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> Tutorial: Switching to T-Mobile after buying from Amazon
Thor
post Dec 27 2003, 06:17 AM
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v1.25 (3 changes)

Admins, please make this a sticky as a lot of people come here looking for this information.
I will try to keep this updated as long as this is a sticky so the information can be a valuable
resource for those looking to switch.


(Thanks guys)

Switching to T-Mobile after ordering an mpx200 from Amazon:
1. Order the phone with plan and contract from Amazon. (Doesn’t matter which plan unless
you plan on keeping the account after switching). Do not try to take advantage of the rebates
as they require you to stay with AT&T and have a service contract with AT&T.
2. When you receive the phone, you will be in one of two situations:
a. Your phone is activated as soon as you turn it on.
b. Your phone is not activated yet and does not have a number attached to it yet. If this
is your situation you'll need to hold off canceling AT&T service until it does become active.
However, this does not mean you can't switch to T-Mobile right away...it just means you have to
keep an eye on when the account actually becomes active. The best way to tell is when you get the
email from Amazon telling you what your phone number is. As soon as you get this number you can
proceed with step 5 below (after you've followed the other steps first of course).
3a. Put down your phone and go to a T-Mobile store and sign up for whatever plan you want to get
with them. Get one of their free or nearly free phones and get it activated so you can make calls
from the phone.
3b. If you want to get the unlimited data plan there is one thing you must be careful about. If you
get signed up as a "SmartAccess" customer the unlimited data plan is not available to you as they
do not allow their credit-risk customers to get it for some idiotic reason (this is the reason I
went back to AT&T). You may get lucky but even threatening to leave T-Mobile will not get them to
add it on. It is apparently something that even managers cannot force.
4. Email jhongsunlock@yahoo.ca and ask about getting your unlock code, he will tell you how to
give him the correct information in order to get the unlock code. As far as I know his charge is
still $10 to get the unlock code. Unlocking the phone requires that you have a T-mobile sim (or
a sim from another carrier other than AT&T) so you must complete step 3b in order to unlock it,
unless you have a different carrier's sim already of course. After unlocking it your phone will be
active on the new carrier's network as long as you have service setup.
5. Assuming you are happy with the new service on the T-mobile network (or whichever carrier you
decided to go with), put the AT&T sim back into the mpx200 and call AT&T Customer Care by dialing
611. Request to have the service on the phone cancelled and tell exactly what you are intending to.
If they give you any crap about returning the phone tell them you paid full price through Amazon
so you are not required to return it as you own the phone outright. If they tell you that you will
not be able to switch the phone to the other network just inform them that it is unlocked and is
free to be put on whatever network you want. After getting done with the service rep verify that
your service has been cancelled by checking the phone. The phone should become inactive and it
should read no service. You will receive a bill if you used the account at all before canceling.
These are the only charges you will be billed with as long as you cancel within the first 30 days
after activation of the AT&T account (when you get your phone number). If you get charged with
anything else you either did something wrong or it's time to complain to AT&T to get the charge
removed because of their mistake. To clarify: If you cancel within thirty days you will not get charged the montly fee for your plan, the fee for your internet plan, the activation fee, or any other initial setup or monthly fee....THE ONLY THING THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR IS ANY ACTUAL USAGE OF THE PHONE ON THEIR NETWORK. ie if you made 6 calls, sent 6 text messages, and surfed the internet a few times....that is all you will have to pay for...and that is a pro-rated amount...so it's not the full price of the service plan.

At this point you are free to use it on the T-mobile network (or whatever network you chose). You
will still need to configure the phone for the internet access on the new network, but I will not
cover that now as that is outside the scope of this tutorial.

If anyone has any questions or comments please post a reply to this and I will try to answer them
as best as I can. I will make any needed changes or additions if they are needed. Any changes made
will be put in as bold so it will clarify things if they are incorrect.


Edit: The deal with how you can get that $269 price through Amazon and still be able to keep the phone...

Basically Amazon only requires that you purchase the phone with a service plan (the monthly bill plan)(you don't even have to get buy it with a service contract). If you buy it with a service plan you get the $269 price....it does not matter if you cancel as soon as you get the phone activated on the AT&T network, you can still keep the phone.

To get either of the rebates though you have to sign a service contract with AT&T otherwise you cannot get the rebates. This means basically if you plan on switching within the first 30 days of AT&T service, you cannot get either of the rebates that amazon lists on the page for the mpx200.


UPDATE 1/4/2004: Amazon has raised the price of the mpx200. It is now $269 without rebates. Also the AT&T rebated can no longer be used as of 1/3/04 as that's when it expired. You can still send in the rebate as long as you bought it before 1/3/04.
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mbhelfman
post Dec 27 2003, 12:12 PM
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Thor, great post, an addition to:

1) Sign up for a 2 yr ATT plan, that will waive the activation $26 dollars off of the activation fee. As long as you cancel within 30 days, it won't matter.
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post Dec 27 2003, 05:19 PM
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Is the activation fee refunded if you cancel within 30 days?
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post Dec 27 2003, 05:26 PM
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I think you may get a bill from Amazon on the phone since Amazon's price is conditional upon signed contract with AT&T.
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post Dec 27 2003, 05:46 PM
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Amazon's rebate form says in order to get the $120 rebate from them, you need to submit a copy of the 1st month's phone bill showing activation to you address. This means your choice is either: pay the $169.99 for the phone and cancel the ATT new service for use on your own carrier after unlocking, or: go through the rebate by waiting for the bill from ATT and get $120 back from Amazon so phone net cost is $49.99 as you will not be able to get the rebate from ATT for the balance of $49.99 since service is canceled.
For me, I just ordered the phone and will try canceling the service(as I'm already an ATT customer), submitting after I get the 1st(final) bill from ATT, and see what Amazon will do. Guess the worst case scenario is paying $169.99 for the phone.
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post Dec 27 2003, 07:07 PM
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Amazon's full price for the phone without the service contract is $399.99. Worse case is you may have to pay total of $399.99.
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post Dec 27 2003, 08:15 PM
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I'm not sure I understand: Amazon charges $169.99, if you do not send it either the Amazon or ATT rebate, one for $120 and one for $50, the phone cost is still $169.99 out of pocket after service is canceled. Will Amazon automatically charge your credit card another $230.00?
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post Dec 27 2003, 08:37 PM
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This sounds good, but I have two questions:

1. Can I use the unlock code with the new T-Mobile SIM, giving me T-Mobile service?
2. How good is T-Mobile service? My AT&T experience was dreadful, and I canceled within a week. I still have the phone and like it a lot, so if T-Mobile is any good, I'd give them a try.

Thanks!
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post Dec 27 2003, 10:55 PM
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QUOTE
I'm not sure I understand: Amazon charges $169.99, if you do not send it either the Amazon or ATT rebate, one for $120 and one for $50, the phone cost is still $169.99 out of pocket after service is canceled. Will Amazon automatically charge your credit card another $230.00?


Amazon's price of $169.99 is for phone with service contract. Amazon has option to only buy the phone (bottom of the screen after you've clicked to buy the phone; screen where they show you the phone services) and it's price is $399.99.

As far as if you'll be able to get away with buying the phone for $169.99 without service contact I'm not sure but if you do it means someone at Amazon Goofed.
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Thor
post Dec 28 2003, 03:00 AM
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I don't think everyone read all the way through....

QUOTE
Is the activation fee refunded if you cancel within 30 days?
Yes...everything is refunded if you cancel within 30 days...the only exception is you have to pay for any calls you made or internet charges you used....

QUOTE
You will receive a bill if you used the account at all before canceling.
These are the only charges you will be billed with as long as you cancel within the first 30 days
after activation of the AT&T account (when you get your phone number). If you get charged with
anything else you either did something wrong or it's time to complain to AT&T to get the charge
removed because of their mistake.
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Thor
post Dec 28 2003, 03:13 AM
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QUOTE
I think you may get a bill from Amazon on the phone since Amazon's price is conditional upon signed contract with AT&T.
QUOTE
Amazon's full price for the phone without the service contract is $399.99. Worse case is you may have to pay total of $399.99.


No...this is a common misconception...

To get that $169 price the only thing you have to satisfy is you have to buy the phone with a service plan...ie one of the monlthy plans....you are free to cancel the plan after you get the phone...Amazon just requires that when you make the actual purchase you must have a service plan in the cart.

QUOTE
Amazon's rebate form says in order to get the $120 rebate from them, you need to submit a copy of the 1st month's phone bill showing activation to you address. This means your choice is either: pay the $169.99 for the phone and cancel the ATT new service for use on your own carrier after unlocking, or: go through the rebate by waiting for the bill from ATT and get $120 back from Amazon so phone net cost is $49.99 as you will not be able to get the rebate from ATT for the balance of $49.99 since service is canceled.
For me, I just ordered the phone and will try canceling the service(as I'm already an ATT customer), submitting after I get the 1st(final) bill from ATT, and see what Amazon will do. Guess the worst case scenario is paying $169.99 for the phone.


Both of the rebates (the $50 and $120) require a service contract...Amazon proves you have service by getting a copy of your first month's bill...The only way I know of to get the $120 rebate and still be able to cancel is if your monthly bill comes before the 30 days is up (if you wait till after 30 days you'll pay the early termination fee)....and even then you have to send it in for processing which means by the time they get to processing your rebate you may have cancelled within those 30 days...

Basically it's damn near impossible to get any rebate if you are going to switch to another carrier...
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Thor
post Dec 28 2003, 03:15 AM
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QUOTE
I'm not sure I understand: Amazon charges $169.99, if you do not send it either the Amazon or ATT rebate, one for $120 and one for $50, the phone cost is still $169.99 out of pocket after service is canceled. Will Amazon automatically charge your credit card another $230.00?


no...in my experience they will not...the only requirement to get that $169 price is to buy the phone with a service plan....it doesn't say anywhere that you can't cancel the service plan and still get the $169 price...
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Thor
post Dec 28 2003, 03:26 AM
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QUOTE
This sounds good, but I have two questions:

1. Can I use the unlock code with the new T-Mobile SIM, giving me T-Mobile service?
2. How good is T-Mobile service? My AT&T experience was dreadful, and I canceled within a week. I still have the phone and like it a lot, so if T-Mobile is any good, I'd give them a try.

Thanks!


1. This is how it works...When you get the phone for less than TRUE full price you are getting a locked phone basically...the phone companies lock their phones so the customer is required to be on their network...they try to guarantee that you will be a customer of their's by doing this...and in return they sell the phone for less...the true price of an unlocked phone is something like $500.
When a phone is locked it can only be used on the network of whichever provider locked it. If you insert a sim from another provider it will require you to enter an unlock code to be able to activate your phone on the new provider's network...without that unlock code that phone will only be able to work on the original provider's network...no other's.
So basically, yes if you put in a T-mobile sim into an AT&T locked mpx200 it will prompt you for the unlock code...enter the unlock code and you will be able to use the mpx200 on the T-mobile network...or any other compatible network as long as you have service setup on that network...

2. Depends on your area...that is why I say to give the T-mobile service a try before cancelling the AT&T service that is setup by Amazon...I made the mistake of cancelling service with AT&T before I found out that in T-mobile's network...an area about a quarter mile square around my apartment is a deadzone...so basically I get little to nothing of service on the T-mobile network here at my apartment...
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lmarquina
post Dec 28 2003, 04:20 AM
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What about wait until t-mobil come out with its mpx2xx and then we can cancell att paying the fee (I think is $175).
I got the phone for one day special in att website for $99.
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Haddy
post Dec 28 2003, 04:38 PM
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One question....How do I buy from them if I live in an area that isnt supported when I type in my zip??
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post Dec 29 2003, 04:30 AM
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QUOTE
One question....How do I buy from them if I live in an area that isnt supported when I type in my zip??


I don't think that will work...if AT&T can't support you then I don't think Amazon will sell you the phone...just my guess...you can always try I guess...

You should also make sure T-Mobile has coverage in your area...chances are if they're able to tell you that you can't get AT&T...you probably won't be able to get T-Mobile either...
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Thor
post Dec 29 2003, 04:31 AM
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ok...that's the first time I posted as a guest...I figured my cookie would still be valid but I guess it expired already...
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Thor
post Dec 29 2003, 04:37 AM
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QUOTE
What about wait until t-mobil come out with its mpx2xx and then we can cancell att paying the fee (I think is $175).
I got the phone for one day special in att website for $99.


yeah if you wait that long you'll have to pay the early termination fee (it's either $175 or $200)...
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vballhjs
post Dec 29 2003, 02:34 PM
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QUOTE
What about wait until t-mobil come out with its mpx2xx and then we can cancell att paying the fee (I think is $175).
I got the phone for one day special in att website for $99.


I'm not real confident that Tmobile will offer it.. emailing them i only got a response saying that they cant/dont/wont know what phones they will be offering in the future...

Anyone have the steps/settings for Tmobile internet in a similar format?
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Corbett
post Dec 30 2003, 04:53 PM
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Thor, that is awesome that you posted this. I wish I would have read it earlier rather than searching the forums for it. I actually had planned on doing exactly what you have listed to do a few weeks ago.

I will let you know if you can still get the $120 rebate after cancelling service. Luckily for me, my billing cycle ends on the 2nd and my 30 trial period ends on the 14th. So I am going to cancel the AT&T service on the 10th of Jan and then send in the rebate to Amazon with my first month's bill. I will let you guys know if the rebate works but it take about 2 months for the to process the rebate.


--------------------
- Tim
MPx200 on T-Mobile
SanDisk 512mb SD Card
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