At&t iphone upgrade eligibility @ Apple store

[mattalter]

There still seems to be some confusion about the updated Att policy about upgrade eligibility. I am hoping someone out here has been through this.

According to Att, I am eligible to upgrade July 12. But the revised policy that Att posted on there site about early upgrades says that if your eligible to upgrade in July, August and September, you can get the updated pricing on the 3gs, 199 16gb.

Went to the Apple store, they called Att, and Att says that July 12 I am eligible. Did not know about the updated policy. Funny that the Apple employee did, but not detailed about it.

I called Att and after some back and forth, they did not know about the updated policy, had to point them to the Att web site, where it was and after some long time on hold, they said, yes, this updated policy does apply.

So, will the Apple store honor this updated policy? I was planning on going back there with the policy in hand.

I would just go to a Att store, except there all out, this in downtown Chicago. They can order it for me, but there quoting 10 days.

Any experiences out there getting this upgraded policy applied at the Apple store?

Thanks
Matt

 

[EthanNixon]

Hello,

I don't post here much unless I know for sure I can help someone. I too am eligible to upgrade on July 12th of this year. When I spoke to AT&T, they said I qualified for a $299 (16GB) and $399 (32GB) subsidy. Obviously this isn't the full subsidy, but heavily subsidized compared to the full cost of the phone. I believe in AT&T's press release they do say these prices, and when I check my account for upgrade eligibility, those are the prices I am listed with.

I am waiting until the 12th to get the 32GB model for a little cheaper, rather than buying it now.

Thanks,
Ethan Nixon

 

[aristobrat]

So, will the Apple store honor this updated policy? I was planning on going back there with the policy in hand.

At the Apple Store, they will enter your AT&T phone number, billing zip code, and the last four of your SSN into one of their handheld devices.

The handheld device will send that info over to AT&T, and AT&T will return back back the price that you're eligible to buy the iPhone for.

Apple has no way to override the price that AT&T sends back.

So essentially, even though you're buying at Apple, AT&T is setting the price.

If you have any doubts about your eligibility date not being correct in AT&Ts system, I would not buy from Apple. Even if you show them the policy, they have no access to your AT&T account.

 

[abijnk]

The policy for changing upgrade eligibility dates was not a blanket policy. One of the major qualifying conditions that locked a lot of people out was that you had to spend over $99 per line to be able to upgrade that line. When it comes right down to it, AT&T will not (and they insist they cannot) change your upgrade eligibility for the iPhone (or any other phone, usually, but more so with the iPhone). So, you are going to be stuck with whatever is in AT&Ts system. But, look at the bright side, July 12 is actually really close.

 

[mattalter]

Thanks for update. I have been on a family plan, with first two iphones, then one blackberry and a 3g iphone. So I think I qualify, but it looks like Apple will not work, so I will have hunt for one at Att.

The policy for changing upgrade eligibility dates was not a blanket policy. One of the major qualifying conditions that locked a lot of people out was that you had to spend over $99 per line to be able to upgrade that line. When it comes right down to it, AT&T will not (and they insist they cannot) change your upgrade eligibility for the iPhone (or any other phone, usually, but more so with the iPhone). So, you are going to be stuck with whatever is in AT&Ts system. But, look at the bright side, July 12 is actually really close.