Amazon deal for SMT5600 not so great!!!

[bigun]

The phone cost from Amazon is -$25 after rebates, BUT it appears that they require you sign up for a voice plan PLUS a $30/month ($360/year) 10MB data plan.

AT&T has an unlimited data plan for $25/month. It seems like the only difference is that the 10MB plan allows you to use the phone as a modem for your PC or PDA.

Does anybody know: If you get the phone through Amazon, are you STUCK with the 10MB data plan for a year, or can you convert to a different data plan?

[encece]

With ATT you can convert to a differnt plan at any time...

[sn1p3t]

With ATT you can convert to a differnt plan at any time...

Can you convert to a simple $40 a month plan, and then switch over to Cingular, while still getting this deal?

[encece]

Nope...all bets are off when you actually make the switch. New contract....new plans.

[sn1p3t]

Nope...all bets are off when you actually make the switch. New contract....new plans.

What about Amazon's $200 rebate?

E.g. Get deal from Amazon, but only with 1 year plan (total price, $25). Send in the Amazon rebate (which only requires a new phone and service plan). Before I activate my phone, I drop the data plan. I then switch over to Cingular (for cheaper family plans).

Would that work? (I'm going to call AT&T tomorrow to double check) :D.

[ChemNerd]

More than likely no. Most rebates from a cellphone store (Amazon, A1wireless, etc) require that you keep the existing line for at least 60 or 90 days.

To my knowledge that is how they make their money, only if you sign up and stay signed up. I know this from personal experience with ordering a phone online - I had to wait 90 days for my rebate from the store because they had to verify I was still a customer of T-Mobile. This is to prevent people from signing up and taking a really cheap phone and then canceling and only paying the termination fee (often less than the phone itself is worth to the companies involved).

If you could do that then people would be buying up the phones left and right and canceling and selling on eBay (SMT5600 goes for 250 easy on eBay - which should be more than the cancelation fee).

I could be wrong about the details but I'm pretty sure you can't just get the rebate immediatly.

[BigCanoe]

Could you change to NO data plan after getting the Amazon deal?

[ChemNerd]

Yes you can. Be aware this will renew your contract from that point on. though so do it quick.

Also Amazon requires that you keep the line 180 days actually. So thats the deal behind it. You are free to change your plan, but you cannot cancel it for 180 days.

[cdcooker]

Do you think it is better to wait until Cingular carry this phone, or go ahead to purchase it from ATT right now?

Also, if I get rid of the data plan, can I use this phone to dial to my SBC dial-up internet account and access internet from there as like using my cell phone minute? Am I wrong here? I am new to smartphone.

Thanks

[ChemNerd]

It's up to you, they're slowly becomming one company. I personally don't see a reason not to buy it now as Cingular has not put a date on their SMT5600 comming out.

As for using it as a modem directly - it's not the same thing. Using the data plan is getting net on your phone and then sharing it. To use it as a modem it would need to be relized by your device (laptop, pda) as a modem. Personally I'm not too familar with that idea or if it's possible.

Having the mobile net on your phone is pretty cool - especially with Opera's small screen optimization - supposedly they make a smartphone browser but I've yet to test it as my 5600 won't be here until next week.

Good luck.

[joeonsunset]

Hmm... maybe... check out Dial-Up Connections under Edit Connections in Settings | Data Connections