Sister upgraded phone, gave old iphone to Dad. Now what?

[eno801]

I think it is a 3g model will have to check. How would I go activating this thing for my dad to use. Can I do it over Itunes? It still has the old sim in there as my sis switched carriers from ATT to Sprint. I reset the phone and he is just using at as an Ipod right now. Do you really need a 2 year contract if you bring in your own phone? as there is no subsidizing involved. what about the $300 something cancellation fee? does that still apply?

Sorry for all questions

[alice_in_wonderland]

i just gave my brother my old iPhone 3G after i upgraded to the iPhone 4 - he was able to continue with 'Pay as you go' minutes - no contract required.

This was in Canada with Rogers; however, i've always understood that cell phone plans are the MOST crappy in Canada so you might be OK if you're in the US. You're obviously OK in Canada.

[Amblydoper]

You will need a new sim card and you will need to sign up for a monthly plan. Go to an ATT store for all the details.

[drastic_quench]

No contract and no Early Termination Fee. You own the equipment. Everything else is an ESN change and maybe a data plan. All of which you can do yourself online. All the major networks have made it easy. I don't know about the SIM card.

[eno801]

I guess I will try another ATT store. Just went to the one close to work and they said I need to sign up for 2 years and if I break the contract/cancel it is a $320 fee minus $10 dollars for every month I paid. Said there was no pay as you go for iphone

[drastic_quench]

Originally Posted by eno801

I guess I will try another ATT store. Just went to the one close to work and they said I need to sign up for 2 years and if I break the contract/cancel it is a $320 fee minus $10 dollars for every month I paid. Said there was no pay as you go for iphone

The only way you'd have an ETF is if your sister still has a contract for that device, and then it would be her ETF, not yours. No one needs a contract for a plan. Contracts are for discounts on phones in exchange for a term of service -- ATT sells you a phone at half price, but you have to agree to stay with them for two years, otherwise ETF. Stores suck. They exist to sell, not service.

You won't be able to put an iPhone or most other smartphones on prepaid. I'm not sure if you only mention that because of salesperson idiotic response.

If you won't set it up online, call their customer service. It is really simple. Just think of the iPhone as a piece of equipment that you own - because that's what it is. There's no reason for a contract.

[eno801]

Yeah my sisters contract ended and instead of reupping they switched carriers because they wanted the Evo and the Evo shift. plus it was cheaper with sprint. So the phone is free and clear. I asked the guy why the cancellation fee since it is there mainly to offset the subsidized phone, which this isn't.
He just stared blankly and repeated 2 year contract signing to get it turned on.

[Ferret Herder]

He can use it in the meantime over WiFi, for what that's worth.

[Munch]

Originally Posted by eno801

He just stared blankly and repeated 2 year contract signing to get it turned on.

Ugh, that would really piss me off. What I'd actually say would be, "In another week of working here, you'll have this all figured out. In the meantime I'd like to talk to a manager."

[eno801]

yeah it's pretty much just wifi and ipod for now. I'm thinking of ditching it and just getting him a samsung focus. The windows tile thing rocks.

[jasg]

Originally Posted by eno801

I guess I will try another ATT store. Just went to the one close to work and they said I need to sign up for 2 years and if I break the contract/cancel it is a $320 fee minus $10 dollars for every month I paid. Said there was no pay as you go for iphone

That is incorrect - if you can do without a data plan.

I have been using an iPhone 3G on a pay as you go plan for 8 months. This for voice calls only, no data access - I use WiFi for that.

Ignore any instructions to jailbreak or unlock your phone. You do need to make sure that the OS on the phone is new enough (v4.0, I think) have an option do turn off cellular data. This is needed to keep from chewing up pay as you go minutes at a rapid rate.

You need to find a REAL AT&T store, not an authorized reseller. Use the web store locator.

Go there a tell them you want to purchase a goPhone SIM card with $25 of time on it. You will get a card the size of a credit card with a snap out SIM and code on it.

Make sure it is on the 10 cent/minute plan (they goofed this up for me). They did not ask about the phone, had they done so, I was going to say I was buying it for a friend visiting from Europe.

Insert the SIM card in the phone and activate it. The instructions are here.

Here is a thread discussing doing this on another forum - my posts are as 'jasg49'.

[eno801]

jasg thanks!!

that totally worked at first they wanted me to bring in the phone. I just told them I was running errands for my job and the item to pick up was a 25 dollar gophone 10 cent a minute plan sim. they wanted me to call my "employer", did I know the number of said phone, not something they usually do, etc. I said I did not want to screw up first day on the job did not know anything but was on my todo list. they gave it to me.

Got home popped it in activated and it is up and running. Just added a 100 bucks for the year. cheaper than 2 months of what they wanted me to sign up.

Just don't tell them it is an iphone because they will say it cannot be done because it needs a data plan. Had to go in person with my "tale".

also took your advice for the talkatone thing so that will save him even more minutes. and yes i turned cellular data off.