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AT&T Begins Selling $99 (Refurbished) iPhone
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all of us early adopters should make a huge stink of this and DEMAND $100 or 200 back from apple!
heh.
heh.
after being with ATT for 8-10yrs (im not sure exactly how long), I completely agree.
I purchased my phone on the night it came out. When my 2 years are up with ATT I will leave them, jailbreak my phone and go to whom ever I find gives me what I need, which isn't much. All I need is a phone, ipod, surf the net and use my apps. I do not text. I don't even use the phone much. I always use the ipod side or the apps. I think ATT knows they will loose a few people at the 2 year mark and will be thinking of ways to either get them back or keep them. I forsee a lot of interesting plans coming this summer. My advice is don't get youself tied up to anyone in 2009 till the smoke clears.
Exactly
This is absolutely the worst thing about media companies. From Wireless companies to Cable. You would think one of these giants would figure out what a loyal customer base they could build by offering their longtime patrons the latest tech, best plans and reducing their bill by a couple % every year they stayed on. Contracts would become a thing of the past. After all it costs far more to hook a new customer than it does to keep an existing one. It only stands to reason that they would "pass the savings on", yet they don't. Then they wind up losing their best customers to the other guy with the new, better deal, and have to turn around and find a replacement. It's totally effed up.
This is absolutely the worst thing about media companies. From Wireless companies to Cable. You would think one of these giants would figure out what a loyal customer base they could build by offering their longtime patrons the latest tech, best plans and reducing their bill by a couple % every year they stayed on. Contracts would become a thing of the past. After all it costs far more to hook a new customer than it does to keep an existing one. It only stands to reason that they would "pass the savings on", yet they don't. Then they wind up losing their best customers to the other guy with the new, better deal, and have to turn around and find a replacement. It's totally effed up.
these are refurbished. AT&T also said that some iPhones may have minor scratches. it's not like last year when Apple lowered the price of the iPhone (non-3G) 100 bucks for a brand new one. Refurbished stuff is always cheaper. Live with it.
I called ATT because the discount wasn't showing up for me after I signed into my account. I have been a customer of ATT for years. The representative I spoke with credited my account $50 because she couldn't understand why I couldn't get it since I had an equipment upgrade available. She then redirected me to an Apple phone number where the representative I spoke with at Apple assured me that my standard Apple warranty would start the day I register my iphone, refurbished or not, and that I can purchase Apple Care if I want to. I took down her name just in case. The transaction seemed pretty smooth although at first it seemed like no one was sure about the warranty situation. The Apple number I was transferred to is ( 1-800-694-7466 ). They gave me the number in case we got disconnected. Hope this helps anyone else who may have questions about this.
you got it for 99 dollars? And all you did was upgrade/renew your contract? Are you sure you did not get the 150 dollar iphone?
I'm waiting for the next iPhone that will have CMDA 1xEVDO capabilities (Verizon, Sprint, US Cellular). I know a guy who works for Verizon who says that the iPhone would compete with their VCast music store crap thingy. Who the hell wants to pay TWO BUCKS for their Verizon-phone only music downloads? I say nobody gives a rat's hind end about Verizon's stupid soon-to-be-made-obsolete-by-the-iPhone VCast garbage. All we want and care about are their ultra-dense coverage and AT&T-pwning data speed.
Nice rant about something totally unrelated.
Also, Apple re-uped their exclusivity contract with AT&T when the 3G came out, until 2010 I believe. So don't expect a Verizon iPhone anytime soon.
I have Verizon's LG enV2, and although it's a pretty good little phone in its own merit, it starts to look pretty pathetic when compared to the Jesus phone.
And the "Jesus phone" looks entirely craptastic compared to something you can find in Japan. The iPhones capabilities are ancient comparatively (but they look nice to us here in the U.S., not to mention it has that little
stamped on the back )
i agree with the talks about long term customers getting ripped off, but in this case the phones are refirbs.
but also think about the fact that they are still iphones, and sill be just as functional, and if the scratches are on the body you can just buy a rubber case and be done with them
but also think about the fact that they are still iphones, and sill be just as functional, and if the scratches are on the body you can just buy a rubber case and be done with them
not true. if you buy at Apple it is with a contract. and there are two prices for each model. one if ATT will subsidize, more of they won't. and Apple will not override ATT's call on that issue.
if you want no contract, that's for ATT to grant and sell. and you can bet it will still be with activation and with no subsidies so that's at least $399/499 if not more (probably more)
for what. you got an unopened phone. these are not unopened. they were opened and even used for up to 30 days. that's why the extra money off.
not to mention that apparently you would lose 9 months of the warranty that comes with that unopened box. which seems a tad wrong to me but I guess ATT gets to make that rule, not Apple.
not sure who you are talking about cause here in the US the final price to the customer is determined by ATT's rules. and those rules are that they will pay $200 of the cost (leaving you with $199/299 plus all sales tax) for new accounts and accounts eligible for an upgrade in good standing (ie if you owe them money forget it).
I'm an existing AT&T customer and this is what the supervisors in each department told me (and I got bounced to basically all departments within AT&T):
I can not get the 99$ Refurb iPhone as an existing customer and
that they can not price match it either, due to agreements with Apple.
For all that I know, the left hand may not know what the right hand is doing.
That's BULL! Someone should start a petition and send it to AAPL/ATT. How can they neglect faithful users of their services?
1. No one knows how long the exclusive deal with AT&T lasts, or much else about it for that matter. It's not public knowledge.
2. As I understand it, you don't lose 9 months of warranty. AT&T's refurbs have a warranty that starts when the phone is first placed in service, which probably results in a 10 or 11 month warranty, but at least 6 months. The 90 days is a minimum for refurb gear.
2. As I understand it, you don't lose 9 months of warranty. AT&T's refurbs have a warranty that starts when the phone is first placed in service, which probably results in a 10 or 11 month warranty, but at least 6 months. The 90 days is a minimum for refurb gear.
Extended Warranty
Any major credit card (Mastercard is best) automatically doubles the warranty. If the battery goes on the iPhone, they will replace the phone for $79. I can't see Apple Care being worthwhile.
What about an iPhone Extreme. 32GB RAM, faster processor for $399? And some funky colors
Any major credit card (Mastercard is best) automatically doubles the warranty. If the battery goes on the iPhone, they will replace the phone for $79. I can't see Apple Care being worthwhile.
What about an iPhone Extreme. 32GB RAM, faster processor for $399? And some funky colors
Let me just be clear. I wanted to buy the white 16gb iphone and the 50 dollar savings was not showing up. Which would have made the $249 phone $199. Since the $50 wasn't showing up, ATT credited my account $50 and I paid the whole $249 up front but still ended up with the same savings.
They Do?!?
Mine hasn't...
Yeah for anecdotal evidence! I can play too!
Mine did need to be replaced in the first couple of months. So what is your point?
Fact is, I wouldn't touch this with a 90 day-ish warranty to save $100. Unless you also add AppleCare, it is not worth the risk to save $100. And AppleCare is $69. So you save $30 and get an extra year of warranty. Sounds OK if it is not a pain in the ass to order.
And this is coming from a guy that never buys AppleCare.
man how long idd it take you to get that deal....how did you go about asking att for that eal to credit your account?