What happens to the contract when the 3g iphone gets stolen?

[annamac]

Hi guys, I was jsut wondering about the follwoing scenario:
I buy a new iphone with a 2 years contract at att.
After 2 months, my iphone gets stolen. Now following questions come to my mind:
_can I buy a new iphone, even though I am not eligible because I bought already one?
_if yes, how much would I have to pay?
_if not, would I be able to downgrad my then not necessary data plan/contract?

questions above questions... this "iphone for just half the price" ain't as easy as steve made it sound....

thanks for suggestions!!!

 

[~Phi]

I've been wondering the same thing. I'm guessing that they make you buy a new one at the full un-subsidized price of $500 or whatever it ends up being. However, it could get tricky because paying the ETF and buying another iphone at $199 would be cheaper...

 

[Nykwil]

Hi guys, I was jsut wondering about the follwoing scenario:
I buy a new iphone with a 2 years contract at att.
After 2 months, my iphone gets stolen. Now following questions come to my mind:
_can I buy a new iphone, even though I am not eligible because I bought already one?
_if yes, how much would I have to pay?
_if not, would I be able to downgrad my then not necessary data plan/contract?

questions above questions... this "iphone for just half the price" ain't as easy as steve made it sound....

thanks for suggestions!!!

I know you can freeze your account so they wont charge you for the months you dont have the phone...or they used too...not sure if they still do this. As for getting a new phone I don't know.

 

[ipodtouchy333]

Nobody knows yet, but many say you will definitely be able to buy a new iPhone of course, but you may have to pay the unsubsidized price which could be around $500-$600.

But right now, everything is just speculation........

 

[annamac]

I've been wondering the same thing. I'm guessing that they make you buy a new one at the full un-subsidized price of $500 or whatever it ends up being. However, it could get tricky because paying the ETF and buying another iphone at $199 would be cheaper...

exactly... so if they dont find a better solution, they might end up with trillions of early cancelled contracts and new ones..

the other thing: maybe they dont get stolen anymore if they really only work with an activated att contract? wonder whether those guys know that yet...

 

[gkarris]

^^^ they'll get stolen - to be unlocked and activated...

I had one of those data cards from T-Mobile stolen with my laptop a years ago.

I was under a contract, my choices were:

1. Cancel the contract and pay the ETF.
2. Buy a replacement at a non-subsidized price.

It's not the cell phone company's problem if your phone is lost or stolen...

 

[Manie Frizzle]

they will treat the iphone just like any other phone with a contract. a lost or stolen phone is your fault no matter what. if you dont have insurance you are SOL. you will need to buy a used(ebay) or new phone without any discount from att.

 

[And5555]

Am I missing something?

What's the difference between her still having her old iPhone and not having it if current iPhone customers are eligible for renewal with subsidized price?

That is, if you've kept the iPhone plan this whole time as if you still had it in your hand, how would they even know that it was stolen? Is AT&T going to require you to show them your current iPhone when you upgrade or (more likely) are they just going to look up your account and see that you have an iPhone on your plan?

I'm in a similar boat because my iPhone screen broke completely so I was just going to upgrade on July 11th for $199 and renew the contract.

 

[Niiro13]

Am I missing something here? Doesn't the same rules apply (whatever they are) for Blackberrys, Palms, Blackjacks, etc.?

After all, the iPhone 3G works the same way with carriers as all other phones (at least that's what the 3G iPhone is making out to be [$30 data plan with no texting, etc])

 

[loskickking23]

If they would just let people insure the d*** phone like most phones and carriers.This is all a set up to have to pay more money in the end.

 

[annamac]

My question is: since not everybody seems to be eligible to buy an iphone in the first place (at least not without a new contract or while qualifiying for an upgrade), and since the iphone won't work without contract at all, how do I even qualify to get a new one when i have bought one recently (=i.e. being then the stolen one)?

Meaning: the situation now for the launch for someone not qualifying for the upgrad is the same as it will be for me 2 months after July 11th, when my new iphone might be stolen...

(a sub-question to this is: how do they sell the uns-subsidized iphones at all? withouth contract - but how will it work then? with contract - but then I could never buy a replacement...?)

 

[Niiro13]

My question is: since not everybody seems to be eligible to buy an iphone in the first place (at least not without a new contract or while qualifiying for an upgrade), and since the iphone won't work without contract at all, how do I even qualify to get a new one when i have bought one recently (=i.e. being then the stolen one)?

Meaning: the situation now for the launch for someone not qualifying for the upgrad is the same as it will be for me 2 months after July 11th, when my new iphone might be stolen...

(a sub-question to this is: how do they sell the uns-subsidized iphones at all? withouth contract - but how will it work then? with contract - but then I could never buy a replacement...?)

Current iPhone users will get the subsidized price. And they will be eligible for upgrade. Even if your iPhone has been stolen, they can check whether an iPhone has ever been on your account.

 

[tritonj]

what will happen is the same thing that happens when you lose a phone now, you report it stolen so that they can freeze the account so you don't get charged for any overages, and then you go and buy another phone, either the same phone or another one, and then have them unfreeze the account. or you could cancel and pay an EFT

iPhone is just like any other phone, a carrier isn't going to care if you lose the phone, or break your phone or just leave it in a drawer for 2 years, as long as you are paying the bill.

why does it seem everyone expects special rules for iPhones?

 

[OllyW]

why does it seem everyone expects special rules for iPhones?

That's exactly what I've been thinking.

The first iPhone was a bit of an oddball with the high purchase price and revenue sharing contract but now the 3G is subsidised like the rest of the phones on the market it is no longer a special case.

I'm expecting rioting on the forums this time next year when Apple release a new generation phone and there isn't a low cost upgrade available for current owners.

 

[Niiro13]

I'm expecting rioting on the forums this time next year when Apple release a new generation phone and there isn't a low cost upgrade available for current owners.

Shame too...I expected to pay $500 for the 3G iPhone release.

Turns out i only have to pay $299.

What more do people want???

 

[annamac]

why does it seem everyone expects special rules for iPhones?

because att and apple have special rules for the iphone! I am not from here, but I know of no other phone which will not work without a special contract. That's why the question came up - otherwise there would also not be such a big discussion about upgrade-eligibility.. the big thing here is, that you so far simply cannot buy an iphone without the contract (and even if you could buy an unsubscribed one, it won't work!)