Good places to buy the iPhone outside of cingular and apple?

[twist2b]

I was originally going to get the iPhone for free, but it turns out apple may not continue to ship the iPhone to companies because of the semi-exclusion Cingular problem.
I got the referalls I needed, and when I ordered the iPhone here was the response I got.

I am contacting you today in regards to your current order on (website I got free iPhone) for iPhone 8 GB 3G. Unfortunately, we ran out of inventory on this particular product late last week. Today, in attempting to coordinate an order with our vendor, we were informed that due to a policy change in Apple's wholesale program, our order would be delayed until a verdict on permissible types of distribution could be made (open distribution has been under fire lately due to Apple's semi-exclusive contracts with cell phone service providers). With this said, there are a few ways to move forward:

1. Wait to hear the verdict (it should be announced in 2 weeks)
2. Receive the $240 equivalent via Paypal/check gift card
3. Credit the three referrals towards another prize (you may earn new referrals if the prize is worth more than 3)



So, I might just take the 240 and buy it from some other place. Any places people know I could get one without instant plan?


edit - oh and I am only paying 200 for the iPhone. No ebay junk

 

[aristobrat]

If you're talking about the 3G, the only places to buy it 'new' that I'm aware of are AT&T, Apple and some Best Buys. IIRC, all require that you active it on a plan before you leave.

 

[fishkorp]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5F136 Safari/525.20)

In the US you won't get it for $200 without a new contract.

It won't work with anyone other than AT&T anyway, so why not get the contract?

 

[twist2b]

If you're talking about the 3G, the only places to buy it 'new' that I'm aware of are AT&T, Apple and some Best Buys. IIRC, all require that you active it on a plan before you leave.

Right, and thats the problem. I could have gotten it without the plan at the place I got it for free. However they ran out of phones and might not be able to get more.... AKA 2 weeks of wait. I heard there was a place that sold them standard price without the need of activation though. That is what I was asking.

 

[CocoaPuffs]

Right, and thats the problem. I could have gotten it without the plan at the place I got it for free. However they ran out of phones and might not be able to get more.... AKA 2 weeks of wait. I heard there was a place that sold them standard price without the need of activation though. That is what I was asking.

That place is called eBay.

 

[dejo]

Cingular? They've been gone for a while now.

 

[gilkisson]

If this was through one of the "freebie-jeebie" type sites (AKA spam-referral generators) I would be *very* suspicious. I would doubt any "free iPhones" have ever been given away, and that all their victims receive a form letter telling them "oh darn, we're out of inventory just now..."

If they want to send you money, but you need to provide a bank account first, run.

 

[twist2b]

If this was through one of the "freebie-jeebie" type sites (AKA spam-referral generators) I would be *very* suspicious. I would doubt any "free iPhones" have ever been given away, and that all their victims receive a form letter telling them "oh darn, we're out of inventory just now..."

If they want to send you money, but you need to provide a bank account first, run.

read there privacy statements. I have gotten a prize from them.... good company. The offers are what you have to worry about.

I used apple.v-bux.com though. Just 3 people and I get the phone.... VERY NICE. AWESOME company. If you want help on how to get the phone from them or other prizes let me know. v-bux is the only site I recommend for free stuff.

Anyways, ebay does NOT sell it at exact value :'(

 

[gilkisson]

read there privacy statements. I have gotten a prize from them.... good company. The offers are what you have to worry about.

I used apple.v-bux.com though. Just 3 people and I get the phone.... VERY NICE. AWESOME company. If you want help on how to get the phone from them or other prizes let me know. v-bux is the only site I recommend for free stuff.

Anyways, ebay does NOT sell it at exact value :'(

Um.. No, thank you very much, just the same:

Rip-off report: V-Bux Failed to Credit Free Offers is just one of the unhappy former customers of theirs.
Also look
Here
And Here from Macworld
And this one from the San Francisco Chronicle

There are herds of others as well. Perhaps more ominous, just who are the folks you are doing business with?

Their domain name is as anonymous as they could get:
Registrant:
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States

The name of the parent company, location, address, or phone number are not given on the v-bux website.

I hope it works for you, and you get your phone. But for me, well, no, thanks.

 

[aristobrat]

Anyways, ebay does NOT sell it at exact value :'(

Until AT&T starts selling unsubsidized iPhone 3Gs, there really isn't an 'exact value' (in the US, anyway). AT&T did mention that when they do start selling the unsubsidized, they'd cost $599/$699, so I guess that's fair to use as an 'exact value'.

The $199/$299 prices you're calling 'standard' aren't standard, ... they're the subsidized prices. This means AT&T gives you a HUGE discount off of the $599/$699 prices if you activate the iPhone 3G with them and sign-up for a two year contract.

I can't think of a way that another store could sell the iPhone 3G for $199/$299. They'd be an UNauthorized reseller, and AT&T would not reimburse them for the money they loose when they sell you the iPhone 3G at that discounted price.

AFAIK, Apple/AT&T have never sold iPhone 3Gs wholesale, so I'm really wary of what you were told in that email.