cancel AT&T service and still keep iphone 3g?

[smokeyismyg]

ok i have searched but everyone are saying different things such as wait for 30 days. but in the contract if you cancel service within 3 days you don't pay anything besides what you used for minutes or data. so what i am asking is since i got a 3g today and unlocked it is there a way i can just cancel my service with AT&T and keep the iphone? can i just tell the AT&T rep that i have a 2g therefore i wouldn't have to return the phone or would they know?


EDIT: yeah you still have to pay the etf or full price for the phone.

[GenesisDH]

ok i have searched but everyone are saying different things such as wait for 30 days. but in the contract if you cancel service within 3 days you don't pay anything besides what you used for minutes or data. so what i am asking is since i got a 3g today and unlocked it is there a way i can just cancel my service with AT&T and keep the iphone? can i just tell the AT&T rep that i have a 2g therefore i wouldn't have to return the phone or would they know?

They'll be able to tell that you've purchased a 3G by two things:
1) Records on your account of the subsidy and contract signage/end date.
2) The registered IMEI of the iPhone on your account will likely stay in their system while the line is active (unless you somehow buy/use another phone by the time you cancel service, YMMV).
CS can grab these account records in a heartbeat.

The only [somewhat] possible way to cancel & keeping the phone during the 30-day window is porting out the number to another carrier (porting out will cancel your service, sometimes quickly). YMMV on getting this to go through, but expect to be paying at least 200 bucks more for the phone after everything is said and done.

BTW: Why is this in the T-Mobile forum?

[Joules]

No, if you cancel before the 30 day window and you dont give the phone back to them, they will charge you the full non-contract price for the iphone ($600-700). Now if you wait 30 days then cancel this means you violate the terms and have to pay Early Termination Fee ($200?).. but doing this may let you keep your 3G.

[smokeyismyg]

oh ok thanks for your replys!

[fta123]

I think Joules is 100% correct, but you will still have a brand new phone at the end:-)

[smokeyismyg]

ok my friend got off the phone with at&t this morning and they cancelled his service and they didn't say anything about returning the phone. will he get a bill in the mail. i just paid the etf. but will my friend get charged?

[cpjr]

^Oh yeah....he will have to pay an ETF. They wont forget.

[smokeyismyg]

ok so he will just get a bill in the mail i guess.

[nosoup4uha]

I've read on some forums that you get charged the 299 for the phone and the 175 ETF.

[Joules]

well yea you pay $200-$300 regardless because thats the contact price for the phone...if you break the contract then you pay phone+ETF
So you could get a 16gb iphone for 475 + one month service because you need to wait 30 days before you can cancel and not pay full price for iphone

[tictac1215]

theres a way NOT to pay for the ETF.
all u need to do is proof to at&t that you are moving to another country.
you would need proof of residence, eg. phone bill/utilities bill(easily done by photoshop) and a contact number(this is where your oversea friend comes in handy, or use skype/other online phone number)
and fax the information to them:

AT&T
attn: etf-relo
4455 american way
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Fax: 1866 530 8719

i know someone who succeeded and they didn't even call the oversea number.. if you have any late bill, challenge them to send the bill to an oversea address before you pay, they would waive the charges too.

hope this helps

[kalda01]

theres a way NOT to pay for the ETF.
all u need to do is proof to at&t that you are moving to another country.
you would need proof of residence, eg. phone bill/utilities bill(easily done by photoshop) and a contact number(this is where your oversea friend comes in handy, or use skype/other online phone number)
and fax the information to them:

AT&T
attn: etf-relo
4455 american way
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Fax: 1866 530 8719

i know someone who succeeded and they didn't even call the oversea number.. if you have any late bill, challenge them to send the bill to an oversea address before you pay, they would waive the charges too.

hope this helps

In my case I actually have a residence overseas, so if I buy a 3G Iphone from AT&T, should I cancel within the 30 days ?
Has someone actually succeeded in getting the ETF waived by claiming to move out of the country ?
Are they going to send the bill to my foreign address ?