iPhone and Existing Cingular Customers (and 2 year contract)

[iPhoneObsessed]

Okay, so I'm having a mini panic attack, someone set me straight please!

I'm finding info that states that the iPhone will only be sold with a 2 year contract with Cingular. ( Reference Link Here. ) I've been a Cingular customer for years, but my current contract doesn't end until January (I bought a new phone last year and signed a contract, now I wish I could go back in time!). The article states that you're SOL if you are an existing Cingular customer, but are still under contract. I'm willing to pay full price for the iPhone! I'll pay an extra 200 bucks for it when it comes out if I have too, because that's how it usually works, phones with a 2 year contract are just cheaper, and you can still buy the phone without the contract.
I really don't want to believe the article cause I just don't know how it would all work, with the iPhone being available in Apple stores and on Apple.com, not just Cingular stores.
Okay, now I'm rambling. Hopefully someone can decipher my scrambled speech and please please please tell me I'm wrong!

 

[wmachin]

I would think that you could just buy it and switch the sim card and pay for service. That's what I've always done with Cingular when I wanted a new phone. Luckily my contract ends in June so I don't have to worry about that, but it seems as though it would be fine to do what you described.

 

[tompayne]

Okay, so I'm having a mini panic attack, someone set me straight please!

I'm finding info that states that the iPhone will only be sold with a 2 year contract with Cingular. ( Reference Link Here. ) I've been a Cingular customer for years, but my current contract doesn't end until January (I bought a new phone last year and signed a contract, now I wish I could go back in time!). The article states that you're SOL if you are an existing Cingular customer, but are still under contract. I'm willing to pay full price for the iPhone! I'll pay an extra 200 bucks for it when it comes out if I have too, because that's how it usually works, phones with a 2 year contract are just cheaper, and you can still buy the phone without the contract.
I really don't want to believe the article cause I just don't know how it would all work, with the iPhone being available in Apple stores and on Apple.com, not just Cingular stores.
Okay, now I'm rambling. Hopefully someone can decipher my scrambled speech and please please please tell me I'm wrong!

cingular reps get goodies for signing up new contracts. tell them you will sign a new two year contract and you'll be fine. Or you can add accessories to your purchase and make a deal. it works everytime, and i was also told this by a rep. my contract isn't up till august, but the rep told me to tell them, "ill sign a contract early or buy a bunch of extra crap. ill probably just do the early contract.

 

[iPhoneObsessed]

Decided to make sure, and I think I have a definite answer.

I logged on to the Cingular website and did 'livechat' with 2 of their agents. Both of them separately told me that you can always pay the retail price for a device and not have to sign a contract, though they could not tell me what that price was.

But I don't care how much it is, I'm just so so so happy that I can get one in June! YAY. Thank you so much everyone. This website/forum is the best I've ever found on the iPhone!

 

[tompayne]

I logged on to the Cingular website and did 'livechat' with 2 of their agents. Both of them separately told me that you can always pay the retail price for a device and not have to sign a contract, though they could not tell me what that price was.

But I don't care how much it is, I'm just so so so happy that I can get one in June! YAY. Thank you so much everyone. This website/forum is the best I've ever found on the iPhone!

im assuming the price is the same for everyone. AT&T already said, no discounts for the two year contracts. im glad you get to get it in june.

 

[mav]

I was just informed by a Cingular/AT&T rep that current customers can purchase the iPhone anytime at the regular $499/$599 price points without a contract extension if you are not eligible for an upgrade. If you are, then you could upgrade to the iPhone at a discounted price. Also she claims that the iPhone will be released the second week of June which is consistent with the rumored June 11th and June 15th launch dates.

 

[miguel446]

What i wonder is what the cost will be in order to access all of the iPhone's features. By the time I pay for two phones, with full functionality, will I be able to afford a two-year contract?

 

[tompayne]

What i wonder is what the cost will be in order to access all of the iPhone's features. By the time I pay for two phones, with full functionality, will I be able to afford a two-year contract?

im keeping my current contract. i have enough wifi spots around here to get what i want online. as far as two phones, im just hoping at least one of the 3 cingulars stores in this city has my phone in stock. what other stuff are you getting for it, that will get you "full functionality".

 

[miguel446]

Well, now I only use my phone for phone calls. No data plans, no text messaging , no anything else. So, I wonder what I'll have to pay for in order to be able to send and receive email, browse the web, text msg, send photos and the like.

 

[ColsTiger]

Well, now I only use my phone for phone calls. No data plans, no text messaging , no anything else. So, I wonder what I'll have to pay for in order to be able to send and receive email, browse the web, text msg, send photos and the like.

To use all the features you'll want to have a data plan. This guy has widgets that will be connected to MEdiaNet all the time. Data will be transferring over Cingular's network anytime you're not in a Wifi area. Without a data plan, Cingular is going to charge you $.01/Kb of data tranferred. That can add up to the amount of a data plan if you check email just four or five times.

 

[Cantwait4iPhone]

To use all the features you'll want to have a data plan. This guy has widgets that will be connected to MEdiaNet all the time. Data will be transferring over Cingular's network anytime you're not in a Wifi area. Without a data plan, Cingular is going to charge you $.01/Kb of data tranferred. That can add up to the amount of a data plan if you check email just four or five times.

Yeah, you will definitely want a data plan if you are fully going to utilize the features of the iPhone. There are likely to be different variations of data plans for the phone, so you could always buy the cheaper one if you want to only use those features occasionally.

As for the main topic of this post, I would guess that the phone is definitely available without the two year contract. Of course, they will try to get you to purchase the contract and you would likely get a discount. But it seems that you don't really care about money.


I know the smartest thing would also be the hardest thing to do in this situation. Your best option would be to wait until your contract expires in January, as v.1.1 will likely be out around the holiday season (don't hold me on this ). I know, though, that for the same reason you are on an iPhone forum with the rest of us, you wouldn't have second thoughts about grabbing an iPhone at first sight.

I would recommend trying your best to avoid a two year contract, and if not, bear it until January

 

[wjp09]

This would be a bad move on cingular and Apples part if they do not cell to cingular customers. Cingular is the Most popular cell provider in the us. *I believe They will be missing out on a HUGE demographic.


PS. TopicCreator welcome to everything iPhone.

 

[ebrunn]

don't worry everyone. They are going to sell it for the same price for current Cingular customers.

http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2007/04/25/iphone-qanda-for-atandt-employees/

 

[Cantwait4iPhone]

Thanks for the info, ebrunn. This really helped to clear things up. After all, that's what this site is for, keeping up to date on this obsession of ours.

Just a month to go guys, I just keep waiting for an official release date.

 

[iPhoneObsessed]

Yeah, you will definitely want a data plan if you are fully going to utilize the features of the iPhone. There are likely to be different variations of data plans for the phone, so you could always buy the cheaper one if you want to only use those features occasionally.

As for the main topic of this post, I would guess that the phone is definitely available without the two year contract. Of course, they will try to get you to purchase the contract and you would likely get a discount. But it seems that you don't really care about money.


I know the smartest thing would also be the hardest thing to do in this situation. Your best option would be to wait until your contract expires in January, as v.1.1 will likely be out around the holiday season (don't hold me on this ). I know, though, that for the same reason you are on an iPhone forum with the rest of us, you wouldn't have second thoughts about grabbing an iPhone at first sight.

I would recommend trying your best to avoid a two year contract, and if not, bear it until January

I COMPLETELY agree with the waiting until January thing.. so all the bugs are worked out and I could get it for cheaper and all... I just... can't. Lol. I visit this site and others all day long and in my free time it's all I think about... the responsible part of me says wait... but I just can't.
And I'll likely be going into debt for this thing. I paid off every debt I had 6 months ago, and have kept it that way, But I will most likely be putting this purchase on my credit card, lol.

 

[iPhoneObsessed]

This would be a bad move on cingular and Apples part if they do not cell to cingular customers. Cingular is the Most popular cell provider in the us. *I believe They will be missing out on a HUGE demographic.


PS. TopicCreator welcome to everything iPhone.

Thanks for the welcome. Like I said, this site has the most information that I've found so far. I love it!

 

[fastb1]

im assuming the price is the same for everyone. AT&T already said, no discounts for the two year contracts. im glad you get to get it in june.

Tom, what do you hear as to which companies will service the iPhone? I have heard several names so far, but not my carrier, Sprint. Any idea if they plan to join, and if so, when? Thanks.

 

[mav]

Tom, what do you hear as to which companies will service the iPhone? I have heard several names so far, but not my carrier, Sprint. Any idea if they plan to join, and if so, when? Thanks.

Its a Cingular/AT&T exclusive for the foreseeable future. And since it is a GSM phone, even if Apple distributes the iPhone through other service carriers, I doubt it is going to Sprint.

 

[fastb1]

Its a Cingular/AT&T exclusive for the foreseeable future. And since it is a GSM phone, even if Apple distributes the iPhone through other service carriers, I doubt it is going to Sprint.

Thanks for your input. Bummer about the network type limitation. I had not heard of this. Perhaps by the time they are less pricy they'll make a PCS version.

 

[Cantwait4iPhone]

I COMPLETELY agree with the waiting until January thing.. so all the bugs are worked out and I could get it for cheaper and all... I just... can't. Lol. I visit this site and others all day long and in my free time it's all I think about... the responsible part of me says wait... but I just can't.
And I'll likely be going into debt for this thing. I paid off every debt I had 6 months ago, and have kept it that way, But I will most likely be putting this purchase on my credit card, lol.

Yeah, I can't wait either. Hey, that's the reason we are on this site, we are temporarily obsessed with this phone. What has this world become?