Apple iPhone to be available for prepaid users?
One thing we know about the Apple iPhone launch, is that we don’t really know much. Today we received a few screen shots that shed some light on one of the major questions regarding the sales of the iPhone — who will be eligible to buy this new dream gadget? According to some newly surfaced internal AT&T account codes the answer is everyone! We can infer from the 3 codes received that the iPhone will be available to Go Phone Pay As You Go subscribers, Go Phone Pick Your Plan subscribers (hybrids), and of course postpaid users. You heard it here first – prepaid iPhones baby! What we can also assume is that since the masters of prepaid can purchase these, anyone will be able to snatch one up, whether they are in contract or not. This means that if you’re not up for an "upgrade" you will still be able to enjoy your Apple goodness. Now if we can only get the official no-commitment pricing…Who are we kidding, we’ll have that soon. Check the full screen shots after the jump!
UPDATE: There have been a couple articles stating that feature codes are generated automatically when a handset is entered into AT&T’s system, even phones that are not available prepaid. That is true. What is not true is that these feature codes were not generic codes, these are completely unique and never seen before. This was confirmed by multiple AT&T sources. Does this 100% mean the iPhone will be available prepaid? No. It does at least let us know either that the unique, never seen before feature codes entered one by one were incorrect and a mistake, AT&T is generating false information to get us to bite, or the iPhone will in fact be available prepaid.
I think if you can barely afford the iPhone, You should get5 on a prepaid plan. Screw what Ron said!!!!! If I did’nt have the choice to get on prepaid I would’ent even care if it excisted! Ok maybe I would, but just a little.
Thanks B.G.
P.S. – Ron is 22nd or 23rd down. I am gonna get your attention by doing this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@###############################################$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
I tried the 999 social security number, but this not work for me, itunes never showed the option to prepaid account. I activated my IPhone with a prepaid account but i had to go a few steps and 2 days.
I received and e-mail from AT&T telling that they need more information.
I called AT&T and said that i want a prepaid account, they told me to goto an AT&T store and get an pick a number with “pick your plan” gophone number. i went back to home and tried activate the iphone again, didn’t receive the option for a preparid acount then i tried the 999 SSN again and received the same message: we need more time to process your application, then i received the e-mail telling me that AT&T needs more information. I called AT&T tell then that i went to an store and got a prepaid number then they activated my IPhone.
Hint: ask then to put the IPhone Data bundle in your account because the plan they put me they charge 10 USD per megabyte. with a few minutes of internet usage they charge almost 25 USD, i called AT&T (611) and change the plan to include IPhone data bundle but this will start only on the next billing period, until then i must pay 10 USD per megabyte.
The comments on this post appear to be dieing off now but I thought I would put in my two cents worth…
I bought the iPhone 8gig and put my self on the hybrid pre-pay. The reason I did this is simply because a) My credit sucks and b)I do not want to sign a 2-year contract. I was with tMobile for the last two years and have been on what they call a spending limit account. My spending limit was $150 and I had 3000 minutes. I rarely spent more than $80 per month. Before this I was on Sprint for 5 years.
Because I was able to go prepaid with AT&T, I bought the iPhone and I love it. It is a great phone.
Now for the down side…
I am having to monitor and adjust my usage because I am now being charged .1250/minute. So far, I put $75 into my account and am about to put in another $25 to bump up my minutes.
My iPhone has a Usage Log which shows that I have used 972 minutes. at .1250/minute, it totals out to $121 (I have spent less than this but the usage report does not show the nights and weekends minutes used).
I am still adjusting, but I may have to switch over to the post-paid plan. I will make my decision in a week after I have had this thing for a full month.
I really do not want a 2 year contract though.
The phoneis great though and I recommend you get one.
and how do you get Cingular’s Hybrid plan to your iphone i bought my last week and i dont want a contract with at&t cause they have bad customer service. my i phone is locked so please help here..
Oh duh. Why waste money on a phone when you use it to call home about picking up a quart of milk? Only children and suckers would run the regular plan. Businesspeople with a legit heavy-use pattern can likely have it written off as an expense. Prepaid rocks, baby.
so is there gonna be a pay as you go option. i realy dont want to go onto a two year plan and i wouldn’t buy an iphone unless there’s a pay as you go option. i love the iphone but i cant afford it with the two year contract.
Let me get this straight-you bought an iphone from AT&T without a 2 year service contract? And were able to purchase “hybrid” prepaid service from AT&T which worked in an unlocked iphone? I wasn’t offered this option-AT&T wanted an exorbitant deposit to activate service and basically it was “make the deposit or you’re s.o.l…” I’m looking at unlocked phones now because I thought it was my only option without ponying up a small fortune. Will try again with a different rep-thanks for the info!
datz so kool dat u r puttin pre-paid iphone bcuz i want a prpaid 1 thnkz lol
prepaid is better then anything because you pay 100$ for 100 minutes a year. The iphone costs 60$ a month and that adds up to 720 a year instead of limiting your talk time and going for prepaid.
not everyone has the good credit to get an iphone on a regular plan, shitbag
Actually i think they should do sumthin like how the sidekick is where u pay a certain amount for calls and sumthin for data alot of ppl is buyin the sidekick prepaid and yes i knw i ur talkin bout the iphone bein prepaid so who knws
I wonder what the iphone data plans are gonna look like being prepaid since the data plans are different on the postpaid plans…
true lol
dear at&t,
i hope you will come out with the pantec duo with the pre pay things. my friend has it and i am so mad. this will be a cool experience for me to try this new thing out. but you don’t have to. this would be an idea to start off of. thanks
bobbie
I would like a iphone, but im only 16 and cant get a contract, so i think prepaid is a good way to go. i know pleanty of friends that feel the same way!
I happen to use a pre-paid phone and I am not a drug dealer or any other person you talked about. I use pre-paid for one reason. I buy a $20 card and it lasts me for three months. I don’t need to have a phone glued to my ear 24/7. I use mine for when I’m out and need to be contacted or for 911. So, by the time I have to buy another $20 phone card, you’ve spent $90. More if you go over you limit.
I think it will be Cool to have a prepaid Iphone, but I do think it is better to have a plan then pay prepaid. I’m gonna get that New Iphone, BABY.
I love Jordan W., he’s Hott!
SO DO THEY HAVE A I PHONE PREPAID YET/.JUST ASKIN.
you stupid people i wnat a iphone no contract AND prepad so when you find me a cheap iphone that is like that then telll let me see the price and you will have either a yes or a no so good day to you sir or ma’am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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