free phones? free activation? free first month?

free phones = most of the time
free activation = Verizon = no. ATT = yes, except in certain situations.
free 1st month = ATT gives you a 30-day period to decide to take their service, but the service is NOT free. You can cancel without penalty, but you will have to pay for calls made. Verizon gives you 15 days for trail period. Same conditions. You can cancel without contract-penalties, but you will be billed for the pro-rated portion of service you used.

See the following two articles I wrote:
Pro Rated Bill
Rate Plans

the free phones are usually the less expensive models. On ATT that is Ericsson, which up until recently was junk. On Verizon its Nokia, which is reportedly junk. (If you opt-out of the contract within the trial period, you DO NOT get to keep the "free" phone.)

Can't speak to Voicestream, no experience.

 

All I can say is as far as how often they do these offers, there's no way of telling. I guess is whenever their marketing teams feel its profitable.

 

Unless they've changed their policy, Verizon does offer free activation with 2 year contracts.

 

Voicestream doesn't give free activation usually. They give free phones with a mail-in rebate, but also the ones that come out being free after the mail-in rebate are usually the cheap phones. Voicestream gives like $50 mail-in rebates on all of their phones.
As far as first month free, the closest that they get to that is prorating the bill from the time that you sign up. For example; if you sign up in the middle of a billing cycle, then you will be given less minutes for less money, because their is less time in your first month. Remember this only applies to the first month.

 

Some independent dealers may offer free activation and free or reduced monthly rates for a short period. This is their own value add and is independent of the carriers. Only you can decide whether dealing with an independent who may or may not have staying power or warranties is worth the savings.

 

SunCom has phone's that are free with a one year contract infact currently on there website after mail in rebates you can get the Panasonic Promax, Sony Ericsson R300, and the Nokia 5165 for free. SunCom doesn't usually wave the activation fee though, its $35 but every once in a while they will run a promo in the paper for free activation for a couple of days or so plus a free phone. As far as the free month goes SunCom did have a promo out a little while ago where you got one month free on one type of there plans I think it was the SunCom States Plan but they no longer offer that now I think.


On a separte note sometimes resellar's can be cheaper I bought my phone from Tennessee Communications in my local mall which sells SunCom service and I managed to get my activation fee waved with them, a free Nokia 5165 phone, a free car charger, a free leather case, and a free handsfree device just for signing a one year contract. So far I've been very happy with my service too and I know this particular resellar right now is even offering the Nokia 3360 for free now with just a 1 year contract.

 

sometimes resellers can be good if you know who you are buying from. I would first talk with friends etc. and see if anyone of them have purshaced service from them. Also sometimes they offer the free first month but not often.

Jack

 

Currently VoiceStream is offering the Nokia 3390 free in their online store.