Getting Cingular without a Contract
A recent blog entry by August Jackson shows how you can either migrate from AT&T Wireless or get service with Cingular without having to “buy” a new phone from Cingular. You can use any unlocked phone as well, as I discovered recently when I added a line to my existing service. I brought in my old unlocked Nokia 6800 that I acquired through AT&T Wireless. They dutifully added the line using that phone.
What August didn’t mention in his entry, however, was that if you bring your own phone, you can sign on with Cingular without having to agree to a 1 or 2 year service contract. Various reports suggest you can’t get mobile-to-mobile minutes unless you agree to a contract, but you can always pay the extra $9.99/mo for mobile-to-mobile minutes without a contract. August should check is contract expiration date. I would on my second line if I could get into OLAM, but it appears to be hosed again.
I’ve heard people also use a similar trick to essentially get out of their old AT&T Wireless contract. They migrate to Cingular using their own phone and are able to go month-to-month. Don’t know if that’s true or not, but…
