ATaRH.com

Given my views on AT&T’s network and my recent break-up with my iPhone, I have watched the release of the new iPhone 3G S with mild amusement. Many on our team are looking to upgrade and like many of their fellow current iPhone owners have been complaining about the AT&T $200 surcharge for upgrading to the recently announced iPhone 3G S. The unsubsidized price of the new iPhone 3G S is $599/$699, depending in the total storage space of the device.

Ronald Lewis, author of a soon-to-be-released book called Stick it to the man, has figured out a way to beat the subsidy.

While the world was slamming AT&T over their miscalculated move, I sold my 16GB iPhone 3G and reserved my 32GB iPhone 3G S for $299. View the slideshow that confirms my pricing. Know what’s funny? I’ve only fulfilled eleven months of my AT&T contract.

His technique is my favorite way of getting what I want: being nice and polite to the sales people. He says if you reinforce the point (politely) that you are a long time loyal customer, AT&T is likely to cut you a deal. I think Ronald’s approach is good, though I have a tough time believing that Ma Bell will be nice to each one of its customers. And if it does indeed reward its long time customers with a surcharge waiver, then I will tip my hat to them. I have not independently tested Ronald’s approach, so don’t start hating on me if the method doesn’t work. If it works, then thank Ronald.

Also, did anyone else see the humor in Ronald “sticking it to the man” by being nice. I for one, advise my good friends to get a phone that runs on a network that is the exact opposite of “fewer bars in more places network.” But if you still want an AT&T-iPhone combo, well have a swell time yelling in the wind. To be fair, AT&T says it is hard at work at improving its network.

PS: