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ATT Early Upgrade Discounting Policy

Cash Regime

Cash Regime

macrumors member
Original poster
May 21, 2009
54
0
Hey guys,

I just got off the phone to clarify my eligibility and heard an interesting rule that I did not yet see on these forums. It may have been posted somewhere here, but I've been browsing the forums all day and haven't seen it.

So I bought the original 3G at launch. I upgraded to 3GS (regrettably) also at launch using the early upgrade discount (399). I only have the 39.99 voice plan and $30 data plan so my eligible date for upgrade was 2/2011.. which is fine. However, I assumed that I would be eligible for the early upgrade discount (399/499) like last year, but found that I was not. I just gave AT&T a call to find out that each line can receive the early upgrade discounting only once per 18 months. Thus, since I used it last year on the 3GS, I now have to wait until 11/2010 to have the 399/499 price. If I were to buy it now, I'd have to pay full retail price.

I think this kind of sucks balls, especially since I didn't know of this rule when I purchased the 3GS. I have I known, I probably would not have done so since the 3GS was the ********* upgrade ever. Anyway, this may be old news to you guys, but I was looking at the forums all day and could not figure out why I was not at least eligible for the early upgrade discount.
 
Same here bud, but my options are to either have my friend use his upgrade for me or open a new line and cancel the current one.
 
elephunkman said:
Same here bud, but my options are to either have my friend use his upgrade for me or open a new line and cancel the current one.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of that too.. would they let you get away with that? To open a new line and get the $199 pricing, and then cancel the original line and pay the termination fee? Do you know how much the termination fee is if I've had my line open for 12 months?
 
Not true for me. I had the 3G for only a few months and got the 3GS at launch for the early upgrade price. My upgrade date was 11/20/10 last week. On Sunday it was changed to a full upgrade now! I'll get the iPhone 4 for the 199/299 price. :) I have the standard rate plan 40+30+5(text).
 
Cash Regime said:
I was thinking of that too.. would they let you get away with that? To open a new line and get the $199 pricing, and then cancel the original line and pay the termination fee? Do you know how much the termination fee is if I've had my line open for 12 months?
Click to expand...

its 175-5x (x being the number of months you've had the phone) 12*5 = 60
175 - 60 = $115 termination fee
 
Cash Regime said:
I was thinking of that too.. would they let you get away with that? To open a new line and get the $199 pricing, and then cancel the original line and pay the termination fee? Do you know how much the termination fee is if I've had my line open for 12 months?
Click to expand...

That's what I am doing. Open new line, cancel old one. Pay $360 total up front.

12 months @ $5 decrease per month is about $115 ETF.
 
Givmeabrek said:
Not true me. I had the 3G for only a few months and got the 3GS at launch for the early upgrade price. My upgrade date was 11/20/10 last week. On Sunday it was changed to a full upgrade now! I'll get the iPhone 4 for the 199/299 price. :) I have the standard rate plan 40+30+5(text).
Click to expand...

Wtf! That completely disagrees with everything I've read. If you're telling the truth, which I don't know why you wouldn't be other than to confuse the hell out of people, that's ********.

Is anyone else in the same badass boat as Givmeabrek?
 
I did not know that you could only early upgrade once every 18 months! AT&T didn't even mention this in their press release yesterday... It just said "early upgrading" if your not eligible! I also bought 3GS on launch day using early upgrade! This is all starting to make sense now and probably explains why when I did *NEW# I never got anything about early upgrading! I hope this isn't true but am beginning to fear it is! I would pay $399 but I'm not sure I want to pay $599!!
 
elephunkman said:
That's what I am doing. Open new line, cancel old one. Pay $360 total up front.

12 months @ $5 decrease per month is about $115 ETF.
Click to expand...

Thats interesting.
Im in the same boat.
By opening a new line let you get a new iphone for $199 and then cancelling the old one result in losing your original phone number?
Or could that be ported and the first contract be cancelled with an ETF.
Or could you add a new line to your account for an additional $10 a month and then use the new iphone to your other line and just keep that line open with no data plan or Text plan. How could that work possibly?
Just throwing some questions out there on what are the options out there.
Since many of us used an early upgrade last year and cant do it again this year.
 
I'm in the same boat. I pay $95 a month. This really sucks.

Going to call ATT tomorrow and see if I can pull some strings...
 
Applejuiced said:
Thats interesting.
Im in the same boat.
By opening a new line let you get a new iphone for $199 and then cancelling the old one result in losing your original phone number?
Or could that be ported and the first contract be cancelled with an ETF.
Or could you add a new line to your account for an additional $10 a month and then use the new iphone to your other line and just keep that line open with no data plan or Text plan. How could that work possibly?
Just throwing some questions out there on what are the options out there.
Since many of us used an early upgrade last year and cant do it again this year.
Click to expand...

This seems like it COULD work, but I feel like ATT could easily put a stop to it. It seems like it's a lot of trouble and a lot of money to put down upfront with many places where ATT could do something that would not be in your favor. And if you ask the ATT people, they will probably figure out what you're trying to do... don't know if they would do anything about it though.

Also, is that really the correct termination fee? The one I found which I put in the post above said $325 - 10(x)... which would mean the ETF is nearly 200. Don't know if it would be worth the trouble.
 
Cash Regime said:
This seems like it COULD work, but I feel like ATT could easily put a stop to it. It seems like it's a lot of trouble and a lot of money to put down upfront with many places where ATT could do something that would not be in your favor. And if you ask the ATT people, they will probably figure out what you're trying to do... don't know if they would do anything about it though.

Also, is that really the correct termination fee? The one I found which I put in the post above said $325 - 10(x)... which would mean the ETF is nearly 200. Don't know if it would be worth the trouble.
Click to expand...

Not sure what part would be alot of trouble.
I threw in a bunch of ideas.
The ETF on all devices prior is $175 so cancelling the prior contract would be cheaper and more cost effective than even an early upgrade.
Not 100% sure if it will work though.
Also I wonder if adding a line to your account will be cost effective in the long run in order to get the new iphone for $199
 
If you do try cancelling and adding a new line, you would lose your unlimited data contract.. just something to keep in mind.
 
The $325 ETF is only for those who agreed to their contract AFTER June 1, 2010. Also, I just read through AT&Ts terms and it says the ETF for everyone else is $150 - $4 for every month you've used your contract bringing the total ETF to $102 for those who bought the 3GS on launch day.
 
Cash Regime said:
Also, regarding the early termination fees.. I found this link:

http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/articles-resources/early-term-fees.jsp

According to that, the ETF is $325 - 10(x), where x is the number of full months of service. Can someone direct me to a link or reference that states otherwise?

Thanks
Click to expand...

That's the ETF for new accounts on or after June 1. Since you got your line 12 months ago your ETF is $175-(12x$5)=$115

dave006 said:
Just a reminder that you will lose your phone number when you cancel your line of service.

Dave
Click to expand...

I'm under the impression that if you ad a line as a family plan, you can swap phone numbers between contracts and cancel the older contract while keeping your number.
 
Cash Regime said:
Wtf! That completely disagrees with everything I've read. If you're telling the truth, which I don't know why you wouldn't be other than to confuse the hell out of people, that's ********.

Is anyone else in the same badass boat as Givmeabrek?
Click to expand...

Everyone who has an upgrade in 2010 got advanced to get the new phone.

That is the difference his upgrade date was 11/10 yours was 02/11.

His changed because his date fell in 2010. They bumped up everyone in 2010 to now.
 
Applejuiced said:
Not sure what part would be alot of trouble.
I threw in a bunch of ideas.
The ETF on all devices prior is $175 so cancelling the prior contract would be cheaper and more cost effective than even an early upgrade.
Not 100% sure if it will work though.
Also I wonder if adding a line to your account will be cost effective in the long run in order to get the new iphone for $199
Click to expand...

I don't think opening a new line for only $10 a month would work because you would have 2 lines open both with an iPhone, and ATT requires a data plan to have an iPhone.

And it does seem a little troublesome cause you're having to put money down upfront and hope that they'll allow you to cancel a line even though you just opened up a new one. And then if that works, you have to hope that they will port your canceled phone number to the new line. I definitely think it's possible, but I also see some risk, but that can be settled by calling them in advance and making sure they'll do it. But sorry, where are you getting the $175? I've seen it around so it's probably right, but when I look at the ATT website, the $325 is what I see. Did they change the ETF policy at some point?
 
marksman said:
Everyone who has an upgrade in 2010 got advanced to get the new phone.

That is the difference his upgrade date was 11/10 yours was 02/11.

His changed because his date fell in 2010. They bumped up everyone in 2010 to now.
Click to expand...

But according to everything that's been posted here at MacRumors, the only 3GS owners that got bumped ahead 6 months, had the $60 talk plan or Family plan... NOT the cheapest talk plan available. This guy claims he bought the 3GS last year when it came out, only had the $40 talk plan and still had a upgrade eligibility date in 2010. This shouldn't be the case. His date should have originally been in 2011... and I call BS.
 
mistertomlinson said:
But according to everything that's been posted here at MacRumors, the only 3GS owners that got bumped ahead 6 months, had the $60 talk plan. This guy claims he bought the 3GS last year when it came out, only had the $40 talk plan and still had a upgrade eligibility date in 2010. This shouldn't be the case. His date should have originally been in 2011... and I call BS.
Click to expand...

Oh I never heard about that caveat.
 
marksman said:
Everyone who has an upgrade in 2010 got advanced to get the new phone.

That is the difference his upgrade date was 11/10 yours was 02/11.

His changed because his date fell in 2010. They bumped up everyone in 2010 to now.
Click to expand...

Yes, I knew they bumped up everyone whose eligibility fell in 2010. However, why was his upgrade date in 2010 in the first place? It should have been with mine in 02/2010.. or my upgrade date should have been in 2010 too. He has the same voice, data, and text plan as me and he got his 3GS on the same date as well (launch day). AND he upgraded from the 3G to 3GS using his early upgrade discount.. just like me.
 
Cash Regime said:
I don't think opening a new line for only $10 a month would work because you would have 2 lines open both with an iPhone, and ATT requires a data plan to have an iPhone.

And it does seem a little troublesome cause you're having to put money down upfront and hope that they'll allow you to cancel a line even though you just opened up a new one. And then if that works, you have to hope that they will port your canceled phone number to the new line. I definitely think it's possible, but I also see some risk, but that can be settled by calling them in advance and making sure they'll do it. But sorry, where are you getting the $175? I've seen it around so it's probably right, but when I look at the ATT website, the $325 is what I see. Did they change the ETF policy at some point?
Click to expand...

I opened a new line, transferred the 3Gs to my original line, pulled out an old Samsung and put it on the new line. So I have one line w/ an iPhone with a data plan and texting, had to raise my rate to a family plan, add $10 for the second line. Done.
 
Geckotek said:
I opened a new line, transferred the 3Gs to my original line, pulled out an old Samsung and put it on the new line. So I have one line w/ an iPhone with a data plan and texting, had to raise my rate to a family plan, add $10 for the second line. Done.
Click to expand...

Did you cancel the second line and keep the iPhone on the first line?

I just realized there is a problem with this second line plan, IF you are trying to keep your phone number. If you open a second account with the iPhone 4 and swap phones, then cancel the newly opened account, you will have agreed to the new $325 ETF and would have to pay it...
 
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