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AT&T Rep: All 3G iPhone Purchases are $199/$299 [Updated: Wrong?]

MBHockey

MBHockey

macrumors 601
Original poster
Oct 4, 2003
4,063
314
Connecticut
I hate to fuel the fire on all this speculation, but today I called AT&T and presented them with my scenario to try and figure out the best route.

My brother has Verizon and his contract ends June 22nd. The rep said he can go and buy any inexpensive phone after his contract ends and activate it with AT&T while porting his number over and pay the promotional price for the phone.

When I asked her if this would disqualify him from the $199/$299 price points (since he wouldn't be considered "upgrade eligible" only a few weeks into his new AT&T contract) for the 3G iPhone she said he wouldn't be disqualified because all 3G iPhones purchases will be treated as "new activations" and will just restart the two year contract.

I've read a lot on the forums saying if you are in the middle of an AT&T contract (where your phone is not an iPhone) you are not eligible for the $199/$299 prices but the representative I spoke to (who sounded like she knew what she was talking about, FWIW) said that is simply not the case.


Is this information inconsistent with any official information from AT&T that is posted online somewhere?
 
Yep -- seems to be the case. Was this already common knowledge? From everything I've read it seemed the general consensus was that if you weren't deemed a traditional "upgrade eligible" customer you were out of luck (unless you have an original iPhone with AT&T).
 
I called yesterday and got the same response you did; everyone would be getting the 199/299 price point no matter when you last upgraded.
 
Unless they've changed the intranet site... that isn't the case... I am a Retail Sales Consultant at an at&t store and I've seen a memo that says you have to be eligible for an upgrade or have a 1st gen iPhone in order to upgrade to the iPhone 3G so... I dunno. I'm going in for a meeting tonight for my store and I'm sure that this will come up. I'll ask and get more info out ASAP for you guys.
 
I was told by att reps twice this would extend a current contract so I signed up in april and will be extended by 2years 2 months (or for how ever long ago you signed a contract) while purchasing a 3g iPhone upgrade, therefor the upgrade fee of $18 would apply to activate the new phone under your current att account.
 
Mahram said:
Gosh I'm confused... How on earth could they not have all this figured out already? Does everyone at AT&T have their heads up their butts or just the management?
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I'm hoping that its just upper management cause I work for at&t and I don't like having crap all over my face.
 
Mahram said:
Gosh I'm confused... How on earth could they not have all this figured out already? Does everyone at AT&T have their heads up their butts or just the management?
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I agree. The amount of confusion surrounding something that is really a simple "yes" or "no" question is quite astounding.

Why can't they just make it official and post it on the AT&T Wireless web site?
 
MBHockey said:
I agree. The amount of confusion surrounding something that is really a simple "yes" or "no" question is quite astounding.

Why can't they just make it official and post it on the AT&T Wireless web site?
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welcome to corporate america, everything simple is made complex, it's the only way people can justify their jobs. right now all the policies and terms of service are probably being run through legal, probably some intern is reading them right now, and it's going to pass through another 5 sets of eyes before it is approved
 
tritonj said:
welcome to corporate america, everything simple is made complex, it's the only way people can justify their jobs. right now all the policies and terms of service are probably being run through legal, probably some intern is reading them right now, and it's going to pass through another 5 sets of eyes before it is approved
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hahah...indeed. :p
 
EglMtn said:
I called yesterday and got the same response you did; everyone would be getting the 199/299 price point no matter when you last upgraded.
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I wonder if this applies to replacement phones. Isn't there always a 'plan' and 'no plan' price?

What happens if I loose my iPhone3G after only having it a month? I wonder how much I would have to pay? $199?
 
gceo said:
I wonder if this applies to replacement phones. Isn't there always a 'plan' and 'no plan' price?

What happens if I loose my iPhone3G after only having it a month? I wonder how much I would have to pay? $199?
Click to expand...

Okay here is the official word. You HAVE to be eligible to upgrade in order to get the iPhone 3G for the subsidized price. No if ands or buts about it. I talked with my manager and from what they have been told and the intranet's information, its looking more and more final. They haven't come up with the official unsubsidized price yet. Now I know that people are getting sick with me and other employees saying that it is all subject to change but it really is.

EVERYTHING whether unsubsidized or subsidized has a 2 yr contract added to the line for the iPhone 3G. Even if you purchase the phone for the unsubsidized price you will be signing a new agreement that starts from the day that you sign the new agreement till two years later.

Straight from the horse's mouth:

What if a non-2G iPhone customer isn't eligible for the upgrade but still wants to do so?
Customers can always upgrade early, but they will have to pay the full price and sign a new 2-yr. agreement Out of policy upgrades are not allowed and there are no exceptions in this rule Offer the customer an opportunity to come back and purchase the iPhone 3G at the discounted price when they are eligible.
 
saDeRmac said:
Okay here is the official word. You HAVE to be eligible to upgrade in order to get the iPhone 3G for the subsidized price. No if ands or buts about it. I talked with my manager and from what they have been told and the intranet's information, its looking more and more final. They haven't come up with the official unsubsidized price yet. Now I know that people are getting sick with me and other employees saying that it is all subject to change but it really is.

EVERYTHING whether unsubsidized or subsidized has a 2 yr contract added to the line for the iPhone 3G. Even if you purchase the phone for the unsubsidized price you will be signing a new agreement that starts from the day that you sign the new agreement till two years later.

Straight from the horse's mouth:

What if a non-2G iPhone customer isn't eligible for the upgrade but still wants to do so?
Customers can always upgrade early, but they will have to pay the full price and sign a new 2-yr. agreement Out of policy upgrades are not allowed and there are no exceptions in this rule Offer the customer an opportunity to come back and purchase the iPhone 3G at the discounted price when they are eligible.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info....most appreciated. Just one question regarding this (and I realize you said no exceptions in this rule), but I spoke with Customer Care regarding my situation. To make a long story short I signed up in January with AT&T switching from Verizon, had to have my iPhone replace twice in only a couple of months and decided to just get a refund at the end of April. When I signed up I was told by Customer Service beforehand that I should try out the service with a regular phone and then get the iPhone. Since I returned the phone, I have been using the cheapo phone in the mean time waiting for the newer iPhone to come out.

The person I spoke with got management approval and put a note (with the manager's name) that I should be able to get the phone at the subsidized price. Would this now mean that I would not be eligible regardless of this note?
 
when they say that you need a current iphone to upgrade do they mean actually having the iPhone in hand or proof that you're on an iphone plan w/ ATT?

I just sold my iPhone (for a 3G upgrade next month) but I'm still on the plan...
 
BiffWebster said:
Thanks for the info....most appreciated. Just one question regarding this (and I realize you said no exceptions in this rule), but I spoke with Customer Care regarding my situation. To make a long story short I signed up in January with AT&T switching from Verizon, had to have my iPhone replace twice in only a couple of months and decided to just get a refund at the end of April. When I signed up I was told by Customer Service beforehand that I should try out the service with a regular phone and then get the iPhone. Since I returned the phone, I have been using the cheapo phone in the mean time waiting for the newer iPhone to come out.

The person I spoke with got management approval and put a note (with the manager's name) that I should be able to get the phone at the subsidized price. Would this now mean that I would not be eligible regardless of this note?
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The note might help. I am not in management so its not my discretion. Did you get the subsidy for the "cheapo" phone? or did you just buy it outright?

pedroistheman said:
when they say that you need a current iphone to upgrade do they mean actually having the iPhone in hand or proof that you're on an iphone plan w/ ATT?

I just sold my iPhone (for a 3G upgrade next month) but I'm still on the plan...
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Proof is on the account on which you purchased and activated the phone. You shouldn't have any problems with upgrading considering that you didn't go in store (or call) to change anything you just switched your sim.
 
I got the subsidy for the cheapo, but as I said...doing so was actually recommended to me by customer service since I was new to AT&T. I was concerned about how the service would be, and didn't want to pay a restocking fee for the iPhone if I wasn't happy with AT&T for some reason. However, I realize this is the reason why I am not currently eligible for an upgrade. All this was put in the notes on my account. Again, thanks a bunch for all of the info. It is nice to have someone on the "front lines" actually passing some info on. I just wish that AT&T would have had more info (and things 100% decided) upfront by the 3G announcement, but I realize that I am preaching to the choir.
 
BiffWebster said:
I got the subsidy for the cheapo, but as I said...doing so was actually recommended to me by customer service since I was new to AT&T. I was concerned about how the service would be, and didn't want to pay a restocking fee for the iPhone if I wasn't happy with AT&T for some reason. However, I realize this is the reason why I am not currently eligible for an upgrade. All this was put in the notes on my account. Again, thanks a bunch for all of the info. It is nice to have someone on the "front lines" actually passing some info on. I just wish that AT&T would have had more info (and things 100% decided) upfront by the 3G announcement, but I realize that I am preaching to the choir.
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No problem, keep checking back.
 
saDeRmac said:
Proof is on the account on which you purchased and activated the phone. You shouldn't have any problems with upgrading considering that you didn't go in store (or call) to change anything you just switched your sim.
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Something tells me it won't be that simple...something tells me they'll require a phone in hand regardless of what you have on your account. Even if they don't collect the phone as a trade in of sorts...they'll want to see you actually have an iPhone. Otherwise it would just be too easy for people to profit a crapload off of the upgrade offer for current iPhone owners.
 
I hope this is right and not the other post I just read from an AT&T rep that said the opposite :confused:
 
saDeRmac said:
What if a non-2G iPhone customer isn't eligible for the upgrade but still wants to do so?
Customers can always upgrade early, but they will have to pay the full price and sign a new 2-yr. agreement Out of policy upgrades are not allowed and there are no exceptions in this rule Offer the customer an opportunity to come back and purchase the iPhone 3G at the discounted price when they are eligible.
Click to expand...

Quite annoying that this is completely contradictory to what the rep told me and others on the phone recently, but I thank you for the info.

Can this all be avoided by simply buying one of the cheapo phones outright? And then at your leisure, you can purchase the 3G iPhone for the subsidized price since you haven't used any subsidy yet (say, only a few weeks into your contract)? Or do you not have an option to decline the subsidized price when signing up with AT&T initially?
 
thor79 said:
Something tells me it won't be that simple...something tells me they'll require a phone in hand regardless of what you have on your account. Even if they don't collect the phone as a trade in of sorts...they'll want to see you actually have an iPhone. Otherwise it would just be too easy for people to profit a crapload off of the upgrade offer for current iPhone owners.
Click to expand...
It's not in the initial paperwork whether or not you will have to... I mean there hasn't been a situation like this ever so it's unprecedented.
 
MBHockey said:
Quite annoying that this is completely contradictory to what the rep told me and others on the phone recently, but I thank you for the info.

Can this all be avoided by simply buying one of the cheapo phones outright? And then at your leisure, you can purchase the 3G iPhone for the subsidized price since you haven't used any subsidy yet?
Click to expand...
Your contract has to be eligible for an upgrade. The rep might have been misinformed. I'm not saying either way is true because of the uncertainty of it all.
 
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