Carrier Avoiding Upgrade Costs

My guess is that if you cancel the purchase, Best Buy would want the phone back as well. Not 100% sure though.

 

Didn't read your long post but just off of your title... don't upgrade. Problem solved.

 

Best Buy wants the phone back within 14 days. If you cancel the line after 14 days, you can keep the iPhone, but you have to pay ETF on the new line.

Best way would be to call AT&T and ask them for an early upgrade. I do this every year or so. I've never been denied. (My account is also 14 years old though)

 

You want to do a device swap. Go to an at&t store and have them device swap the new iPhone to the line with the broken iPhone. Put a dumbphone on the new line and you can remove data on that. You'll have to honor the rest of the contract on all the lines though. This is assuming you're not on some shared plan.

 

Whichever line you cancel, you'll end up paying the ETF. If you cancel the new contract, you'll pay the full ETF of $325. If you cancel the old contract, you'll only have to pay $150(less $4 for each completed month on the contract).

 

ETF goes with the line you are closing. If you close the new line within 14 days, you have to return the iPhone and you won't pay the ETF (trial period), or you pay the unsubsidized price. After 14 days you pay the ETF ($325).

 

Is $325 the maximum? Seems it would be beneficial to do this when Best Buy has the 5c on sale.

 

Yes, $325 is the minimum and you get $10 off for every month of service completed. You are right, you can get the 5C for much lower than retail price

 

How do you ask? The reason i ask is because back when the 4s came out i had my upgrade at the same time come up, but right before it got changed and pushed out by like 4 months for no reason. I called and the rep said he would have to put me on with a manager. She was being quite bitchy and didn't even want to change the upgrade date back to what it should be.

 

I usually start by asking about the price of an "early upgrade" for a certain phone on one of my lines. Then the rep usually quotes $XXX + $250, which is the early upgrade fee. Then I ask if they could do something about the fee due to my loyalty, etc. They've never said no.

However, I've dealt with the upgrade in 3 diff't ways (on my own line)
- Order the phone at the $XXX + $250 early upgrade price, and then get the $250 back as a bill credit (S3 to iPhone 5)
- Order the device over the phone at that moment at the 2 year price (iPhone 5 to Galaxy S4)
- Most recently, for my 5S, they "pushed up" my upgrade date, so I could take advantage of the black friday $99 5S deal. A case had to be filed and took about a week for them to do it. (GS4 to iPhone 5S)

I just upgraded my line in November to the 5S, but plan to get an early upgrade for the Galaxy S5 in May.

I almost always do it over chat on their website. If they want me to order the phone at that moment, I have them call me and process it, etc.

If you want to talk about it more, PM me.