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You are WRONG. I do this all the time with all sorts of companies. I have DONE it with both Verizon and AT&T in the past. Credit checks CAN be done without a SS#. All you have to do is stand up for your rights. If everyone refused they would stop asking. Remember it is ILLEGAL to force someone to give a SS#

You don't have to give it but AT&T can ask for a $500 deposit or your credit card number too.

So...it's really a game of chicken isn't it. Do you need them or do they need you?
 
:( This sucks. I got my wife a cheapo Razr at the same time as I got the iPhone last year. I can upgrade for $199+18 (what the heck is up with $18, anyway?), but I will be looking at full-boat $399 for her.

Or I can make her suffer for another 11 months. That won't fly.

I guess AT&T hasn't heard of the concept of pro-rated fees. I wouldn't mind a $100 penalty as much.


Why don't you get another line for your wife and then cancel the her existing line. If you already have used 1 yr of service then pro-rated early termination is $175-xxx. You'll still come out ahead...except she'll need to change her phone number.
 
Why don't you get another line for your wife and then cancel the her existing line. If you already have used 1 yr of service then pro-rated early termination is $175-xxx. You'll still come out ahead...except she'll need to change her phone number.

Thanks, I will look into this. Maybe they'll buckle.

No chance to give her the old one, I already got rid of it (and for good money, so I really can't complain TOO much).
 
A Different iPhone Question

Haven't seen this covered yet (read many posts.... not all), currently living in Conn. and will be moving to Alamogordo, New Mexico and wondering the outcome of buying the iphone now and then going to NM where they don't have at&t service? The verizon guy says at&t will cancel the customer after a short time and I confirmed this at the at&t store in Las Cruces (50 mins. drive).... "after about 6 calls in alamogordo at&t sends a letter requesting the customer to cancel service because it is costing at&t to use another company's network towers". Would at&t demand the phone back or the full cost of the iphone?

Currently with at&t (5 yrs), best service for my home - travel often, no complaints. Using a "smart" phone Cing 3125 with $19.95 data plan - slow, not very useable for excel files.

I may live in Las Cruces (where at&t service is available), but will commute/work in Alamogordo. Really looking for the iphone's application ability.... the phone is secondary, just don't want to carry multiple devices with the power cords/accessories when "one device could do it all" (in the right location).

Any thoughts on this are appreciated - would be ok with paying at&t to stay with them, but doesn't look possible. Of course I already plan on acting completely surprised by lack of service and having to give up the iphone/at&t package.... just want to hold on to the phone without any more $$$!
 
what about Apple Stores?

How are employees at Apple store suppose to sell us phones? They don't have these info available.

How will they activate our phone and charge us accordingly? Anyone have any info on this????
 
Yeah, can anyone confirm what to expect for us current iPhone owners who are going to buy from Apple Store? Will they just confirm you are a current customer, sell you the phone, and you can activate at home? I plan on selling my current iPhone AFTER I get the 3G, just in case something crazy stupid happens.

One other question: when you get the new 3G phone and get rid of the other one, do you leave the SIM in the iPhone or transfer it to the new one? Because if I remember right, the 3G phone comes with a SIM ejector tool. I'm confused.
 
The iPhone 3G : Now with online features so advanced that you can use it to do just about anything... except buy an iPhone 3G!
 
The iPhone 3G : Now with online features so advanced that you can use it to do just about anything... except buy an iPhone 3G!

No kidding. This is turning out to be a big clusterduck.

The more I think about it the more I think waiting a week or so after launch will be the way to go to buy the 3G. Remember what happened when the original was launched and people couldn't activate for hours and hours? I've been at an AT&T store where activation took over two hours. I literally went to go eat and came back at a later time while they sorted their crap out. I'd rather spend time at home waiting on iTunes activation than stand around a crowded AT&T store.

Oh well. Should be fun!! :rolleyes:
 
iReady AT&T Sales folks aren't

Well after waiting in line almost a half hour during lunch today I have discovered that AT&T Sales folks are completely ignorant of what is going on, and their bosses are seagull managers (swoop down, **** all over everything and leave the mess behind).

Nobody at the local AT&T store has any idea of what iReady is, or the recommendation to file a credit application before the 11th. According to them, the only way to do that would be to buy another phone then bring it in and cancel it then buy the iPhone.

Why do I tremble EVERY time AT&T gets involved with this?
 
They still haven't answered my question:

I already have a voice plan, I am on a family plan but it is in my mom's name, so she pays the $39.99 for our plan, and I am added on for $9.99 a month. Neither of us have iPhones, but I want to upgrade to one, and I am eligible. Am I allowed to stay on the family plan we already have and just pay the $299 + $18 upgrade fee and then just add $30 every month to our plan? That's what would've happened with the old iPhone (just add $20 to the existing plan for the data package) will I still be able to do that?

I would like to know this as well. I am basically in the same boat.
 
Damn. $18 "upgrade fee". Multiply THAT by the number of Att iPhones sold. They're getting every $$ they can.


/my gripe for the day. Glad its almost over.
 
Regarding 'handing down' (or selling) the iPhone 1.0....

Will the old $20 data plan (including 200 SMS) still be available to the recipients of the old iPhone, for activating via iTunes?

Or will they be forced to pay $30, for non-3G service, and no SMS?
 
unlocked original iphones?

What Im curious to know is, what is the fate of the original iphones? Say I have an original, and buy a 3g, and want to give/sell it to someone else. Does that mean they HAVE to get service with AT&T? because as I understand it, the original iPhone was sold un-subsidized, meaning it is my phone at this point to do with as I please. Now, considering the FCC has a law on the books saying that I can call up my cell provider and have my phone unlocked from the carrier, couldnt I do that with my original iPhone, thereby freeing it up to be used on other GSM networks without having to resort to "jailbreaking" it? Isnt AT&T legally obligated to unlock my original iphone at my request if I made one?
I would LOVE to know the answer to that one.
 
Yes, this will qualify you for the $199/$299 price. I had my iPhone on GoPhone, I was told by AT&T in order to qualify for the $199/$299 price I would need to bring it in and activate it under a 2 year contract. As long as you have an iPhone that's on an AT&T contract you automatically qualify for the $199/$299 price.

So, if my friend gives me his iPhone on the 11th and I go home and activate it and then walk up to AT&T and say I want the upgrade they'll go ahead and do it? Why wouldn't AT&T think of this trick? I can literally get everyone I know on AT&T that isn't eligible to do this by just transferring the phone over and over again.
 
So, if my friend gives me his iPhone on the 11th and I go home and activate it and then walk up to AT&T and say I want the upgrade they'll go ahead and do it? Why wouldn't AT&T think of this trick? I can literally get everyone I know on AT&T that isn't eligible to do this by just transferring the phone over and over again.

For starters, AT&T will get $36 from your first activation, and $18 from your second, for $54. And they might put a 30-day minimum or some other restriction so you're not within their trial period. And they could restrict the serial numbers. But if they get $54 plus $199 from multiple iPhone 3G buyers, plus the 2-year commitment, that's not a bad scenario for them.
 
Not respecting other people and seriously delaying them in a store trying to get your way is both selfish and childish.

I am simply asking anyone that who wants to do this respect other people when doing so.

It's ATT that's "not respecting other people." They know what the law is and they should darn well comply with it.
 
So am I screwed, if I sold my iPhone?

After reading the Existing customer description it seems as if they want you to bring it in???

please help/confirm this!

thanks
I have the same question...if I sold my original iPhone, but still have the plan and the SIM, do I just bring in the SIM? It shouldn't matter that I no longer have the actual iPhone, right?
 
I agree. I was happy to go to the Apple Store on iPhone Day + 2. The dude looked at me and said, "Here for an iPhone?" Yes I am. "Well here you go. Sign here, and go home". Done and done.

That appears to no longer be the case. "Here for an iPhone?" Yes I am. "Please go stand in that line, followed by another line, and soon there will be a teenager asking for your social security number and credit info"
Thank all of the unlockers / resellers for this. Since a quarter of more of the original iPhones were never activated on AT&T, AT&T and Apple decided to crack down and force activation at the time or purchase.
 
I don't need to do it since I already did it. I refused to give them my SSN and told them I would not give it to them. The lady wanted me to switch to AT&T and so, she said she can do it without the SSN. That easy. And, it is the best time to insist on this when there is a huge line. So please, people, insist on what is right when there is a huge line. They will be less resistant.

generally you are correct. but this time the huge line could be dozens and dozens of people and you will likely be talking to some temp hire that has no clue but a script he was told to say and do. you will insist, he will insist, you will demand to talk to the manager. the manager will be busy and take 20 minutes to get to you etc.

you really want to make a change, sue. seriously. get a group together, find a lawyer and sue. over the SS number, over the excessive upgrade price issue, over all of it. Because ATT seems to have gotten too big for their britches and Apple is stuck with it because of their contract.
 
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