[IP] Re: Several AT&T Stores Forced Customers to Buy Accessories With iPhone - Gizmodo

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren@vortex.com>
Date: July 1, 2007 12:06:58 AM EDT
To: dave@farber.net
Cc: lauren@vortex.com, bob37-2@bobf.frankston.com
Subject: Re: [IP] Re: Several AT&T Stores Forced Customers to Buy  
Accessories With iPhone - Gizmodo


Dave,

Supposedly there is no (repeat, *no*!) subsidization of iPhone cost
by The New AT&T (aka "The Old Cingular"), unlike most of their other
phones.

So why does AT&T still force iPhone users into a two year contract?

Simple.  Because they can.

By the way, it's reported that if you fail the credit check you may
be offered month-to-month prepay iPhone service ...

As Gomer Pyle used to say, "Surprise, surprise, surprise!"

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren@vortex.com or lauren@pfir.org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR
   - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, IOIC
   - International Open Internet Coalition - http://www.ioic.net
Founder, CIFIP
   - California Initiative For Internet Privacy - http://www.cifip.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com



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> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Bob Frankston <bob37-2@bobf.frankston.com>
> Date: June 30, 2007 11:45:26 PM EDT
> To: dave@farber.net, ip@v2.listbox.com
> Subject: RE: [IP] Several AT&T Stores Forced Customers to Buy=20=20
> Accessories With iPhone - Gizmodo
>
> Given that the rational for a two-year agreement is to cover the  
> cost=20=20
> of subsidizing the purchase of the phone =96 is $600 really  
> represent=20=20
> the same kind of discount that prices a MotoQ at $100? Or often  
> a=20=20
> Razr at $0? Or has the just-so story about subsidizing the phone  
> done=20=20
> its job and we now just accept it as a normal part of paying for  
> the=20=20
> ability to communicate? Best to think of it as an $775 phone with  
> a=20=20
> refund if you manage to last out two years at $*=92s per month.
>
> Of course they also have the chutzpah to charge for the cost of=20=20
> complying with telecom laws =96 why not break out the cost of  
> complying=20=
> =20
> with other laws?
>
> From: David Farber [mailto:dave@farber.net]
> Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2007 23:25
> To: ip@v2.listbox.com
> Subject: [IP] Several AT&T Stores Forced Customers to Buy  
> Accessories=20=20
> With iPhone - Gizmodo
>
>
> http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/ripoff/breaking-several-att-stores- 
> forced-=20
> customers-to-buy-accessories-with-iphone-273992.php
>
> Archives
>
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