Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Best temporary AT&T phone

S

ski2moro

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2007
320
3
I was hoping my Verizon phone would last until the new iphones come out, but it failed today. My contract is up and I'm ready to switch over to the AT&T family plan now and upgrade to an iphone when the next generation comes out.

In the meantime, I need to get 2 AT&T phones. One phone can be a fairly basic phone, as it is for a older adult. As for my phone, I'll use it in the short term and sell it on ebay when I get the iphone.

What is your opinion about the best phone to get for now? Do you know of any AT&T phone deals (free or discounted with a new contract) that would be a easy ebay sale with a nice profit for me down the road?

Thanks.
 
FarSeide

FarSeide

macrumors 6502a
Feb 17, 2008
865
0
Earth Lane
Sony w580i is pretty nice. That's what I'm using until the 3G comes out. I just returned my iPhone and now using the SE.
 
M

Michael CM1

macrumors 603
Feb 4, 2008
5,681
276
Best Buy usually has one flavor of the RAZR for free with a contract. I got one for my mother about 2 months ago for free (plus the $18 activation rape...I mean charge). So just beware of the $18 you'll get charged per new activation and you should be good. If you're a new account, they might have some other charge as well.

The RAZR might be a little "outdated," but it has bluetooth for headsets and will work with iSync.
 
B

ben1969

macrumors member
Mar 18, 2008
67
0
I got two of the Sony w580i refurbs for $0 each -- my wife kept one and I eBayed the other (sold for $160 immediately), so it's a good way to help finance the iPhone. My wife likes hers, but we did have to buy a very cheap piece of shareware ($3 or so) to get it to sync smoothly. It does so now with a hitch. My only problems with the w580i are the very small buttons and keys. They take getting used to and, if you have larger hands, won't ever be as easy as a Nokia keypad or the Moto V365, which looked good for my use (rugged, good batt life, good reception). Neither the Nokias nor the Moto, however, would likely get you as much eBay profit down the line.
 
S

ski2moro

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2007
320
3
It's all about resale. I don't care so much how much I pay now, it's the profit-bottom-line down the road I'm looking for. In other words, if I pay $100 now but can sell it for $200 later, it's a better phone for my needs than one that I get for free but can sell for $50 later.

The Sony Ericssson phones look like they are selling on ebay for more than the RAZRs.

Because I have tunnel vision about the iphone, I'm out of touch with what's the most popular phone in the 'right' color for resale.

So useful in the short term is good, profitability on resale is the key here.

Thanks.
 
K

Kblakeshot

macrumors member
Apr 2, 2008
89
2
Indiana
I actually have a Unlocked Motorola Rizr phone. I got it on ebay for around $140 and it is nice. Quad band phone and I have yet to not have a signal. Its nice.
 
cheekybobcat

cheekybobcat

macrumors 6502a
Dec 26, 2007
533
0
U-S of A
ski2moro said:
It's all about resale. I don't care so much how much I pay now, it's the profit-bottom-line down the road I'm looking for. In other words, if I pay $100 now but can sell it for $200 later, it's a better phone for my needs than one that I get for free but can sell for $50 later.

The Sony Ericssson phones look like they are selling on ebay for more than the RAZRs.

Because I have tunnel vision about the iphone, I'm out of touch with what's the most popular phone in the 'right' color for resale.

So useful in the short term is good, profitability on resale is the key here.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't think you're going to make any profit on phones after you've bought and used it. Even selling a new one on eBay probably won't make your profit.

However, if you want to get the most you can, I definitely suggest the SE. They are cool phones and you can sell them for a relatively high price.
 
Knowlege Bomb

Knowlege Bomb

macrumors G4
Feb 14, 2008
10,194
8,833
US
cheekybobcat said:
Well, I don't think you're going to make any profit on phones after you've bought and used it. Even selling a new one on eBay probably won't make your profit.
QUOTE]

You're right. You wouldn't make a profit reselling any phone unless you found somebody incredibly stupid OR you got the discount on that phone when you signed up for a new contract. In that case, you can make a very nice profit.
Click to expand...
 
EvanLugh

EvanLugh

macrumors 68000
Aug 29, 2007
1,929
2
Developer land
ski2moro said:
It's all about resale. I don't care so much how much I pay now, it's the profit-bottom-line down the road I'm looking for. In other words, if I pay $100 now but can sell it for $200 later, it's a better phone for my needs than one that I get for free but can sell for $50 later.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

If that's what happens (aside from iPhones) then we'd all be rich, right? I like your enthusiasm though. Just snatch a fakey off craigslist, lol.
 
S

ski2moro

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2007
320
3
In the US, when I sign up for the new contract with AT&T, the phones are discounted or free. The sales rep told me that there is no penalty for upgrading to the iphone later, so I will sell the older phone on ebay for a profit. I think a $50 or $100 profit is not out of the question if I get the right phone.

I'm just looking advice/opinions for a temporary phone with the best potential for resale.
 
H

heyp

macrumors 6502
Jan 29, 2008
312
0
ski2moro said:
Thanks to all for the replies.

I have purchased the Black SE 580i. Nice!
Click to expand...

did you get it at an at&t store or thru the at&t website? was it free with new 2yr contract?

along the same lines, has anybody bought a phone off amazon with a 2 yr contract and then switched to the iphone? do you have to reimburse amazon the $250 if you sell the phone before the 6 month period is up?
 
D

danb150

macrumors newbie
Dec 10, 2007
10
0
If you are due for an upgrade than go with the refurb tilt. Friend of mine got the refurb for $149 with his upgrade/ upgrade discount. Its good stuff, i have one too for the time being. Think im gonna sell the ol' iphone #1 for #2
 
S

ski2moro

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2007
320
3
I got a new black W580i at the AT&T corporate store. That store doesn't carry refurbs. Because my Verizon phone failed and I am out of town, I couldn't wait for the online store to ship a refurb. AT&T had refurbs online for $19.99 with a 2 year contract.

So with my 2 year contract, bluetooth, headset, and home charger, I got the W580i for under $80.

They only had black and pink at the store, with more colors online.

They told me that when I get the iphone, I would need to extend my contract from that date for 2 years, but there would be no penalty on the W580i.

I told her that I was thinking about selling it when I got the iphone, and she agreed that the W580i had a good resale history. With this in mind, we talked about the Shine and a couple other phones, and everyone agreed that the W580i was the best choice.

She also mentioned that the refurbs carry a limited warranty, where the new ones have the full 1 year manufacturer's warranty. Not that it makes a difference to me, but I thought I would mention it here.
 
H

heyp

macrumors 6502
Jan 29, 2008
312
0
ski2moro said:
I got a new black W580i at the AT&T corporate store. That store doesn't carry refurbs. Because my Verizon phone failed and I am out of town, I couldn't wait for the online store to ship a refurb. AT&T had refurbs online for $19.99 with a 2 year contract.

So with my 2 year contract, bluetooth, headset, and home charger, I got the W580i for under $80.

They only had black and pink at the store, with more colors online.

They told me that when I get the iphone, I would need to extend my contract from that date for 2 years, but there would be no penalty on the W580i.

I told her that I was thinking about selling it when I got the iphone, and she agreed that the W580i had a good resale history. With this in mind, we talked about the Shine and a couple other phones, and everyone agreed that the W580i was the best choice.

She also mentioned that the refurbs carry a limited warranty, where the new ones have the full 1 year manufacturer's warranty. Not that it makes a difference to me, but I thought I would mention it here.
Click to expand...

thanks for the info... so how much was just the phone by itself with the 2 year contract?
 
S

ski2moro

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 3, 2007
320
3
The $79 plus sales tax was for phone, charger, bluetooth and headset all included. They had an in-store instant rebate weekend deal, so I didn't even have to mail a rebate. It was reflected at the register.

When I went into the store, I told her up front that I intended this as a temporary phone until the new iphone comes out, whenever it is. I asked specifically what happens when I update to the iphone. What penalties, charges etc? She said that there is no penalty for upgrading to iphone, just activate on itunes. My contract would begin a new 2 year contract at that time and the iphone monthly rate would apply.

I asked specifically about what to do with the W580i - can I sell it or must I turn it in? She said that I had purchased the phone, and what I did with it was my business. She said that a lot of people sell them. Some keep them as a backup phone. It was my choice.

I asked about unlocking it, and she said that she had unlocked the phone before. She said that I could do it if I looked enough online or I could take it to someone (not necessarily an AT&T person) who would unlock it for a small fee. She said that if I wanted to use this phone in Europe, I would need to unlock and get a European SIM card, which would necessitate getting a different telephone number while in Europe. She didn't know which SIM to get, but she knew it could be done.

(If anyone wants to PM me with instructions, I would appreciate unlocking instructions.)

We spoke about resale specifically enough that she said that she believed that the W580i would have a better resale on ebay than the Shine, Razr, or others. We talked about a Blackberry (sorry, I can't remember which one) but she said that she had the W580i before the Blackberry, and she was switching back to the W580i. It had better reception and was 'cooler'. Whatever. I could resell Blackberry, too.

There was no wink-and-a-smile-deal here. We both had a very clear understanding about my intentions. It was definitely "Go for it."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom