Question about iPhone 3G 16 GB - BestBuy & AT&T?

Good evening every one,

So I am planning to buy an iPhone 3G 16 GB black, I can buy it from my country here but it's worth like $1200, rip off since it's unlocked and shipped; you know taxes and stuff. I heard that I can buy it from AT&T or BestBuy for only $300, but they said that it came with year plans or what ever? which of course means LOCKED. Some people told me that I can buy it from AT&T by a 2-years-plan for $300, but some of them say that I'll have to pay monthly fees, plus I have to be a citizen or at least living in the States, and other said that once I pay the $300 it's mine and I can do what ever with it, but it's still going to be locked, so I don't know which side to believe. I went to bestbuy's website and found it for sale, $300 as I was old, but when I viewed Specifications, it said Network Provider: AT&T which means locked, but can I buy it without a plan? Which means looked but, whenever I try and unlock it, I can pop in my sim card and use it while I am here in Cairo. Here's the link of the BestBuy item I'm talking about http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9025477&type=product&id=1218009737378

So I need some one to explain how this goes, and if I can take it to my country, unlock it, pop in my simcard and it'd work just fine; and also if it's possible without having to pay monthly fees of course because I am not going to be in the country itself by then. Thank you very much!

Anyone? Come on people, I need this answer! Lol

First of all, you cannot buy an iPhone 3G from AT&T (or BestBuy) without signing up for a 2-year contract... There were speculations of a "contract free" version, but so far that has not happened.
So if you want to buy an iPhone from AT&T or BestBuy, you are going to be stuck paying monthly bills for at least 2 years unless you pay the early termination fee to get out of your contract.

Here is how the iPhone 3G is sold.
If you a new AT&T customer, you can get the phone for $200 ($300 16GB) and have to sign up for a 2-year contract... (monthly bills)
If you are an existing AT&T customer and are not eligible for an upgrade, you can get the phone for $400 ($500 16GB) and have to extend your contract for 2 years.

So, what you want to do is not currently possible...


Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot but I do have another question, what if I pay the first amount ($300) then travel back to Cairo and stop paying monthly fees of course, what would happen? Do they ask for passport or something like that when you're buying it?

First of all that would be illegal...

Second, you need to live in the US and purchase the phone with a credit card...

You may want to look around EBay/internet for a cheap, no contract, iPhone...

From all the rumors I heard before, almost every one on eBay scams and there's no refund. So, I guess I'll just buy an unlocked one from here or maybe a BlackBerry Bold 9000 from the guy on this forums.

Thanks a lot for you replies, helped me .