[johnnybn]

I'm a noob so forgive me if this is a ridiculous question: is there anythign preventing me from beginning a new 2-yr with Tmo (I'm a Cingular customer) and then stopping it the next day to get the contract price?

[StanSimmons]

Perhaps the fact that you are entering into a legally binding contract?

There is a large penalty for early cancellation. I think it is either $150 or $200. Check the TMO website.

[John Clark]

Price of Pearl Outright/No Contract $379


Price of Pearl w/contract $199
Cost of cancelling contract $200

Total cost of phone after Cancelling $399

Math just doesn't add up to me....

[johnnybn]

I'm talking about the 30 day trial period. If you start and then stop within this period, there's no cancellation charge. But do you have to return the phone?

[brewrat]

Originally Posted by johnnybn

I'm talking about the 30 day trial period. If you start and then stop within this period, there's no cancellation charge. But do you have to return the phone?

boy's about as sharp as a sack full of wet hair, ain't he...

[John Clark]

Originally Posted by johnnybn

I'm talking about the 30 day trial period. If you start and then stop within this period, there's no cancellation charge. But do you have to return the phone?

uh....hello...you have to give back the phone! What have you gained?

[NJBlackBerry]

Yes. You have to return the phone.

** Warning - please do not let this thread get out of hand **

[johnnybn]

Well theres a difference b/w being sharp and being familiar with something. I wasn't familiar with the policies, thanks for the info!

[flash24]

Pearl $50 at wirelessbuy.com with two year contract.

[brmcguire]

You can do this. You don't have to give back the phone. I have done it before. I was not trying to beat the system, I ended up switching providers to try another phone/service and ended up switching back a few months later. I did pay the early charge on the 2nd account, but not the one I left initially. since you are still within the 30 day trial. I also called customer service rather then go back to the store. This might of been the key part of being able to keep the phone.

[johnnybn]

Originally Posted by brmcguire

You can do this. You don't have to give back the phone. I have done it before. I was not trying to beat the system, I ended up switching providers to try another phone/service and ended up switching back a few months later. I did pay the early charge on the 2nd account, but not the one I left initially. since you are still within the 30 day trial. I also called customer service rather then go back to the store. This might of been the key part of being able to keep the phone.

That's what I was thinking. I could've sworn I did this (can't remember all the details) a few years ago with Verizon, but I didn't know Tmo's policies. I called cust serv to cancel and they said nothing about the phone. What are they gonna do, send Catherine Zeta Jones to my house to get it back?

[mws222]

Originally Posted by johnnybn

That's what I was thinking. I could've sworn I did this (can't remember all the details) a few years ago with Verizon, but I didn't know Tmo's policies. I called cust serv to cancel and they said nothing about the phone. What are they gonna do, send Catherine Zeta Jones to my house to get it back?

bill you for the difference of the no contract price - what you already paid....

[dc/dc]

Legally, you are supposed to return the phone, no matter how you cancel.

[mas90guru]

There were a few threads on this a while back when the 8700 was first coming out. People were claiming that they did this on Amazon and were able to keep the phones.

I think Amazon has significantly toughened their policies.

I also don't trust random posts about how someone beat the system. It's my feeling if they ultimately got caught for a termination fee that most of the people wouldn't come back to a public forum to brag about it.