iPhone Activation

I'm pretty sure you will still be charged for your data plan as it is part of your monthly service.

 

as a former at&t employee (this was 3 years ago so things may or may not have changed)

If you never activate your phone within 30 days, AT&T will charge you the FULL price of the phone. Obviously if you cancel AFTER 30 days you pay ETF and BEFORE you are not charged it.

But you will owe 700 bucks for that iphone

you could just activate it, wait until after your first month (so the phone is then yours) then you would cancel, pay your first months service+ETF

there is NO WAY to get around paying the ETF and keeping the phone for the 200 or 300 dollar price. You will be paying one or the other.

 

The ETF of $325 plus the $200 cost of the phone plus 1 month data and voice service plus the $36 activation fee you may as well just buy one outright without a contract for $599 for 16gb or $650-$700 off eBay. Why go through all the hassle? Just return what you have, cancel your service and buy one full price.

 

Obviously the scam wont work.
AT&T and their legal team have thought of that way before any of us even had an iphone4.
Either way you will pay the ETF, one months bill and the $200 or the full $599
It wont make much of a difference what you pick.