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I purchased the iPhone 3GS the day it came out, so I still have to wait until Feb 2011 for the lowest price unless I want to pay an extra 200 on top of the subsidized price, $18 for the activation fee, and take on another 2 years on my current 1.6 year contract.

I'm still trying to decide if it is worth it or not.

Hell if I wait until Feb 2011 to upgrade, I might as well wait for the next generation iPhone that should be released in June 2011.

Decisions decisions.

I guess the iPhone 3GS with the iOS 4 will be fine for me. I can't really support the idea of paying so much and then getting locked down for almost 4 years with AT&T. What would my eligibility be for the next iPhone then with a 2.6 years contract existing when it is released?? SIGH~~~~

16 GB iPhone 3Gs' are going for $350-400 on eBay. Problem solved.
 
I purchased the iPhone 3GS the day it came out, so I still have to wait until Feb 2011 for the lowest price unless I want to pay an extra 200 on top of the subsidized price, $18 for the activation fee, and take on another 2 years on my current 1.6 year contract.

I'm still trying to decide if it is worth it or not.

Hell if I wait until Feb 2011 to upgrade, I might as well wait for the next generation iPhone that should be released in June 2011.

Decisions decisions.

I guess the iPhone 3GS with the iOS 4 will be fine for me. I can't really support the idea of paying so much and then getting locked down for almost 4 years with AT&T. What would my eligibility be for the next iPhone then with a 2.6 years contract existing when it is released?? SIGH~~~~
Weird. I bought my 3G and 3GS on launch day and it always showed my upgrade date as December 2010. Now it shows i'm available for upgrade early. (I think due to the fact AT&T is scared ******** of losing customers to Verizon and want to lock us in until 2012.)
 
ok, so my GF got a 16gb 3Gs on May 24th for $199. the iphone 4 is selling for 199. does this mean she can get it for $0 since there is no price diff???

Basically yes. I can't guarantee that you would be off the hook for taxes or something.
 
16 GB iPhone 3Gs' are going for $350-400 on eBay. Problem solved.

I am wondering how that price point will last when the new version comes out. I am putting mine on Craigslist and Backpage. I have real good luck on there. I may not command 400 bucks like ebay can, but it's local and I always get more than I paid for the new version.
 
The biggest question for me is that if you exchange, do you keep the unlimited data? (My brother has used his new #GS for 4 days, and is already over 2 gigs of data because he uses it to stream his slingbox at work.)

i would think that with them letting you keep the 3gs until the 4 is in stock, then it would be a straight equipment exchange and plans would remain as is. just a logical guess though. att is hardly ever logical.
 
Are they doing that thing they did the past two years where you can renew your 2-year contract after 1 year if you purchased a 3GS last year near launch, and get the newest model for the low price?
 
... Apple wants folks to switch to iPhone 4. Listen.

Rocketman

But it's AT&T that offers the early contract expiration. Why would they do that? To lock in iPhone 4 users for another 2 years, that's why.

When U.S. T-Mobile starts selling iPhone 4 (and there are rumors that it could happen as early as this year) many people will want to switch from AT&T. Unless they're locked in and have to pay an early termination fee.

T-Mobile's parent company, Deutsche Telekom, is already selling iPhones in Germany. So Apple and DT / T-Mobile already have a good working relationship.

Oh, and there are nagging Verizon rumors too. Small matter of designing, developing, certifying, testing, and building an all-new CDMA version of the iPhone. Kind of a pain, but it could vastly increase iPhone U.S. market share.
 
I am rating this a huge negative. Last year we had 2 phones die under sprint, and sprint would not cover the warrenty. I bought my iphone 3g cause I was leaving for a trip, and I bought my wife her iphone 3g 2 weeks later. both phones were purchased for $299 each. less than 1 week after getting my wife's iphone was the WWDC and the 3GS was announced. The 3g's we just bought were dropped to $99 each. I went to AT&T and asked for a credit or an exchange for the 3GS and they said NO.

Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but where was our credit. :mad:
 
I am rating this a huge negative. Last year we had 2 phones die under sprint, and sprint would not cover the warrenty. I bought my iphone 3g cause I was leaving for a trip, and I bought my wife her iphone 3g 2 weeks later. both phones were purchased for $299 each. less than 1 week after getting my wife's iphone was the WWDC and the 3GS was announced. The 3g's we just bought were dropped to $99 each. I went to AT&T and asked for a credit or an exchange for the 3GS and they said NO.

Sorry to rain on everyone's parade, but where was our credit. :mad:

Dude, it was a year ago. Get over it already.
 
I are you sure about that?

Its my understanding that youre entering a new 2 year contract and not adding 2 years to your current contract. I think the max commitment you can have is 2 years

Thats why they use the term "topping off" your contract to 2 years.

I would read the fine print. With sprint we had 2 phones die and the models were not offered anymore, so to get a replacement we had to upgrade. when we did, we got locked in (unknowlingly) for another 2 years. when our second phones died and sprint would not cover the warrenty period, we cancelled and switched to AT&T and got iphones. We had been with sprint for a total of 3 years. When we cancelled, they said were not grandfatherd into the policy changes and got whacked with $275 early termination for each phone, even though it was a family share minute plan. I tried fighting it, with all documentation on what happened and how they kept screwing with our billing every month. within 3 weeks of the date of cancellation, we were sent to a collection agency. Total cost (with collection agency fees) $650 on 2 phones that were only $450 (total) full retail price, that we had for 1 year with full insurance and warrenty protection we had paid for. Sprint would have gladly got us other phones (but we could not downgrade or be equal), we would have to upgrade (pay upgrade fee) and lock into an additional 2 years again.

WATCH THE FINE PRINT!!!!!!
 
If true, I absolutely lucked into a good deal.

My iPhone was stolen May 8th. I should have waited...but talked myself into paying the $199 for a 3GS at the local Corporate ATT store knowing the new model was around the corner.

I convinced myself that I could use a $250 gift card I'd received as a groomsman gift to buy the new model under my wife's number in a few months, then swap models out with her. It would be her first smartphone, so the new model or 3Gs wouldn't have made a huge difference.

But if I can trade it in on a new one straight up, I'm all over it. Then I could use the gift card toward an new model for her...or the iPad she's now interested in....

One of few times being impatient didn't come back to bite me...
 
I purchased an iPhone 3Gs on June 6th, am I eligible for an upgrade to the iPhone 4?
 
I don't think it matters what your history of phones is or how you bought it. I was under the impression every under-contract AT&T customer could get a new iPhone at the $399 and $499 price points.



I hope your right but I'm not sure.

When I check my eligibility - by text or online- it tells me I can "take advantage" (lol) of their no commitment pricing. It mentions nothing about an discounted early upgrade like it does for others. It says I will be eligible for an upgrade (full subsidy I guess) Jan 16.

"You may select equipment at our full retail pricing. An upgrade may be available on 01/16/2011."
iPhone Upgrade
You can take advantage of our no commitment pricing at a participating retail sales location. You may qualify for a full discount on a standard iPhone upgrade on 01/16/2011 *
More Details

It seems like there is no early upgrade possible for me if I am reading it correctly. It's either pay full no commitment price now or get a full subsidy In January.

I called AT&T yesterday and the guy on the phone said he had never heard of early upgrades. How's that for customer service!
 
I'm pretty sure you could sell on the open market for more.

Yes, you can sell on the open market for 4-5X. BTW, one of my co-workers has sold his 1st and 2nd generation iPhones for an average price of $450 each to people here for sale outside the US.
 
This is why I never call AT&T reps. It's really a hit or miss with them. It seems that 75% of them don't really know what's going on, and I always end up having to talk to a manager to get my answers.

I hope your right but I'm not sure.

When I check my eligibility - by text or online- it tells me I can "take advantage" (lol) of their no commitment pricing. It mentions nothing about an discounted early upgrade like it does for others. It says I will be eligible for an upgrade (full subsidy I guess) Jan 16.

"You may select equipment at our full retail pricing. An upgrade may be available on 01/16/2011."
iPhone Upgrade
You can take advantage of our no commitment pricing at a participating retail sales location. You may qualify for a full discount on a standard iPhone upgrade on 01/16/2011 *
More Details

It seems like there is no early upgrade possible for me if I am reading it correctly. It's either pay full no commitment price now or get a full subsidy In January.

I called AT&T yesterday and the guy on the phone said he had never heard of early upgrades. How's that for customer service!
 
There are no ATT stores near my hotel, or an Apple store. It sucks that you can't preorder and pick it up at the ATT store on the 24th. :(
Yeah, I don't get that.
If you pre-order you have to wait until the next day (25th) to pick up your phone but if you just show up at 7:00 a.m. on launch day, you can walk right in and get one. How does that make any sense.?
 
Yeah, I don't get that.
If you pre-order you have to wait until the next day (25th) to pick up your phone but if you just show up at 7:00 a.m. on launch day, you can walk right in and get one.

Yeah, the issue is I'm leaving really early that morning, so I won't have a lot of time. Since you can't preorder and show up at the store any more, there will only be one long line...
 
Check the AT&T website, or dial *639# on your iPhone; AT&T will text you letting you know if you are eligible.

I purchased an iPhone 3Gs on June 6th, am I eligible for an upgrade to the iPhone 4?

I don't know if the *639# is accurate for the extended 30 day deal yet.

I got my 3Gs on May 8th. The 639 text still says a May 2011 date. But when I called the local ATT store I purchased from, they confirmed I am eligible to upgrade between June 15 and 21st. I have to pay for the upgrade during that window to eligible and get a full return credit when the iPhone 4 comes in and I turn in my 3GS.
 
Alternatively, AT&T will offer those iPhone 3GS customers who purchases handsets between May 7th and June 7th the option to upgrade to iPhone 4, only paying applicable price differences. Customers who purchased a "closeout" iPhone 3GS after June 7th are not eligible for these offers.


Does this apply to ONLY phones bought at an at&t store or apple store, or can it be from anywhere? I got my fiance a 3gs 16gb 2 days after walmart put them on sale for $99. Would i be able to use her phone and trade it in for an iphone 4?

That would be great. Then she can have my 32gb 3gs i bought in january, and i'll just pay the difference for the 32gb iphone 4 LoL
 
ATT doesn't agree

I hadn't planned on upgrading to iphone 4 since I had just purchased 3gs a couple of weeks ago (blackberry died and had to get new phone ASAP) Anyway, when I saw on here that I could get an upgrade since I just bought the darn thing right before the new one came out, I thought, "why not?" Well, I call ATT and they let me know that my option is buying a new one at full price...Thanks alot ATT! :mad:
 
I hadn't planned on upgrading to iphone 4 since I had just purchased 3gs a couple of weeks ago (blackberry died and had to get new phone ASAP) Anyway, when I saw on here that I could get an upgrade since I just bought the darn thing right before the new one came out, I thought, "why not?" Well, I call ATT and they let me know that my option is buying a new one at full price...Thanks alot ATT! :mad:
That is not correct info.
 
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