With the release of the new 16GB iPhone yesterday, there was some question over whether or not AT&T would make you sign a new two-year contract if you merely upgraded your phone. Wired reported that some complaints on Apple’s discussion boards indicated they were being told they had to get a new contract, while others were saying “not so much.”
iLounge got the skinny, direct from Mark Siegel over at AT&T:
“If you upgrade from an 8 to a 16 GB iPhone, you sign a new contract. However, we automatically backdate it to the starting point of your contract on the 8 GB phone.” He added that the company “will make every effort to ensure that our reps provide customers with the correct information,” and clarified that customers should activate the SIM card that comes with the new model.Personally, I guess that seems somewhat overly complicated to me. I mean, if you’re backdating it anyway, why do they even have to sign a new one? Why go through the whole rigmarole? Ah well, I guess they wouldn’t be in the cell phone market if they did things the sensible way.
What's to stop you from simply buying a new phone and moving your sim card to it without ever activating the new sim?
Um, why not just put the sim you have from the old one into the new. My iPhone's sim works in my Razr, why wouldn't it work in a new iPhone.
No new sim, no new contract, no hassle.
So what happens to the used 8Gb phones that people may start selling on ebay and craiglist? Do buyers of a used iPhone still have to sign a two year contract? Can I pickup a used iPhone and signup with AT&T on a month to month basis?