and he had issues...