iPhone 3G

Thanks AT&T.

I have been an AT&T customer since they swallowed Cingular. My bill gets paid automatically, so no late payments. I have been pretty happy with my service. I have no problem with coverage here in Western Washington, or other places I travel.

Then, the other day when the iPhone 3G was released, I figured I’d give it a shot. See if the store I happened to be near around midday had any left. I went in and found that they had four white 16GB iPhones remaining. I kind of wanted the black, 8Gb one, but went with it anyway. This is when the sales person asks me for my current number. She punched it into the system, then tells me they can’t sell it to me because I’m not eligible for an upgrade until November 2009. I guess the fact that I’m willing to commit to a more expensive service plan for two more years doesn’t make them enough money to allow them to sell me the phone for the subsidized price.

I understand that they want to pull in Apple junkies as new customers and take full advantage of their agreement to sell the iPhone, but to me this was insulting. I was instantly cured of my craving for an iPhone. I like my Sony Ericsson w580i Walkman phone and I may buy an iPod Touch at some point. I’m pretty sure I won’t be renewing my AT&T contract once it is up.