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Why is it people with bad credit get out of signing a contract?

O

onlycopunk

macrumors 6502
Original poster
May 10, 2008
379
0
Newtown
I was browsing around the ATT store today for giggles, and in the iPhone section it states:

"Whether you are a new customer, current AT&T customer, or purchasing iPhone as a gift, an industry-standard credit check will be run at the time of activation through iTunes. If you or the recipient does not qualify, there will be an option to activate iPhone using a GoPhone (prepaid) plan. GoPhone plans enable all of the same features as the standard plans."

So how is it that people with bad credit get out of signing a 2 year contract and can activate the phone with a GoPhone plan? Which basically has the same features of a regular plan as far as unlimited data goes.

It just doesn't make sense that people would be "rewarded" for having bad credit!
 
Gophone plans are more expensive if you use it a lot.

By alot I mean more then ~ 20 minutes a day (including weekends)
 
There's a big financial disincentive to use GoPhones and their ilk. They often end up being quite expensive to use. Otherwise everyone would go for them. Who wants to be locked into a contract if they don't have to?
 
Yeah, but if you don't really want the phone part, just Edge service, I am not sure it isn't a better way to go.
 
Well for people like me who communicate more via the internet and less and less over cell phones, it would be great. Sadly they made me unlock and ATT wont be getting my 2 year contract.
 
coachfreak said:
Yeah, but if you don't really want the phone part, just Edge service, I am not sure it isn't a better way to go.
Click to expand...

Sure. I just can't imagine getting an iPhone unless you wanted a phone. That's a lot to spend. You might as well get a Touch and just live with WiFi. I did for a long time, and love the Touch. You get twice the capacity for the same cost as well.
 
Mikey B said:
Sure. I just can't imagine getting an iPhone unless you wanted a phone. That's a lot to spend. You might as well get a Touch and just live with WiFi. I did for a long time, and love the Touch. You get twice the capacity for the same cost as well.
Click to expand...

Let me clarify, I think there are a lot of people who would like the iPhone for the internet ability (EDGE included). If you buy an iPod touch you can only use wifi and some people might want the 24-7 ability to be on the internet via EDGE (or 3g as is rumored to be coming next month) and not care if they can place calls or may need to do so infrequently.

I am on my 3rd iPhone and when I am on a call the person on the other end doesn't hear me talking in the last month. It doesn't happen all the time and I haven't been able to get this duplicated in an Apple store, but I have had numerous people hang up on me at the beginning of a call or after some time because they can't hear me. I can hear them and my phone is NOT on hold or mute, but they can't hear me. When they call back all is well, but I must admit if I would consider a separate phone JUST so I could surf the internet on EDGE and place a call at the same time. Then the iPhone would be a spectular PDA replacement with 24-7 internet access.

I may be in the minority, but I have got to think that there are others that think the same way.
!
*** I just want a chat program and I bet I could eliminate a lot of my calls! I know we have texting, but iChat would be so much better! I use e-mail and texting for this, but a dedicated chat in the background would be well-worth the phone.
 
coachfreak said:
Let me clarify, I think there are a lot of people who would like the iPhone for the internet ability (EDGE included). If you buy an iPod touch you can only use wifi and some people might want the 24-7 ability to be on the internet via EDGE (or 3g as is rumored to be coming next month) and not care if they can place calls or may need to do so infrequently.



I may be in the minority, but I have got to think that there are others that think the same way.
!
*** I just want a chat program and I bet I could eliminate a lot of my calls! I know we have texting, but iChat would be so much better! I use e-mail and texting for this, but a dedicated chat in the background would be well-worth the phone.
Click to expand...

I use meebo for im but you have to keep it open
 
I would imagine your credit would have to be terrible for them not to sign you...

I have a friend who was forced into bankruptcy from 80k worth of unexpected hospital charges, and she was signed on...
 
onlycopunk said:
Coachfreak that almost sounds more like a problem on your mobile provider's end.
Click to expand...

not sure, it is the strangest thing. at first I rhought it was my friend's phone, but then other people stopped hearing me as well. it isn't constant, but annoying since sometimes it takes a minute to realize they don't hear me :mad:
 
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