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AT&T's iPhone FAQ and Policies
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Unless something is radically different on the AT&T side, you can change your plan at ANY time during or after your contract...your duration will stay the same...but you will pay for whatever features you add or minutes you add or deduct. There should be no problem switching to the $59 plan. Even if it takes a call to AT&T customer service at a later date
Already took a half day to go wait in line at an AT&T store near my office. I going Friday so I can GET a phone. I'd imagine in NYC they will sell out, especially with the 24hr Apple store. I won't be holding up any lines, I"m a current AT&T customer and they are going to help me dammnit.
ok, thats fine by me. i'll be in nyc on friday, so hopefully the lines arent too bad. glad to hear you are a current customer cuz those switchovers will be holdin me up...
No. It comes with a SIM card, you have to activate the iPhone online through iTunes and it will extend your AT&T contract by 2 years. By all accounts slipping in an old AT&T SIM will not activate the phone.
Thank you. Exactly. If you purchase your phone at an Apple store, you will need to use the iTunes activation method, which by all accounts only lists the data and voice plans. However, if you get it at an ATT store, you can activate it their either with your existing ATT SIM card and/or by choosing any plan ATT offers. Thus, you are not forced to use a data plan if you don't want to (but I don't see the reason in buying the iPhone without a data plan).
I wonder if Apple will offer a Protection Plan, extending warranty to 3 years for something like maybe $60-$90?
Family Plan - Great deal
Right you are I added my wife to my plan 5 months ago from her having a pre-paid plan now I can talk to her anytime without using her minutes and with 700 minutes I typically get the rollover which is now @650 minutes and we use a total of over 3000 minutes each month with the majority being M2M and Night/Weekends most of my customers and children are with AT&T so they go into the M2M pool. With more people converting to AT&T the likely hood of your calls to another AT&T customer increases. I also code each entry in my address book as to the carrier they use so I can limit call length to non AT&T customers.
It seems that way to me as well. I have not talked with AT&T to confirm it yet though... I'd really like to convert to a family plan with 2 lines for me and my wife. $80 for 700 minutes and two lines sounds excellent to me!
Right you are I added my wife to my plan 5 months ago from her having a pre-paid plan now I can talk to her anytime without using her minutes and with 700 minutes I typically get the rollover which is now @650 minutes and we use a total of over 3000 minutes each month with the majority being M2M and Night/Weekends most of my customers and children are with AT&T so they go into the M2M pool. With more people converting to AT&T the likely hood of your calls to another AT&T customer increases. I also code each entry in my address book as to the carrier they use so I can limit call length to non AT&T customers.
It seems that way to me as well. I have not talked with AT&T to confirm it yet though... I'd really like to convert to a family plan with 2 lines for me and my wife. $80 for 700 minutes and two lines sounds excellent to me!
Except the $80 is only for one line. It will be $110 for if you're doing two iPhones.
Slightly Incorrect
From what I have been told by 2 CingulAT&T Customer Service Reps (not from stores but their 1-800 number), it will not extend your contract by 2yrs, it will disolve your current contract the day you activate the iPhone and it will be 2yrs from activation of the iPhone.
From what I have been told by 2 CingulAT&T Customer Service Reps (not from stores but their 1-800 number), it will not extend your contract by 2yrs, it will disolve your current contract the day you activate the iPhone and it will be 2yrs from activation of the iPhone.
I have two cell phones, one for work and one for personal use. Each has its own number, and each are with different providers. One of those providers (for the personal phone) is AT&T.
Here's the way the guy at AT&T explained it to me:
I will simply activate the "personal" iPhone, add $20 to my existing AT&T plan for the data, and I'm good to go. If my current plan has expired and I'm on a month-to-month basis, a new contract (at the current rates) for 2 years will start on the date of activation. If I have, say, three months left on my initial contract, those months will be "dismissed," and a new 2-year contract period will begin on the date of activation.
When I activate the second phone --the business unit for which I now have a contract with XYZ Amalgamated (or whomever)-- AT&T will cancel the contract with them and begin a new one with AT&T. Any charges for cancellation from XYZ Amalgamated (or whomever) will be billed to me by that company. The existing "business" phone number would be "ported over" to the new iPhone. Naturally, I must choose a new "phone" plan, which will include the data charges ($20 per month), with AT&T.
As to the warranty and insurance, he could only offer "that normal warranty conditions would apply" (?), and that at this time no insurance plan is available through AT&T. "We're working on it" was his only response. He referred me to the local Apple store for further questions re: repair and replacement.
A manager at the Apple store told me "If the phone is inoperable, or if there is a manufacturing error, we will likely replace it during the warranty period of one year. If there is a software 'glitch,' we will likely attempt to repair it in-shop, or return it to Apple for them to look at. No 'loaner' will be issued. At present, that's all we know. Further details will be available on June 29th."
Okay, there you have it: All that I've learned so far.
Here's the way the guy at AT&T explained it to me:
I will simply activate the "personal" iPhone, add $20 to my existing AT&T plan for the data, and I'm good to go. If my current plan has expired and I'm on a month-to-month basis, a new contract (at the current rates) for 2 years will start on the date of activation. If I have, say, three months left on my initial contract, those months will be "dismissed," and a new 2-year contract period will begin on the date of activation.
When I activate the second phone --the business unit for which I now have a contract with XYZ Amalgamated (or whomever)-- AT&T will cancel the contract with them and begin a new one with AT&T. Any charges for cancellation from XYZ Amalgamated (or whomever) will be billed to me by that company. The existing "business" phone number would be "ported over" to the new iPhone. Naturally, I must choose a new "phone" plan, which will include the data charges ($20 per month), with AT&T.
As to the warranty and insurance, he could only offer "that normal warranty conditions would apply" (?), and that at this time no insurance plan is available through AT&T. "We're working on it" was his only response. He referred me to the local Apple store for further questions re: repair and replacement.
A manager at the Apple store told me "If the phone is inoperable, or if there is a manufacturing error, we will likely replace it during the warranty period of one year. If there is a software 'glitch,' we will likely attempt to repair it in-shop, or return it to Apple for them to look at. No 'loaner' will be issued. At present, that's all we know. Further details will be available on June 29th."
Okay, there you have it: All that I've learned so far.
What Does This Mean?
How long does it take to activate my new iPhone?
"Activation times can vary, but if you’re setting up a new line, it may take as little as a few minutes. If you’re porting a number from another carrier, it could take longer. While you’re waiting, you can make calls but not receive them."
What do they mean when they say that you can make calls but not recieve them?
Does that mean the iPhone will let you make emergency calls when you don't have your sim card in?
Or are they talking about making and receiving calls with your old service provider?
I didn't quite understand what they meant...
How long does it take to activate my new iPhone?
"Activation times can vary, but if you’re setting up a new line, it may take as little as a few minutes. If you’re porting a number from another carrier, it could take longer. While you’re waiting, you can make calls but not receive them."
What do they mean when they say that you can make calls but not recieve them?
Does that mean the iPhone will let you make emergency calls when you don't have your sim card in?
Or are they talking about making and receiving calls with your old service provider?
I didn't quite understand what they meant...
Add your data plan to your existing account make sure your phone works then go to the AT&T site and upgrade you plan later or in a day or two after the feeding frenzy dies go to your local AT&T store and negotiate a deal on an upgraded plan.
It means exactly what it says: You can make calls (while your number is being set up to work with the new iPhone), but you won't be able to receive them (until your current carrier "releases" the number for use by AT&T).
It might help to think of this in terms of "Change of address" with the post office. Your previous carrier route has to "release" you from its delivery schedule, then "assign" you to another post office's carrier route.
Let's say that, right now, your service provider is Verizon. They "manage" your phone number. Transferring that management to AT&T takes time, and it's reasonable to expect that during that transfer period, service will be limited (in this case, to outgoing calls only).
I believe the video shows where it might take "up to 6 hours" to accomplish everything (with a transfer of service). Considering that you've waited six months for the iPhone to go on sale, a few hours of only partial service is little more than a mere inconvenience (and a temporary one, at that). It's my guess that things will go quite quickly, and that the 6-hour wait will be far less.
I'm currently out of contract now. I'd love to use my upgrade to actually get a discount on a phone. Are we sure that we could activate the iphone as an existing customer (regardless of where you are in the current contract?). I could pick up a nice new blackberry for work with my (hard earned!) upgrade and then get the iphone for full price just like everyone else (contract/no contract/upgrade/no upgrade). Any thoughts?
"The credit approval for your AT&T service also happens on your computer. Its part of activating through iTunes, but if youd rather have your credit pre-approved before you leave the store, an AT&T store representative can help you with that."
Thank god that controversy is over.
Thank god that controversy is over.
Why do people keep saying you can use any AT&T plan?
AT&T has several data-only plans for smartphones, PDAs and Blackberries (thus covering all the bases so you can't slither out with a "oh but the iPhone is not this or that), and yet... you CAN'T USE THOSE PLANS!
AT&T has several data-only plans for smartphones, PDAs and Blackberries (thus covering all the bases so you can't slither out with a "oh but the iPhone is not this or that), and yet... you CAN'T USE THOSE PLANS!
Yes. Why do people try to complicate things more than they need be trying end-around trick plays to manipulate the system to their bidding? "It is what it is" applies here: Accept it, or move on.
Here's an idea: Why not go to the AT&T store and ask them? They know a lot more than most --if not all-- of us on this forum. Until every "Slick Willy" tries every dodge in the book, who can say what will work?
I did call AT&T and like 99% of the people at AT&T they know absolutely nothing. I'm surprised they know their own names. It was just a simple question. I'm not trying to trick anyone. Being out of contract should entitle me to a phone at a discounted price. That's been the "system" since there was a "system."
No Contracts!
At $499 and $599 per phone why would we want to sign a 2 YEAR contract? One year maybe. The people buying this phone have to be making lots of money, living on the edge or living cheaply.
At $499 and $599 per phone why would we want to sign a 2 YEAR contract?
One year maybe. The people buying this phone have to be making lots of money, living on the edge or living cheaply.
Apple says there will be no subsidies or discounts on the iPhone, period. It doesn't matter who you are.
I understand that. My question was in regards to buying another phone today or tomorrow with my "upgrade" so that I can take advantage of my subsidy. If anyone can buy an iphone, regardless of where they are in their contract, I should be able to do that.
yeh, as long as the sim card can be uninstalled... kind of curious as to precisely how 'unlockable' this phone will be. what about using the iphone overseas where ATT doesn't have a roaming agreement with the local wireless provider? is apple willing to part with the unlock codes, assuming they exist? would be a real shame to have a $500 cell phone that can't even make a phone call...
Oh, in that case, yes you an buy a subsidized phone now, then when you get an iPhone on Friday or whatever, your contract will be reset, leaving you with a basically discounted/free phone you can sell for profit on eBay.
The iPhone has changed the rules and realigned the playing field, turning the old "system" into a new one. Just as the iPhone is evolutionary in what a handheld device does, so, too, is the new "system" evolutionary in the way the company chooses to do business.
Bottom line: There are no discounts on the iPhone, period. Not from Apple, and not from AT&T. Someday, after the glow has worn away, there may be "incentives" to buy an iPhone --maybe along the lines of "Unlimited text messaging" for a time period, or a rebate on a Bluetooth headset when purchased with an iPhone-- but, for now, things are what they are.
Life is so unfair, isn't it?
Be
At $499 and $599 per phone why would we want to sign a 2 YEAR contract?
that's capitalism, unfortunately. out of curiousity, what would have prevented apple from making the iphone available to all providers? Tmobile, verizon, etc? if think were the case, how many of us would be standing in line, right now?