Certain individuals (such as you and myself) are eligible for early upgrades. As someone else pointed out, last year was the first time early eligibility was offered "for the masses".
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ATT upgrade eligibility moved up
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Certain individuals (such as you and myself) are eligible for early upgrades. As someone else pointed out, last year was the first time early eligibility was offered "for the masses".
I have had every version of the iPhone, and I don't recall getting a subsidized price on the last couple versions. Could be wrong, though.
zmulleni
macrumors regular
Well I did some research and I think I found out why they were so willing to waive my ETF fee (see chart below) lol btw I plan on obtaining the 4S and sticking with AT&T, Why?!? Well because of unlimited data. I'm not fond of switching to sprint and running a CDMA phone on WiMax, it's just not happening and well Verizon as I'm sure they would love to have my overage fees I can't really justify it so AT&T I guess we will call it even Bwahahahaha!
markthrash
macrumors 6502
Does downgrading your plan affect the eligibility date? I recall changing my plan last year since I never really used my minutes.
Be careful. If you're really using that much data and have the unlimited plan, you're about to be throttled into oblivion. People who use "too much" (2GB???) have supposedly reported that even twitter is almost unusable, once they hit the limit.
I don't know who announced what but, with AT&T at least, many people have been able to upgrade "early", to varying degrees. When the 3G came out, people who were only 1 year into the 2-year plan were eligible to upgrade. I've forgotten what happened with the 3GS, but people were able to upgrade somewhat early with the 4 (I was eligible at 20 months, but others were somehow eligible earlier).
dave006
macrumors 601
If you pay $649 for the 16 GB Phone 4S then you will not be using a device subsidy and your upgrade will not be reset.
Why exactly would you want to pay full retail until we know if an unlocked one might be only $50 more? Note: The online preorder system is not going to allow you to just pick the price you want, it will offer you the best possible pricing option. 😱
Dave
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When the iPhone 3G was released anyone with an original iPhone could upgrade since the original iPhone was not offered with a subsidy. You paid full retail for the original iPhone. Hey Apple even reduced the retail price of the original iPhone by $100 after launch and offered the early adopters a $100 Apple store credit.
For the iPhone 3GS, early upgrades were offered for many customers that would have been eligible by July-August 2009. This was because the moved the launch date up by about a month from July to June and caught may early adopters in a very sour mood.
For the iPhone 4 last year, any iPhone customer that would have been upgraded eligible before Dec. 31, 2010 was eligible for the full subsidy at launch in June 2010. This was an attempt to lock in customers before the exclusive period ended and the Verizon iPhone hit in Feb. of 2011.
Dave
Why exactly would you want to pay full retail until we know if an unlocked one might be only $50 more? Note: The online preorder system is not going to allow you to just pick the price you want, it will offer you the best possible pricing option. 😱
Dave
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Not quite the full story.
When the iPhone 3G was released anyone with an original iPhone could upgrade since the original iPhone was not offered with a subsidy. You paid full retail for the original iPhone. Hey Apple even reduced the retail price of the original iPhone by $100 after launch and offered the early adopters a $100 Apple store credit.
For the iPhone 3GS, early upgrades were offered for many customers that would have been eligible by July-August 2009. This was because the moved the launch date up by about a month from July to June and caught may early adopters in a very sour mood.
For the iPhone 4 last year, any iPhone customer that would have been upgraded eligible before Dec. 31, 2010 was eligible for the full subsidy at launch in June 2010. This was an attempt to lock in customers before the exclusive period ended and the Verizon iPhone hit in Feb. of 2011.
Dave
Because they'd lose my business if they don't give me an early upgrade. I'm going for the cheaper option. AT&T has to decide whether giving me an early upgrade generates them enough money or not. If not, then I follow the rules of my contract by paying the ETF, and go to their competitor.
Nikos
macrumors 68000
$649 is for the 64gb. If unlocked with no contract renewal costs $700, I might do that. I'm eligible for upgrade on 11/18 but I don't want to wait, and I'd rather not update my contract. I can get an easy $400 for my current phone, so it would only bring the cost down to about $300 for the new one. I'm ok with that.
dave006
macrumors 601
No the $649 price that you are seeing for the 64GB iPhone 4S is the early upgrade price. The full retail price is $849 for the 64GB iPhone 4S and at this price it will still be carrier locked unless additional information is made available concerning a factory unlocked option aka SIM free pricing.
Note: The iPhone 4 was just make available in June 2011 at an unlocked version that was $50 higher then the then current Full retail price. Nothing has been announced about an SIM Free or Factory Unlocked option in the USA.
Dave
Note: The iPhone 4 was just make available in June 2011 at an unlocked version that was $50 higher then the then current Full retail price. Nothing has been announced about an SIM Free or Factory Unlocked option in the USA.
Dave
Nikos
macrumors 68000
Thanks, I wasn't aware of the $849 option.
I'd go with the $649 early upgrade. I know it will renew my contract, but will it reset my upgrade eligibility date, or will that stay at 11/18/11 where it currently is?
dave006
macrumors 601
Yes, if you purchase the iPhone 4S 64GB for $649, this is the early upgrade and will also use your upgrade so you will have to start over with a new 2 year contract and based on the MRC of the line you will get a new upgrade eligible date that is 12-24 months out from the date you purchase the new iPhone 4S.
The only way not to use your handset upgrade is to purchase at full retail of $849 for your iPhone 4S 64GB or bring your own phone to AT&T when you sign the contract.
Dave
The only way not to use your handset upgrade is to purchase at full retail of $849 for your iPhone 4S 64GB or bring your own phone to AT&T when you sign the contract.
Dave
I'm confused...did I just get the early upgrade? My dad forgot to pay the bill today (1 day late) and he will pay it tomorrow. So when I did the 639 thing, I got this text:
Due to past due balance and other reasons, an upgrade is not available. Payment will make full retail pricing available for all handsets except iPhone. After payment, we can offer you can early iPhone upgrade with a new 2-yr commitment and an $18 upgrade fee at a participating iPhone sales location. Additional discounts for all other handsets may be available on 02/11/12 (the eligibility date I've been seeing for weeks now).
This means I'm eligible once I pay my bill...right?
Due to past due balance and other reasons, an upgrade is not available. Payment will make full retail pricing available for all handsets except iPhone. After payment, we can offer you can early iPhone upgrade with a new 2-yr commitment and an $18 upgrade fee at a participating iPhone sales location. Additional discounts for all other handsets may be available on 02/11/12 (the eligibility date I've been seeing for weeks now).
This means I'm eligible once I pay my bill...right?
slippery-pete
macrumors 68030
djransom
macrumors 601
You would be eligible for early upgrade pricing starting @ $449 for the 16GB 4S.
Yes, this happened to me I was eligible in July, lowered my minutes and was promptly moved to November.....
bowlerman625
macrumors 68020
I'm sure Apple and ATT is thinking the adage "no good deed goes unpunished" applies to the moving up the upgrade dates a couple of years ago.......now we expect it and want it to be done every year. Last year my upgrade was not for 6 or 7 months and I was able to get it bumped up on pre-order day by discussing my long-term relationship with an ATT store manager. She was nice and ultimately bumped me up and they processed a pre-order for me.
This time around I could do that again probably since my upgrade date is 11/17/11. In fact, a store manager I spoke to said he would upgrade me as long as I was 30 days before my 11/17 upgrade date. He could not do it sooner so I could pre-order but would do it 10/17, after the choas of release day has begun. I don't really want to go through that risking supplies could even be constrained that early. Luckily, I have an available upgrade that I'm going to use in order to pre-order. When I do that, the store manager at ATT told me to not activate the phone on the computer at home. He told me to come in to the store and they will process the upgrade switch and make sure everything is where it needs to be on my current iPhone 4 line and the line I'm using to upgrade.
This time around I could do that again probably since my upgrade date is 11/17/11. In fact, a store manager I spoke to said he would upgrade me as long as I was 30 days before my 11/17 upgrade date. He could not do it sooner so I could pre-order but would do it 10/17, after the choas of release day has begun. I don't really want to go through that risking supplies could even be constrained that early. Luckily, I have an available upgrade that I'm going to use in order to pre-order. When I do that, the store manager at ATT told me to not activate the phone on the computer at home. He told me to come in to the store and they will process the upgrade switch and make sure everything is where it needs to be on my current iPhone 4 line and the line I'm using to upgrade.
Is AT&T's Upgrade eligibility written out anywhere?
Also does anyone know how it works with family plans?
Thanks
Also does anyone know how it works with family plans?
Thanks
zmulleni
macrumors regular
I requested written documentation but was refused. I was told many different factors are involved. I replied, "That is not good enough."
Chupa Chupa
macrumors G5
I just called AT&T about that. If you buy anything other than an unsubsidized phone it will push your eligibility 18-20 mo.
sonofpismo
macrumors regular
Actually the 20-month upgrade rule wen into effect AFTER most of us signed contracts. March of 2011 they changed the upgrade eligibility on NEW contracts to 20-months. If you signed your contract BEFORE March of 2011, and haven't made SPECIFIC changes to your account, you get the November date. If you made certain changes to your account (especially ones that lowered your bill), the 20-month wait was enacted.
It took three phone calls to AT&T to get this straight, but that is the way it is.
BUT, most of us NEVER knowingly agreed to a 20-month upgrade policy.
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Are you sure? Because usually it has been mentioning an extra $250, but it doesn't say that this time. It also says that discounts for OTHER handsets available on 2/11/12, so I assumed I had been bumped up...
I've had my 4 for over a year, and another 3GS on the line and I pay about $100 a month (with premier discount)...I guess I'll call today and find out.
I paid my bill today, any idea how long it takes for the online account to reflect that?
So I did the *639# thing and got the text that said I was not eligible for a full discount on a standard device but that I was eligible for a discounted iPhone upgrade for $250 plus an $18 fee.
I called ATT and they told me that I was not eligible for full upgrade and that the $250 offer was only for a 3gs iPhone, andy not the new iPhone 4s.
Anyone else get that from them? I spoke to a "very hard to understand english is not my primary language person".
I called ATT and they told me that I was not eligible for full upgrade and that the $250 offer was only for a 3gs iPhone, andy not the new iPhone 4s.
Anyone else get that from them? I spoke to a "very hard to understand english is not my primary language person".