Apple Upgrade Program vs ATT Upgrade Program

[jaybar]

Hi

I am posting on behalf of a friend who has an ATT iPhone 5 and wishes to upgrade to a 6S and does not understand all the upgrade stuff. I am in Verizon,so I can't answer him directly about ATT vs the Apple upgrade program. I am therefore seeking advice.

Currently, he is paying monthly payments as if he were on contract, but his contract long expired. I am not sure if he is on unlimited data. He is not a big data user, but does travel.

How does the Apple Upgrade program stack up to ATT options?

Thanks

 

[Cuniac]

While I can't personally speak for the AT&T option (Verizon also) but I can say something about the iPhone Upgrade Program. When I did the program to a minor surprise Citizen One ran a hard credit check when signing up for the plan. It wasn't a huge shock as it is a lone after all, but it happened. What was a huge shock was when I called them to see if they would do another hard check if I added another phone.

They said "If you add another phone within 30 days it will not do another hard check, but after 30 days another hard check will be done." Then I asked "wait, what about when I renew this plan next year?" and the agent said "When you renew next year we will be doing another hard check as it is restarting the lone."

This means every single year you will have one hard credit check for a phone. Sure its an amazing phone, but its still a hard check. I did this plan but I will not be renewing it next year. The second phone I did through Verizon's plan. It was the same as Apple minus the AppleCare+ that is added on to that price and no hard credit check.

He should Call AT&T and see what their plan has. The iPhone Upgrade Program is; Can upgrade after 12 payments, Hard credit check, can make early payments after 6 months, Makes you buy AppleCare+ and adds it to the monthly payment amount.