Age Required to sign 2yr contract

[Taedis]

Hello - long time lurker, first time poster.

I have a question about the age required to setup the contract with AT&T. I am 17 and i dont know if it is a requirement of AT&T to be 18 to sign the contract. So when I get an iphone will i have to bring someone who is 18 to get it setup?

Also, because i am 17, will i have to pay the deposit? I dont have enough money to pay the $300 so AT&T will start the service.

Any ideas?

 

[w00tme]

i do believe you have to be 18. and even if you were, i think you would need a little bit of credit history to not require a deposit.

 

[Victor ch]

The sticker in the back of my original iPhone says that you must be over 18 to sign a contract with AT&T. I assume it applies to the 3G one too.


Victor

 

[Taedis]

Wow, you guys work fast

I guess I will bring someone with me then. Thanks for the info

 

[Niiro13]

But in case you wanted to know, for most contracts, the law allows 24 hours before your birthday.

So you could be 17 years and 364 days old (or 365 if leap year).

 

[t0mat0]

"Get it setup"? The person who's 18 or over gets into the contract. Not you. You might be able to get the contract transferred to your name, but you'd want to check the person doesn't mind being billed for your iPhone bills, if you're doing it this way, and also what charges there may be if you want to transfer the contract.

If this was in the UK, there is a small possibility that the legal side of things would mean that it was a grey area. Best bet is to check with AT&T.
The reason it's set as 18 in the UK is for legal reasons regarding not legally getting a minor into a contract. I don't know the specifics, but I know that's the main reason.

I'm not sure about someone else getting a contract, but you not having the money for the deposit either.

 

[chrismac00]

I have a question similar to these and I didn't want to waste space by posting a new thread, (Sorry OP for asking a question in your thread). My dad is the account holder for my iPhone. I will be getting the iPhone 3G and I wanted to know if he had to come to get it with me. Or could I go myself. I think I heard that the activation will be part in store and part on iTunes at your home. Do you think they will let me and my friend buy them because her and I are both underage and our parents are named on the bill and stuff.

 

[Syrus28]

I have a question similar to these and I didn't want to waste space by posting a new thread, (Sorry OP for asking a question in your thread). My dad is the account holder for my iPhone. I will be getting the iPhone 3G and I wanted to know if he had to come to get it with me. Or could I go myself. I think I heard that the activation will be part in store and part on iTunes at your home. Do you think they will let me and my friend buy them because her and I are both underage and our parents are named on the bill and stuff.

I think you'd have to be an authorized account user to make any changes to the account, purchase new phones, and so on. And to be an authorized account user, you have to be 18+.

Im speaking of how it works on Verizon, so I can't imagine its any different from AT&T.

 

[maxxscholten]

I have a question similar to these and I didn't want to waste space by posting a new thread, (Sorry OP for asking a question in your thread). My dad is the account holder for my iPhone. I will be getting the iPhone 3G and I wanted to know if he had to come to get it with me. Or could I go myself. I think I heard that the activation will be part in store and part on iTunes at your home. Do you think they will let me and my friend buy them because her and I are both underage and our parents are named on the bill and stuff.

I had this exact same thought as well...

Anyone know?

 

[southyde4eva]

I have a question similar to these and I didn't want to waste space by posting a new thread, (Sorry OP for asking a question in your thread). My dad is the account holder for my iPhone. I will be getting the iPhone 3G and I wanted to know if he had to come to get it with me. Or could I go myself. I think I heard that the activation will be part in store and part on iTunes at your home. Do you think they will let me and my friend buy them because her and I are both underage and our parents are named on the bill and stuff.

You may run into a problem with that seeing as they aren't allowed to make changes to an account without dealing with the account holder (and also verifying the account holder's identity). However, I've seen rare instances where they will call the account holder to verify the permission for changes while the customer is still in front of them. In those cases, the agent was going an extra step to help the customer. I wouldn't count on that though, because you can't rely on an agent being willing to help you by taking an extra step (especially on a busy launch day).

Your safest bet would be to take the account holder (your Dad) with you, if possible.

 

[Sun Baked]

As others have pointed out, as a minor they cannot force you into a legally binding contract.

Which is why there is a 18 minimum.

They can sign up people under 18 and scare them into paying voluntarily, but a court ordered judgment would be unlikely.

 

[chrismac00]

My friend called AT&T (supposedly) and they said you don't have to be 18 to be an authorized account user. BUT, the primary account user has to call in and authorize that, which isn't a problem with me. But this sounds strange so I will call tomorrow and try to add myself.

 

[ugp]

Get parents to start service now, and when you turn 18 do a transfer of responsibility.

 

[teh0ne]

If you get your parents to sign/co-sign, make sure you add yourself to the account so you can make modifications. It's a real pain the butt if you want to make changes or even get account info over the phone down the road and you're not listed on the account.

 

[extraextra]

I have a question similar to these and I didn't want to waste space by posting a new thread, (Sorry OP for asking a question in your thread). My dad is the account holder for my iPhone. I will be getting the iPhone 3G and I wanted to know if he had to come to get it with me. Or could I go myself. I think I heard that the activation will be part in store and part on iTunes at your home. Do you think they will let me and my friend buy them because her and I are both underage and our parents are named on the bill and stuff.

I remember I had some issues and AT&T (in store, not online or over the phone) let me make changes to the account provided I could show I.D. My address and last name on my driver's license matched up with my dad's last name and address that was on their records, and provided I could tell them his Social Security #, they were fine with it.

However I am over 18, I don't know my age made a difference because they never asked for it, but they might've just noticed it on the I.D.

 

[MojoWill]

you have to be over 18 to do a contract, the credit check is done on the person over 18 so you being 17 will make no differnece to whether or not a deposit is required

 

[cgentry]

Terribly stupid question but- I have a debit card; does this translate into having some kind of credit history for the credit check? I've tried to find information through google but cannot.

This is my first post. How exciting!

 

[feelthefire]

Terribly stupid question but- I have a debit card; does this translate into having some kind of credit history for the credit check? I've tried to find information through google but cannot.

This is my first post. How exciting!

No. You must have been extended credit in some form (utilities, credit cards, loans) in order to begin to develop a credit history. Debit doesn't do anything for you because it's not credit.

 

[tm.kik]

You may run into a problem with that seeing as they aren't allowed to make changes to an account without dealing with the account holder (and also verifying the account holder's identity). However, I've seen rare instances where they will call the account holder to verify the permission for changes while the customer is still in front of them. In those cases, the agent was going an extra step to help the customer. I wouldn't count on that though, because you can't rely on an agent being willing to help you by taking an extra step (especially on a busy launch day).

Your safest bet would be to take the account holder (your Dad) with you, if possible.

you do not have to be 18 to be an account holder. in fact (with uscellular and at&t) you can have the contract setup under someone who is 18 then, bc of a loop hole, cancel that line. Now the contract is in both names, but only one line. You can also have the bill sent to whoever, so... the possibilties are endless. My sister lives in cali and i live in iowa. she went and bought and iphone and set up the contract under a family plan, made me an athorized user. then she sent it to me and cancled the line which automaticlally took it to a single line account. so now the bill was sent to me and i could do whatever, at sixteen and it built my credit. so when i turned 18 i went in... and had no deposit. Loop holes!

 

[jutte64]

i used to work for at&t. if you are not 18 they will not even attempt to run a credit check. you are required to have to forms of ID to run a check, the debit card can be used for that as long as it is endorsed with a major credit card logo. if you have never had anything in your name you have no credit and will be charged a deposit. you do have to be an authorized user on the account to purchase new phones or edit anything on the account. all you have to do is have the account holder call in and add your name on the account. this is the part i dont remember but i dont believe there is an age on authurized user. because the account owner is giving you permission to do what you want to the account so the consint goes through them.

hope that helps