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anyone pay the 399/499?

M

mwahlman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 11, 2008
11
0
I went today to see if I could get around the bs pricing for upgrade ineligable.

They wouldnt budge so I told them to get bent.

Called customer service tonight and they wouldnt wiggle either. Manager claimed that anyone who helps a customer get the cheaper price would be fired.

I told them I'll have to consider droping both their wireless and home internet, but didnt close my accounts as of tonight. That it is bs that they are charging existing customers more then the price advertised on tv.

Did anyone actually pay the 399/499 price? What are you planning to do? My phone isnt eligable till like sept 2009.
 
I did it, because the best feature on the Iphone 3g, is calling your friends and telling them you have an iphone 3g :D
 
I'm an existing customer and i got the $299 16 gig price.

Stop complaining. AT&T will not loose money off of your old contract's phone subsidy just because you're an Apple fanatic. It has been their policy for years, what makes you so special as to break the rules?
 
Your assuming that i'm a fanatic, after I just told you that I didnt purchase. In fact I dont own a single apple product, yet.

As an exisiting ATT customer they think they can just lump me into a basket and that I'd happily pay twice the initially advertised price. I will not. As an educated consumer I will wait till the hype is over. Eventually one of the local managers, or ATT corporate will get sick of iphones sitting idly on their shelves, and need to make a sale. This will happen once they stop moving in a couple weeks. We are in the middle of a recession, I just cant justify paying that extended cost. This is not a good way for a company to keep their exisiting customer base happy.

I't just shocks me that soo many people are happily letting ATT stick it in, while shouting DEEPER DEEPER! Is it too much to expect them to at least put on a little lube and offer a reach around... :confused:


ramblintoad said:
I'm an existing customer and i got the $299 16 gig price.

Stop complaining. AT&T will not loose money off of your old contract's phone subsidy just because you're an Apple fanatic. It has been their policy for years, what makes you so special as to break the rules?
Click to expand...
 
mwahlman said:
Your assuming that i'm a fanatic, after I just told you that I didnt purchase. In fact I dont own a single apple product, yet.

As an exisiting ATT customer they think they can just lump me into a basket and that I'd happily pay twice the initially advertised price. I will not. As an educated consumer I will wait till the hype is over. Eventually one of the local managers, or ATT corporate will get sick of iphones sitting idly on their shelves, and need to make a sale. This will happen once they stop moving in a couple weeks. We are in the middle of a recession, I just cant justify paying that extended cost. This is not a good way for a company to keep their exisiting customer base happy.

I't just shocks me that soo many people are happily letting ATT stick it in, while shouting DEEPER DEEPER! Is it too much to expect them to at least put on a little lube and offer a reach around... :confused:
Click to expand...


Wait until you're eligible for the subsidized upgrade price.

$399/$499 is the same price as the original iPhone. You are most likely ineligible for the $200 instant rebate because AT&T recently subsidized a phone purchase for you already. Why should AT&T give you yet another discount so soon?

Your mistake comes from thinking that the iPhone 3G is actually a $199 phone. That's wrong. It's a $399 phone with a subsidy for qualifying customers. These phones would certainly not be $199 under the old "no-commitment-required" selling strategy.
 
mwahlman said:
...As an exisiting ATT customer they think they can just lump me into a basket and that I'd happily pay twice the initially advertised price. I will not. As an educated consumer I will wait till the hype is over...:
Click to expand...
So you are a special ineligible customer that shouldn't be "lumped into the same basket" as other ineligible customers. What makes you so special? Because you cry, moan and bitch the most? It's very simple and you don't have to be too educated of a customers to understand that if you are not elegable then you are not eligible.
 
mashoutposse said:
Wait until you're eligible for the subsidized upgrade price.

$399/$499 is the same price as the original iPhone. You are most likely ineligible for the $200 instant rebate because AT&T recently subsidized a phone purchase for you already. Why should AT&T give you yet another discount so soon?

Your mistake comes from thinking that the iPhone 3G is actually a $199 phone. That's wrong. It's a $399 phone with a subsidy for qualifying customers. These phones would certainly not be $199 under the old "no-commitment-required" selling strategy.
Click to expand...

I couldn't have said it better myself.

I was prepared and perfectly comfortable paying $399 for my iPhone but the subsidized price was a welcomed surprise. If a new model comes out next summer, I'll pay the unsubsidized (or should I say, "regular") price.
 
..and if you cannot really "afford" the $399/499 prices then I really think you shouldn't get the iPhone as you would be overextending yourself.:apple:
 
I'd have to wait till 9/09 to be eligable under the current qualifications. Apparently I moved from verizon too early for them and my $55/m over the last 6 months is not appreciated. Not to mention the additional $50 I'm paying another of their business unites for the internet here at the house.

As for my exisiting camera-less "free" phone, I dont think that cost ATT very much to provide, and has likely paid for itself already with my service. I could understand if it was a brand new windows mobile.

I think there should be more of a spectrum for non-elgiable customers that is more in line with how long is left on your contract, perhapse in 6 month increments. If you have 6 months or less left add 50, a year left add 100, 18 left add 150. Something of this nature would be much more fair to the existing customers.

I understand that ATT is subsidising the phone from the "true cost" apple is charging them per unit. However I disagree with the notion that this is a "no commitment" offer. My understanding is that I would have to sign a new two year contract, which extends me as an ATT prisioner for at least an additional 6 months. That contract extension is worth something, and that is why their current system is unfair.

Now when the 32gb comes out, they have a "back to school" sale, or an additional device discount becomes available for military/corp customers in the comming months, then I may have to re-evaluate my situation. But it is up to ATT to decided how to appease customers like me who demand a win-win situation, as opposed to their current win(they)-lose(me) system.



mashoutposse said:
Wait until you're eligible for the subsidized upgrade price.

$399/$499 is the same price as the original iPhone. You are most likely ineligible for the $200 instant rebate because AT&T recently subsidized a phone purchase for you already. Why should AT&T give you yet another discount so soon?

Your mistake comes from thinking that the iPhone 3G is actually a $199 phone. That's wrong. It's a $399 phone with a subsidy for qualifying customers. These phones would certainly not be $199 under the old "no-commitment-required" selling strategy.
Click to expand...
 
pranavss11 said:
..and if you cannot really "afford" the $399/499 prices then I really think you shouldn't get the iPhone as you would be overextending yourself.:apple:
Click to expand...

ya i agree.
i'm 17. i was originally planning on spending $600 on the iphone but to my delight there was a subsidy.
 
I live in the united states, but which country isnt in the midst of a recession / stagflation due to our current economic crisis?

Can you really trust anything that the current administration says to you? Just because the executive branch has redefined some of the factors that their economists use to define a recession doesnt mean that most adults dont feel and understand the blaring truth: that we are in a recession.

Since this is a technical, and not a economic forum I will end this conversation here, but if you still believe otherwise then I encourage you to research the issue.

doodads said:
What country are you in???
Click to expand...
 
I'm college educated and work for the military. Affording the phone, is not the issue. This is a matter of principle. I'm not going to be a sucker for a bad deal.

pranavss11 said:
..and if you cannot really "afford" the $399/499 prices then I really think you shouldn't get the iPhone as you would be overextending yourself.:apple:
Click to expand...
 
I waited for 4.5 hours yesterday with no luck. Went to the ATT store and snagged an 8g which i what I wanted. I knew I would have to pay the $399 price and I was prepared. But come to find out I am not eligible to buy the IPHONE at any price. I have wasted 6 hours of my time only to be told no. I feel that at the very least they should have noted the stipulations they are placing on the early upgrade price. Just my 2 cents.
 
So the $399/$499 pricing is only for those currently with AT&T who aren't eligible for an upgrade? I tried to get the unsubsidized version yesterday but neither Apple or AT&T would bite. I wasn't about to get locked into a 2 year contract when I already have the first gen Iphone.
 
haha down fanboys down. listen to whats being said here. Jobso didnt announce the prices as subsidies, he just said they were going to be cheaper. everyone assumed they wouldn't be subsidized then. illegal? no. immoral? a little. also, if the higher prices are unsubsidized price, why the 2 year contract? (as someone mentioned)

I love apple too but use them melons a little
 
mwahlman said:
Your assuming that i'm a fanatic, after I just told you that I didnt purchase. In fact I dont own a single apple product, yet.

As an exisiting ATT customer they think they can just lump me into a basket and that I'd happily pay twice the initially advertised price. I will not. As an educated consumer I will wait till the hype is over. Eventually one of the local managers, or ATT corporate will get sick of iphones sitting idly on their shelves, and need to make a sale. This will happen once they stop moving in a couple weeks. We are in the middle of a recession, I just cant justify paying that extended cost. This is not a good way for a company to keep their exisiting customer base happy.

I't just shocks me that soo many people are happily letting ATT stick it in, while shouting DEEPER DEEPER! Is it too much to expect them to at least put on a little lube and offer a reach around... :confused:
Click to expand...

If you can live with a new phone number just open a new line.

If you can't, open a family plan with a new line for extra $10 buck then change the Sim card. Bingo!

I think that'll work. Anyone????
 
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