[rozwado1]

1. Go online (walmart/letstalk.com, etc) and signup for a new 2 year AT&T agreement, get the best phone possible at the discounted signup rate (make sure it doesn't require any rebates). Choose a plan that you'd like to stick with to ease confusion later. Sign up a brand new (temp) phone number, you can port yours later (have 30 days).

2. Receive phone, take pictures of box, put on eBay.

3. Buy iPhone at apple for $400.

4. Activate through iTunes as an existing customer, add iPhone $20 plan, plus any other text packages. I think you can change your original voice plan at this point too, but I didn't in my case. Rumor is that activating an iPhone kills any other SIMs on your plan, so the new SIM you received may be trash. (i've read conflicting reports)

5. Test out ATT vs. your old service for a couple of days, then call ATT to port over your number if all is well. The porting process will automatically close your account at your prior service.

6. Collect eBay profits to diminish the overall cost of iPhone.

This was my 'college student' way of getting an iPhone. As long as you get the freebie phone without rebates, there's no tie-in to the contract - you own it flat-out.

many thanks to howardforums

[MrForgetable]

You can even get one of those expensive smartphones that are subsidized to get even more profit if you want to put in some more money at the beginning.

[rozwado1]

Correct. I am under the impression that this process isn't public knowledge, so hopefully people who search the forum will be able to use this method also. cheers

[JMan09]

Can you do this but upgrade to an iPhone after a couple of months? Because I plan to switch to AT&T around March or April for other reasons than the iPhone. But I wanted to wait and see if a new one comes out soon.

[rozwado1]

Get a contract for a few months, then buy an iPhone - I don't think that's a problem at all. I think you'll just have to extend your contract 2yrs once you get the iPhone. You may want to browse around howardforums, but I don't see a reason for AT&T to charge you any other fees for this move. I think you only have 30 days to port your number from your old carrier, or they'll charge a $36 activation fee.

[JMan09]

Ok, I planned to port my number when I switch over anyways. I just don't want to buy an iPhone now and then they put out a new one soon. I think the current one is enough for me, but I want the most up to date.