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iPhone is USA questions
- Thread starter AeroUK
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I believe you will get your $500 deposit back after 1 year (12 months) of paying your bill on time.
You must prove to AT&T that you are responsible.
You must prove to AT&T that you are responsible.
Did you just move to the US from the UK?
The $500 deposit is because you have no credit history in the US. On a postpaid plan, you must have a certain level of credit history for AT&T to open a postpaid account for you with no deposit. Unlike a Pay as You Go plan, AT&T is extending to you a line of credit in offering you service, and so they either want proof that you're a good credit risk, or a security deposit to protect them from the possibility that you might skip town and leave them with a balance owing.
There are a number of ways to gain credit history. If you live in the US, having a landline phone or other public utility in your name for a certain period of time helps, as does having a credit card (and of course, paying all bills on time).
Your deposit will be returned to you, likely in the form of a service credit to go towards future bills, after you've paid your AT&T bill in full and on time for 12 months. If you cancel sooner than that, the deposit will be returned to you in the form of a check after your account is closed and all balances are settled up.
If you're just visiting the US for a short period of time, then maybe getting a postpaid account is NOT the way to go...
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