Should this rumor of Cingular giving 18-months of service away for free is true; it's definitely the first! It's usually the other way around where customer gets the phone for free and pay up the ass for service.
This hot iPhone rumor was brought to you by compliments of CNBC analyst Jim Cramer (he's a nut, have you ever watch him on "Mad Money"?), who suggests Cingular/ATT will sidestep subsidization of the Apple iPhone by giving away lengthy service contracts. He believes the strategy will help drive new subscribers to the Cingular while maintaining requests from Apple not to discount the cost of the $499 and $599 iPhones.
[poll=18]
"In its call, the company made it very clear that it's going to use Apple's iPhone to get customers from Verizon Wireless by giving away its service for a year and a half to those customers who buy the phone," Cramer explained in his blog posting at TheStreet.com.
Related: Apple Bent to Cingular - and more than one iPhone coming soon? [MYiPhone]
Cramer: Cingular to give away 18 months of service with iPhone [Via Apple Insider]
Excellent!! I’m so glad that Cingular/at&t is giving away 18 months of service. That is the last barrier to entry for me. I currently have a Sidekick III which cost my wife and I $300 each and a year contract. We pay $100 a month. Even though the iPhone is twice as expensive, it will be cheaper than the Sidekick III in 6 months.
e00t!
Piko
What about a poll to see if people will buy te phone with no discount as a control.
my husband and I would purchase 2 iphones for $499 with the 18months free service.
i wiould toatlly buy this i want to change my sevice soo bad but i have to wait till thhis phone comes out
I totally hear ya Nick. The iPhone will rock the mobile industry.