AT&T ETF Help pls!

[BlackSS831]

My parents have an AT&T account that we all share, if I open an AT&T account and get a iPhone 3GS at a discounted price and cancel in 30 days all I pay is $175+activation+discount 3GS price ($199) correct?

I don't have to pay for text or air time right?

[piam101]

You will have to cancel after thirty days. Within thirty they will require a return of the equipment or charge the full retail price to the account. Preferably, you can add a line to your family's account and end up paying $9.99 (add a line), $30 (data), $26 (activation fee), $199 (phone), $175 (cancellation fee) + tax (~$75 total based on my calculations, expect $50 tax for the phone in CA due to them charging tax on the retail price of the phone which is $600) = ~$470

[tjd24]

Originally Posted by piam101

You will have to cancel after thirty days. Within thirty they will require a return of the equipment or charge the full retail price to the account. Preferably, you can add a line to your family's account and end up paying $9.99 (add a line), $30 (data), $26 (activation fee), $199 (phone), $175 (cancellation fee) + tax (~$75 total based on my calculations, expect $50 tax for the phone in CA due to them charging tax on the retail price of the phone which is $600) = ~$470

If he has no service/account today there shouldn't be a cancellation charge - they're only applied at cancellation, not up-front. As the account holder has the liability there is no other fee besides the activation fee. So the above should be ~$295...

Just be sure you consider your minutes and text volumes you expect to add to your family's current volumes and roll-over minutes. Consider increasing the minutes or add a text plan if you're a heavy texter.

If you had your own account you'd have a minutes and data plan to pay monthly, so going on your family's plan is a better move - just understand your minutes and text volumes.

[Brokinarrow]

after all that would it not be cheaper to just buy an unlocked iphone?

[piam101]

Originally Posted by tjd24

If he has no service/account today there shouldn't be a cancellation charge - they're only applied at cancellation, not up-front. As the account holder has the liability there is no other fee besides the activation fee. So the above should be ~$295...

Just be sure you consider your minutes and text volumes you expect to add to your family's current volumes and roll-over minutes. Consider increasing the minutes or add a text plan if you're a heavy texter.

If you had your own account you'd have a minutes and data plan to pay monthly, so going on your family's plan is a better move - just understand your minutes and text volumes.

Based on my understanding of his post, he doesn't actually want the service, he wants to buy the phone outright, and most likely unlock it to use on a different carrier (TMO) or send overseas. This route is technically cheaper than buying one outright, just more work involved.

[tjd24]

Originally Posted by piam101

Based on my understanding of his post, he doesn't actually want the service, he wants to buy the phone outright, and most likely unlock it to use on a different carrier (TMO) or send overseas. This route is technically cheaper than buying one outright, just more work involved.

If so I agree - he wasn't clear on his intended use.