Unhappy with AT&T, can i sell iPhone?

[Beligerent]

I bought my iPhone 1/1/08 and switched from US Cellular. Since then I have been unhappy. The plans dont fit my needs and coverage in general has been spotty. So I am thinking about cancelling my contract and paying the 175.00 earty term fee for having owned an iPhone for 45 days.
My question is after I pay the fee I am free to sell it right? Will I have any problems? Has anyone heard of reactivation issues?

Thanks in advance ...Norm

 

[MattsxB]

You may want to check the contract you signed..
I heard that some cell phone providers make you give you back the phone if you cancel the contract within a certain amount of time.
I know that is the deal with Sprint / Nextel.

-Matt

 

[arkitect]

You may want to check the contract you signed..
I heard that some cell phone providers make you give you back the phone if you cancel the contract within a certain amount of time.
I know that is the deal with Sprint / Nextel.

-Matt

I don't think that quite applies to the iPhone…
It wasn't given away for free with the contract… you hav to buy it out right. I would assume you can sell it if you want to.

 

[ewxlt]

You can flush the iPhone down the toilet for all they care.
That's why they don't offer insurance etc.

Sell it. Bummer the 16G just came out as it could ding the price you could get.

 

[SFStateStudent]

If you are having reception problems...

you should be able to terminate your account and not have to pay the early termination fee. Discuss with them that you were waiting to see what your first bill would look like, while making a determination regarding the "spotty" reception. Dropped calls should also be brought up, since your coverage area is probably a "light yellow" on the coverage maps.

 

[maclover92]

you should be able to terminate your account and not have to pay the early termination fee. Discuss with them that you were waiting to see what your first bill would look like, while making a determination regarding the "spotty" reception. Dropped calls should also be brought up, since your coverage area is probably a "light yellow" on the coverage maps.

YES! There are many "ways" of getting around an early termination fee. And you seem to fit them. Your service is bad, your bill is not to your "liking", etc. Most likely they will waiver the ETF if you bring this to their attention first.
GOOD LUCK!

 

[avaloncourt]

you should be able to terminate your account and not have to pay the early termination fee. Discuss with them that you were waiting to see what your first bill would look like, while making a determination regarding the "spotty" reception. Dropped calls should also be brought up, since your coverage area is probably a "light yellow" on the coverage maps.

Did you look at his coverage area? He lists Penacook, NH as the location. Well over half of NH is either no service at all or a 3rd party provider and he's right on the edge of actual AT&T territory and the no-mans land. I'm thinking he should have looked at that before buying the phone in the first place.

 

[BOSS10L]

Did you look at his coverage area? He lists Penacook, NH as the location. Well over half of NH is either no service at all or a 3rd party provider and he's right on the edge of actual AT&T territory and the no-mans land. I'm thinking he should have looked at that before buying the phone in the first place.

Agreed, but be that as it may, it is nice that we have things in place that safeguard us from being stuck in a bad contract.

 

[maestro55]

Another good reason why Apple should have released the iPhone to be used on any carrier. They are losing out on a lot of customers that are not in AT&T service areas. AT&T does have great coverage and I used them before I got the iPhone, but there are spotty areas and there are people who would love to use the iPhone but need to have quality phone service too.

 

[Beligerent]

yeah ive spoken with AT&T 3 times regarding simply cancelling my contract and they will not do it. I told them that I wanted to see what one or 2 bills would look like and it seems the service just isnt going to work for me and they said "There's nothing we can do sir" I just hate the smugness like "Hey you wanted to get an iPhone...pay the price"

I had US Cellular for 5 years and despite them being a "small carrier" I dont recall ever dropping a call plus they offer unlimited incoming calls.

Im looking on ebay and most of the iphones on there are unlocked. Am I going to have trouble selling a locked one.

 

[BOSS10L]

yeah ive spoken with AT&T 3 times regarding simply cancelling my contract and they will not do it. I told them that I wanted to see what one or 2 bills would look like and it seems the service just isnt going to work for me and they said "There's nothing we can do sir" I just hate the smugness like "Hey you wanted to get an iPhone...pay the price"

I had US Cellular for 5 years and despite them being a "small carrier" I dont recall ever dropping a call plus they offer unlimited incoming calls.

Im looking on ebay and most of the iphones on there are unlocked. Am I going to have trouble selling a locked one.

I'm sorry to hear that. While I don't consider Rochester, NY to be a technological mecca, Cingular and AT&T have done right by us for over the past decade.

There's the rub. Small business like US Cellular excel in customer service, because they absolutely have to in order to survive. A goliath like AT&T comes along and says "Like it or lump it" because they know there will be 10 more standing in line to take your place.

Of course, we as consumers haven't helped either. We're so enamored with getting the absolute lowest price no matter what, that customer service is suffering, and has allowed companies like Wal-Mart to come in and kill all the 'mom & pops'.

I may be interested in that iPhone, PM sent.

 

[avaloncourt]

I had US Cellular for 5 years and despite them being a "small carrier" I dont recall ever dropping a call plus they offer unlimited incoming calls.

I looked at U S Cellular's coverage map. I seem to want to take that map with a grain of salt because it appears to be too good. If their coverage map is indeed correct then you left the predominant carrier in your state with almost blanket coverage to a carrier who has very little coverage in your state. Checking on coverage maps first would have helped.

 

[Beligerent]

avaloncourt is absolutely right. I did leave US Cellular with blanket coverage in NH to go with AT&T's spotty coverage... I couldnt help it I drank the kool aid.. LOL I just HAD to have an iPhone! US Cellular has offered to waive my activation fee's if I port my number back in... Im considering it.

 

[victry1]

Roaming

If most of your usage is in an area of a partner with AT&T you may have a good shot at getting out of your contract. AT&T's agreement states that if more than 51% of your calls for 2 months are placed in an area belonging to one of their partners (Roaming)then they can discontinue your service. You will not be charged a termination fee since they intiate it. If you roam too much you are losing them money by the bucketful. There is something you can get from AT&T for your phone (I think it is called 4EON)and it will indicate when you are roaming on another network.

 

[avaloncourt]

avaloncourt is absolutely right. I did leave US Cellular with blanket coverage in NH to go with AT&T's spotty coverage... I couldnt help it I drank the kool aid.. LOL I just HAD to have an iPhone! US Cellular has offered to waive my activation fee's if I port my number back in... Im considering it.

That might be the way to go. Most carriers would do that to get a customer back. You'll have to take that big bite from the early termination fee. I was thinking the KoolAid too. Gotta admit that Apple has some pretty good marketing and fanbase. I had no interest in the iPhone at first because AT&T only had coverage here tight to the interstates. Then AT&T swallowed up one of the predominant carriers in the region and that completely turned around. The day I found that out I bellied up to the bar and got my own KoolAid.

I worry about the people here rubbing their magic lamps over 3G. They want something that I'm afraid will not be satisfactory in much of the country and then we'll have a hundred "3G sucks!!!!!" threads.

I hope you manage to get things all worked out. Get your phone sold and get back to better coverage.

 

[Michael CM1]

yeah ive spoken with AT&T 3 times regarding simply cancelling my contract and they will not do it. I told them that I wanted to see what one or 2 bills would look like and it seems the service just isnt going to work for me and they said "There's nothing we can do sir" I just hate the smugness like "Hey you wanted to get an iPhone...pay the price"

I had US Cellular for 5 years and despite them being a "small carrier" I dont recall ever dropping a call plus they offer unlimited incoming calls.

Im looking on ebay and most of the iphones on there are unlocked. Am I going to have trouble selling a locked one.

What do you really expect them to do? It's not like these contracts are secret. They give you all the terms on a sheet of paper and even give you a week to change your mind. Imagine what Mets fans would think of Santana after he signed a long-term big-money contract and then two months later said he didnt' really like it so much.

I mean I sympathize with you, but people have to check the coverage area of cell phone providers before buying a phone and signing a contract.

 

[Michael CM1]

I worry about the people here rubbing their magic lamps over 3G. They want something that I'm afraid will not be satisfactory in much of the country and then we'll have a hundred "3G sucks!!!!!" threads.

You know it's coming. I'm waiting for 3G myself just so I can have it when it's available. People thinking it's a magic cure-all for connection speed should to to AT&T's Web site and check their 3G coverage area. It looks good around major cities, but most of the data coverage is EDGE.