found loophole: 1st gen iphone plan while using 3g iphone

[protekt0r]

Here's the thing...If you can get away with it great no biggiieeee....

However if AT&T catches on and there is a way to track then they might back charge you the amount...This can happen even 1 1/2 years into the contract.

Just be aware of that.....

you're absolutely right and I've seen it done. when i worked for at&t (a year ago now), there used to be a $19.99 unlimited data plan for "smartphones". well at&t classified one specific phone as a smartphone and it wasn't a palm, blackberry, or blackjack. it was some ***** windows phone w/ a number pad and no keyboard. (click here to see it.)

anyways, a lot of sales guys used to attach this cheaper $19.99 plan to phones like the blackjack and the palm treo 650/750... they mostly did it for friends and family. and it worked... the customers got unlimited data for only $20 (at the time unlimited data for a blackjack or treo was $40).

well guess what happened? at&t/cingular caught on and back charged every single customer the difference. some people owed as much as $500-600 because they had multiple lines (family talk). no one was fired because at&t wasn't too specific on their definition of "smartphone" or the attach policy, but they did make everyone pay up.

So ya'll beware. AT&T isn't completely stupid and they may very well figure out the scam. And when they do they'll most likely make you pay up.

Question - when you first purchased the phone, didn't you have to sign a contract with ATT? Did you not choose your plan at that time? Why weren't you required to activate the phone in-store? I'm surprised they allowed you to take it home.

To others:

What if you took your first-gen iPhone SIM and put it into a 3G BlackBerry? Is that "stealing"? What if your friend decides he doesn't want his 3G iPhone anymore and gives it to you, so you use it with your first-gen iPhone SIM - is that "stealing" as well?

fyi at&t isn't selling a 3G blackberry (yet). and if you know the difference in price plans between phones, yes, it's considered stealing; everyone knows that $19.99 data plan was for the 1st gen. iphone only. some may be able to legitimately claim ignorance, but i'm betting no one here can.

 

[Surely]

you're absolutely right and I've seen it done. when i worked for at&t (a year ago now), there used to be a $19.99 unlimited data plan for "smartphones". well at&t classified one specific phone as a smartphone and it wasn't a palm, blackberry, or blackjack. it was some ***** windows phone w/ a number pad and no keyboard. (click here to see it.)

anyways, a lot of sales guys used to attach this cheaper $19.99 plan to phones like the blackjack and the palm treo 650/750... they mostly did it for friends and family. and it worked... the customers got unlimited data for only $20 (at the time unlimited data for a blackjack or treo was $40).

well guess what happened? at&t/cingular caught on and back charged every single customer the difference. some people owed as much as $500-600 because they had multiple lines (family talk). no one was fired because at&t wasn't too specific on their definition of "smartphone" or the attach policy, but they did make everyone pay up.

So ya'll beware. AT&T isn't completely stupid and they may very well figure out the scam. And when they do they'll most likely make you pay up.

This post deserves reiteration.

This thread is sad.

A 'How To Steal' Guide thread?

 

[Mike2128]

I'm not sure this loophole is still open. I just did the same process, reactivated the old phone from scratch, chose the old data plan, and got my confirmation email from the activation. OLAM is still showing the 3g and newer data plan though, even with my SIM in the 1st gen. I don't care so much about the plan itself, I was looking more at regaining upgrade eligibility.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Don't be surprised if ATT charges you a penny for each kb you use over 3G. That'll add up very quickly. I would already owe them around $400 if I tried this and they charged me like that.

 

[DubbleDuecer]

So can you do this, switch back to FIRST iphone plan. go in and get another 3g iphone for 200 or 300 respectively? IF so, people can then sell the first iphone 3g they bought??

 

[yellowmuffins]

protekt0r, when you say AT&T back charged all the customers the differences, are your saying they just got charged the $20 per however many months they were under the unofficial plan. If thats the case, worst case scenario for those of us who do this is we get charged the extra $10 we were supposed to be paying each month, just accumulated at a later date. So there wouldn't be too much danger in trying this out. Right guys....

 

[yode]

Apart from the ethical side... Isn't there a chance that AT/T could charge you data per kb when using 3G if you're not on a 3G plan? Same thing with messages, could they not charge 20 cents per message as you're messaging from a 3G phone without a 3G messaging plan?

wow how many times have we gone through this. there are no 2G specific or 3G specific plans. the 3G technology is phone specific. There is no such thing as a "3G" Plan. It is simply a "data" plan.

 

[Mike2128]

protekt0r, when you say AT&T back charged all the customers the differences, are your saying they just got charged the $20 per however many months they were under the unofficial plan. If thats the case, worst case scenario for those of us who do this is we get charged the extra $10 we were supposed to be paying each month, just accumulated at a later date. So there wouldn't be too much danger in trying this out. Right guys....

Plus, with the way the US dollar is declining in value, we'll actually owe less later! GENIUS.

 

[FaustArp]

How poor are some of you that you will commit crimes to save $10 a month.

Would you walk into the grocery store and stuff 3 lbs of sausage down your pant leg once a month because you could?

What are you, 12?? You obviously don't understand that saving $10 a month is saving you $120 a year. This could be my rent money. Anything I have to do to save a buck or two, count me in. Nothing wrong with saving money. Guess mommy and daddy buy you everything, correct?

 

[rt_brained]

What are you, 12?? You obviously don't understand that saving $10 a month is saving you $120 a year. This could be my rent money. Anything I have to do to save a buck or two, count me in. Nothing wrong with saving money. Guess mommy and daddy buy you everything, correct?

Wow, that may be the weakest argument yet. If a measly $120 makes that big a difference in your rent, then you shouldn't even bother with an iPhone in the first place.

You wanna save even more money? Get yourself one of those free flip phones and a cheap no texting/no data plan. I guarantee that'll save you even more than $120/yr.

 

[hexonxonx]

Wow, that may be the weakest argument yet. If a measly $120 makes that big a difference in your rent, then you shouldn't even bother with an iPhone in the first place.

You wanna save even more money? Get yourself one of those free flip phones and a cheap no texting/no data plan. I guarantee that'll save you even more than $120/yr.

Does it really matter to any of us what anyone else chooses to do with their money? Seriously, let people do what they want and move on with your life.
If saving $120 means allot to someone than I'm it's fine by me.

 

[ElecEagle]

FOR SALE: Personal Ethics. Like new, rarely used. Cheap. Hours of fun to take out and play with. $10 per month. Act now, and you will receive a willingness to commit fraud and other questionably illegal acts in order to further your personal financial agenda ABSOLUTELY FREE. Powerseller, 99% positive rating.

See our other great eBook deals: "How to Win Friends ...Then Stab Them in the Back and Take Their Wallet", "The Art of Manipulation for Profit", and our best seller, "Contracts, Schmontracts? ...Who Needs Them?".

Our lawyers are standing by to take your orders! Call Now!

 

[nioted]

Apart from the ethical side... Isn't there a chance that AT/T could charge you data per kb when using 3G if you're not on a 3G plan? Same thing with messages, could they not charge 20 cents per message as you're messaging from a 3G phone without a 3G messaging plan?

no

Does it have to be YOUR old iphone? or if someone else has a 1st gen would it work? Basically....since I don't have my old iPhone anymore.......is there any hope for me??

It should still work. Any 1st gen iphone will work

 

[MathiasMag]

wow how many times have we gone through this. there are no 2G specific or 3G specific plans. the 3G technology is phone specific. There is no such thing as a "3G" Plan. It is simply a "data" plan.

Still, if you do not have the plan needed and required, AT&T could probably interpret it as not having a plan at all. Unless you can do it by just asking for it, it is probably not legal and as such there may be some form of penalty.

 

[TheSpaz]

Wow, people are really into stealing. Way to go. I can't wait until you're all caught and Apple or AT&T disables your iPhone.

 

[Mike2128]

Some people really need to get over themselves.

 

[Grock900]

Wow, people are really into stealing. Way to go. I can't wait until you're all caught and Apple or AT&T disables your iPhone.

why are in this thread, go away,

What are you, 12?? You obviously don't understand that saving $10 a month is saving you $120 a year. This could be my rent money. Anything I have to do to save a buck or two, count me in. Nothing wrong with saving money. Guess mommy and daddy buy you everything, correct?

agreed , people are just jealous

 

[stanleywinthrop]

So I guess the folks who are doing this think that AT&T has no idea whether you are downloading data via 3G or Edge?

And by extension won't charge you for it?

Brilliant.

 

[Surely]

Wow, that may be the weakest argument yet. If a measly $120 makes that big a difference in your rent, then you shouldn't even bother with an iPhone in the first place.

You wanna save even more money? Get yourself one of those free flip phones and a cheap no texting/no data plan. I guarantee that'll save you even more than $120/yr.

Well said.

FOR SALE: Personal Ethics. Like new, rarely used. Cheap. Hours of fun to take out and play with. $10 per month. Act now, and you will receive a willingness to commit fraud and other questionably illegal acts in order to further your personal financial agenda ABSOLUTELY FREE. Powerseller, 99% positive rating.

See our other great eBook deals: "How to Win Friends ...Then Stab Them in the Back and Take Their Wallet", "The Art of Manipulation for Profit", and our best seller, "Contracts, Schmontracts? ...Who Needs Them?".

Our lawyers are standing by to take your orders! Call Now!

Well done.

 

[Mattwood]

okay my point, when you signed that contract, which in the legal world we call an adhesion contract - because it adheres itself to the service contract you were signing im sure said something along the lines that in buying a 3G iPhone you agree to keep and maintain and pay the applicable data charges.

when i got my original iPhone in the UK you didn't sign anything you just had to pay on a credit/debit card. I unlocked and used mine on my network at the time. no come back... sure they wouldn't moan at some revinue and not none!

 

[hexonxonx]

So I guess the folks who are doing this think that AT&T has no idea whether you are downloading data via 3G or Edge?

And by extension won't charge you for it?

Brilliant.

If they start charging for it, fine. As of now, anyone with a 3G phone can use the 3G service regardless of what plan they are on. Not sure if it is like this with other carriers but it is like this with AT&T.

They have just found a way to charge every iPhone 3G owner because buyers have no choice at the moment as buying from Apple/AT&T is the only way to buy one outside of Ebay.

 

[Scooterman1]

nice you joined to club!! congrats

How did you get a Bill already when the phone has only been out 13 days?

Are all of the other 3G purchasers getting their bills already?

 

[stanleywinthrop]

If they start charging for it, fine. As of now, anyone with a 3G phone can use the 3G service regardless of what plan they are on. Not sure if it is like this with other carriers but it is like this with AT&T.

They have just found a way to charge every iPhone 3G owner because buyers have no choice at the moment as buying from Apple/AT&T is the only way to buy one outside of Ebay.

You didn't address my question. You honestly don't think that AT&T knows what system you are downloading data from?

Sure they don't constantly monitor it, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll catch it at the next billing cycle.

My guess is that when they do, they'll treat it like they do someone who texts without a texting plan i.e. charge them .20 per text.

I don't know what the per kilobyte charge AT&T uses for 3G services, but I'll guarantee you the average Iphone 3G user uses alot more than $10 worth. But hey, don't believe me that's cool. We'll see what your first bill says when it comes in the mail.

I'm sure that some of you will be able to convince a gullible CSR that you were ignorant, and they will reinstate the 3G charge instead of the data usage charge. End result 0 sum game. Big F'n deal.

 

[Mattwood]

How did you get a Bill already when the phone has only been out 13 days?

Are all of the other 3G purchasers getting their bills already?

I activated my 3G iPhone and had a bill payable in 9days time and another 20 days after that

2nd of next month my first bill and the 20th for my second (O2 UK) they say you have to pay line rental in advance but 2 bills in one month takes the p***

 

[The General]

How did you get the iPhone 3G without signing the $30/mo contract and activating in store? That's what I'm wondering.