Get a regular AT&T phone for free with a 2 year contract?

[jdee2wheels]

I'd like to sign up for AT&T with a 2 year contract and get a free phone. Can I do this and purchase an iphone afterwards and use that instead?

I'd like to use the cheapo phone when I'm out backbacking and don't want to worry about ruining my iphone. Also, it bugs me a bit that you have to sign up for a 2 year contract and don't get a subsidized phone out of the deal. This would be my way of sticking it to the man too.

Is this possible? How long would I have to wait before I could activate the iphone? Can I use my iphone sim card in the cheapo phone? Anyone see any downsides to doing this?

 

[Bootsie]

Yes you can, this is what I will be doing. I even told the AT&T guy that is what I was doing, and he said that it was a very smart thing to do.

I don't think that you have to wait at all. You can activate the iPhone that day.

 

[jdee2wheels]

Thanks for the reply. I think I'll be heading over to the at&t store tomorrow then!

 

[iPhelim]

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[Bootsie]

I don't see how that would work, you still need to activate it with a special 2 year iPhone contract or use something like iNdependence to activate it. I don't think you will be able to achieve a 'vanilla' activation without paying for another contract.

You just sign up as a previous customer.

 

[Mindflux]

I don't see how that would work, you still need to activate it with a special 2 year iPhone contract or use something like iNdependence to activate it. I don't think you will be able to achieve a 'vanilla' activation without paying for another contract.

I activated a Blackberry Pearl with AT&T, then had it unlocked and gave it to my GF for her use on T-Mobile and then put the iPhone on my plan.

I got the blackberry for 50 bucks for signing with AT&T two years. Since the iPhone isn't subsidized AT&T doesn't care.