Pre Purchase Questions (On The Border for Buying a 3GS)

eradicator2010 · 11-05-2009, 01:10 PM

Let's start this off by stating that this will be my first iPhone (if I purchase this) and therefore I have a few questions:
1) My carrier is ATT and I signed a 2 year contract on May 17 (2009). Can I renew my contract and get the iPhone 3GS for $199? Or am I stuck paying $399?
2) Unlimited Data Plan question: It's to my understanding that ATT charges $30/month for "unlimited data." Does this really mean unlimited or is there a cap somewhere (wondering because I am going to purchase XM and plan on listening to it on the way to school etc)
3) Is the iPhone worth going through a jailbreak? I am new to iPhones (and most Apple products except for my old 2nd gen iPod nano) and am wondering that if I just follow the directions for installing blacksn0w that I would be ok?

Any answers or tips related to the first buying experience are greatly appreciated

juls1585 · 11-05-2009, 01:15 PM

Hi welcome! Good choice on the 3gs.

First off you are going to have to purchase the phone for full price. Another suggestion is maybe looking on craigslist or ebay. You may be able to find one for less than what they are asking you to pay at AT&T.

Secondly unlimited is unlimited from what I know of. You should be fine with xm purchase. We all here at EIC use our phones heavily and I have not heard of anyone ever getting charged extra.

Jailbreak is really easy with Blackra1n. Its very quick as well. I fought with mine the first time I jailbroke. This is the easiest jailbreak ever. Blacksn0w is an unlocking program. It unlocks the phone so you can use different carriers simcards in the phone. You being with AT&T dont need the unlock, but its nice to have the option.

Good luck!

eradicator2010 · 11-05-2009, 01:20 PM

Thanks for the speedy reply! Very informative!
So, just for clarification, ATT would charge me to $399?
And the program that I need (if I bought this) would be blackra1n not blacksn0w?
And by the way thanks for the info on the data plan. I heard somewhere that caps where in play and that if you go over x amount of data in a month, overages would be accessed.

juls1585 · 11-05-2009, 01:23 PM

to be sure on how much they would charge you go to the at&t website and sign in. click on upgrade and then click upgrade to an iphone. it will give you all the iphone options and their prices of what it would cost you today if you wanted to upgrade.

blackra1n and blacksn0w come bundled together in the current download. you would have to run blacksn0w as a seperate install if you wanted to.

eradicator2010 · 11-05-2009, 01:26 PM

OK I totally understand now

. Thank you so much!

juls1585 · 11-05-2009, 01:26 PM

youre welcome

naviwilliams · 11-05-2009, 01:27 PM

2. the limit is 5GB. But, to be honest I'd never heard of someone reaching it. I had to ask AT&T that same question one day...

3. Jailbraking to me is a personal preference, mainly if you want specific tones for sms\text, and themes, that sort of thing. But, apparently it's rather easy to do. The one thing I'm not 100% on, is if iTunes updates (as it often does), does one have to re-jailbrake...

juls1585 · 11-05-2009, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by naviwilliams

2. the limit is 5GB. But, to be honest I'd never heard of someone reaching it. I had to ask AT&T that same question one day...

3. Jailbraking to me is a personal preference, mainly if you want specific tones for sms\text, and themes, that sort of thing. But, apparently it's rather easy to do. The one thing I'm not 100% on, is if iTunes updates (as it often does), does one have to re-jailbrake...

itunes updates have not effected it so far from what i know of. its the iphone updates and the carrier updates that may effect it.

eradicator2010 · 11-05-2009, 01:44 PM

OK, so the limit is 5GB? This is bad for XM then because im sure they stream at around 128kbps..which can EASILY topple over a GB every other day or so if listened to for more than 30 min.

Krunk83 · 11-05-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by eradicator2010

Thanks for the speedy reply! Very informative!
So, just for clarification, ATT would charge me to $399?
And the program that I need (if I bought this) would be blackra1n not blacksn0w?
And by the way thanks for the info on the data plan. I heard somewhere that caps where in play and that if you go over x amount of data in a month, overages would be accessed.

I think that the iPhone at your price is actually $499. I think $399 is if you've been with att for a year. Also, you would not need to install blacksn0w once you have made it ra1n since that unlocks your phone to use with another carrier. You won't need to use that.