Pay as you go first? Please help!

There is a free hack you've probably read about which allows use of the iPhone on T-mobile.

http://modmyiphone.com/wiki/index.php/IPhone_unlock_OS_X_Part_1

I will be using t-mobiles Pay as You go when i get my iPhone in the next few months.

AFIK you can swap SIM card w/ your current phone, keeping your same number. The "hack" in no way damages your iPhone, you can return to default settings at any time using iTunes.

(T-mobile prepaid you may use refill cards. $100 for 1000 Min. at $.10 a min. ATT CAN NOT USE the cards, you must select a monthly rate plan even for prepay)

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Yeah, Katharine, don't hack it. Bad idea. There is a $175 cancellation fee for your ATT iPhone contract. It does not go into effect for 30 days, meaning if you cancel within 30 days of contract start, you have to pay activation fee, pay for time used on whatever plan, pay the restocking fee for returning the iPhones, but pay no cancellation fee.

We switched from Tmobile to AT&T. I can't speak for service coverage in your area, unless you live in Dallas, but we are just as happy with AT&T customer service as with Tmobile, perhaps even happier. No doubt some of their evil empire reputation was well deserved, but they revamped their whole customer service operation when they acquired/merged/whatever with Cingular.

I'd do the contracts and decide within 30 days. Remember once you fake your credit to get a bad rating for pay-as-you-go, that rating is going to be attached to your AT&T account and I'm not sure how you're going to call them up and say, Hey, I lied about my social security number to fake bad credit and now I'd like to have you really run my credit so I can get a contract. Providing false information on a credit application, technically that's fraud, potentially criminal fraud. Of course this usually runs the other way: lying to make yourself look better, not worse; but the bottom line is you are still committing fraud by lying on a credit application.