ATT revolving upgrade dates

[iRob213]

Anyone had any experience with ATT and the way their plan dates change?
My daughter has wanted an Iphone since I got mine back in July. Her plan was up Jan. 09.

Went in after Christmas to purchase and was told she couldn't because her plan wasn't due for an upgrade, said it was now June of '09. Comes to find out, they told her since she had dropped her Blackjack in water in June of '08 and replaced it through insurance, which she paid, the date was moved. They said she could file a "grievance" with ATT.

She filed the grievance and was told it would take 5-10 days for a decision. Went back 10 days later and no one had heard anything about the grievance, but the office manager checked her account and now they say her plan is not available for an upgrade til September!

Doesn't make much sense to me, if ATT is getting $30 per month for the data pkg, plus a new 2yr agreement, you'd think they be wanting he rto upgrade.

 

[stevo8]

I thought you could upgrade to the iPhone at any time? I know my contract wasn't up when I upgraded to the og iPhone. I would go to another store and talk to someone else, or maybe a apple store.

 

[mkrishnan]

I would press for an explanation on the September. The June is really your issue and not theirs -- they did give you a new phone. It's not their fault you destroyed the old one. But as I understood it also, the rules were different if you're upgrading to an iPhone. Maybe not anymore, now that the iPhone is subsidized (the rules for first gen iPhone upgraders to iPhone 3G are different because their previous phone was not subsidized)?

 

[eplchamps0304]

Having a phone replaced under insurance should no change your contract date, and if it does you should have been told. Dont let them get away with this, these phone companies are so corrupt and will try anything to get your money.

 

[c4sp14nx]

I recently ran into a similar problem. I purchased my iPhone 1/2 way through my original AT&T contract, paying the "early upgrade" price of $499 for my 16GB and agreeing to extend my commitment to AT&T. I had no qualms about doing this, as I was assured by AT&T that the only change being made to my account (aside from a plan upgrade) was that some additional time would be tacked onto the end of my term. At the time, I was eligible for discounted equipment pricing as of June, 2009. I thought this would work out perfectly, as I could then upgrade the the NEXT generation of the iPhone at the discounted price.

Imagine my surprise to login to my account last week and see that AT&T has now moved my discount eligibility back to March, 2010! When I called them regarding this, they explained that my purchase of the iPhone -- even at the higher price point -- makes me ineligible for further discounted pricing until near the termination of my NEW contract. Despite my protestations, they refused to make any changes to this new date.

Strangely, the change was only made in the past couple of weeks, and I have had my iPhone since July. I have no idea why this is and AT&T could not provide an answer.

I am currently mulling filing a complaint to either the BBB or attorney general, unless AT&T can either correct this for me or provide a reasonable excuse why this occured.

 

[iRob213]

I thought you could upgrade to the iPhone at any time? I know my contract wasn't up when I upgraded to the og iPhone. I would go to another store and talk to someone else, or maybe a apple store.

I think you can, but just not for $199/$299.

I think that all of these huge corporations have made it nearly impossible to talk with anyone and make it so complicated to check or do anything, that people get pi$$ed, and just say the hell with it all and keep paying whatever they say and give up!

 

[spacecadet610]

I bought the original iPhone and was eligible for the 3g iPhone upgrade 1.5 years after my original purchase.