[mogrefy]

As a T-Mobile customer I'd like to ask everyone's opinion on the best way to purchase the 8300 from AT&T when it's released. I'm only interested in obtaining it without contract ($449 price tag) - will I be able to simply walk into an AT&T/Cingular store and purchase it without a contract at that price, even if I'm not on a current plan with AT&T/Cingular? Or is there a better channel to go through such as online/business ordering?

Any advice from those who may have purchased a "full price" phone from AT&T/Cingular for use with T-Mobile (*cough* 8800 *cough*) would be much appreciated!

Thanks In Advance.

[JSanders]

mogrefy, I finally purchased a very slightly (one week) used 8800 Cingular model and unlocked it for TMo.

I am doubting very highly you will be able to buy the 8300 from Cingy without a contract at that price. That is the contract price. I even wonder if they will sell you the 8300 at all without a contract. Good luck.

[mogrefy]

Originally Posted by JSanders

mogrefy, I finally purchased a very slightly (one week) used 8800 Cingular model and unlocked it for TMo.

I am doubting very highly you will be able to buy the 8300 from Cingy without a contract at that price. That is the contract price. I even wonder if they will sell you the 8300 at all without a contract. Good luck.

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of.... I may have to go the eBay route or, I did notice that letstalk.com sells the 8800 (cingular branded) for $499.99 without contract - maybe once the 8300 is more readily available they will also sell it without contract.

[asuandy]

Originally Posted by JSanders

mogrefy, I finally purchased a very slightly (one week) used 8800 Cingular model and unlocked it for TMo.

I am doubting very highly you will be able to buy the 8300 from Cingy without a contract at that price. That is the contract price. I even wonder if they will sell you the 8300 at all without a contract. Good luck.

BlackberryCool has the leaked materials listing $449 as the non-contract price

"Pricing

BlackBerry Curve will launch with a $100 instant rebate in BMG channels:

No Commitment - $449.99

One-Year Contract without $100 rebate - 374.99

One-Year Contract with $100 rebate - $274.99

Two-Year Contract without $100 rebate - $299.99

Best Price (two-year unlimited + $39.99 voice) - $199.99"

[oester]

The last 3 Blackberrys I bought from the local AT&T store were all w/o contract. I walked in the day of launch and the sold me one no questions asked.

Bob

[Sparkomatic]

Originally Posted by mogrefy

As a T-Mobile customer I'd like to ask everyone's opinion on the best way to purchase the 8300 from AT&T when it's released. I'm only interested in obtaining it without contract ($449 price tag) - will I be able to simply walk into an AT&T/Cingular store and purchase it without a contract at that price, even if I'm not on a current plan with AT&T/Cingular? Or is there a better channel to go through such as online/business ordering?

Any advice from those who may have purchased a "full price" phone from AT&T/Cingular for use with T-Mobile (*cough* 8800 *cough*) would be much appreciated!

Thanks In Advance.

Supposedly, you're supposed to be able to walk into a store and buy one outright if you want. at&t counters this with the reason of only getting (5) devices per store, if that and will only sell on new activations.

However, I've read here where some stores have sold outright at product launch. None of the stores near me sell without a contract. Once the hype settles down, they'll sell these outright all day.

[abell]

I contacted a store this morning as this is my situation exactly. I asked if I could purchase a phone for my mother who has "The New AT&T" (what a sucker I am to marketing I am for calling it that when there's nothing new about it)... and the rep in two stores I called said it doesn't matter that I'm not a customer, but just expect to pay the full cost if I'm not a customer... tho who knows if they'll be nazis with the new devices and hold them for new activations like TMO sometimes does.

[abell]

I spoke with 7 stores in the metroplex here in what I know to be two different "districts" within Cingular\ATT\whatever it's called today... they all claim that there will be no issue buying it, customer or not, just say it's a gift when you purchase it (might help to know someone with an active cingular # just for shizz n giggles)...

Anyhow... none of them had pricing information and several commented that the pricing always downloads the day before a release. Also, they noted that there were no BB Curves in today's shipment which means if they were to come tomorrow they still would likely not be available for purchase until FRIDAY.... so take it for what it's worth... it's out of the mouth of reps in the stores but at this point that's probably accurate because if they don't got em in their hands they're probably not going to be able to sell them.

[chubby_nubby]

when the 8800 came out I went to a Cingular Corporate store they pulled the . .we can only sell to new activations . so I went to a non Corporate store and they had no issue selling me the 8800 outright. I will defiantly check with them tomorrow to see if they have any.

Chubbs

[JSanders]

Hey, that is all good news.... Cingular is esaier to deal with on that stuff than Tmobile, then.

[coldconfession13]

im tempted to buy an at&t one and unlock it and use it on tmobile. I think I might just wait for tmo to release theres but they need to hurry up!!

[DieselRoxie]

Originally Posted by coldconfession13

im tempted to buy an at&t one and unlock it and use it on tmobile. I think I might just wait for tmo to release theres but they need to hurry up!!

DITTO !!!!! DITTO !!!!! DITTO !!!!!

[ARHYTHMATIK]

I'm on T-Mobile and when the 8800 came out, I just walked into a Cingular store that I knew had them in stock, and bought it outright. They didn't care if I was a customer or not. I just told them it was a gift for someone on Cingular. I WANT to wait for the T-Mo version, but 90 days? Are you kidding me?

[changogrande]

I stopped in and talked to the sales manager in the Libertyville, IL Cingular corporate store today (far north suburb of Chicago). They do not have the units yet, although he did have the dummy model and he knew a lot about the unit (he personally has an 8800). He says that it is possible that they will have them tomorrow, but he also wouldn't be surprised if it went to Friday or early next week, based upon past new phone releases.

They have no problem selling the units without a contract. He says that the reps make no commission on the phones; but if they have them, they will sell them to you even if you don't sign up for their service (which is where they do make their money).

I also called and talked to a T-Mo CSR, who said that it is no problem for them to send me the service settings--but that I will have to call them so they will not only send the right ones to me, but also walk me through the process of installing them. (BTW, pardon me if I am not using the right lingo here--this will be my first BB.) She said this is necessary for any phone that they do not currently carry. She also said that I will get all the service settings, that none will be missing just because they do not carry that model.

One last thing she told me--if I pay full price for the phone through Cingular, they are required to unlock it for me. I called the sales manager at the Cingular store to confirm this. He told me that they do not unlock phones at the store level, but that I could "probably" get it unlocked by calling their 800 number. I'll check it out and update this post.

[abell]

Originally Posted by changogrande

One last thing she told me--if I pay full price for the phone through Cingular, they are required to unlock it for me. I called the sales manager at the Cingular store to confirm this. He told me that they do not unlock phones at the store level, but that I could "probably" get it unlocked by calling their 800 number. I'll check it out and update this post.

Welcome to Blackberry...

State law regulates the lock\unlock requirements. I believe CA\NY are the only two state with mandatory unlock laws (and only applies if you paid full price or are off contract)

[greggebhardt]

The corp AT&T stores will sell you a phone with no contract. I have done it many times. If you go to a mall it a whole different story. I do not deal with those people.

You can feel there is something slippery as you walk up to the kiosk! These people are close to being theives!

[joec]

Looks like they are not offering priority shipping. They are quoting 3 - 5 day delivery..

[changogrande]

Originally Posted by changogrande

One last thing she told me--if I pay full price for the phone through Cingular, they are required to unlock it for me. I called the sales manager at the Cingular store to confirm this. He told me that they do not unlock phones at the store level, but that I could "probably" get it unlocked by calling their 800 number. I'll check it out and update this post.

Cingular's 800 number said that they will provide an unlock code at no charge, but it will take 5-7 days to receive it. When I asked if I could do anything to expedite that, she said no, that even their own subscribers have to wait the same amount of time.

If I am paying that amount for the phone, what's an extra 50 bucks to unlock it fast. At that point, I'm not waiting for the freebie.

[boifitskarma]

Just thought I'd let everyone know...

Just got off the phone with a very friendly customer service rep who actually seemed knowledgeable and psyched up about the phone (nice to see someone like their job).

I bought the phone non committed since I wasn't eligible for an upgrade. Was 449.99 plus about 19 dollars for priority shipping. Confirmed it was the BlackBerry Curve and they would email me when the order shipped as well as send me a new free sim card.

Couldn't have asked for a smoother order.

Hope all goes well. Good luck everyone with their Curve hunt!

-Jaison

[archer6]

Originally Posted by changogrande

One last thing she told me--if I pay full price for the phone through Cingular, they are required to unlock it for me. I called the sales manager at the Cingular store to confirm this. He told me that they do not unlock phones at the store level, but that I could "probably" get it unlocked by calling their 800 number. I'll check it out and update this post.

Here is some accurate info for you. Once you buy the phone from Cingular/AT&T, simply take it home and call into customer service. Once connected, ask for the international sales department.

Explain to them that you are going on a trip to the UK and you need to unlock your new 8300 because you plan to use it there. They will happily give you the code and explain how to unlock it. All for free and no waiting.

I have used my BB this way when traveling to London.

Cheers....