I'll believe it when I see it.

absoluteparanoia: I'll believe it when I see it.

Oh, they'll do it alright. It'll just cost you a crapload more than you're paying right now. They'll start charging actual retail for "unlocked" phones instead of subsidizing them like they currently do, along with charging more for plan minutes because you're not locked into a contract for 2 years with a $300 "get-out-of-contract-jail" fee.

Sumpinlikedat: Oh, they'll do it alright. It'll just cost you a crapload more than you're paying right now. They'll start charging actual retail for "unlocked" phones instead of subsidizing them like they currently do, along with charging more for plan minutes because you're not locked into a contract for 2 years with a $300 "get-out-of-contract-jail" fee.

I'm sure they'll charge a massive "number portability" fee too.

I've been using unlocked GSM phones on AT&T for years (Starting when it was the original AT&T) This is nothing new they just now admit it works.

absoluteparanoia: I'm sure they'll charge a massive "number portability" fee too.

More than likely, yeah.

Tom_Slick: Would there have been a penalty for doing so if they found out?

Sumpinlikedat: Would there have been a penalty for doing so if they found out?

No but they would not support your phone. Completely understandable but it bothered some people.

This is such a ridiculous fluff press release. You already can use any unlocked GSM phone with AT&T. It's been that way for years.

Paedophile_Deluxe: This is such a ridiculous fluff press release. You already can use any unlocked GSM phone with AT&T. It's been that way for years.

Yeah. I don't get this press release. They've been doing this for years.

I bought an HTC TyTN from a place in Europe last year, and walked into an AT&T/Cingular store. I told them I wanted to activate it on their network. I didn't have an account with them at the time (I was on Sprint). They gave me a GSM card, and a plan with unlimited data and 400 minute voice for $95/mo with no contract. That's the same plan price as if I bought the phone from them and signed a two year contract.

The only reason there is a contract is to subsidize the heavy discounts on the phones.

Man; people are going to completely freak out if they have to pay full price for some of the newer PDA/Smart phones. They think $399 for an iPhone is bad -- wait until they get charged $600 for a Treo or $499 for a Motorola Q...

Never bought a phone from an AT&T/ Cingular phone before the iphone. Always got them on Tiger Direct unlocked for 50% of the price.

Of course this really means nothing for average joe consumer, the one that still needs tech support for simple tasks. Good luck trying to get AT&T to help you if you have a problem with an unlocked phone. They're just gonna say to contact the manufacturer.

absoluteparanoia: I'll believe it when I see it.


Then you must not have looked very hard. I've been buying whatever phones I want off of Ebay for years and using them on AT&T's network.

So I'm not too sure what this announcement really means, besides that they are now advertising this overtly now. Verizon's press release really WAS news, being that Verizon has been a pain in the ass about using your choice of phone. That's why Verizon has been getting the manufacturers to manufacture special Verizon versions with no SIM chips - so you can't just swap your sim chip to another phone you like.

Sprint CDMA is out as well.

I also read some where that Apple is only allowing 2 iPhones per person for life. That sounds a little weird.....

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/27/apple-refusing-to-accept-cash-for-iphone-limi ts-em-to-two-per/

Here it is, Apple don't want people unlocking them... color me shocked.

Didn't everyone know this? Like many others, I had an unlocked GSM phone with AT&T years ago when I used to use them. Its pretty much common knowledge about GSM.

TonnageVT: My question is, what about Verizon CDMA phones? Oh that's right, that still won't work.

And there's nothing you can do that will make it work. There's nothing AT&T can do, either, because they're different technologies on different frequencies. If you know enough to spell CDMA, you should know this. Quit biatching.

Good.

Can I get out of my contract without taking a big hit now?

at least its leading the way for other companies to do so soon- looking at you verizon. verizon now will allow other cdma phones on their network. maybe from korea or japan. no more verizon ui!

bullfrog315: at least its leading the way for other companies to do so soon- looking at you verizon. verizon now will allow other cdma phones on their network. maybe from korea or japan. no more verizon ui!


Verizon already did - and first. We had a thread about it. It was only last week that Verizon announced it. You smoke too much pot!

* Everything you say and everyone who calls you will be reported to the NSA

that's what the asterix is for, subbers

ChEv3lle: Never bought a phone from an AT&T/ Cingular phone before the iphone. Always got them on Tiger Direct unlocked for 50% of the price.

Of course this really means nothing for average joe consumer, the one that still needs tech support for simple tasks. Good luck trying to get AT&T to help you if you have a problem with an unlocked phone. They're just gonna say to contact the manufacturer.

Phones made for different cell companies often have drastically different firmware. It's not that AT&T won't help, it's usually that they can't help because they don't know how the non-AT&T phones work or that (especially for internet or data) that the phone just won't work on the network.

/used to do tech support for Cingular
//if the customer was nice, I'd try to help

Russ1642: Is the asterisk because they used steroids?

It's because they played a longer season than Babe Ruth. And because people like Mickey Mantle better.