Switching to AT&T and need advice!

[Principessax26]

Hi everyone, I'm pretty new to all of this (all I have is a first gen. Nano) and need some advice. A little background info: I plan on switching to AT&T with the release of the iPhone on July 11th. My contract with T-Mobile is over on July 13th. Here are my predicaments:

1. I was told by T-Mobile I could take a "buy out" of my contract within the last month (6/13-7/13) and pay no cancellation fee, just my last month's bill. A (very testy) manager at my Apple store felt very strongly they lied to me. Have any of you done this before?

2. If I will be charged a cancellation fee, I plan to stick it out til the 13th. Can I still purchase an iPhone on the 11th&then have them port over my new number on the 13th?

I am just very confused&would like some advice from those who've maybe been in similar situations before with the first gen. iPhone. Any help is greatly appreciated !

 

[MBHockey]

1. I don't really know (I have never had or known anyone with T-Mobile). But it does sound fishy. What did he say the cost of the buy-out would be? It sounds like this "buy-out" is T-Mobile pro-rating your early termination fee. Notwithstanding, I'd wait till the 13th. It's silly to pay T-Mobile any money for canceling your contract two days early.

2. This all depends on whether or not they are going to be very strict about requiring in-store activations for the new iPhone. With the 1st gen iPhone, you could have bought it two days before you activated it through iTunes if you wanted. I'm guessing more information will come to light as we approach the release date, so just keep your eyes open.

With all the information we have right now, it seems the safest thing is to just go on July 14th to an Apple or AT&T store to buy and activate your new iPhone 3G. There probably won't be any lines a few days after release anyway.

 

[SFStateStudent]

You should be able to port your number to AT&T easily, since you are only 3 days from ending your contract with T-Mobile. My brother is in the same boat, as you and they've given him the green light to port his number. Check with AT&T and ask them if your number is portable or eligible to be ported. They'll give you an answer in about 15 seconds. Welcome to AT&T and the iPhone experience.

 

[eplchamps0304]

Why cant you just wait for your contract to end. The iphone is not running away.

 

[Kupe]

You don't have to port your number over when you activate your new phone - just take the new number for it. you can have your original number ported over at a later date...like 13 July, for instance. If you want to use your iPhone but don't want to spread your new (temporary) number out to all your friends, just have your TMobile phone forwarded to your iPhone until you can make the phone number port.

 

[tritonj]

You don't have to port your number over when you activate your new phone - just take the new number for it. you can have your original number ported over at a later date...like 13 July, for instance. If you want to use your iPhone but don't want to spread your new (temporary) number out to all your friends, just have your TMobile phone forwarded to your iPhone until you can make the phone number port.

in order to do that you would have to tell them you intend on porting a number at a future date, if you don't tell them that, then you may have some trouble with the phone contract. the contracts are attached to phone numbers, so by replacing the new number with your old ported number you would be ending a contract from their point of view, but you can get around this if you tell them you will be porting at a future date and just need a temporary number, then you will be okay.

or to avoid all the hassle just wait till you are ready to port and get your phone then

i would also suggest you do this transaction at an att store, since this is a carrier issue, you will want att to take care of it and not some guy who doesn't know anything about phone contracts doing it, if they mess it up, it will turn into a circus with att trying to fix it

and remember you will have 30 days before you are locked into the contract so take the 30 days to make sure everything is in order, att is heartless when it comes to that deadline, once you pass it,

 

[ManUtd08]

this is very helpful because I am also leaving T-Mobile..abeit 3 Months early but all this advice will be very helpful