buy iphone 3g from ATT and cancel.. what fees?

[yek401]

So now that there is an unlock for the 3G iPhone, I'm inclined to get one. I understand that if I buy a 3G iPhone, and I cancel the ATT contract before the first 30 days are up, they expect that I will return my phone. What is the fee if you don't return the phone? What is the fee if you never even activate the ATT service? Has anyone tried this?

Thanks in advance.

--Jordan

[cpjr]

You sign a 2 year contract to buy the phone. The ETF is around $175.

[yek401]

I spent some time on the phone with ATT, and what I heard supports what you've said. I was told that if I wait more than 30 days to finish the activation, my contract will be canceled, and I will be charge the ETF of $175 and a month worth of service. I'm not 100% convinced of the information only because when I called back and spoke to a different operator, they claimed that there was no penalty to activate at any time (which is clearly wrong).

But assuming the credit check goes through, an iPhone 3G can be had w/o contract for the online phone cost + 175 + 1 month of service.. Which I believe is how it works if you simply buy from the store and cancel 30 days later, the difference being a credit check (downside) and an easier automated process (upside).

Now I'm just trying to figure out if there are any other fees I have not accounted for. Has anyone tried buying an iPhone 3G online and not completed the activation process?

--Jordan

[captainjapanicq]

You still have a fee of $199 for a 8gb and $299 for a 16gb phone.

[bruinsrme]

model..cost....1st month..activation....EFT... total
16G....$299.+ ....85....+....30......+..175...= $589
.8g....$199.+ ....85....+....30......+..175...= $489
No sure of the credit ding or not

[Poseidon79]

Plus tax on the hardware.

[gQstatus05]

look on craigslist for a good deal if not go ahead and bring on a possible headache. It will be well worth it though.