AT&T’s Nokia E71x already available for 1¢
It looks like we’re not the only ones excited to see a desirable Symbian handset finally land on AT&T. Amazon.com is so excited in fact, it’s basically giving the phone away. AT&T’s slender new smartphone isn’t even a day old and it can already be had for the low, low price of 1¢. Seriously, just a penny — with free activation and free shipping! Of course the deal requires a 2-year contract but for Symbian fans, two years should be perfect. If the amount of time it took the company to launch the E71x is any indication, AT&T should just be releasing the N97 by the time your new contract is up. Those of you who have been begging for the E71x ever since we first scooped it back in November have probably already pulled the trigger at AT&T’s $99 price point, but no worries. $100 is hardly a tall order for the thinnest QWERTY smartphone in the world — plus FP2 bragging rights over your unlocked E71-carrying friends.
Thanks, Balki Bartokomous!
hahaha Balki! Perfect Strangers!
Over the life of the contract, the AT&T branded phone will cost an additional $360 for service when compared to its unlocked counterpart (due to the required 2 years of the more expensive data plan).
Given that an unlocked E71 costs only $320 (or less), with the original $99 price for the AT&T version you’d be paying an extra $140 for the joys of having 2-years of provider lockin and some pretty AT&T branding on your phone. Yay?
Getting the AT&T version for $0 up front makes a bit more sense, as it’s only $40 more than the unbranded version over the life of the contract, and it may be worth it for FP2.
Of course, until there’s more hard data on just what exactly AT&T has done to this thing, I’d hold out.
I still don’t regret getting my unlocked E71, especially since it was on sale for $250 on NewEgg at the time. I’d say $15 data is worth more to me that FP2.
This phone is sexii
So buying this 1 cent phone requires you not only activate the line of service for 2 years but also get a premium data package???
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).
WHY would you own a smartphone and not have a data package? That would be like having a nice car but refusing to buy gas for it…
wow now that is just too expensive
Just checked. They will not sell to anyone on a family plan.
The reason you’d want to buy the unlocked phone over this one is because the data package that you can get is much cheaper than the one they force you to get when you buy the phone… it’s kinda like buying a blackberry… you have to buy that blackberry data package which is like $30/month. I’m only paying $15/month for my data package with the unlocked phone!
What in the FP2 that differs from FP1. I have the unlocked grey E71 its one of the best phones out there.
that is the real question. i’d rather buy unbranded hands down. what is the deal with FP2, and is it worth a contract and 15 extra bucks a month for data? att really needs to do something about those data rates though. that’s like a gas station charging a mercedes benz driver twice as much than they would the ford fusion driver.
The E71x is MUCH faster than the E71. I’m guessing the processer is running faster, maybe even the same one used by the E55?
The only thing ATT removed is the radio. Likely so it does not compete with the XM subscription based radio.
Oh and there is no contact search from active standby.
The E71 is so sluglish compared to the E71x I wont be using my E71 anymore.
At least ATT forced Nokia to produce a snappy device that doesnt cost a fortune.
The E71X ATT branded phone can be bought from amazon without a contract for $300.
http://www.amazon.com/Nokia-E71x-Phone-Black-Service/dp/B0027FHJIC/ref=cell_dp_woplan
The upgrade from the $15 to the $30 PDA for a two year period is $360 so as mentioned above will be cheaper to get the phone from Amazon without a plan. Even with the penny somebody will be paying more with a PDA plan
It appears to be just OS related the hardware is the same.
I’ve talked to not one, but TWO, ATT representatives. Both have said that a data plan IS NOT required.
@ Ivaylo:
not required, but you”ll pay more for the phone at signing ( no rebate w/o data plan)
Why do I have unlocked e71 smartphone and NO data plan? Because I want the features of the phone but I don’t need instant access to everything, everywhere. There’s plenty of free WiFi around which is more than enough for my needs. By not paying for a data plan I’ve already more than offset the cost of the phone.
If you place the order through AT&T website, data plan is not require. But with Amazon, you need to have data plan.
Does anyone know about GPS hardware? Does AT&T lock the hardware from using another GPS software? I’m planning to install Garmin on E71x. If it is lock, I have to reconsider about this.
only the awesome super good cool phones are 1 penny…especially the day after they come out…
Funny how everyone with an unlocked e71 is assuming that AT&T won’t be bumping them up to the e71x’s data plan now that it’s system will recognize the phone. More power to everyone that’s beating the system now … just hope it lasts or the savings won’t be there over the e71x.
Not true. You only have to keep the Data plan until you receive your rebate back, after that point, you can call and cancel. The only phone that AT&T has said MUST have a data plan is the iPhone. Any other smartphone device you have to activate with data, but they don’t make you keep it.
To Dave On May 5, 2009 @ 7:01 pm:
How the hell do you know you don’t have to keep the data plan. The phone just came out. Have you received your rebate and successfully cancelled the “minumum required” PDA data plan? No, I didn’t think so,
To On May 5, 2009 @ 1:26 pm, Saruti Said:
Wrong, you ARE required to buy the minimum PDA plan on AT&T to buy the phone.
On May 6, 2009 @ 3:13 pm, DT Said:
Yesterday, it was not require for PDA plan. I think they just add it up, because I added everything until the check out step, and it didn’t ask me to add PDA plan at all.
However, you might consider buying this from letstalk.com. You can get it for free, and you don’t have to add PDA plan too.
I am utterly dissapointed. I ordered this phone without a data plan (as an upgrade). The reason for this was because it has wifi. Free wifi equals no need for data plan if i don’t need constant access to the internet…at least thats what i thought.
After reading all these forums i decided to call at&t just to make sure. They informed me that wifi means at&t wifi hot spots and that if i try to use them, they will charge me the data plan.
So I can’t even use free wifi spots? I am probably going to send the phone right back when I receive it in the mail.