Can i buy the Apple Iphone from apple without signing up with AT&T?

by Mike
I already am on a family plan and i would like just to swap sim cards from my old phone into the Iphone but can i buy just the phone from apple or do i have to sign up with a contract? Edit i am on AT&T right now


Posted by Bode at: 2008-03-09 22:10:30
If you are already not with AT&T they will force you into a contract, because I do not think that the iPhone can be unlocked. If you are already with AT&T I am sure they would be glad to sell you the iPhone outrightat some ridiculous premium marked up price.


Posted by placebeau at: 2008-03-10 00:17:42
short answer"YES!" explanation: when you first buy the phone you originally buy it without a contract, when you first connect it to itunes THEN you will sign up for a contract, and pick a plan. now what you are gonna want to do is what is called unlocking, what your gonna do is allow the iphone to be used without the actual iphone plan. you will want to use the tutorials linked here: http://ipho.nu/entry/21/ to unlock and activate your phone. once you unlock your phone then you connect it to itunes and itunes recognizes a normal phone.


Posted by Brian j at: 2008-03-09 22:14:43
go to ebay.com and u can buy this thing where u can pick who u want to be ur phone company with any sim card i think go and check it out


Posted by just nate at: 2008-03-09 22:14:57
ebay


Posted by Nick V at: 2008-03-09 22:16:33
iPhone Matters (http://www.iphonematters.com) has confirmed in am article that Apple will only be selling iPhones with the 2 year contract plan. And even though you do have AT&T, you'll still have to buy a new plan. I talked to my friend who's been a longtime AT&T Cingular customer, and she did have to buy a new plan. If you want an iPhone like device, you can buy an iPod touch. It's basically an iPhone without the phone, camera, and you can't get internet just anywhere (no 3G internet connection), but there still is WiFi. Also if you buy the phone from eBay, you can never update it if you are using another SIM, because it will permanently lock the phone if it finds a non-AT&T plan trying to update the iPhone, even if you "unlock" it. Also you can't just use the phone without a SIM, your phone will simply just be an electronic brick. And AT&T will not unlock your phone for you, it's common sense, because then they lose money. And to clear up this other stuff. Other companies do not manufacture stuff for iPhones. And by the way Verizon doesn't have SIM cards, AT&T Cingular does. But the other companies don't make their SIM cards compatible with the iPhone for legal use, except for I think a company in Europe. And even if you buy an iPhone as a gift, you still have to get a plan. The same works for buying any other cell phone as a gift, you have to have a plan in order for it to work, otherwise like I said, it's a dud. So please don't listen to the brainless fools that hear rumors from their "tech-savvy" friends. Listen to the geeks, we know what we're talking about.


Posted by ootsae at: 2008-03-09 22:11:51
yes but you'll have to get it unlocked you maybe able to get it unlocked by calling the at&t company they'll usally do it for free good luck


Posted by gottobetheone2003 at: 2008-03-09 22:10:55
sure, depends on your phone though. and maybe apple has a contract and says that you may, but from what i know, you dont need to sign up for a new contract. you could use the phone without service, i know that to be certain though.


Posted by Emily h at: 2008-03-09 22:10:32
Some wireless companies are now able to unlock the iPhone to run on their network. I know verizon does this. Who is your wireless provider?


Posted by Mike at: 2008-03-09 22:09:26
I don't think you can do that. I'm pretty sure you have to sign up with AT&T


Posted by Andrew T at: 2008-03-09 22:09:30
thats how they make their money, iphone is only threw at'n t


Posted by Armywifeok at: 2008-03-09 22:09:54
You can buy the iPhone with no contract from the apple website. When I ordered it, I ordered it as 'a gift'. I am not certain that ordering it in another fashion requires a contract though, but I know without a doubt that that method works.


Posted by Dan at: 2008-03-09 22:09:08
yes, but you wont be able to use it unless you unlock it or have At&t Also, you cant pay with cash at the apple store to buy your iphone. only credit cards. To many were buying them and selling them on ebay. Ok, after reading some of the comments, and seeing negative feedback, ive decided to edit mine to prove alot of the negative rating people wrong. The iphone has been unlockable for ages. Here is a simple tutorial. http://iphone.unlock.no/ Plenty of people have been using there iphones with different companies. this also allows for 3rd party applications. Everything works just like normal. Verizon phones are CDMA phones which is just a different cellular standard. there is GSM and CDMA. GSM companies are At&t, t-mobile. that actually all I can think off at the top of my head. Verizon and Sprint are CDMA. As long as it is GSM you can use your iphone. the Iphone is a GSM phone and has a slot for a simcard. originally it is programmed to only accept At&t sim cards, but this has been overridden. Also, In europe, Apple has signed contracts with certain companies to distribute the iphone in europe exlusively. Here is the UK's O2 website that sells the iphone. http://www.o2.co.uk/iphone O2 is a UK based GSM company, just like At&t and t-mobile. T-mobile also offers the Iphone in germany. works are taking place discussing canada's release. Even more ranting. For people saying you need a 2 year contract. False. Go on ebay. there are tons. think thousands made contracts just to sell it. no, cause they would lose money. thats why apple made it so you cant buy the iphone with cash anymore, cause so many people were just going in to buy the phone and not using it on At&t. Want some more intresting reading? Here is an article from about a year ago. Iphone loses exclusivity. http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/24/iphone-unlocked-atandt-loses-iphone-exclusivity-august-24-2007/ Hows about apple itself estimating that 250,000 iphones were sold to unlockers. this is about half a year ago. http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/22/apple-estimates-250-000-iphones-sold-to-sim-unlockers/ What about the possibility of 1 in every 3 iphones being unlocked?! I thought it couldent be unlocked according to the mass intelegence of some of these yahoo people. http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/01/25/are-one-in-three-iphones-sold-being-unlocked/ And for anyone that doubts any of this, you should read up on your french law. Due to a law passed in 1998, mobile operaters must assist customers in unlocking there phones. Therefor the iphone in france is unlocked! http://www.unlockiphone.info/2007/07/iphones-in-france-law-says-they-must-be.html Get it right people. Stop posting false answers to questions and confusing this man. So let me tell you how it would work for you. thankfully since you have At&t. you are fine. you can literally plug in your sim card and use the iPhone. The iphone is a heavy data user. Weather, Travel, Internet, Email. This all uses your data plan. Unless you have an unlimited data plan, I wouldent recomment an iphone. Get a data plan if your planning on an iphone. If you dont, expect a ridiculous bill.


Posted by BlackSand at: 2008-03-09 22:11:02
No, steve jobs super iphone dude, made it clear during the debut of the Iphone that the contract is exclusive to AT&T. It was considered to be the biggest downfall of the phone and the majority of people polled said the price was too high for them to want to switch to AT&T at this time. You can buy a similar version overseas that may work, but it is an iphone knock off.

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