 illJazzPremium
join:2002-09-04
Geneva | Leaving the US for about 5 months--what to do about service? I've been with AT&T since a day after the release of the original iPhone. I bought the iPhone 3G on July 12th, and with that, of course, came a new contract. I'm an international student who's in the US on an F-1 visa. My situation has now changed in such a way that I am returning home to Europe for about 5 months. In January, I intend to return to the US.
While in Switzerland, I'd obviously like to keep using my iPhone 3G, because using any other phone at this point would feel like down-grading, big-time. So now, I face a strange situation regarding my AT&T service and my iPhone ownership.
Do I cancel my AT&T service and pay the cancellation fee, and then sign up anew once I return in early 2009? Or do I stay with AT&T and keep paying the core bills of $75 a month for a few months.. and then just pick up where I left off once I return? I don't really want to unlock my phone even though that's probably going to be possible, even on the iPhone 3G, sooner or later (if it isn't already, haven't been keeping up), but if I do not, I won't be able to use my iPhone with any other carrier back home (Switzerland).
Between these two options, cost wise, I feel like there isn't a huge difference. Cancelling and rejoining is somewhere between $200 and $300, right? And paying the bills for 4 to 5 months and picking up where I left off is between roughly $300 and $400+.
Thing is.. if I cancel service here and explain my situation, will AT&T unlock the phone for me?
That's just the beginning of my problem. Swisscom's the only one in Switzerland that carries the iPhone AFAIK, so I'd go with them.. but prepaid doesn't seem feasible because data rates with prepaid are ridiculous. I'll somehow have to sign a contract for at least one year, then cancel that prematurely again..
It's a headache, put briefly. Any suggestions? I thought I'd ask here first and discuss this before I call AT&T. I figure they'll simply suggest I keep the service and keep paying them.
TIA
--
I r a lolcat. |
|
|
|
illJazzPremium
join:2002-09-04
Geneva | I guess the short version is: if I call AT&T and tell them that I'm leaving the US for 4 to 5 months, will they give me an unlock code for my iPhone along with canceling my service? What I'll do with the phone in Switzerland is a separate story anyway.
--
I r a lolcat. |
|
 slashPremium,MVM
join:2001-03-01
Boston | reply to illJazz
I'm not sure if they'd unlock it for you, but I believe you should be able to suspend your service for a time and then continue your contract in January when you return. There may be a small fee to do this, but it would be cheaper than those other options you mention.
--
Why not? |
|
illJazzPremium
join:2002-09-04
Geneva | said by slash:I'm not sure if they'd unlock it for you, but I believe you should be able to suspend your service for a time and then continue your contract in January when you return. There may be a small fee to do this, but it would be cheaper than those other options you mention. Wasn't aware of that option, thanks. However, that just helps me out with AT&T in the US but not with keeping my phone in Europe. I guess I'll just have to call AT&T and talk to them about it and see what's possible. |
|
| reply to illJazz
Nope. They won't do it. Not yet, at least. There's too much money to be made currently simply keeping the 3G iPhones on the ATT network.
Just keep paying the bills if you know you'll be coming back to the U.S. and find a phone you like for use back home. It seems like the way to go especially if you like the service you've enjoyed thus far w/ the 3G iPhone.
-Pedro |
|
 scotsAre we there yet??Premium
join:1999-12-06
Raleigh, NC
kudos:1
 ·AT&T U-Verse
4 edits | reply to illJazz
They are not unlocking the iPhone 3G. I recall seeing someone mention elsewhere that they asked about it and AT&T told them it couldn't be done.
I believe they have an option to put the account on hold where you pay something like $5 or $10/month rather than your regular monthly bill. This does have the effect of extending your contract by the number of months the account is on hold. So...if your contract is currently set to end in July 2010 and you put the account on hold for 5 months, your contract would then be extended to December 2010.
The ETF (should you choose to cancel) is pro-rated. It starts at $175 and is then reduced by $5 for each month you've been in the contract. In your case, if you canceled service on January 12 your ETF should be $145. July 12 through January 12 would be 6 months * $5 = $30 off the ETF.
If you did cancel and then come back you shouldn't be under another contract when you come back if you use your current phone rather than getting a new one. You would lose your current phone number, though. |
|
illJazzPremium
join:2002-09-04
Geneva | reply to pepe1812934089
said by pepe1812934089 :
Nope. They won't do it. Not yet, at least. There's too much money to be made currently simply keeping the 3G iPhones on the ATT network.
Just keep paying the bills if you know you'll be coming back to the U.S. and find a phone you like for use back home. It seems like the way to go especially if you like the service you've enjoyed thus far w/ the 3G iPhone.
-Pedro
If that's the case, I'd rather put a hold on the service as scots  mentioned. Definitely beats paying $75/month for nothing for 5 months...
said by scots:They are not unlocking the iPhone 3G. I recall seeing someone mention elsewhere that they asked about it and AT&T told them it couldn't be done. I believe they have an option to put the account on hold where you pay something like $5 or $10/month rather than your regular monthly bill. This does have the effect of extending your contract by the number of months the account is on hold. So...if your contract is currently set to end in July 2010 and you put the account on hold for 5 months, your contract would then be extended to December 2010. The ETF (should you choose to cancel) is pro-rated. It starts at $175 and is then reduced by $5 for each month you've been in the contract. In your case, if you canceled service on January 12 your ETF should be $145. July 12 through January 12 would be 6 months * $5 = $30 off the ETF. If you did cancel and then come back you shouldn't be under another contract when you come back if you use your current phone rather than getting a new one. You would lose your current phone number, though. Hm.. did that person you mentioned have a situation comparable to mine? Just curious.
Putting on hold is probably what I will end up doing. Makes the most sense right now. More so than either paying the bills while absent or canceling the service and then rejoining.
I heard about the ETF being pro-rated, but thanks for mentioning that. I wasn't 100% sure. That's nice and definitely more fair than keeping it a fixed amount regardless of how far into your contract you are.
What I'm considering doing now is using www.any-network.com, as was suggested as a possible option on the same thread I've got going over at Macrumors' Forums. Looks very interesting. I'll wait until after the 2.1 update that's dropping this Friday to see if it's confirmed to work, then probably purchase that.
The question of just what to do in Switzerland to keep using my iPhone 3G remains open. I can sign a one year contract, perhaps, and then cancel that early.. argh. Life's a bitch. It'll work out somehow. |
|
| reply to illJazz
illJazz While in Switzerland, I'd obviously like to keep using my iPhone 3G, because using any other phone at this point would feel like down-grading, big-time.
There are superior phones readily available by the providers there, get rid of the trash "ipod 3g" and get one of the real smartphones Nokia or Ericcson or Samsung makes at least they are also unlocked. |
|
illJazzPremium
join:2002-09-04
Geneva | said by Turoll : illJazz While in Switzerland, I'd obviously like to keep using my iPhone 3G, because using any other phone at this point would feel like down-grading, big-time. You using an iPhone in europe is a downgrade There are superior phones readily available by the providers there, get rid of the trash "ipod 3g" and get one of the real smartphones Nokia or Ericcson or Samsung makes at least they are also unlocked. I grew up in Europe and spent the first 18 years of my life there. I've had a bunch of phones while there, and nothing ever even came close to the iPhone. I can't think of a single other phone that wouldn't feel like some sort of downgrade compared to the iPhone 3G today. Any suggestions? I have no intentions of switching to any other phone any time soon.
BTW, I walked into an AT&T store half an hour ago and told the rep about my situation. I asked if I could put my account on hold for the duration of my absence.. and he said you can suspend your account, but you still have to pay the bills, so that's pointless. Basically, he told me that there is no way of getting out of the monthly bills :/
I feel like giving AT&T a call about this directly. Perhaps this guy just didn't know what he was talking about. Perhaps he did. Only one way to find out :/
One thing's for sure: this guy mentioned nothing about putting the account on hold and then paying a fraction of the monthly bill for the duration of my absence, and then turning service back on once I return to the US. |
|
1 edit | reply to illJazz
Yea, every cell phone company I have dealt with has something called a "seasonal plan" which keeps your account active for 5 - 6 bucks a month. I recommend doing this instead of cancelling.
I know with sprint they also actually leave the phone active and you can even still make calls... for
$0.75 a minute though. So, make sure you put it back on a real plan in January. |
|
illJazzPremium
join:2002-09-04
Geneva | said by pcnetworx1:Yea, every cell phone company I dealt with has something called a "seasonal plan" which keeps your account active for 5 - 6 bucks a month. I recommend doing this instead of cancelling. I know with sprint they also actually leave the phone active and you can even still make calls... for $0.75 a minute though. So, make sure you put it back on a real plan in January. That's exactly what the guy at AT&T told me he CANNOT do for me. He basically said there is no way to get out of paying my bills. WTF?
I really need to give them a call. |
|
slashPremium,MVM
join:2001-03-01
Boston | Yeah, I'd see if you can talk to someone else. I think he may have been giving you bad info. |
|
| reply to pcnetworx1
This is not an option with iPhone If the OP's still under contract with an iPhone (its required data services that he signed up for) he wouldn't be eligible for such a drasticly discounted plan. AFAIK the seasonal plans were never really offered by Cingular or ATT, but just the more discounted carriers like Sprint. YMMV.
-Pedro |
|
| I second this.
I'm with Tmobile.
If you're still under contract you can not suspend.
My contract expired and now I can suspend for $10/month. |
|
 AlcoholPremium
join:2003-05-26
Climax, MI
kudos:3 | Not true. I suspended my contract with Cingular last summer for 3 months with a $19.99 (if i remember) fee. My 2 year contract ended 3 months later because of it.
You can easily get the Iphone unlocked in Europe for 20 euros . |
|
| Sure, a first gen iPhone but not the 3G one. Don't confuse jailbreak with SIM unlock. FWIW, the current 'fake SIM' unlocking solutions only work temporarily, and only on some networks. |
|
illJazzPremium
join:2002-09-04
Geneva | My cousin unlocked his iPhone 3G last week here in Switzerland. Now he's in China and signed up for a mobile plan with China Mobile two days ago. He says everything works perfectly on his iPhone 3G, including 3G data acess at 3G speeds.
It's a combination of a software and hardware unlock. The hardware part uses a chip that you slide into the phone after placing it on TOP of your SIMcard in the SIM tray. No cutting of the SIM card was required. I thought that was interesting, especially because as far as I'm aware, cutting of the SIM card was required until recently.
I have no idea how he'll deal with software updates... but for now, it works great. Oh, and he's running the latest software on his iPhone, 2.1. |
|
| Sorry, but you have not yet read enough on the topic. Again, I will reiterate, it is a *temporary* solution and may stop working at any time depending on the network he's connecting to in China. Head on over to hackintosh forums if you want more specifics about the hardware/software 'fix' you've alluded to. It's a temporary one unfortunately, and won't help the vast majority of folks wanted to free themselves of the high roaming costs w/ an ATT plan.
-Pedro |
|
illJazzPremium
join:2002-09-04
Geneva | said by pepe2143621 :
Sorry, but you have not yet read enough on the topic. Again, I will reiterate, it is a *temporary* solution and may stop working at any time depending on the network he's connecting to in China. Head on over to hackintosh forums if you want more specifics about the hardware/software 'fix' you've alluded to. It's a temporary one unfortunately, and won't help the vast majority of folks wanted to free themselves of the high roaming costs w/ an ATT plan.
-Pedro
Why does it matter whether it's temporary? The point is that it works. There is never a guarantee that it will continue to work if you ever were to install 2.2 on a device using the SIM unlock chip combined with a software unlock method, but that's just the risk you have to take if you are going to unlock your iPhone 3G. Looking at it that way, the only thing there IS temporary. I don't see how you could perform a permanent unlock. |
|
| Greater perspective here Look at the broader perspective here.
*Any* of my ATT branded GSM handsets can be unlocked for use abroad w/ foreign networks If you do indeed require your phone to be 100% operational wherever you go, the unlock scheme as it stands now w/ the iPhone is not adequate for most travellers. They generally need a guarantee that their device which is set up for specific purposes is going to always work. The beauty of a truly unlocked handset on GSM loses it's shine w/ the 3G iPhone unfortunately. Some of us need a phone that works(!) |
|
