AT&T letting go of 8GB refurb iPhone 3Gs for $99 on contract

Ha, you or someone you love just paid full retail for an iPhone 3G a few days ago, didn't you? We've always heard that the best deals come after Christmas, but people just never learn. All smack talk aside, those who didn't get a new cellie under the tree, but did acquire a Benjamin or so courtesy of cash-stuffed holiday cards, can certainly score a big deal today. AT&T is now offering the 8GB iPhone 3G in refurbished form for just $99 with a two-year agreement, while the 16GB refurb is $199 on contract in either black or white. Call us crazy, but we don't foresee these hanging around in stock for too awfully long.

[Thanks, Brenson]

[albundy Posted Dec 26th 2008 5:53PM]

its an ok deal, but i will NEVER go back to re-encoding and transcoding video for iCrap devices. Those days are long over.

[Bal23 Posted Dec 26th 2008 6:26PM]

@Chris2306
Hey Chris, where is the refurb offer on the O2 website? Do you have to call them and ask for a refurb unit?
Thanks

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 6:35PM]

I just got in touch with an account rep at AT&T, who assured me that the refurb 8g iPhone 3G was NEVER priced under $149.

[bohoy2k Posted Dec 26th 2008 6:50PM]

just picked up a black 16gb refurb..I'll let everyone/engadget know on the quality, etc. From what I hear, they're usually good as new.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 11:54PM]

Any good/bad news yet? If you're like me, I'd have that thing out of the box as soon as I got home!

[bohoy2k Posted Dec 27th 2008 2:42PM]

it should be here by monday. I'll have a little write up as soon as i get it

[bohoy2k Posted Jan 6th 2009 12:52AM]

ok so i got it last week (1/02/09) and it is amazing. pretty much brand new. the only differences i see are that this one came in an AT&T box instead of its original packaging. definitely worth it.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 7:23PM]

is there anyone outh there that would rather buy storm $250.,android phone 188$ over iphone 3g $99.,???

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 27th 2008 3:57AM]

no

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 7:35PM]

THIS IS ONLY FOR NEW CUSTOMERS. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH AT&T OR THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!

[qnetter Posted Dec 26th 2008 7:40PM]

Yeah, sure, add in the full contract cost.

Because, after all, otherwise I could just buy one and put it on a shelf to look at -- why would I get a voice or data plan?!

(As for travel: what's the point, really, of a dozen prepaid SIM cards if nobody can reach you?! Like most people, I receive at least 2-3x as many calls as I make...)

[Paul Chapel Posted Dec 26th 2008 7:49PM]

even if its $99 im not buying an iphone. i want an WinMo phone because, flawed as it may be, it is better than the iphone OS because is is more tuned for business users than the iphone.

[galfridus73 Posted Dec 26th 2008 8:51PM]

And your rationale is?

The fact of the matter is that the iPhone has Active Sync. If you are using an Exchange server (or something like Zimbra, which acts like an Exchange server) at work then the iPhone will work seamlessly with it.

I have to admit that I think your thinking is flawed. At the university I work at I'm seeing Palm, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile users drop their devices for an iPhone. And that includes a lot of the higher-ups (like the president).

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 8:01PM]

Now there is absolutely no reason not to purchase an iPhone, the most revolutionary mobile phone on the market.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 8:34PM]

How do you get it if you already have a contract and want to upgrade?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 9:03PM]

AT&T wont freakin upgrade people for the $99 price. I am eligible for an upgrade and spent 2hrs on the phone with them. They will only let "new" customers purchase the $99 iphone. STUPID.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 9:27PM]

So we have established you have to be a new customer to get the $99 price for the iphone.

I want the iphone, currently use T-mobile, and do NOT want to be under contract with AT&T. If my math is correct, I can get this phone for, oh say, ($99 + $175) =$274? ya unda staa?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 26th 2008 9:47PM]

youre forgetting $36 activation+30 day minimum billing $72,not to mention iphone 3g will only push edge on tmobil,no apps!no visual vmail.,not to mention tomobile doesnt have unlimited full html data plan.,so youul be using 3g phone on edge speed,.

[jslappa Posted Dec 26th 2008 10:20PM]

Shugg

Your math is right. You have to keep the phone for at least 30 days to have the option to pay the $175 ETF. If you tried to return it in, say, a week, they will want their phone back, or will charge your account for the balance of a full price phone if you try to keep it. They may also keep your contract running untile the phone is returned or a police report is produced by you, should your phone get stolen.

While T-Mobile has eliminated their $5 T-Zones internet for new accounts, they still absolutely offer a full internet plan at $19.99. An unlocked iphone can definitely make use of EDGE in that regards. Come 12-31-08, both the 3G and 2.5G iPhone can be used on T-Mobile, save for their 2100 Mhz 3G.

[pika2000 Posted Dec 26th 2008 10:32PM]

Regardless of how you spin it, you're still paying for a locked phone. Even worse, after 2 years, technically you already "pay off" the phone, but does AT&T give you any discount on the plan? Nope. Will AT&T unlock your iPhone? Unlikely. Paying for a locked phone is illogical. If I want a provider-locked phone, the provider better give me the phone for free. If I have to pay for the phone, it better be unlocked out of the box.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 27th 2008 12:10AM]

take it or leave it . There is a reason y u don't have this phone you've been salivating over fir the last 2 years. You'll just have to sit back n wonder.while we all eventually upgrade to our 32gb iPhone 4g before u know it. Life is good. Full HTML wifi 3g browsing,widescreen video iPod ,ifap.to exclusive to iPhone unlimited free porn site.

[x360 Posted Dec 27th 2008 5:18AM]

Who ever said you can't use iPhone 3g on prepaid is not true..... Let me tell you how I did it and I can confirm 100 perecent it worked I am using it now

I went and purchased a iphone 3g phone from craigslist. Next called AT&T to see if I could activate via go phone and he laughed and said no hahaha.... Now I show him how I do LOL
I went to my local walgreens store and purchased a cheap $20.00 nokia gophone and called AT&T and got this plan
Pick your plan 29.99 for 200 minutes
Either it's 15 or 20 for medianet unlimited and paid a total of 50.00 for a pick your plan
Activated the account using the IME from nokia and once that is done popped the prepaid sim into the iPhone and waited for it to say "iPhone is activated" and I was up and running using 3g speeds on a prepaid account.....

I am serious it works

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 27th 2008 6:44AM]

What a silly and misguided troll :):(

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 27th 2008 12:04PM]

Same problem here... I had called... the refurb is ONLY available if you are a new customer. I am an existing customer, so I can not buy the refurb. Go figure, treat your existing customers like CRAP. Got to love the cell providers!

[Kasi Viswanath Posted Dec 27th 2008 6:08PM]

Is it possible to buy this refurb iphone from ATT and not activate it. I would want to use it as an ipod touch with full wi-fi capabilities then. I will use it that way until someone jailbreaks it. Please answer this. I have been posting the same question in various different forums but to no avail.

Did anyone buy an iphone and used it as an ipod touch before activating it?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 30th 2008 12:41AM]

sucks! My iphone looks like shit without it's silicon case (so much for scratch resistant screens). I really wanted to upgrade to it, but alas, can't because after 9 years with southwestern bell/cingular/att I am still not good enough for a $99 iphone.

shame.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 5th 2009 3:12PM]

When you follow the link to ATT's refurb site it lists the refurbed 3g iPhone 8g @ $149 and the 16g model @ $199. Where did you get the $99 and $149 price info?