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Well

I still want Apple to give me my Mac book pro for a $100 bucks and I want my $1500 Ferrari 430 Modena (as well) I want my Mortgage company to give me a 1% rate. I also want fair prices for Gas every time I turn around they add 10 cent or so. And Oh yeah I want God to make sure I never get old or sick. Who with me! :rolleyes:
 
I, by the way, never signed a contract. I placed my order over the phone
and it was shipped to me. Then it was activated...and I was asked (over the phone) what degree of service did I want? did i want text messages, etc? that was all there was to it.

Verbal contract agreements stand up just fine.

AT&T isn't going to make any changes.
 
It is unbelievable to me how many people are complaining because they don't understand how cell phone contracts with subsidies work.
 
It is unbelievable to me how many people are complaining because they don't understand how cell phone contracts with subsidies work.

Wow, what an interesting and unique comment.

Anyways, maybe one of you guys will know this answer: if I pay my ETF, do I then become a "new" customer and gets subs pricing? For me, that would still be cheaper than $499 for the 32 GB.
 
Wow, what an interesting and unique comment.

Anyways, maybe one of you guys will know this answer: if I pay my ETF, do I then become a "new" customer and gets subs pricing? For me, that would still be cheaper than $499 for the 32 GB.

Some claim that AT&T requires your account be inactive for 90 days.

Really AT&T should have never started subsidizing the iPhone. Make everyone pay full price for the unit. Then there would be no problems like this one.
 
Has 48 hours passed up already? has the trash talking from the vocal minority proved to be successful? I'm curious as to what firm this "crisis expert" works for, cuz he apparently doesn't have enough pull to bring ATT to its knees.
 
it's not like they are doing anything different than they ever have. or any other cell company for that matter. Iphone users are no different than att fuze users. I have not signed a contract extension for over 5 years and I buy a new phone every year for full price. I had the option to get my 32g 3g s for $299 and I still paid the $699 instead of signing a contract.
 
answer from CNET

When is the Apple and AT&T Contract up?

this information comes from CNET:

"The original deal had AT&T as the exclusive carrier of the iPhone until 2008, at which time Apple would be allowed to start selling the wildly popular smartphone on other carriers. But the companies met last August and decided to extend that partnership through the end of this year. (2009)

"Now, AT&T wants to extend that deal a bit further--say another two years. AT&T's chief executive is talking with Apple to keep that deal alive until 2011, according to a report Tuesday evening in The Wall Street Journal."

-------------------------------------------------

It is sometimes said that the Apple/AT&T contract ends in 2010...
but according to the above information it would end December 31, 2009.
As of January 1, 2010 -- there is no contract to extend exclusivity, at present.

Apparently AT&T can continue to draw up 2-year contracts indefinitely...
but additional carriers may be offering better deals and lower rates in 2010.
It would hardly make sense for a second carrier to simply duplicate AT&T rates, level of coverage and customer service.
 
beware of you what you wish for...

I still want Apple to give me my Mac book pro for a $100 bucks and I want my $1500 Ferrari 430 Modena (as well) I want my Mortgage company to give me a 1% rate. I also want fair prices for Gas every time I turn around they add 10 cent or so. And Oh yeah I want God to make sure I never get old or sick. Who with me! :rolleyes:

There was a film called "Bedazzled" (with Peter Cook, Dudley Moore) in which the Devil (Cook) promised Everyman (Moore) that he would be granted any wish he desired (in exchange for his soul.)

Trouble was, each time Everyman made a wish... the Devil found a loophole..

so when you say "I want God to make sure I never get old or sick"...
it could end up meaning that your wish will indeed be granted... but you
will die in an auto accident next month.

Maybe even in that $1,500 Ferrari that you covet.

Some of us just want a fair price on an iPhone without being shackled to AT&T: that's all. A humble wish, as wishes go.
 
Although it would be awesome if att broke down and made all 3g owners happy, from a business stand point it would be stupid for them to do so. Why the heck would att subsidize your second phone in one year? Yeah right! I don't expect them to change their policy on this, although it would be cool if they did.
 
Are we for getting this is AT&T? They seriously need to start doing nicer things like breaking contracts for people if they want to stand any chance of tipping their karma scales on the "fairly decent rodent" side instead of the "Satan's toothbrush" side.







In all seriousness though they aren't inclined to do anything (though working MMS and tethering might be nice).
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is there any independent basis for believing that AT&T pays Apple $700 per iPhone? (The basic 3G is now selling for $99.) An argument is only as valid as its premise.

Perhaps statements like "I hope ATT sticks to you all" indicates a certain lack of objectivity in considering these issues.

I, by the way, never signed a contract. I placed my order over the phone
and it was shipped to me. Then it was activated...and I was asked (over the phone) what degree of service did I want? did i want text messages, etc? that was all there was to it.
I think once you activate the phone, you're "signing" a contract. It's like when I do my taxes on line, there is an electronic signature.
 
Some claim that AT&T requires your account be inactive for 90 days.

Really AT&T should have never started subsidizing the iPhone. Make everyone pay full price for the unit. Then there would be no problems like this one.
The 90 day thing was true at one point. If a person has to pay their ETF to break their contract, then (IMO) they shouldn't have to wait 90 days.

And I totally agree with you about Apple never should have changed from selling direct to the consumers at full price.

Are we for getting this is AT&T? They seriously need to start doing nicer things like breaking contracts for people if they want to stand any chance of tipping their karma scales on the "fairly decent rodent" side instead of the "Satan's toothbrush" side.
I guess this is what frustrates me about the situation.

It's a problem based in logic that some people are reacting to emotionally.

That drives me bat-doo-doo crazy. It's a simple case of numbers. And unfortunately, if I do the numbers as I understand them, there is no way for any carrier to give a $400 discount off a phone at the beginning of a 2-year contract, and then a $400 discount off of an upgrade every year there after, without raising their monthly service significantly.

Well, if the manufacturers like Nokia and Apple would lower their costs more, then maybe. But like that's going to happen.
 
What a joke!!

Why should att sell the iphone 3g S for the discounted $199 and $299 price to someone that has had their 3g iphone for more than a month or even a year. You got you pricing break when you bought your 3g iphone. You cant take your car and trade it for the new model the following year now can you!

Vzn wont have the iphone anytime soon. They would have to change their whole network to GSM because it would cost Apple way too much to change everything.
 
I know it seems like such a long time ago but if click back to the very start of this post it simply reads......
Think anything will come of this? I'm thinking no, but can't hurt to try.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/...c=news_ts_head
There are Twitter and Facebook groups to join if you think it might work.


All he did was post a link to a link to computer worlds website about a pettion on twitter for the unhappy customers who think that the upgrade prices are to expensive, he didn't even start the pettion! there are 1000's of people who agree with him So we all know the ins and outs of the contracts we all signed and we also know that the 3G was subsidized but the point of the matter is these people fell let down and that is fine let them sign this pettion and yes you are all probaly right AT@T won't do a thing about it. But if in the next few months prices do fall it will make them feel better i don't see the harm in that, i for one have signed it and several others and i am still buying the 3GS on Friday i don't agree with the upgrade price either but it will not stop me buying it and complaining about it!
 
I just have to laugh about these upgrade complaints

Like the title says, I can only laugh about these threads. I have an iPhone from T-Mobile Netherlands. Do you want to know what their early upgrade policy is??? ..... None! .... The only way a Dutch iPhone 3G owner could upgrade to a 3GS ahead of time is by canceling his existing contract (and paying several hundred Euros early termination fee) and signing up for a new contract and therefore a new phone number.

So AT&T customers, be happy that your provider is even offering you an upgrade option!

When I signed up for my 2 year contract, I knew that I wouldn't get a chance on the 2009 iPhone model. So what? It is just a phone. Than I will get myself a shiny subsidized iPhone 4G in 2010. :apple:
 
Although it would be awesome if att broke down and made all 3g owners happy, from a business stand point it would be stupid for them to do so. Why the heck would att subsidize your second phone in one year? Yeah right! I don't expect them to change their policy on this, although it would be cool if they did.

My math:
More iphones==>more MMS==>more SMS==>more tethering==>more monthly charges.$$$

Do you try to make your money now by charging more for the phone and attracting fewer buyers / subscribers or charge a lower price and rake in monthly fees over time?

I don't know what makes more fiscal sense, but the American way is to pLay now and pay later.
 
I really don't mean to pick on you here but, unfortunately, you're a prime example of why people complaining are getting very little sympathy.

When you bought the phone you got exactly what you paid for. The 3.0 release delivers additional functionality you did not have originaly, for free, but you decide to whine about not having, what, voice control? That's about the only thing that doesn't need a hardware upgrade that's in 3.0 for the 3G S but not the 3G isn't it? You say it's SHOULD have had it in the first place but, and here's the really important bit:

YOU BOUGHT IT IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT DIDN'T BLOODY WELL HAVE IT!

You were happy THEN to pay money for it, don't complain now after you've had a year's use out of a phone and are suffering shiny thing envy.

Same thing with the extra line - it's your responsibility to find out what adding another line does to your plan and the termination date. If you're not happy with that arrangement and your provider won't alter the deal you need to decide if the downsides are worth it. You obviously decided it did, you knew at the time what it would do to your upgrade possibilities, don't whine about it now.

I don't mind being picked on, it gives me the opporunity to clarify my position.

As I stated before, I understand what a contract is and for the most part, it's terms. I understand that I am not entited to the same deal as a new customer because I got my phone at a reduced price. To offer me the same deal would not be fair to that new customer - I would be getting two phones where they would only be getting one.

But in the same vein, it's not fair to me that just because I added a line and started a new contract that they use that date as when I'm eligilbe to upgrade. Two lines, two phones - should be treated independently when it comes to upgrades. Verizon does it that way, why not ATT? I can accept my part of the blame for not reading the fine print, but I also blame ATT for not making this clear at the time, especially when we discussed the pros and cons of having a family plan vs. two separate accounts.

And I also have a beef with Apple. In part, it's the same beef that goes for the entire technology industry. We pay for products or software only to find out that a new version is being released within months, offering features that were deliberately held from the previous release. It wouldn't be so bad if they let a little more time pass, then we would at least feel we got our money's worth - instead we feel cheated.

Apple is known as a industry leader in innovation, and its customers want the latest. That's who we are. But they've crossed the line and are now taking advantage of this. Remember the first big price drop following the release of the first iPhone? There was a lot of bitching then, and Apple offered a meager resolution. $100 gift card - big deal.

I also blame Apple for going exclusive with ATT. Because of the lack of competition, ATT is free to do whatever they want, and they have. All they really need to do, as far as I'm concerned at least, is to offer something to show they want to help current customers get into the new phone. Maybe defer the cost for 12 months, maybe offer an extended contract. Something. But the only solution is, but it at full retail price. What good is the phone without the service? You can't get an iPhone plan without a contract anyways, no prepaid. No voice only, etc etc.

I'm done now, go ahead an pick on me some more!
 
I know it seems like such a long time ago but if click back to the very start of this post it simply reads......
Think anything will come of this? I'm thinking no, but can't hurt to try.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/...c=news_ts_head
There are Twitter and Facebook groups to join if you think it might work.


All he did was post a link to a link to computer worlds website about a pettion on twitter for the unhappy customers who think that the upgrade prices are to expensive, he didn't even start the pettion! there are 1000's of people who agree with him So we all know the ins and outs of the contracts we all signed and we also know that the 3G was subsidized but the point of the matter is these people fell let down and that is fine let them sign this pettion and yes you are all probaly right AT@T won't do a thing about it. But if in the next few months prices do fall it will make them feel better i don't see the harm in that, i for one have signed it and several others and i am still buying the 3GS on Friday i don't agree with the upgrade price either but it will not stop me buying it and complaining about it!

But this is the problem with society today. People feel this sense of entitlement and CONSTANTLY complain about everything under the sun. Even though AT&T doesn't need to offer an early upgrade price, they are doing so anyway. But, that isn't enough. Thousands of people STILL complain because they STILL feel like they are owed something by AT&T and Apple. What is wrong with people? When did people start getting this idea that contracts don't mean as much as their sense of entitlement? I am only 20 years old, so I am not some old guy ranting about how things 'once were', but I have never witnessed so much nonsensical whining in my entire life.

There is MUCH harm in what these people are doing. They are tarnishing the 'image' of iPhone owners, making them look like snobby crybabies that feel like rules don't apply to them. Well done petition signers, you really take the cake on this one.
 
I have preordered my first iphone - the 16GB 3GS - for next Friday. I do this, knowing that next year they are likely to refresh the iphone again.

That means if I want the brand-new iphone next summer - I'll have to pay more for it - and sell my current one to try to make up for it. That's the reality of it.

All this complaining that you are hearing - welcome to the 'entitlement' generation - a wonderful group of people who think they are owed something regardless of whether they have earned it or not. I have had to deal with some of these kinds of people in my profession as well...
 
But this is the problem with society today. People feel this sense of entitlement and CONSTANTLY complain about everything under the sun.
The problem is they don't just whine and complain on forums. They also whine to pandering politicians who are more than willing to pass laws in order to buy votes from morons like the iPhone Whiners. That'll be next. ATT execs testifying before Congressional blowhards about how little Johnny was permanently scarred because he couldn't get a subsidized iPhone.
 
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