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Possible Way to Beat AT&T

G

getzuga

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 10, 2008
11
0
what if scenario: i go to apple/at&t store to buy the new iphone 3g. i wait 30 days for the Buyers Remorse to end. i go back to at&t store and tell them i have lost my phone or it was. I buy a new iphone 3g and have contract renewed. will i be able to give my old iphone 3g to family or friend so they can go activate it somewhere else?

are there an consequences that you see? is this a possible loophole?
 
Aside from the fact is fraud, no. Doubt they'd sell you one for the low price though, I think as we get closer to release there'll be a "full price" for situations like this.
 
i was under the impression that the new iphone 3g will be priced at $199 for 8g and $299 for 16g. so where is this REAL replacement price? what can at&t exactly do about it? people lose phones and people have their phones stolen. yes i would be lying to at&t but guess what i can promise you i'll still sleep well.
 
lauph said:
It is like buying theft insurance and lending it to your friend and claim you lost it.
Click to expand...

im embarrassed. but im curious how will big brother punish me? as you can see im a very uneducated person. i would need you to clarify for me the laws and consequences that follow.
 
getzuga said:
im embarrassed. but im curious how will big brother punish me? as you can see im a very uneducated person. i would need you to clarify for me the laws and consequences that follow.
Click to expand...

The $199 is a subsidized price - if you lose your phone you can guarantee it will cost more than $199 to replace it. If you have insurance on it and then claim it's been lost when it hasn't been that's insurance fraud and you could be visiting the inside of a penitentiary...
 
you could just pay the 200 dollar early termination fee and just be done with it.

i bet you unlocked 3g iphones will go on sale for easily 700 bucks.
 
Phil A. said:
The $199 is a subsidized price - if you lose your phone you can guarantee it will cost more than $199 to replace it. If you have insurance on it and then claim it's been lost when it hasn't been that's insurance fraud and you could be visiting the inside of a penitentiary...
Click to expand...

the subject isn't about claiming insurance or anything about it. focus on what im trying to state here. what i understand is the phone costs $199 Period. the subsidized price is between at&t + apple. i would like you to point out to me where that subsidized price effects me when i lose my phone and want to purchase another phone from apple for $199. how would they charge me MORE for a product when its price as been set.

basically where im getting at is:
Phone = $199 (i personally don't see the hidden pricetag if there is one)
i claim to at&t i lose phone or it is stolen
i want new iphone
i go buy new iphone $199
at&t go renew my contract again (no problem)
i have 2 iphones now. profit?

im not claiming insurance, im claiming my phone is lost and i want to buy a new one. i don't see apple or at&t saying "buy iphone at discounted price at $199 / $299 WHEN you sign up with at&t for 2 year contract" as far as im concerned that phone is mine.
 
getzuga said:
the subject isn't about claiming insurance or anything about it. focus on what im trying to state here. what i understand is the phone costs $199 Period. the subsidized price is between at&t + apple. i would like you to point out to me where that subsidized price effects me when i lose my phone and want to purchase another phone from apple for $199. how would they charge me MORE for a product when its price as been set.

basically where im getting at is:
Phone = $199 (i personally don't see the hidden pricetag if there is one)
i claim to at&t i lose phone or it is stolen
i want new iphone
i go buy new iphone $199
at&t go renew my contract again (no problem)
i have 2 iphones now. profit?

im not claiming insurance, im claiming my phone is lost and i want to buy a new one. i don't see apple or at&t saying "buy iphone at discounted price at $199 / $299 WHEN you sign up with at&t for 2 year contract" as far as im concerned that phone is mine.
Click to expand...

It is yours but it is also subsidized by AT&T (as detailed in many other posts on here). On Apple's website it does say "Requires new 2-year AT&T rate plan, sold separately." it doesn't say there's a discount when you buy it because they won't sell it without one. If you lose your phone there are a couple of options:

1) You still have to pay the monthly charge with no phone on the plan

2) They sell you a new one for more money than the original one to cover the fact they're not getting a new contract to go with the phone.


This is how subsidized phone pricing has worked for years, and is the reason I wouldn't buy a subsidized phone without insurance...
 
blah you know what everyone here is right. there is no point in trying to scam or cheat at&t. im very sorry for wasting peoples time for reading this thread. i thought there was a possible loophole where people can make an extra buck or avoid 2 year contracts without penalties but its just easier to bend over and take it in the a s s it seems. bye bye
 
I'm pretty sure the subsidized price is between at&t and you. Apple sell the units at full price to you, at&t take the financial hit of subsidizing because they know you're locked into a 2 year contract with it to make up what they lost on the subsidy. Apple previously didn't allow this subsidization for fear that it would cannibalize iPod Touch sales. For this reason, I'm pretty sure that you would not be able to buy the phone alone for $199.
 
getzuga said:
the subject isn't about claiming insurance or anything about it. focus on what im trying to state here. what i understand is the phone costs $199 Period. the subsidized price is between at&t + apple. i would like you to point out to me where that subsidized price effects me when i lose my phone and want to purchase another phone from apple for $199. how would they charge me MORE for a product when its price as been set.

basically where im getting at is:
Phone = $199 (i personally don't see the hidden pricetag if there is one)
i claim to at&t i lose phone or it is stolen
i want new iphone
i go buy new iphone $199
at&t go renew my contract again (no problem)
i have 2 iphones now. profit?

im not claiming insurance, im claiming my phone is lost and i want to buy a new one. i don't see apple or at&t saying "buy iphone at discounted price at $199 / $299 WHEN you sign up with at&t for 2 year contract" as far as im concerned that phone is mine.
Click to expand...
I suspect it will play out more like this,

Step 1: Buy sub'd phone for $199
Step 2: Claim to at&t i lose phone or it is stolen on day 31. Why lie, just cancel the line ether way to AT&T it don't matter.
*Step 3: Pay AT&T $175 contract cancel fee. They don't care if it was lost, stolen or what not you have a 23 month obligation @$75 a month to them used or not.
*Step 4: Buy sub'd phone for $199. Suspect this will only work if you do step 3. If not they will sell you a un sub'd phone for prob. $399/$499 then tie it to the 'lost' phone contract/
Step 5: Hope you can get Phone A unlocked and sold for at least $600+ to cover your loses to date.
 
You guys are missing the point of his post.

He's not trying to get a new phone free. The replacement will cost full retail. He's trying to get one not tied down to AT&T, which is otherwise impossible due to mandatory in-store activation and penalties.

This way, he buys two phones, and buys one plan. The other phone is free to unlock and run the provider of his choice.
 
I think it will work, and I think the new phone will be $199. That price may be subsidized but there has been no word on any other price . . .
 
do they not do phone barring/blocking in the US?

in the UK, if you lose your phone/stolen etc.

your IMEI number gets reported to the police by your network/insurance provider/you can do it yourself online

that IMEI number is then blocked on all UK networks

so no matter what sim etc you use, as long as that IMEI number is on that phone, it will not work!

though if the phone were taken out of UK, eg to France, it would be fine!
 
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