AT&T's iPhone FAQ and Policies

[MacRumors]

AT&T has posted a FAQ for the iPhone and service activation. Much of the information was known, but clarifies activation policies:

- $499 for 4GB, $599 for 8GB iPhone
- 2-year service agreement required
- iPhone is not eligible for Wireless Phone Insurance; iPhone is covered by Apple Warranty
- No business discounts
- iPhone must be activated before it can be used. Pre-installed SIM card.
- Activates "within a few minutes"
- 14 day return policy. If opened, there is a 10% restocking fee.
- Existing AT&T wireless customers will need to add an iPhone Data Plan.

 

[joshuajestelle]

Boring news

Although I suppose these clarifications are somewhat helpful.

 

[Aperture]

Hopefully this will help cut down on threads in the iPhone forum. & Yes, it does shed some light on certain topics.

 

[Beaner]

Hmmm Pre-Installed Sim Card does not bode well for those who wanted to unlock it and use on another network.

 

[loudestnoise]

Pre-installed SIM eh? Works for me.

 

[Beaner]

As long as you can UN PreInstall it thats Ok

 

[aiongiant]

preinstalled sim card... means no unlocking i guess

 

[loudestnoise]

As long as you can UN PreInstall it thats Ok

Yes, I would like to switch with my RAZR (aka the "crap" phone) when I don't want to take my iPhone out and about.

 

[pjo]

Boring news

Although I suppose these clarifications are somewhat helpful.

Considering the varrying opinions on the other threads, I wonder if ATT staff skim this (and other) forums.

 

[DMann]

SIM card

As long as you can UN PreInstall it thats Ok

Yes, the SIM appears to be both removable and replaceable.

 

[bignumbers]

Frustrating policies

- iPhone is not eligible for Wireless Phone Insurance; iPhone is covered by Apple Warranty

I'm on Sprint right now - their optional insurance covers loss of the phone, dropping, etc, in addition to standard warranty issues. Does this mean I cannot (for that added fee) protect myself from loss the same way?

- No business discounts

A question remains on if this "no discounts" policy extends to the service. This statement is vague, but appears to say that there are no discounts on either the hardware or the service. I qualify for a 15% discount off AT&T's services. This "no discounts" policy would make my phone $216 more expensive over the two-year contract period. Why the heck would they do this? I will drop by a store and confirm. This may be a reason for me to at least wait a while.

- 14 day return policy. If opened, there is a 10% restocking fee.

The Apple policy said 30-day policy, and only the loss of the $36 activation fee. Did this suddenly grow to $16 + $50 = $66, and the time cut in half?

These policies are along the lines of "We don't want your business."

 

[michelepri]

iphone or sony P1

Without all the publicity, but it looks like the Sony P1 will be a better phone. No flipping covers but a number of other features that beat the Iphone mercilessly. Except for he flipping cover animation

The Sony P1 will work on any network and with any sim card. I am just waiting for it to be compatible with ISync and then I will get it immediately. They announced that it will be made available for Isync.

 

[Beaner]

Without all the publicity, but it looks like the Sony P1 will be a better phone. No flipping covers but a number of other features that beat the Iphone mercilessly. Except for he flipping cover animation

The Sony P1 will work on any network and with any sim card. I am just waiting for it to be compatible with ISync and then I will get it immediately. They announced that it will be made available for Isync.

Yeah like a keyboard that takes valuable real estate and stylus integration. Plus the gui looks like Windows 3.11.

It really is nothing like an Iphone ?

 

[inkswamp]

Without all the publicity, but it looks like the Sony P1 will be a better phone.

The only drawback to the Sony P1...? It's made by Sony.

If you think I'm being flip, I'm not. I used to be the biggest Sony fan around until their products went into the crapper and their support and service turned into a bad joke. I haven't bought any of their products in the last 6 years and I won't ever again. If you buy a Sony product, be forewarned that you may be in for a bad experience--and hope the product doesn't die on you because Sony has a hard time honoring its warranties and they don't seem to care much how you feel about that.

 

[THX1139]

Why all the hype about iPhone on a website about Mac rumours?

Okay, sure... I get it. Apple makes the iPhone, but what's that got to do with Macs? It's like the iPhone is taking over this website and it has little to do with computers. If I wanted to read about cellphones, I'd go to to a cellphone website. I logged in tonight and all of the frontpage rumors are about iPhone. Can we get back to what the purpose of this site is about? Anyone else getting tired of the hype?

 

[aswitcher]

Any word on confirmation of account and/or use overseas?

 

[loudestnoise]

Okay, sure... I get it. Apple makes the iPhone, but what's that got to do with Macs? It's like the iPhone is taking over this website and it has little to do with computers. If I wanted to read about cellphones, I'd go to to a cellphone website. I logged in tonight and all of the frontpage rumors are about iPhone. Can we get back to what the purpose of this site is about? Anyone else getting tired of the hype?

Actually, I'm more tired of people who are tired of iPhone hype. Mac Rumors is about Apple products, yes for the most part computers, but if you think about it an iPhone is a mac, just a really small one, that also makes phone calls...and has an iPod....and a breakthrough internet communicator.

 

[davidg4781]

Why is everyone so excited about the SIM card being removable. It's locked to Cingular, so you won't be able to use it on any other network, for now, at least.

Yes, I understand you may want to switch it out with another phone, but everyone's acting silly about it all.

And I'm sure the reason it's preinstalled is so you won't have to worry about getting home and putting in an old, inferior SIM or leaving the SIM at the store (since it's just buy and go, no activation at the store).

Eh, maybe I'm just upset because I'm with Sprint and I'm not willing to switch to Cingular for this phone. Don't get me wrong, I love the iPhone, but Cingular in my area bites. Hmm, maybe it's better now, but, I don't think I could go down on data speeds. Yeah, I'm spoiled. Although, I heard Apple wanted Cingular to open up the bandwith.

 

[JobsRules]

I hate mobile phones - whole streets ofpeople twittering inanity into these socially-numbing devices or texting, or playing crap java games ingoring the entire rest of the world.

I hate freaking iPod. Zombie idiots bobbing their head in a daze to some bland indie nonsense like the Killers, or thumping funky house drivel on the train.

Macs unleash creativity. iPods and iPhones are right up there with Reality TV in shaping our dumbed-down consumerist wasteland of a world.

 

[brandon6684]

I am slightly annoyed that the data plan is mandatory. I would almost rather skip the web browsing and e-mail if there is no WiFi around.

Eh, maybe I'm just upset because I'm with Sprint and I'm not willing to switch to Cingular for this phone. Don't get me wrong, I love the iPhone, but Cingular in my area bites. Hmm, maybe it's better now, but, I don't think I could go down on data speeds. Yeah, I'm spoiled. Although, I heard Apple wanted Cingular to open up the bandwith.

That's one of the major things holding me back. I'll have excellent EVDO where I'll be going back to in August, but AT&T coverage is rather mediocre.

 

[SirOmega]

The Apple policy said 30-day policy, and only the loss of the $36 activation fee. Did this suddenly grow to $16 + $50 = $66, and the time cut in half?

That does disappoint me as well - 30 days seems like a reasonable time to test drive a phone, 14 days not so much. Perhaps AT&T wants to stem the tide of returns by shortening the window from 30 days to 14.

Edit: Yea, AT&T is singling out Apple hardware - their return policy states 30 days and $25/50 fees for returning equipment. Except for Apple hardware, which is 14 days and 10%.

 

[jonatron]

Without all the publicity, but it looks like the Sony P1 will be a better phone. No flipping covers but a number of other features that beat the Iphone mercilessly. Except for he flipping cover animation

The Sony P1 will work on any network and with any sim card. I am just waiting for it to be compatible with ISync and then I will get it immediately. They announced that it will be made available for Isync.

I had the Sony M600 and as far as I can tell the P1 works in a very similar way.

I have got to say the user experience on the phone was awful. I actually went out of way to buy a new phone before my 12 months contract was up. You better hope they've made some improvements to the user interface thats all I can say. In the uk the m600 sank without a trace after about 2 months of being on sale. Glad to hear the P1 works with isync! I think the M600 still doesnt work with it lol.

However SE phones generally are pretty good imo, but I'm afraid it has be Nokia for me on the overall experience. Will have to wait a while till the iphone is out over here tho!

 

[MrSmith]

I hate mobile phones - whole streets ofpeople twittering inanity into these socially-numbing devices or texting, or playing crap java games ingoring the entire rest of the world.

I hate freaking iPod. Zombie idiots bobbing their head in a daze to some bland indie nonsense like the Killers, or thumping funky house drivel on the train.

Macs unleash creativity. iPods and iPhones are right up there with Reality TV is shaping our dumbed-down consumerist wasteland of a world.

You make some valid points, but I'm sure your post will go down like a French kiss at a family reunion.

 

[Beaner]

Rumors are floating round that you can buy it, activate it then bail out of the contract for a $175 penalty fee. And then use any sim card ?

 

[Project]

Without all the publicity, but it looks like the Sony P1 will be a better phone. No flipping covers but a number of other features that beat the Iphone mercilessly. Except for he flipping cover animation

The Sony P1 will work on any network and with any sim card. I am just waiting for it to be compatible with ISync and then I will get it immediately. They announced that it will be made available for Isync.

It depends on perspective. I look at the SE P1 and notice a lot of short comings compared to the iPhone

Symbian...
2.5" screen
not quad band
Only 256k colors
Memory Stick Micro - 512mb preinstalled
A keyboard that looks harder to use than the iPhones despite being tactile
Only 802.11b WiFi