AT&T Upgrade Confusion

So I checked my upgrade eligibility on apple.com and it said I am eligible for the $449 pricing on 9/24. I want to pre-order Friday, so I called AT&T and spent 20 min on the phone with the rep explaining that all I needed was to have my eligibility moved up a week and a half so I could pre-order on Friday... simple enough.

She finally said she spoke to her supervisor and because it's "in the month of Sept. I will get the $449 pricing Friday if I try and pre-order".

That... doesn't sound right at all. And she insisted that it was.

 

I always do the 2 year contract thing and the early upgrade eligibility at the $449 price, but it clearly says online I am not eligible for that price till 9/24. So, it doesn’t make sense that I'd stay up early Friday to pre-order the phone and magically be eligible for the $449 pricing a week and a half early if the website says 9/24.