AT&T does not allow me to upgrade 2G to 3G iPhone

[westlakers]

Actually that is wrong too.

Here's how it really is: If you activated the original iPhone BEFORE July 11, you are eligible for an upgrade at anytime on any line. If you purchased the iPhone AFTER July 11 and you were already an AT&T customer you are not eligible for an upgrade, except for a special case I will explain later. If you purchased the original iPhone AFTER July 11 and you were a new AT&T customer, you are eligible for an upgrade at any time. However, if you purchased the iPhone used from a current AT&T customer who had the iPhone activated for more than 1 year from purchase date, you are not eligible. Now, although you are not eligible for an upgrade if you were an existing AT&T customer and activated the original iPhone AFTER July 11, you can circumvent this policy. Buy a new, cheap phone ($20 or less) and put your iPhone SIM card into it. Activate this new phone with AT&T (in store or one the web) and you will be on a new 2 year contract and will be eligible to upgrade to a 3G at any time. This will not work, however, if the iPhone 3G you purchase was produced AFTER July 11 (check the serial number for the week it was produced).

Hope this helps clear up all the confusion. Yes, this post is nothing more than a satire on all the conflicting information flying around.

Just repeated I had posted before:

I opened my AT&T account while I purchased 2G iphone with full price ($499) on 2/2008. at that time I still had a original line with VZ and I continued to pay that line until its contract expired.

I agreed that my wife can not upgrade. but why NOT me. and again, I am not rushing to upgrade at this moment, just wait for next iPhone comes along.

 

[dave006]

Actually that is wrong too.

.....................lots of stuff here satire or not..................................

Alright, it's Friday so I'll go easy.

If you are gonna talk out of your ass, at least reference the right quote.

Which part of your response has anything to do with what I said or what I quoted?

I have to again vote with CocoaPuffs. Nothing that CocoaPuffs stated or quoted was incorrect based on the post you choose to respond too.

BTW, your post was a mix of correct and incorrect information that was in no way related to what the "thread starter" or the rest of this thread was about, it just further confused the average poster that is trying to score an iPhone 3G.

Dave

 

[tilman]

Never mind.

 

[dave006]

you must have misunderstood what I meant, I meant that it wastes time in dealing with AT&T in this matter. And to everybody who replied in this thread, you are great, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

the problem is with AT&T, I do not understand and I do not bother to call them to find out why (remember we called and they tried to sell us a different phone, LOL)

as for next upgrade, I will go to Apple store instead.

Just repeated I had posted before:

I opened my AT&T account while I purchased 2G iphone with full price ($499) on 2/2008. at that time I still had a original line with VZ and I continued to pay that line until its contract expired.

I agreed that my wife can not upgrade. but why NOT me. and again, I am not rushing to upgrade at this moment, just wait for next iPhone comes along.

Well, now we are getting somewhere. So lets agree that there was a misunderstanding. We still need some more details from you but based on your latest post we should focus on when, where and how you purchased your wife's Razr and added it to your account.

1. Do you currently have a FamilyTalk plan and is your line the primary (anchor) line?

2. When / where / how was you wife's line added when she ported from VZ? ( not all the details a quick idea )?

Since there could have been a problem introduced at that point in the process...

Dave

 

[westlakers]

Well, now we are getting somewhere. So lets agree that there was a misunderstanding. We still need some more details from you but based on your latest post we should focus on when, where and how you purchased your wife's Razr and added it to your account.

1. Do you currently have a FamilyTalk plan and is your line the primary (anchor) line?

2. When / where / how was you wife's line added when she ported from VZ? ( not all the details a quick idea )?

Since there could have been a problem introduced at that point in the process...

Dave

1. my line is anchor line.
2. my wife switched to AT&T last Oct when her contract with VZ expired. then my plan became family plan when she joined my account and she got RAZR phone from AT&T.

 

[dave006]

1. my line is anchor line.
2. my wife switched to AT&T last Oct when her contract with VZ expired. then my plan became family plan when she joined my account and she got RAZR phone from AT&T.

OK, the FamilyTalk setup with an existing line is often where mistakes can introduced that would cause the loss of your "Equipment Upgrade" status. Was this done in an AT&T Corporate Store, perhaps the same store you were in asking about an upgrade to the iPhone 3G?

First, have you checked https://www.wireless.att.com/myaccount to check your "Upgrade Options"? This is the same information that Apple or AT&T will use to determine your date for eligiblity for a discounted iPhone 3G. This date will also provide a clue as to when the system was last updated / changed.

At this point I would vote for a upgrade date of about 7/2010 based on the Oct. date for your FamilyTalk plan. Also you have an additional complexity with that LG that was sent to you by the Online Sales Rep. Which line was that phone assigned too? If that transaction was not properly reversed your "Equipment Upgrade" status could also have been reset to about 7/2010.

Dave

 

[elistan]

He already responded to those questions.

After going back an re-reading the posts more carefully, I think he actually DIDN'T answer all those questions yet. Although now I think we do have all the info. I obviously already knew the answer to the first one, but asked it anyway because it's part of the sequence I of thought I wanted to go down. (I thought he might have gotten a subsidised phone from AT&T in, for example, Dec 07.) We now know that he had no AT&T phone prior to the iPhone 2G, which is a very big deal according to AT&T's upgrade policy for iPhone.

Here it is from them directly.
http://www.wireless.att.com/answer-..._dyncharset=UTF-8&solutionId=54051&isSrch=Yes

The important bit is:
These prices [the discounted upgrade prices] are available to the following customers:

* iPhone customers who purchased before July 11, 2008
* Customers activating a new line with AT&T
* Current AT&T customers who are eligible, at the time of purchase, for an upgrade discount

Obviously he meets the first criteria, having purchased Feb 2008. Therefore he should be upgrade eligible and I can think of only two reasons why he's being denied the upgrade price - either it's just a complete mess-up on AT&T's part, or something about how FamilyTalk plans works means the whole account, not just the individual lines, can have only one upgrade ever 24 months. (And I cannot find any FamilyTalk specific upgrade policy info on AT&Ts website, but they DO say that each FamilyTalk line is its own contract, so I'm betting this is a big screw-up on AT&T's part, and so far nome of the people westlakers has talked have been either unwilling or unable to look into correcting the mistake, unfortunately.)

 

[Fonzijr1964]

um i think the upgrade term for regular phones in 8 months but i idk about iPhone

 

[dave006]

um i think the upgrade term for regular phones in 8 months but i idk about iPhone

Sorry, not true or valid in this case since the OP is in a two-year service agreement and not a one-year agreement and he had the original iPhone that should in his case based on his purchase date of 2/2008. He has also not indicated that he is a FAN or other discout with AT&T.

OK, again here is the standard AT&T Equipment Upgrade policy that is based on MRC.

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/why/upgrade-advantage.jsp

There are a couple of things that reduce the standard 18-23 month window: FAN group, Corporate-Responsible-Unit (CRU), these two examples could lead to an upgrade date in the 8-12 month range.

Dave

 

[dave006]

...

Obviously he meets the first criteria, having purchased Feb 2008. Therefore he should be upgrade eligible and I can think of only two reasons why he's being denied the upgrade price - either it's just a complete mess-up on AT&T's part, or something about how FamilyTalk plans works means the whole account, not just the individual lines, can have only one upgrade ever 24 months. (And I cannot find any FamilyTalk specific upgrade policy info on AT&Ts website, but they DO say that each FamilyTalk line is its own contract, so I'm betting this is a big screw-up on AT&T's part, and so far nome of the people westlakers has talked have been either unwilling or unable to look into correcting the mistake, unfortunately.)

I agree there is an issue with his account but before anyone starts to blame AT&T. This is a case that often happens at indirects (authorized agents), where the sales rep makes changes or errors in the FamilyTalk service plan creation / merge that often provides the maximum commission. There is nothing special in the way FamilyTalk plan equipment upgrades work, as you stated each line is treated on an individual basis. Each line has a separate service agreement, the FamilyTalk plan is just the "Rate Plan".

The FamilyTalk rate plan is only tricky in that you have to have two lines of service to start or switch to a FamilyTalk rate plan. This usually not an issue when you are a new AT&T customer and just start both two-year service agreements on the same date. In the OP's case he had an existing AT&T line of service that was merged into a FamilyTalk plan when his wife's line was added to their account.

Dave

 

[Fonzijr1964]

Sorry, not true or valid in this case since the OP is in a two-year service agreement and not a one-year agreement and he had the original iPhone that should in his case based on his purchase date of 2/2008. He has also not indicated that he is a FAN or other discout with AT&T.

OK, again here is the standard AT&T Equipment Upgrade policy that is based on MRC.

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/why/upgrade-advantage.jsp

There are a couple of things that reduce the standard 18-23 month window: FAN group, Corporate-Responsible-Unit (CRU), these two examples could lead to an upgrade date in the 8-12 month range.

Dave

with a 2 year contract u can upgrade most regular phones in 8 months

 

[sal]

this post made me check my own account because I was planning on purchasing the 3G as soon as they increase the capacity(just as I waited for the 16gb iphone 2G)

contract expires in Feb 2010 and it says I am approved for a 3G upgrade.

something is just not right here. Maybe there is a flag on OP's account that makes him/her a high risk according to AT&T for another 2 years or another iphone.

As others has said, you should contact AT&T directly and find out from them the exact reason(s) why you are not allowed to upgrade while others are allowed.

 

[westlakers]

OK, the FamilyTalk setup with an existing line is often where mistakes can introduced that would cause the loss of your "Equipment Upgrade" status. Was this done in an AT&T Corporate Store, perhaps the same store you were in asking about an upgrade to the iPhone 3G?

First, have you checked https://www.wireless.att.com/myaccount to check your "Upgrade Options"? This is the same information that Apple or AT&T will use to determine your date for eligiblity for a discounted iPhone 3G. This date will also provide a clue as to when the system was last updated / changed.

At this point I would vote for a upgrade date of about 7/2010 based on the Oct. date for your FamilyTalk plan. Also you have an additional complexity with that LG that was sent to you by the Online Sales Rep. Which line was that phone assigned too? If that transaction was not properly reversed your "Equipment Upgrade" status could also have been reset to about 7/2010.

Dave

Just checked out my AT&T account, it said my wife's line may be eligible for an equipment discount on 04/08/2009 and my line on 10/09/2009. so we have to wait until this Spring at least to see if can upgrade to a 3G iphone.

the LG phone was mistakenly sold to us ($120) by AT&T, which we did not need another line at all. You can see the quality of their service.

 

[Vegastouch]

Basically just repeating what was said above me...

You can only upgrade at the subsidized pricing when your 2 year contract is complete. Every carrier works this way. Sometimes you'll get a "you can upgrade early" thing but that's rare. You weren't able to buy the 3G at the subsidized price because the 2 year contract you signed on your original iPhone isn't over.

T-Mobile lets you upgrade at 22 months in.

 

[ViPa]

as a former AT&T employee, i can tell you that ANYONE who has an iphone 2g is automatically eligible for an iphone 3g AT the subsidized price..if you legitimately purchased an iphone 2g, you should do what your trying to do..i only read the first post btw

 

[dave006]

Just checked out my AT&T account, it said my wife's line may be eligible for an equipment discount on 04/08/2009 and my line on 10/09/2009. so we have to wait until this Spring at least to see if can upgrade to a 3G iphone.

the LG phone was mistakenly sold to us ($120) by AT&T, which we did not need another line at all. You can see the quality of their service.

OK, those are your upgrade dates in the AT&T system. Let's start with your line. First, based on your date of 10/09/2009, they have not reset your "Equipment Upgrade" to backout the LG purchase. The LG purchase is what is keeping your line from being "Upgrade Eligible" for the iPhone 3G TODAY (or any date on or after 7/11/2008)! This 10/09/2009 would be 20 months from your line's start date. This can be fixed but it has to be done by a knowlegeable rep and the sooner you do it the faster you will be upgrade eligible for an iPhone 3G or the next new iPhone.

Your wife's line is another matter, the 04/08/2009 "Equipment Upgrade" date does not match your previous posts that indicated your wife's line was added last October. Was her line added in Oct. 2008?

Dave

 

[westlakers]

OK, those are your upgrade dates in the AT&T system. Let's start with your line. First, based on your date of 10/09/2009, they have not reset your "Equipment Upgrade" to backout the LG purchase. The LG purchase is what is keeping your line from being "Upgrade Eligible" for the iPhone 3G TODAY (or any date on or after 7/11/2008)! This 10/09/2009 would be 20 months from your line's start date. This can be fixed but it has to be done by a knowlegeable rep and the sooner you do it the faster you will be upgrade eligible for an iPhone 3G or the next new iPhone.

Your wife's line is another matter, the 04/08/2009 "Equipment Upgrade" date does not match your previous posts that indicated your wife's line was added last October. Was her line added in Oct. 2008?

Dave

actually her line was switched in 8/08 after double check the record. the LG purchase was the snafu on AT&T part, the agent tried to sell us a phone different from iphone, we did not ask them to buy a new phone, they mistakenly thought we would.

 

[westlakers]

as a former AT&T employee, i can tell you that ANYONE who has an iphone 2g is automatically eligible for an iphone 3g AT the subsidized price..if you legitimately purchased an iphone 2g, you should do what your trying to do..i only read the first post btw

not in my case, and I am tired of dealing with AT&T. visiting AT&T corporate store and calling AT&T yield same result.

economy is no good, maybe should stay put for any new upgrade, now I should thank AT&T for that.

 

[orrelse44]

Actually that is wrong too.

Here's how it really is: If you activated the original iPhone BEFORE July 11, you are eligible for an upgrade at anytime on any line. If you purchased the iPhone AFTER July 11 and you were already an AT&T customer you are not eligible for an upgrade, except for a special case I will explain later. If you purchased the original iPhone AFTER July 11 and you were a new AT&T customer, you are eligible for an upgrade at any time. However, if you purchased the iPhone used from a current AT&T customer who had the iPhone activated for more than 1 year from purchase date, you are not eligible. Now, although you are not eligible for an upgrade if you were an existing AT&T customer and activated the original iPhone AFTER July 11, you can circumvent this policy. Buy a new, cheap phone ($20 or less) and put your iPhone SIM card into it. Activate this new phone with AT&T (in store or one the web) and you will be on a new 2 year contract and will be eligible to upgrade to a 3G at any time. This will not work, however, if the iPhone 3G you purchase was produced AFTER July 11 (check the serial number for the week it was produced).

Hope this helps clear up all the confusion. Yes, this post is nothing more than a satire on all the conflicting information flying around.

Can you site your source for this info?

 

[QCassidy352]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8320/4.5.0.81 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

The original iphone was not subsidized, so any 2G iphone owner should be able to get the 3G for the subsidized price. I don't know why the OP had a problem.

 

[dave006]

Can you site your source for this info?

This was a poor attempt at satire by the poster... He put the key text in white...I have put it in bold to help clear up the confusion. His comments were not correct or vald.

Hope this helps clear up all the confusion. Yes, this post is nothing more than a satire on all the conflicting information flying around.

Dave