Credit for Cell Phone Buyers

AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. is offering a new service to enable credit-challenged consumers to purchase cell phones. It will offer its new phone, GoPhone, through such stores as Target and 7-Eleven. Consumers will not have to sign a service contract at the time of purchase. However, when they call AT&T to activate the service, they will have to provide a bank account, credit card or debit card. The carrier can then arrange to receive payments automatically from one of these institutions. Thus, AT&T will not face the risk of nonpayment of the phone bills. And, consumers will not face a significant risk of losing wireless phone service.