Friend needs to switch to AT&T now but wants the V3 iPhone.

[SmartAlx]

I have a friend who is dying to jump on the iPhone bandwagon. She wants to wait for the new one, but her verizon phone is on its last leg. She really needs a new phone now. She can get out of Verizon's contract now with no ETF so she could theoretically sign up for AT&T now, but then...

1) If she just gets a normal "free" phone, will she be eligible for the subsidized price for the new iPhone when it comes out?

2) Can she sign up for AT&T now without getting an AT&T phone (I'll loan her an old AT&T phone) and SAVE her subsidized price for the new iPhone?

Anyone IN THE KNOW know the answers to these questions?

[PepeRB29]

details about the new phone have not been released so anything now is just speculation. i would tell her to just get a cheap verizon phone and stay on there until the new iphone comes out this summer. it will basically be the same price as signing up for AT&T would be now, but she will for sure be able to get the new iphone at the subsidized price.

so i guess what it all boils down to is why take the risk if you don't have to?

[styfle]

Hold out until the new iphone is released...
If she signs up for a new contract then she can get the phone at a subsidized price; its a waste to use it on a 20 dollar phone and get it for "free."

[shutter13]

Yep, if she is on her last leg with her current carrier...tell her to get a prepaid account to hold her over for a couple of months. At least until next month to see if a new iPhone is announced.