Pay full price for a PDA phone or get the Rebate?

[Quicksilver]

Finally decide to buy a Treo 650 from Cingular. But I decided to run the numbers first
$ 600.00 unlocked may be the best way to buy it. It’s expensive for the first year but my numbers show there may be an advantage.

If i decide to buy from Palm an unlocked Treo 650 GSM PDA i can avoid the high priced data plan Which cost $40.00 a month ( which by the way I don’t need). So it’s $600.00 up front and about $45.00 a month for basic phone service for 12 months. That equals $1140 for the first year. Since the phone is paid off the first year I’m only paying $540.00 the second year the cost for 12 months at $45.00 times 12 months . Total for two years equals $1680.00. Wow I thought. I can beat this at the Cingular store right?

So off to the Cingular Store to get a better deal. Oh yes sir we can give you a good price. $399.00 for the Treo. Minus $100.00 rebate, minus another $50 rebate. (Rebates in 6 weeks or more). All totaled $250.00 after rebates for the phone.

Here it comes…… To get that low price for the phone i have to agree to a 2 year contract. Which consist of $45.00 a month for phone service and $45.00 a month for Data service. Actually both plans are $39.99 each but if i figure in taxes and such I’m looking at $90.00 per month for both plans

So how does it play out? Well i have a total of $90.00 per month for the first year of $1080.00 for both data and basic phone service plus the $250.00 for the phone which equals $1330.00 for the first year.

Now add the second contract year. That’s another $90.00 dollars times 12 months and i have another $1080.00 for the second contract year. Now add them both together $1330.00 for the first contract year and $1080.00 for the second contract year and I geta total of $2410.00. So if i want a Treo 650 at Cingulars low price I have to accept their plan or buy a $600.00 unlocked palm Treo. That is unless one of you out there works a Palm!!!!!

What's you take???

To sum up
Two years Cash for phone $1680.00
Two years Contract $2410.00
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Difference of $ 730.00

[PersonaNonGrata]

I'm no expert but it looks like your numbers justify buying the unlocked phone. One downside is that if you buy the hardware on your own, you're on your own if it breaks or is damaged whereas with Cingular you have a warranty period with them and you could buy the insurance and get replacements in the event your Treo takes a dump. Just a thought....

Having said that, I bought an unlocked Razr rather than going to Cingular to get one. I paid $225 for my Razr which was a deal from a good guy. The reason I did that is because I have a very, very good plan from AT&T's initial GSM rollout and in order to keep that rate plan I have to stick with my AT&T SIM card and thus get my own hardware. If I went to Cingular to get a new phone it would come with a new Cingular plan that cannot come close to me deal now. So for me, it was a no brainer to get my own phone. I didn't have to do that and stuck with either my S-E T616 or my Moto V505 but I was itching for some new candy.

[Quicksilver]

The warranty thing is a thought but it would seem to me that Palm would have some kind of warranty. I'll have to look into it though. The Idea is to find someone who works at Palm if at all possible.