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Buy iPhone Online for Upgrade Price but don't activate

S

stefanous

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 30, 2009
10
0
Okay so I have this elaborate plan. I cannot have been the first person to think of this, so someone please bring me back down to Earth.

I just upgraded my old iPhone 2G to the 3GS and decided to give the 2G to my little brother so he could use it without a data plan - rather just unlocked and used with AT&T without all the data features. But the day I got my new phone, the home button on the 2G started to not work...and I'm not under warranty for that phone anymore.

So since my brother is eligible for an upgrade price, what's stopping me from buying a 3G from the Apple Store Online, paying $99 for it....and instead of activating it when it ships to my front door, unlocking it and never paying any monthly fees to AT&T or even an upgrade price. I mean technically I don't need to activate the iPhone and use it right??
 
When you buy a phone at a subsidized price, you are obligated, contractually, to activate it with AT&T. Otherwise, you will be on the hook for the unsubsidized price. FAIL
 
i understand that but when i buy the iphone from the apple store...how does at&t know that i have bought an iphone, if i dont activate it?

also i read a forum on here earlier today and they were saying that i could just go the apple store physically and buy one - and wait to "activate' it at home...at which point i would just unlock

edit: and how would i would be "on the hook" with apple because after i buy the product from them - i have no contact with them - they assume that i have activated using At&t. its a two part process
 
stefanous said:
i understand that but when i buy the iphone from the apple store...how does at&t know that i have bought an iphone, if i dont activate it?

also i read a forum on here earlier today and they were saying that i could just go the apple store physically and buy one - and wait to "activate' it at home...at which point i would just unlock
Click to expand...

Because you can't get the 99 dollar price without agreeing to a 2 year contract.
 
eawmp1 said:
When you buy a phone at a subsidized price, you are obligated, contractually, to activate it with AT&T. Otherwise, you will be on the hook for the unsubsidized price. FAIL
Click to expand...


where does it say that?

all i see is that you extend your contract by two years
 
Bacong said:
Because you can't get the 99 dollar price without agreeing to a 2 year contract.
Click to expand...

i have it sitting in my online apple store cart saying it costs $99 dollars. all apple does when i buy it online checks to see if i'm eligible for an upgrade and after it decides that i am eligible, it gives me the upgrade price. only once i activate through itunes does this transaction communicate to at&t
 
Because unless I'M mistaken - when you buy your iPhone, you have to give your social security # (no? I don't know for certain as I upgraded to the 3gs vi att). You can activate or not activate at home - but ultimately, I would imagine the info is shared between att and apple as to where their phones are.
 
stefanous said:
i have it sitting in my online apple store cart saying it costs $99 dollars. all apple does when i buy it online checks to see if i'm eligible for an upgrade and after it decides that i am eligible, it gives me the upgrade price. only once i activate through itunes does this transaction communicate to at&t
Click to expand...

THIS WILL NOT WORK. I don't know how to put it any clearer to you. Do you really think that people could just buy iPhones for 100 bucks and not activate them and AT&T won't care?

Use some common sense. Why would the iPod touch even exist?
 
You are agreeing to a 2 year extension on your contract, but other than that I dont think they could do anything else-

I was in the ATT store the other day and a girl came in and said she lost her iphone and wanted to downgrade to another phone, they said np
 
stefanous said:
i have it sitting in my online apple store cart saying it costs $99 dollars. all apple does when i buy it online checks to see if i'm eligible for an upgrade and after it decides that i am eligible, it gives me the upgrade price. only once i activate through itunes does this transaction communicate to at&t
Click to expand...

exactly, you entered information that gave apple the ability to check your AT&T contract and see if you were eligible, now if you buy it Apple will notify AT&T that you bought the phone at the cheaper price, thus extending your contract.

And I believe if you don't activate it in 30 days you either have to return the phone or they will charge you the unsubsidized rate...
 
noobinator said:
so many people out to cheat others over to get things cheaper...

I guess it's no big deal since Apple is a huge company and all right?
Click to expand...

don't get me started on how apple's products are overpriced and secondly the fact that cell phone providers rape their customers with contracts and outrageous prices for text and data - not to mention a hefty data plan for the iphone.

so save the philosophy for another time
 
stefanous said:
i have it sitting in my online apple store cart saying it costs $99 dollars. all apple does when i buy it online checks to see if i'm eligible for an upgrade and after it decides that i am eligible, it gives me the upgrade price. only once i activate through itunes does this transaction communicate to at&t
Click to expand...

How do you think they determined your upgrade eligibility? You provided your phone # and Apple communicated with AT&T. Also to complete the sale you will have to choose voice and text plans. This is also communicated to AT&T.

Trust me, if you buy a subsidized phone from Apple, AT&T knows about it. Whether you activate it or not the data plan will be on your bill next month.
 
hkip37 said:
where does it say that?

all i see is that you extend your contract by two years
Click to expand...

It's not extend your contract by two years, it's with a new two year contract. Eg. if you have 1 year left on your current contract a new two year contract make you stuck until 2011, not 2013 by adding two years. But Apple website does say "with a two year contract with AT&T". One must sign a contract and activate the phone or pay full unsubsidized price.
 
stefanous said:
don't get me started on how apple's products are overpriced and secondly the fact that cell phone providers rape their customers with contracts and outrageous prices for text and data - not to mention a hefty data plan for the iphone.

so save the philosophy for another time
Click to expand...


Ahh now I see. You are one of the ENTITLED people.

Clearly we're all mistaken. You should buy several iphones at that price (what a good deal) and not activate any of them! Let us know how that works out for ya!
 
eawmp1 said:
When you buy a phone at a subsidized price, you are obligated, contractually, to activate it with AT&T. Otherwise, you will be on the hook for the unsubsidized price. FAIL
Click to expand...

You do know that many AT&T customers don't understand or care about a contract. :D
 
stefanous said:
don't get me started on how apple's products are overpriced and secondly the fact that cell phone providers rape their customers with contracts and outrageous prices for text and data - not to mention a hefty data plan for the iphone.

so save the philosophy for another time
Click to expand...

228_violin.gif


Uhhh...yeah.
 
stefanous said:
don't get me started on how apple's products are overpriced and secondly the fact that cell phone providers rape their customers with contracts and outrageous prices for text and data - not to mention a hefty data plan for the iphone.

so save the philosophy for another time
Click to expand...

Please navigate a boat into fire.
 
stefanous said:
Okay so I have this elaborate plan. I cannot have been the first person to think of this, so someone please bring me back down to Earth.
Click to expand...
This is why

buy_iphone.png


You are providing enough information and will be agreeing to the terms in order to get the phone at a rebated price. Trying to cheat apple and att out of this is called fraud.
 
maflynn.

You missed the point. "apple's products are overpriced and secondly the fact that cell phone providers rape their customers with contracts and outrageous prices for text and data "

So clearly, the OP is completely justified in stealing from them!
 
well i still buy apple - and at full price - but when i walk into the apple store a day after my warranty runs and attempt to buy an apple care with a fully functioning iphone and they tell me i can't - thanks apple - whos cheating who.

but anyway thanks for all the help.
 
I understand how contracts, policies and rules might seem just a waste of time for someone as important and entitled as you. I mean - Apple should definitely allow you Applecare AFTER A YEAR of you having an opportunity to sign up. That's clearly them cheating you.

Are you SERIOUS?!
 
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