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willy16

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 15, 2007
11
0
Los Angeles
Hey,
I thought about this. I have an iphone 2G unlocked on tmobile. I'm wondering if this is possible by any chance. If one of my friends with an iphone upgrades to the new 3G and I just buy the iphone 3G off him, and he can keep his old iphone and gets to keep his service and change back to the $20 iphone data plan. Cause he doesn't care about extending his 2 year contract. He is fine with it as long as it doesn't add any monthly charges to his bill. I'm going to pay for the 3G iphone and all the upgrade fee for him. And I get the new 3G iphone from him and he keeps his old one. I'm just wondering if that is even possible?
Thanks
Sorry if i made any grammar mistakes
 

profetto

macrumors regular
Jul 13, 2008
202
0
The only problems I can see are if he is able to upgrade without having to choose a crazy iphone data plan that most carriers are doing, and if he has to, is he able to cancel the plan later without a penalty?

Secondly, I imagine you may want to add a new iphone data plan maybe? Not sure what your current plan is or if new data plans can be just added to any account.

The biggest problem I think is on his end of the deal, with iphone data plans. How does it work for T-Mobile, do they make you choose from a list of iphone data plans when you upgrade? Or are they just generic data plans?

Otherwise, the actual idea of switching should work fine.
 

willy16

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 15, 2007
11
0
Los Angeles
I don't want to switch I just have a friend with ATT and has the 2G iphone and doesn't want to upgrade. I told him that if it's possible. If he can upgrade to the iphone and I buy it off him and he keeps the 2G iphone. Cause I heard you can cancel the data plan, and change it also. I know that the iphone doesnt work with tmobile 3G
 

profetto

macrumors regular
Jul 13, 2008
202
0
I don't want to switch I just have a friend with ATT and has the 2G iphone and doesn't want to upgrade. I told him that if it's possible. If he can upgrade to the iphone and I buy it off him and he keeps the 2G iphone. Cause I heard you can cancel the data plan, and change it also. I know that the iphone doesnt work with tmobile 3G

Does that mean you're going to have to unlock and jailbreak it?

Forgive me, but what carrier offers the iPhone where you're from and what carrier are you with?
 

profetto

macrumors regular
Jul 13, 2008
202
0
Why do you want a 3G? Only thing it buys you on T-Mobile is GPS.

Well, if you have an unlimited data plan its like walking around with close to the speed of wifi wherever you choose to go.

Me, I had a iPhone 1st gen., with 300 meg data plan for $30, surfing the web was absolutely horrible. Email wasn't too bad if there was no pics etc. I was constantly praying I could find wifi on the go at certain places.

When iPhone 3G came along, I picked it up and did the promo which was $30 for 6 gigs of data, basically unlimited. Now I walk around, keep wifi always off and I'm basically able to run any app requiring data at wifi like speeds, not to mention the GPS too, thats just a bonus! :D
 

willy16

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 15, 2007
11
0
Los Angeles
I'm in the USA and I'm just goin to jailbreak and unlock it when the hack comes out to unlock it. I just want the new iphone. I don't care about 3G but I do care about GPS. So i'm just spending money for the GPS. I'm thinking of having my friend upgrade to the new iphone and I buy it off him and he can keep his 2G iphone and I get the new iphone from him. I'm just wondering if it's a good plan cause I don't want to screw my friend
 

profetto

macrumors regular
Jul 13, 2008
202
0
I'm in the USA and I'm just goin to jailbreak and unlock it when the hack comes out to unlock it. I just want the new iphone. I don't care about 3G but I do care about GPS. So i'm just spending money for the GPS. I'm thinking of having my friend upgrade to the new iphone and I buy it off him and he can keep his 2G iphone and I get the new iphone from him. I'm just wondering if it's a good plan cause I don't want to screw my friend

Like I said, he'll only get screwed if he has to upgrade to some new fancy plan and has to pay a penalty to try and downgrade later.
 

willy16

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 15, 2007
11
0
Los Angeles
OK cause i heard you can change data plans with no penalty. I will call ATT to double check THANKS 4 the HELP
 

profetto

macrumors regular
Jul 13, 2008
202
0
OK cause i heard you can change data plans with no penalty. I will call ATT to double check THANKS 4 the HELP

No problem! Hope all goes well. :)

PS. You have a nice friend, he could go and make the upgrade and then sell it on eBay afterwards to try and make more money.
 

pcmike

macrumors 6502
Jun 17, 2007
491
330
Lake Worth, FL
Best place to ask is an AT&T store. Just ask them from your perspective, not your friend's. "If I buy a 3G iphone and decide I don't like it and want to switch back to my original iphone and the $20 iphone plan, can I just give it to my friend?" They'll probably mention the contract and then ask them to explain it to you. Then afterwards tell them "well ya, I'll just keep the extra 2yrs which means I can't upgrade for another 16 months or so.. right?" and then see what they say. It seems like it would technically be possible if your friend is eligible for a handset upgrade.
 

macdork92

macrumors newbie
Jun 28, 2007
19
0
Ridgefield CT
Well, the person has to return the phone if its before 30 days of purchase, someone will have to pay the first month of service and after that 30 days, you could cancel or switch back to the 2G phone. Let us know what ATT said!
 

willy16

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 15, 2007
11
0
Los Angeles
I went to an ATT store today and they said it's OK and they told me that as long as your on a voice plan your OK. THere is no ETF or nor do i have to return the iphone.
 
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