Originally posted by: aphex
Originally posted by: Wonderful Pork
Originally posted by: gordita
my wife is blatantly demanding the 3g iPhone as her birthday/anniv. gift.
she's also about 15 weeks pregnant and I'm left with no choice but to fulfill her materialistic desires.
we are existing at&t customers who are NOT eligible for an upgrade until Dec 31, 2008.
both the at&t and the apple store confirmed that I will have to pay either $400/$500 for the iPhone.
so, is there any way to make this any cheaper?
#1) buy apple gift cards/store credits at a discount from forums,craigslist/ebay.
#2) buy a 3g phone from craigslist? is this possible? can I just get aother person's 3g phone and just call at&t and add the 3g data plan to my account?
#3) any type of education discounts?
any other suggestions to reduce the iPhone price legally?
The first 2 (cheaper gift cards, buy from craigslist) would be the only valid way I could forsee it.
Another way would be to purchase a 1G iphone from CL, activate it which would theoretically make you eligible for the $199/$299 pricing, though I don't know how cheap you can find a 1G iphone. Maybe a broken one?
That's technically incorrect. The reason they said that most existing iPhone customers would be eligible is that they didn't get a subsidized phone when they bought the first gen iPhone so it didn't use the upgrade credit, but their upgrade eligibility still is the determining factor. Buying a first gen and activating it doesn't restore the eligibility for subsidized prices.
Your best bet is either;
1. Pay the unsubsidized price.
2. Cancel her current line, pay the ETF, then sign up again. (I recall hearing someone do this, but you lose your number and I can't find the thread to confirm)