Are 3G users screwed come June by AT&T?

[canucksfan88]

soooooo basically you are bit*ching because u bought an iPhone, locked in a contract for 2 years, and now with the release of a 3rd generation, feel that AT&T is the bad guy for not letting you get the new one?

have u never bought a phone before? Just because its an iPhone, doesnt make it exempt from the rules. Quit crying you big baby

 

[Pooshka]

soooooo basically you are bit*ching because u bought an iPhone, locked in a contract for 2 years, and now with the release of a 3rd generation, feel that AT&T is the bad guy for not letting you get the new one?

have u never bought a phone before? Just because its an iPhone, doesnt make it exempt from the rules. Quit crying you big baby

I have to correct you there: "Just because it's an iPhone, does make it exempt from the rules."

 

[arkitect]

I have to correct you there: "Just because it's an iPhone, does make it exempt from the rules."

OK. We can see you're really really angry from all your lovely little red faces… but care to explain exactly why an iPhone should be exempt from the rules?
Or are you just… angry because you feel you've paid too much?

 

[vicfalc09]

Ok so this was my situation:

I signed up with AT&T in April of 2008 with some sony erricson phone.

In July of 2008 I bought the iPhone 3G @ full price at apple and had to sign a new 2 year contract.

So since I paid full price for the iPhone 3G should i receive a subsidy on the upcoming iPhone?

 

[edesignuk]

You sign up to a contact. You get to the end of your contract and can sign up to a new one with a new subsidised handset.

That's how it works. That's how it's always worked.

If they somehow give you a better deal than that consider yourself lucky. Otherwise just consider yourself being treated as is absolutely normal.

 

[teiresias]

Ok so this was my situation:

I signed up with AT&T in April of 2008 with some sony erricson phone.

In July of 2008 I bought the iPhone 3G @ full price at apple and had to sign a new 2 year contract.

So since I paid full price for the iPhone 3G should i receive a subsidy on the upcoming iPhone?

If you paid full price, which I believe are/were(?) $399/$499 for the respective memory sizes, and signed a new two-year contract, you paid that full price because at the time you were not eligible for an upgrade. My guess would be that your new upgrade eligibility would be based on the time from when you signed that new 2-year contract, which I think would mean you wouldn't be eligible for a new upgrade by June this year, maybe November or December.

I could be wrong though, may as well check your online account to see what AT&T says right now (though those dates have been known to change inexplicably).

 

[aok1975]

If you paid full price, which I believe are/were(?) $399/$499 for the respective memory sizes, and signed a new two-year contract, you paid that full price because at the time you were not eligible for an upgrade. My guess would be that your new upgrade eligibility would be based on the time from when you signed that new 2-year contract, which I think would mean you wouldn't be eligible for a new upgrade by June this year, maybe November or December.

I could be wrong though, may as well check your online account to see what AT&T says right now (though those dates have been known to change inexplicably).

399/499 is not the full price, it's the early upgrade price. The full price is 599/699. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[D-Jam]

I just bought an 8GB iPhone 3G because all the rumors I've heard listed here about the new iPhone don't turn me on. Yes they're cool features, but features I really don't want/need in a phone.

I'm happy I will get the 3.0 OS Update, which is something I want. I'm also hoping the rates will go down a bit with new hardware and services coming out. I would only feel screwed if AT&T told me I couldn't change my services.

 

[aristobrat]

Im simply wondering out loud if there will be a way to upgrade to a new iPhone without getting rapped on the $699.99 tag that Apple is goign to charge for us 6 month old 3G users.

You can do that currently (per scootaru's post below).

For example, if you lose/break your existing 16GB iPhone 3G and want to purchase a replacement one today, they'd charge you a "reduced price" of $499. That's half-way between the "discounted price" ($299) and "full price" ($699).

I checked my eligibilty date and it said I am eligible to upgrade to a new iPhone at a reduced rate, but I am not eligible to upgrade at a discounted rate until 04/01/2010.

8GB is $399 w/ 2 year contract
16GB is $499 w/ 2 year contract

 

[dave006]

Ok so this was my situation:

I signed up with AT&T in April of 2008 with some sony erricson phone.

In July of 2008 I bought the iPhone 3G @ full price at apple and had to sign a new 2 year contract.

So since I paid full price for the iPhone 3G should i receive a subsidy on the upcoming iPhone?

399/499 is not the full price, it's the early upgrade price. The full price is 599/699. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

You are correct, the $399/ $499 price is still a subsidy purchase. As AT&T has finally started selling a no subsidy iPhone 3G for $599 / $699 last month. However if at this price, AT&T still has specific purchase requirements.

The previous poster just has to logon to their AT&T account and check their upgrade date but yes it will be based on the July purchase of a subsized iPhone. So without any other information on how much the poster spends with AT&T on a monthy basis, the default next "Eligible Upgrade" would be April 2010. The normal upgrade window for a subsidy phone is 18-21 months into the two year commitment.

Dave

 

[bigchief]

The new iPhone will be offered to everyone at subsidized prices on condition that the original iPhone owners sign a 2-year contract, whereas the iPhone 3G owners sign a 3-year contract. Fair enough!

Does anyone ever wonder why this country is in the finacial trouble we are in today? Just read the above statement.

 

[teiresias]

399/499 is not the full price, it's the early upgrade price. The full price is 599/699. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

I know that, but in his post he said he had signed a new contract so I just assumed by "full price" he meant the "in between" price that was/is available for those that weren't eligible for upgrade but were existing customers. I suppose I should have asked him what he thought "full price" meant because obviously the 399/499 is not completely unsubsidized - but when I typed it out it came across as snarky.

 

[rarity]

I knew what I was getting into when I signed a two year contract. New phones are released all the time. Why would I expect a subsidy just b/c I want the latest phone? It's business. You're not "screwed."

 

[aok1975]

I knew what I was getting into when I signed a two year contract. New phones are released all the time. Why would I expect a subsidy just b/c I want the latest phone? It's business. You're not "screwed."

True. If you want the latest, hey just go and buy it.

 

[beeh]

I read elsewhere (the Skype thread?) that younger people tend to forget the massive investments made by the carriers on infrastructure and I totally agree. But it's more than that - it seems these people can't even remember that less than a year ago they got a $300+ discount on a brand new iPhone in exchange for agreeing to two years of service! I mean, is it really that difficult to wrap one's head around the concept of subsidy=contract=commitment?

This is the credit card generation after all, no one keeps track of what they bought "yesterday".

 

[eastercat]

The new iPhone will be offered to everyone at subsidized prices on condition that the original iPhone owners sign a 2-year contract, whereas the iPhone 3G owners sign a 3-year contract. Fair enough!

I need access to whatever drugs you're taking. It makes no sense (to me) to be in financial indentured servitude to AT&T for three years.
I'll wait to upgrade when the iPhone comes out with a 64 GB version.

 

[Eso]

I suppose I should have asked him what he thought "full price" meant because obviously the 399/499 is not completely unsubsidized)

There are three pricing teirs: subsidized, early upgrade, no-commitment. I think these represent subsidized, wholesale, and retail prices - as in $399/$499 is probably nearly the price AT&T pays per iPhone in bulk. In this case, AT&T breaks even to allow early upgrades with the benefit of getting the customer in another 2-year contract. Without contract, they are selling you the iPhone for a profit.

Edit: Buy.com selling iPhone 3G retail for the price of $799. If $499 was subsidized, it would be by $100 maximum, but considering AT&T's retail price is $100 cheaper than Buy.com, it suggests it is not subsidized.

 

[gloss]

You are correct, the $399/ $499 price is still a subsidy purchase. As AT&T has finally started selling a no subsidy iPhone 3G for $599 / $699 last month.

$399/$499 is non-subsidized. They're selling the phones basically at cost and are roping you into a contract to get a little profit.

The $599/$699 price is both unsubsidized and uncontracted, meaning they're getting all their money up front.

 

[Le Big Mac]

meaning they're getting all their profit up front.

fixed that for ya'

 

[gloss]

fixed that for ya'

That is what I meant, thanks.

 

[fleshman03]

Are 3g Users Screwed Come June By AT&T?

Yes. Yes, you will be.






(I've wanted to do that for a week.)

 

[ViPa]

im sure at&t will some up with something..probably similar to what they did last time

 

[teiresias]

im sure at&t will some up with something..probably similar to what they did last time

Like allow subsidized pricing for those that bought the original iPhone that was not subsidized? Yes, I can see how these situations are completely similar.

 

[nick9191]

If you consider "screwed" as not being able to buy a product at a subsidised price.

 

[dave006]

There are three pricing teirs: subsidized, early upgrade, no-commitment. I think these represent subsidized, wholesale, and retail prices - as in $399/$499 is probably nearly the price AT&T pays per iPhone in bulk. In this case, AT&T breaks even to allow early upgrades with the benefit of getting the customer in another 2-year contract. Without contract, they are selling you the iPhone for a profit.

Edit: Buy.com selling iPhone 3G retail for the price of $799. If $499 was subsidized, it would be by $100 maximum, but considering AT&T's retail price is $100 cheaper than Buy.com, it suggests it is not subsidized.

The Buy.com iPhones are unlocked. The $599 / $699 pricing from Apple and AT&T are still locked to AT&T. That may account for the $100 price difference or the fact that the "distributor" is making a profit.

The Buy.com phones still are a very Big ? when it comes to the warranty. We still don't know where they were packaged for sale as that determines the place where you may have to return it to for any warranty coverage. They only identify the Mfg Part#: A1241 and not the Apple Model Number.

Dave