Used 1st Gen needs contract??

[SCStevens04]

I'm dying to dip a toe into the iPhone pool, but for now just want to buy a 1st gen off eBay or someplace (other than here unfortunately!)

I currently have AT&T but would need to add EDGE. The people at my AT&T store told me that iTunes would make me have a contract which I can't believe. Are they messing with me??

 

[profetto]

Buy a first generation iPhone off ebay. Whether or not it comes unlocked doesn't really matter.

You can use iTunes 7.5 to manually restore it to firmware 1.1.4 and then use something like ziphone to unlock and jailbreak it.

If you want to upgrade to firmware 2.0, you're going to have to wait because no current program is out to unlock and jailbreak firmware 2.0, but its not far until something comes out.

Worst case scenario is the iPhone you buy was previously upgrade to firmware 2.0 in which case you may have a fancy paperweight. But theres ways to downgrade to firmware 1.1.4 and then to use ziphone to unlock and jailbreak or like I said before you can wait a couple of days until a nice program comes out to unlock firmware 2.0, either way, I think you're safe.

Just read into the iPhone your going to buy, ask seller what firmware it has on it and what not.

 

[MBHockey]

That doesn't really answer his question. What kind of contract was AT&T asking you to sign? 2 year? Monthly?

 

[profetto]

That doesn't really answer his question. What kind of contract was AT&T asking you to sign? 2 year? Monthly?

It doesn't matter. AT&T doesn't need to know he's getting an iPhone. All he needs to do is unlock and jailbreak a first generation iPhone and then swap sim cards, then go on about his merry way.

EDIT: I'm assuming AT&T allows you to add data packages to your account?

EDIT 2: I'm sorry, I use Rogers here in Canada, and we can add data packages to accounts without signing contracts, I assumed it was the same for you, I didn't realize they're asking you to sign a contract just to purchase a data package. That seems kind of funny, but maybe thats what AT&T does?

 

[SCStevens04]

It does help, thanks. They didn't say what kind of a contract and they made it sound like it was activating with iTunes that made the contract happen... I totally can't believe that.

Yep, definitely wanting that iPhone 2.0 but I'm willing to wait for it... just don't know if I'll be able to find deals on 1st gen phones afterwards.

Thanks for the help.

 

[dustinl4m3]

It does help, thanks. They didn't say what kind of a contract and they made it sound like it was activating with iTunes that made the contract happen... I totally can't believe that.

Yep, definitely wanting that iPhone 2.0 but I'm willing to wait for it... just don't know if I'll be able to find deals on 1st gen phones afterwards.

Thanks for the help.

Activating with iTunes does indeed enact a new 2 year contract from the time of activation.

Use something like iLiberty+ to activate the phone, and then you can swap SIMs. You'll want to call and get unlimited data added to your account, might want to do that before you actually boot up the iPhone with its new sim, so the CSR doesn't see you are using an iPhone without the iPhone contract.

 

[SCStevens04]

Now with pwnage?

would I follow the same advice now that pwnage2.0 is out? ie, is iLiberty something I should still run 1st?

(finally got one!)

 

[dustinl4m3]

Use the Pwnage tool now that it has been released.

 

[ubersalad]

If you want to upgrade to firmware 2.0, you're going to have to wait because no current program is out to unlock and jailbreak firmware 2.0, but its not far until something comes out.

Should get the latest information straight.

First gen phone with 2.0 firmware has been jailbroken and is unlocked through Dev Team's boot neuter.

To the poster's original request. If you wish to use first gen iphone without extending contract, best way to do it is to unlock your phone.