How to Avoid AT&T's 2 Year Contract

[Swagger]

I was thinking last night, how silly it is to have to sign a two year contract (with AT&T). AT&T gave me, or no one else (that purchased the iPhone at FULL price) anything free or discounted. Therefore, I felt that I should not have to sign a two year contract. Most carriers require a contract to offset the free or discounted phone. You receive when signing up for new (or renewing) service. AT&T and Apple gave no discount and certainly nothing free. There is a way to get around being locked into a contract. Purchase a PRE-PAID plan! AT&T did not widely publicize this option but it is availible (for the iPhone). You can even switch, to a prepaid plan if you started new service with AT&T, just to get the iPhone and have not had your account for 30 days yet. You get all the features of a regular plan. The only drawback is, you get a FEW less minutes for your money. If you weigh the few less minutes, as opposed to being locked into a two year contract, then it's worth it (for me it was, anyway). The prepaid plan offers, free nights & weekends, mobile to mobile, Rollover minutes and unlimited data (for 20.00 extra) just like the regular plans do. All you have to do is, choose your minute plan and you are off and running with NO CONTRACT! I thought this was great since, I'm already in a contract with another carrier. I only got AT&T service, to get the iPhone. I switched from a regular AT&T plan, to a prepaid plan today. Ridding myself of yet another phone contract. I have 650 minutes, mobile to mobile, free nights and weekends, unlimited data and Rollover for 59.00 a month. Wow, what a deal and the sweet part is, NO CONTRACT! M

 

[wjp09]

hate to be mr johnny raincloud but its not pay as you go. You need to pay x number of dollars a month

 

[Swagger]

No Pay as You Go, PREPAID!

hate to be mr johnny raincloud but its not pay as you go. You need to pay x number of dollars a month

I never said it was Pay as You Go. I said "PrePaid", meaning you pick a minute plan, and are charged the same price evey month. You have NO CONTRACT though. The only trade off is you get a few less minutes than a regular plan due to not having a contract. Read young man, read..M

 

[bmwlover0725]

that's actually really cool but kind of pointless unless you plan on canceling soon rendering the iPhone useless.

 

[wjp09]

Well its not useless its just a very very expensive ipod.

 

[aggieman]

Well its not useless its just a very very expensive ipod.

yup i agree, and who would want a $599 8GB iPod vs a $249 30GB one? The only tradeoff is, if you don't wanna be stuck with AT&T it's not necessarily a bad idea. you have no ETF and if say, I for example, wanted to switch back to Verizon which i never really had any problems with, I could just unload the iPhone on ebay. Not to say that would ever happen. I'll sacrifice a little data speed to stay with AT&T. so far no problems, and i'm paying a little less as well and did i mention I love the iPhone.

 

[Michael4989]

how do text work on prepaid?

 

[2nynbak]

I was thinking last night, how silly it is to have to sign a two year contract (with AT&T). AT&T gave me, or no one else (that purchased the iPhone at FULL price) anything free or discounted. Therefore, I felt that I should not have to sign a two year contract. Most carriers require a contract to offset the free or discounted phone. You receive when signing up for new (or renewing) service. AT&T and Apple gave no discount and certainly nothing free. There is a way to get around being locked into a contract. Purchase a PRE-PAID plan! AT&T did not widely publicize this option but it is availible (for the iPhone). You can even switch, to a prepaid plan if you started new service with AT&T, just to get the iPhone and have not had your account for 30 days yet. You get all the features of a regular plan. The only drawback is, you get a FEW less minutes for your money. If you weigh the few less minutes, as opposed to being locked into a two year contract, then it's worth it (for me it was, anyway). The prepaid plan offers, free nights & weekends, mobile to mobile, Rollover minutes and unlimited data (for 20.00 extra) just like the regular plans do. All you have to do is, choose your minute plan and you are off and running with NO CONTRACT! I thought this was great since, I'm already in a contract with another carrier. I only got AT&T service, to get the iPhone. I switched from a regular AT&T plan, to a prepaid plan today. Ridding myself of yet another phone contract. I have 650 minutes, mobile to mobile, free nights and weekends, unlimited data and Rollover for 59.00 a month. Wow, what a deal and the sweet part is, NO CONTRACT! M

I'm not sure if I'm missing something but for what you have listed, 650 minutes and unlimited data the Att site shows is $89 a month.

 

[el31415]

You get $ 20 dollar discount on every $ 100 paid
20 % discount ( not sure if the discount apply)
GoPhone® Pay As You Go ?!?!?!?
GoPhone® Pick Your Plan ?!?!?
Cost if the plan more like $ 71.somethin
BUT not SMS included
Do you get all the feature of the iPhone to work with the $20/moth data plan ?

 

[umakbill]

Hoorah, iPhonian! A fellow prepaid user! If you were wondering anyone:
to get prepaid service:
1: When activating your iPhone via iTunes, enter 999-99-9999 as your Social Security number, or fail a credit check with your real one. (Note: You MUST fail in order to see the prepaid options. I recommend using the 999-99-9999 so as not to ding your credit)
2: When AT&T tells you "You, sir, phail." It will give you three options. Choose "Use a GoPhone Pick Your Plan" (or something like that)
3: Ta-da! for a minumum of $48.95/month you get: X amount of minutes! Unlimited Data(web browsing, email, stock, weather, google maps, and youtube all UNLIMITED)! No texts (Okay, not true, they just cost about 15 cents each, but you can add unlimited for $19.99 or 200 for $4.99)!

YAY!

 

[Swagger]

Hoorah, iPhonian! A fellow prepaid user! If you were wondering anyone:
to get prepaid service:
1: When activating your iPhone via iTunes, enter 999-99-9999 as your Social Security number, or fail a credit check with your real one. (Note: You MUST fail in order to see the prepaid options. I recommend using the 999-99-9999 so as not to ding your credit)
2: When AT&T tells you "You, sir, phail." It will give you three options. Choose "Use a GoPhone Pick Your Plan" (or something like that)
3: Ta-da! for a minumum of $48.95/month you get: X amount of minutes! Unlimited Data(web browsing, email, stock, weather, google maps, and youtube all UNLIMITED)! No texts (Okay, not true, they just cost about 15 cents each, but you can add unlimited for $19.99 or 200 for $4.99)!

YAY!

I don't have prepaid, I just posted this for information purposes. M

 

[spectrablue]

Hello iphonian and others. Thanks for the great info on activating through PrePaid. I am really having fits with AT&T right now. I am on a Family Plan with 2 additional lines active ($10 each). I called AT&T customer service before I bought the iPhone to be sure I could just add just the $20 data plan to one of the lines and inquire about them waiving the 2-yr contract since I'm a long time customer. The person checked with their manager and came back and said yes indeed they could do both and noted this in my account. So now fast-forward to today, now that I've bought the iPhone. The customer service rep today, after reading me the exact notes out of my account notes says the other person "LIED" to me and that there is no way to activate an iPhone without the 2-yr contract and even then I would not be able to add the data plan since all phones on the family account have to be either iPhones or not. "You can't have one iPhone on a family plan and two other regular phones." So as I understand it I would have to activate the iPhone, with a 2-yr contract, on a totally separate account at the going rate of $59/month.

So my questions are..
What is the cheapest prepaid plan, with the iPhone data services?

After I activate the iPhone on the prepaid plan can I take the (now activated) iPhone and add it to my regular family plan, without contract?

Or, can I put my SIM chip from one of my phones into the iPhone and it will work since it has already been activated?

Basically I'm trying to get to just the $20 data plan charge in addition to what I'm paying now without signing a new contact.

Thank you to everyone in advance for your assistance!

 

[el31415]

Hello iphonian and others. Thanks for the great info on activating through PrePaid. I am really having fits with AT&T right now. I am on a Family Plan with 2 additional lines active ($10 each). I called AT&T customer service before I bought the iPhone to be sure I could just add just the $20 data plan to one of the lines and inquire about them waiving the 2-yr contract since I'm a long time customer. The person checked with their manager and came back and said yes indeed they could do both and noted this in my account. So now fast-forward to today, now that I've bought the iPhone. The customer service rep today, after reading me the exact notes out of my account notes says the other person "LIED" to me and that there is no way to activate an iPhone without the 2-yr contract and even then I would not be able to add the data plan since all phones on the family account have to be either iPhones or not. "You can't have one iPhone on a family plan and two other regular phones." So as I understand it I would have to activate the iPhone, with a 2-yr contract, on a totally separate account at the going rate of $59/month.

So my questions are..
What is the cheapest prepaid plan, with the iPhone data services?

After I activate the iPhone on the prepaid plan can I take the (now activated) iPhone and add it to my regular family plan, without contract?

Or, can I put my SIM chip from one of my phones into the iPhone and it will work since it has already been activated?

Basically I'm trying to get to just the $20 data plan charge in addition to what I'm paying now without signing a new contact.

Thank you to everyone in advance for your assistance!

I'm on a family plan and you can just add the iPhone DATA for $20 extra
and no need to have all or none iPhone you can match mix phone and iPhone
most of the rep ATT or any other they just read or try to read and understand what theire screen are telling them
better to do your homework and find by yourself what plan are avaiable
and call back and tell them what you want and get it
as for the NO 2 years contract they lied to you they can not waive that
you will have to choose 2 years contract or Prepaid

FROM ATT FAQ
Existing Customer Questions

Q. How do I upgrade to iPhone?
A. Just go to an AT&T retail store, and mention you're replacing your existing phone. Our salespeople will help you through the process and answer any questions you have.
Soon you'll be able to upgrade through myWireless online.

Q. Do I need to switch to a different rate plan if I upgrade to iPhone?
A. If you’re an existing AT&T (formerly Cingular) wireless customer, you just need to add an iPhone Data Plan. This may replace your current data plan. In most cases, your voice plan will stay the same (There are some plans that are not eligible).

iPhone Data Plans give you Visual Voicemail, text messaging bundles and unlimited data—which includes both email and web. You'll add an iPhone Data Plan and sign a new 2-year service contract during the activation process. Discount eligibility for other devices will continue from the time of your most recent contract.

Q. Can I add iPhone to a FamilyTalk plan?
A. Yes. Just go to an AT&T retail store, and mention you'd like to add a line to an existing account.

Q. Do I need to switch to a different FamilyTalk rate plan if I want to add iPhone?
A. No. You might want to upgrade your minutes since you are adding an additional line.

Q. I just upgraded my phone recently. Are there any penalties or restrictions for upgrading to iPhone right away?
A. No. Everyone can upgrade to iPhone right away, you just need to add an iPhone Data Plan (this may replace your current data plan but your voice plan will stay the same) and sign a new 2-year service contract. Discount eligibility for other devices will continue from the time of your current contract.

 

[spectrablue]

I'm on a family plan and you can just add the iPhone DATA for $20 extra
and no need to have all or none iPhone you can match mix phone and iPhone

Thanks el31415 for your response, I guess you have proven that it is possible to add an iPhone (and data plan) to an existing family plan by replacing one of the existing phones. This is how I'd assume the system would work. Cingular never fails to amaze me with their insane policies and customer service though. I guess now my remaining obsticle is the quoted "There are some plans that are not eligible" tagline.

Right now I'm on $50/month plus $10 each for 2 additional lines (3 total), all contract terms fulfilled, same plan I've had for almost 3 years.

 

[efenili]

Hello all, new poster

Let me see if I understand this correctly.

- I am a current ATT customer, I have upgraded my plan since the merger. I am on a family plan with 3 other people.
- I currently have the family plan + unlimited data.
- I buy an iPhone with no service, I can't simply change the SIM cards? I know its a process to get into the iPhone but I have seen it done....even though it still won't work?

The only way, even as a current ATT customer with unlimited data, to get an iPhone to work is to go into the store, activate the SIM card inside the iPhone and get a new unlimited data plan?

Am I understanding all this correctly?

 

[morrison 73]

If your already with AT&T and want to change your plan or upgrade...you cannot keep your current phone number with a pre-paid plan!

I was in the store today ready to buy the iPhone and walked out bummed. I had the same number for 6 years, that's a lot to ask?!

 

[scandalex]

I'm still not clear. Does this method give you unlimited data including the visual voice mail?

 

[dagoo98]

This is only good if you do not send text messages. because essentially the plan that you get for $80 with a contract which is 900 minutes, unlimited nights and weekends, mobile to mobile, unlimited iPhone data, and 1500 text messages you now have to pay $110 per month with the only additional service being unlimited text rather than 1500.

Is it just me or does this not make sense. Why would you pay more to not be under a contract? After x amount of months you would have paid your termination that your trying to avoid.

 

[nobodyimportaint]

Virgin Mobile, 400 voice minutes (plenty for me), "unlimited" data and text (4G), $35 per month, no contract. Unlimited means they throttle you back after 2GB per month, but it is still usable. They use the Sprint Network, so that may be a factor if you do not have good Sprint coverage in your area. $55 PLUS $20 for data/text is a crime.

 

[chris]

Virgin Mobile, 400 voice minutes (plenty for me), "unlimited" data and text, $35 per month, no contract. Unlimited means they throttle you back after 2G per month, but it is still usable. $55 PLUS $20 for data/text is a crime.

I agree. T-Mobile offers unlimited for $50. Unlimited data, phone and text. If service was good in my house, I'd switch. For now, I have to keep AT&T, until T-Mobile improves their network in my area.

At what point do I accept partially good service to save $. That's a question I often ask myself.