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Has anybody successfully bought iPhone 6/6+ on contract and then canceled it?

J

jbmacfan

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 10, 2008
57
1
I know this has been talked about before (but mostly for trying to pay less), but I still have not found a definite answer. It is almost impossible to get a contract-free iPhone 6 Plus through AT&T right now and Apple only sells on contract phones for AT&T. But the Apple stores in my area are offer personal pickup right away for available stock.

I want to buy an iPhone 6 Plus mainly as a second phone and for testing at work. Could I purchase the phone on a 2-year contract thru Apple and then go to AT&T store the next day and cancel the 2-year contract and pay the ETF fees yet still own the device? I don't even need it to be unlocked as I am already on AT&T and would like to just put my current phone's sim in the 6 plus when I need to use it.

Any help would be awesome.

----------

Also I am not looking to "cheat" the carrier by trying to save money. I just want to own the device at full price without paying a monthly contract for it.
 
A

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,363
549
Yes, my brother brought an iphone on 2 year "contract" with ATT. when he got iphone from apple.com, he called att and they switched him over to ATT next so he could get the savings on mobile share.
 
Gryfter

Gryfter

macrumors 6502
Apr 15, 2011
368
78
Brooklyn, NY
aneftp said:
Yes, my brother brought an iphone on 2 year "contract" with ATT. when he got iphone from apple.com, he called att and they switched him over to ATT next so he could get the savings on mobile share.
Click to expand...

so its possible to pre-order 1 on the Apple site with the 2 year contract and change it to NEXT?

people like myself in NY cant pre-order on the Apple site with NEXT; only option is the 2 year contract...

I have the Gold and really want to swap it for the Space Grey...
 
A

aneftp

macrumors 601
Jul 28, 2007
4,363
549
Gryfter said:
so its possible to pre-order 1 on the Apple site with the 2 year contract and change it to NEXT?

people like myself in NY cant pre-order on the Apple site with NEXT; only option is the 2 year contract...

I have the Gold and really want to swap it for the Space Grey...
Click to expand...

Yes. Apple.com tech support told me to do it that way. It's no issue.
 
J

jbmacfan

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 10, 2008
57
1
moldy lunchbox said:
Just buy it on contract and cancel, they can't stop you from doing that.
Click to expand...

I was planning that, but wanted to see if someone successfully did it already as reassurance. I want to make sure I don't end up paying ridiculous fees and end up paying way more than the full price of the phone.
 
Gryfter

Gryfter

macrumors 6502
Apr 15, 2011
368
78
Brooklyn, NY
an update:

the Apple store I went refused to let me do it... they even so far as to say once the phone was cancelled, it was locked till the next business day...
 
6

617aircav

Suspended
Jul 2, 2012
3,975
818
Gryfter said:
an update:



the Apple store I went refused to let me do it... they even so far as to say once the phone was cancelled, it was locked till the next business day...
Click to expand...


What does it have to do with Apple? Were you trying to cancel the same day?
 
Gryfter

Gryfter

macrumors 6502
Apr 15, 2011
368
78
Brooklyn, NY
617aircav said:
What does it have to do with Apple? Were you trying to cancel the same day?
Click to expand...

Because Im in NY and already on the NEXT plan, I cant preorder online on the Apple site... there have been numerous threads with this very issue... people have been able to preorder for in store pickup, return it the very same day and allowed to purchase it, "device only"...

others had to go to the AT&T stores with the phones purchased from Apple, where they were reimbursed the amount of the subsidy and put back on the NEXT plans with the usual installment in place; 2 year contract deleted...
 
Maggiep67

Maggiep67

macrumors regular
Sep 19, 2014
129
10
Done!!:D

Picked up my new iPhone 6 plus ordered online with a contract. When I got to the store the Apple rep was wonderful. Went above and beyond. When I told her I wanted to not use the contract, she said they would cancel the online order and I could repurchase either by NEXT or device only.

Went with device only because that's already what I had decided to do (I am bananas!! I could have bought a MacBook Air!!).

Krista got on the phone with AT&T and handled everything for me!! I am up and running and thrilled!!!!!!!!!!
 
Gryfter

Gryfter

macrumors 6502
Apr 15, 2011
368
78
Brooklyn, NY
finally worked!!!

guess you need to get lucky and find a knowledgeable Apple specialist working there... went back during regular busy hours and it went exactly how people described... once they cancelled my pre order, they called AT&T directly and had me speak to them to confirm... I kept refreshing on my AT&T app to check for my eligibility to restore... 10 mins later I walked out with my iPhone 6+ and my NEXT...

guess Apple had the less than ideal employees working the night shift... even the manager had no clue...
 
Maggiep67

Maggiep67

macrumors regular
Sep 19, 2014
129
10
Gryfter said:
finally worked!!!

guess you need to get lucky and find a knowledgeable Apple specialist working there... went back during regular busy hours and it went exactly how people described... once they cancelled my pre order, they called AT&T directly and had me speak to them to confirm... I kept refreshing on my AT&T app to check for my eligibility to restore... 10 mins later I walked out with my iPhone 6+ and my NEXT...

guess Apple had the less than ideal employees working the night shift... even the manager had no clue...
Click to expand...

Nice!!! Glad that worked out for you!
 
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