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No Contract

gstaytru

May 29, 2008, 9:35 AM
I read on an AT&T press release that a person could obtain service without signing a contract:

Buy a phone at full price and go on a month-to-month service plan.
Bring your own compatible GSM device. With this option, you can buy a SIM (subscriber identity module), slip it into the back of the phone, and select a month-to-month service plan.
Choose one of AT&T's GoPhone prepaid wireless plans.

However, I recently called AT&T customer service to ask about this. The woman told me the only way I could get service without a contract is to get prepaid. Can anyone clear this up?
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Franco1903

May 29, 2008, 9:49 AM
She is wrong. I am certain that they can get postpaid service w/o a contract. The only issue they have when they don't get a contract is that they don't get the benefit of the promo features such as mobile to mobile minutes or night and weekend. So if they get the 900 for 59.99 they only get 900 min nothing else.
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gstaytru

May 29, 2008, 9:55 AM
Getting 450 or 900 minutes without M2M or nights and weekends works for me. Can I also add a text message plan going month-to-month?
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Franco1903

May 29, 2008, 11:51 AM
Yeah, you can add whatever data you want. There is no contract on text or internet features only on voice and that is so you can get a discounted phone and promos nothing else.
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bestrepinworld

Jun 22, 2008, 1:20 AM
actually there isnt any more plans without the m2m or nw anymore to many people adding those onto accounts that wanted that stuff if they do add it call in like 2 mnths after you get it have them change plan say it shoulda been on there made sure its made eff first dya of billing cycle
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the_eraser

May 29, 2008, 12:21 PM
Only M2M are considered promo mins. He'll still get N&W mins
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crackberry

May 29, 2008, 1:08 PM
Franco1903 said:
She is wrong. I am certain that they can get postpaid service w/o a contract. The only issue they have when they don't get a contract is that they don't get the benefit of the promo features such as mobile to mobile minutes or night and weekend. So if they get the 900 for 59.99 they only get 900 min nothing else.

You would still get the benifit of mobile to mobile. there are no plans offered for no contract that differ from contracted plans, they are all post paid plans. you can set up service with no contract and get regular plans, they have removed all plans that do not include mobile to mobile.
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bestrepinworld

Jun 22, 2008, 1:21 AM
thank you crackberry couldnt have said it better my self
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AvgJoe

May 31, 2008, 11:16 AM
Franco1903 said:
She is wrong. I am certain that they can get postpaid service w/o a contract. The only issue they have when they don't get a contract is that they don't get the benefit of the promo features such as mobile to mobile minutes or night and weekend. So if they get the 900 for 59.99 they only get 900 min nothing else.


Yep You MUST sign a contract your first go round. Then go month to month until ATT wises up and offers SERVICE incentives rather than cheap phones.
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ralph_on_me

May 31, 2008, 2:27 PM
AvgJoe said:
Franco1903 said:
She is wrong. I am certain that they can get postpaid service w/o a contract. The only issue they have when they don't get a contract is that they don't get the benefit of the promo features such as mobile to mobile minutes or night and weekend. So if they get the 900 for 59.99 they only get 900 min nothing else.


Yep You MUST sign a contract your first go round. Then go month to month until ATT wises up and offers SERVICE incentives rather than cheap phones.


That's not how it works anymore. I think it was around February of this year that it changes, but now you can sign up on any plan without a contract and still receive all "promotional...
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gstaytru

May 31, 2008, 2:40 PM
Why are there still AT&T cor stores still saying that the only way to get service without a contract is only through prepaid? I called two stores today and got that answer. One I called the other day said I was not required to sign a contract to obtain regular service. It's frustrating because I want to sign up for the zero month contract. Maybe they don't know the new policy.
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ralph_on_me

May 31, 2008, 3:08 PM
It's possible they don't know, but it's more likely that they're greedy. There is little compensation currently for zero month contracts.

Don't limit yourself to only COR stores. Both myself and Texas are agents, and you're just as likely to find a shady COR employee as a shady agent. Just call the stores in your area until someone is willing to activate your line.
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Bubey

Jun 18, 2008, 9:53 PM
I was told the same thing when they offered me my 3rd line on a NEW plan. Said I "had to sign a 2 year contract". No Thanks ! And if you have the same problem I did once you place the order and they accept it they may come back and say NO you can do it without a contract even though the AT&T rep put it through. As you can tell I'm one of those disgruntled customers right now.
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ralph_on_me

Jun 19, 2008, 11:07 AM
That's a completely different issue. You ordered a phone for a discounted price. If you want to buy a phone below retail, yes you'll need to sign a contract. If you have your own phone or buy a phone at retail, you don't need to.
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Bubey

Jun 19, 2008, 3:05 PM
No Ralph, I didn't order a "phone", I ordered a "Phone line". I purchased my own phone off e-bay, Unlocked. So I was told since I wasn't buying a phone from AT&T I could just add the line and they would send out the Sim Card, free, and activate it when
I called back.

NOT! So as far as I'm conerned the agent as the supposed Premier Order Desk didn't know what she was doing. I feel AT&T should stand behind what theere emplied their employee's error and honor the committment to supply me with a phone line.
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ralph_on_me

Jun 19, 2008, 4:46 PM
Ah, okay! Yes, it sounds more and more like the original rep you talked to just really didn't know their information.

The SIM card is the issue they ran into when trying to activate it. Our systems wont allow us to put an orange SIM on a blue plan, nor a blue SIM on an orange plan. After the initial merger it was possible to add lines to current blue plans if you had a blue SIM, but I don't believe it's so anymore. I haven't really had anyone try to locate a blue SIM for quite awhile.

I'm also not certain if blue plans allowed a zero month contract. The option to choose a zero month term is built into the rate plan of our systems, and even today only our newer orange plans let us choose a zero month option. Older orange ones may ...
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Crapbag

Jun 19, 2008, 5:02 PM
You just don't quit, do you...
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crackberry

May 31, 2008, 3:32 PM
you don't have to sign up for a contract if you don't want to.
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texaswireless

May 29, 2008, 12:25 PM
You can definately get postpaid service. I cannot explain why customer service would say that but it can be done.
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gstaytru

May 29, 2008, 12:30 PM
So is this similar to what Tmobile does with Flexpay? With them, a person can get the same plan as those with a contract. They just need to pay up front for the service.
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jinx7676

May 29, 2008, 12:31 PM
gstaytru said:
So is this similar to what Tmobile does with Flexpay? With them, a person can get the same plan as those with a contract. They just need to pay up front for the service.


no difference in payment. you'll get billed like any other contract customer.
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texaswireless

May 29, 2008, 12:35 PM
You do not even have to pay up front. You will get a bill for the service.
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ralph_on_me

May 29, 2008, 8:14 PM
My RAEs have said that neither they nor CS can provision a zero month contract. I think my RAEs are a little stupid and lazy, but that's another issue.

I set up at least one person a week on a zero month postpaid contract. It's as easy as a click of the mouse.
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texaswireless

May 29, 2008, 8:18 PM
Most of them are. I have been fortunate to have one good one the last few years but alas she was promoted. The underlings show promise but have typical RAE shortcomings.
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crackberry

May 29, 2008, 9:22 PM
i use it to help my gross add goal. talk people into getting an add a line with their old phone for a kid or someone else and tell them they can cancel at any time. i haven't had one cancel yet, hopefully if they have to they'll wait 6 month.
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liquidfire

May 29, 2008, 3:58 PM
so let me recap this all in one post and make sure im hearing you guys right.

i can buy an At&t or unlocked GSM phone, and buy a SIM card from At&t and get month to month for normal price with n&w and M2M mintues without a contract? so i can just call and stop service whenever i want with no ETF?

Do i HAVE to buy the phone from At&t or can i get it elsewhere?
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crackberry

May 29, 2008, 4:22 PM
liquidfire said:
so let me recap this all in one post and make sure im hearing you guys right.

i can buy an At&t or unlocked GSM phone, and buy a SIM card from At&t and get month to month for normal price with n&w and M2M mintues without a contract? so i can just call and stop service whenever i want with no ETF?

Do i HAVE to buy the phone from At&t or can i get it elsewhere?

you can use any gsm phone with 850/1900 mhz frequencies. You can sign up with NO contract and still get nights and weekends and mobile to mobile.
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liquidfire

May 29, 2008, 5:59 PM
hmmm...maybe i'll just let my sprint phone sit then and take my moms old att phone....decisions decisions
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Franco1903

May 30, 2008, 6:53 PM
My bad on what I started. A few weeks ago I called in for the exact same issue and customer service told me what I relayed above (no promos). However after seeing the replies I called in again and guess what I received a completely different answer(which agrees with crackberry). I am guilty of relaying bad info and I am somewhat at fault but there is an underlying issue here that needs addressed. I find it unfortunate that people relay bad info. I am usually not guilty of such a crime however this instance proves differently.
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gstaytru

May 31, 2008, 11:14 AM
I just called an AT&T cor store, and the manager said that if I brought my own phone, I would still need to sign a one year contract!!! This is unreal. He did not even know about this policy. However, I called another store and the guy there said I can get service without the contract.
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Iselltheshitoutofphones

Jun 1, 2008, 2:49 PM
Sure, corporate stores reps are going to tell you have to sign a contract and do a 2 year deal. Why? COR reps only get paid on 2 year contracts regards less if you are activating or upgrading. You are not worth their time to do any less than that. I have a good COR buddy here in the Dallas market that refers his 1 year and zero month contracts to me to activate.

I would activate your line at an agent location in this situation. Nothing against COR stores. We agents only make $25 on a no commitment contract regardless of price plan. However you will add some type of features and a residual payment will be made off your service. So why no activate someone on a 0 month contract? Chances are you are supplying the phone, so it is all profit he...
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gstaytru

Jun 1, 2008, 7:51 PM
I live in south Florida. Broward County, 33069
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freedom4u

Jun 1, 2008, 10:03 PM
thats gonna be like flex for tmo then huh? what SPRINT has done with everyone but a y class credit which like NO PHONE 4 U lol anyway i think thats interesting i wonder if they will end up doing the "simply everything" plans too at post/repaid rates -- ppl now a days are willing to spend full price w/out having to be lock line into a contract ... and this also explains why i got a email from att hr about a job offer i guess this could boost sells but also attract the "friendlier" group of ppl.... interesting interesting ... inttteeerressssting....
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m.hamner

Jun 23, 2008, 6:41 PM
If you come to T-mobile, we can get you any plan, no extra fees, no activation fees. just pay up front for the plan and you can quit any time.
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