Can anyone who tried this on or after July 11th confirm it works? I didn't think of this until last night, googled around, and now it works.
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Become Upgrade Eligible for iPhone 3G?
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Yep, I switched it back to my non-iphone phone right after. Using your SIM card in your old phone shouldn't do anything to your account. The iphone plan will still be on your account, and you should be still eligible.
Thanks Steve, you idiot!
11am - Go to ATT Store - "Sorry no iPhones for sale, we only had about 40 of them", I go home.
7:45pm - Friend calls from Apple Store in Norfolk saying they still have 16GB White and Black iPhones, no line....get in car and go.
8:30pm - In the store buying two new white 16GB iPhones.
8:35pm - Apple reps says when they try to process my order, ATT has my account locked for no upgrade on iPhone eventhough I'm and iPhone 1 owner. Apple says to dial 611 on my iPhone and have them check their system.
8:45pm - ATT reps says there is an error in the system and she has fixed it. Should be fine for Apple rep to purchase my new iPhones at the Apple store. We wait.
9:05pm - They Still can't check me through the system at the Apple store, 16GB iPhone blacks are gone and they only have a few 16GB whites left, two of which are sitting in front of me and I can't buy them.
9:15pm - Apple manager comes over and says I have to come back. They take the two 16GB iPhones away from me and sell them to someone else. I leave.
Steve, You have a major problem with this ATTpple business model when I can't go into your stores anymore and buy an iPhone without ATT saying I can. ATT controls this whole buying channel for you and the experience sucks, plain and simple. The iPhone3G looks sweet, but your customer service model for selling and activating these phones is a complete failure. Seriously, I left with over 650$ of product sitting at the register because ATT had and error in their system and said I couldn't buy YOUR product. What a joke. I won't be back to upgrade to a 3G anytime soon. Very disappointing that ATTpple has made this whole exclusive iPhone agreement a total nightmare for your customers. Service like this will eventually catch up with you, it always does.
11am - Go to ATT Store - "Sorry no iPhones for sale, we only had about 40 of them", I go home.
7:45pm - Friend calls from Apple Store in Norfolk saying they still have 16GB White and Black iPhones, no line....get in car and go.
8:30pm - In the store buying two new white 16GB iPhones.
8:35pm - Apple reps says when they try to process my order, ATT has my account locked for no upgrade on iPhone eventhough I'm and iPhone 1 owner. Apple says to dial 611 on my iPhone and have them check their system.
8:45pm - ATT reps says there is an error in the system and she has fixed it. Should be fine for Apple rep to purchase my new iPhones at the Apple store. We wait.
9:05pm - They Still can't check me through the system at the Apple store, 16GB iPhone blacks are gone and they only have a few 16GB whites left, two of which are sitting in front of me and I can't buy them.
9:15pm - Apple manager comes over and says I have to come back. They take the two 16GB iPhones away from me and sell them to someone else. I leave.
Steve, You have a major problem with this ATTpple business model when I can't go into your stores anymore and buy an iPhone without ATT saying I can. ATT controls this whole buying channel for you and the experience sucks, plain and simple. The iPhone3G looks sweet, but your customer service model for selling and activating these phones is a complete failure. Seriously, I left with over 650$ of product sitting at the register because ATT had and error in their system and said I couldn't buy YOUR product. What a joke. I won't be back to upgrade to a 3G anytime soon. Very disappointing that ATTpple has made this whole exclusive iPhone agreement a total nightmare for your customers. Service like this will eventually catch up with you, it always does.
You aren't the first one to have such a problem
Take a deep breath and just relax. Many others (some I know personally) had such long waits and one never even got a phone and I thought he was going to assault the AT&T employee (I am kidding, btw) from anger
He told me the same thing as you did
I think you should give it a week or two and head back to grab one
I think the MASSIVE problems yesterday will ensure that come the next iPhone, things will be changed and a massive rollout of software, phones, etc...will not be put out on one day
It Worked
I did this and had no problem. I am an AT&T user who kept my poor service with them over the last 18 months in anticipation of the 3G iPhone. I was angered to find out I was not upgrade eligible so I tried what this thread suggested.
Wednesday night I used my friends original iPhone, popped in my sim, activated and signed up for the unlimited data plan. I gave him back his phone, he put back in his sim card and was all fine, except he needed to reset his voicemail password. His account is fine and still upgradable.
I put my sim back in my phone, a cheapest possible Nokia. My voicemail no longer worked but I didn't care as I planned to upgrade to the iPhone. My account upgrade eligibility changed online within 10 minutes. I checked it a few times over the next 48 hours and it remained the same even while using the old Nokia. Friday morning I waited for 5 hours and finally got to the front of the line. No problems, signed a new 2 year contract, $299 16GB.
I went to the Apple store, avoiding the AT&T stores since I figured they might have a bit more account information available to them. Apple employees could care less about AT&T, they just want to get you out of there happy.
Anyways, good luck! It couldn't have gone smoother for me. I love my new phone as well. Thanks to the original poster who figured out this loophole, which of course is gone now for those who didn't make the plan switch by the 11th.
And to instagator3 whose friend changed his mind, what a wuss. Get some new friends!
I did this and had no problem. I am an AT&T user who kept my poor service with them over the last 18 months in anticipation of the 3G iPhone. I was angered to find out I was not upgrade eligible so I tried what this thread suggested.
Wednesday night I used my friends original iPhone, popped in my sim, activated and signed up for the unlimited data plan. I gave him back his phone, he put back in his sim card and was all fine, except he needed to reset his voicemail password. His account is fine and still upgradable.
I put my sim back in my phone, a cheapest possible Nokia. My voicemail no longer worked but I didn't care as I planned to upgrade to the iPhone. My account upgrade eligibility changed online within 10 minutes. I checked it a few times over the next 48 hours and it remained the same even while using the old Nokia. Friday morning I waited for 5 hours and finally got to the front of the line. No problems, signed a new 2 year contract, $299 16GB.
I went to the Apple store, avoiding the AT&T stores since I figured they might have a bit more account information available to them. Apple employees could care less about AT&T, they just want to get you out of there happy.
Anyways, good luck! It couldn't have gone smoother for me. I love my new phone as well. Thanks to the original poster who figured out this loophole, which of course is gone now for those who didn't make the plan switch by the 11th.
And to instagator3 whose friend changed his mind, what a wuss. Get some new friends!
It actually still works. I returned my black iphone 3g from the AT&T store because I wanted to get a white one from Apple since they have unlimited stock. Once the return was finished I was back to my old upgrade date. I called the store again and they asked for the IMEI of the iphone and once that was done it changed back to upgrade eligible. Try it out there's no harm in trying.
If you were eligible then it's very poor service.
If you cheated the system in order to get the discounted price like many people on this thread, then I don't feel bad for you at all.
So easy for some to judge. AT&T cheated ME of $500 in rebates for the first phones, which we only bought to wait for the new generation iPhones when we switched to AT&T. We were due $550 for five phones and received $50 be4cause our paperwork was sent together.
In addition our family plan zooms up $110 a month- isn't that enough?
They have a monopoly on this phone qand I believe the guage the desire for it and then greed takes over.
They should have let anyone who wants the new gen have it. They stood to reap both higher fees and customer loyalty. They got one out of two.
if I were to be cheated $500, I would either cancel the service within my 30 day right or call my credit card company to cancel payment or activate some type of dispute.
You don't have to get the phone. No one is forcing anyone of us to wait in line or pay the high price of iPhone.
When you game the system all it does is shift cost to other consumers who had abide by the rules.
I fought and fought them for the rebates to no avail. I elected to stay with them.
As it happens I was able to get my eligibility the lawful way- by proving we did not get the rebates.
I am angry on behalf of everyone though- and as soon as iPhones are set free of AT&T we will leave, you bet we will. They could have taken the high road and they did not.
As it happens I was able to get my eligibility the lawful way- by proving we did not get the rebates.
I am angry on behalf of everyone though- and as soon as iPhones are set free of AT&T we will leave, you bet we will. They could have taken the high road and they did not.
Oh and by the way they set it up so well- of course your rebates are not due back in time to cancel or dispute. Then you are in a contract and it would cost us $875 to cancel 5 lines.
So, did Apple screw up the paperwork or did you? If Apple did, did you get it fixed or refuse the charges on your bill?
I think you could have gotten your money back if you had your credit card company fight on your behalf if you filed dispute.
I am talking about AT&T in May 2007, when we bought our five phones. We sent the rebate forms in a few weeks later and were issued one of the five because all five were in the same large envelope, carefully clipped in the right way. Naturally they gave us only the cheapest one. I talked and talked to no avail.
We did not wish to leave AT&T so why would I cancel my payment? At that point we would have been charged $900 to leave the contract- way more than the $500 we were due.
My husband bought a first gen iPhone and my son and I elected to wait.
FIrst of all, explain the logic of the fact that my husband, who bought his original phone at the same time we did, was eligible just by virtue of having an iPhone. Makes no sense.
Luckily I was able to prove (fast forward to this past week) we got not rebate as there is a page on AT&T for checking- so they had to admit we did bnot get our original phones at a discount.
However- all the OTHER people denied have been royally screwed IMO. The subsidy was given to AT&T because AT&T stands to get it back PLUS. Why deny people in this way?
I have been in business for myself for seven years and I know how caring for the customer and giving a little extra is EVERYTHING.
Watch people leave in droves when the phone opens to other carriers.
I am usually a very loyal customer- I stayed with Sprint for YEARS. AT&T has lost me with the way this was handled.
AT&T has lost me with the way this was handled.
As soon as my contract with AT&T I will be leaving them too.
As soon as my contract with AT&T I will be leaving them too. 
They said before the 11th, seems slim. And seeing how they tell you to hand down you old iPhone, I can't imagine them wanting all those people becoming instantly eligible. But you never now.
Did you guys not see my previous post?
It actually still works. I returned my black iphone 3g from the AT&T store because I wanted to get a white one from Apple since they have unlimited stock. Once the return was finished I was back to my old upgrade date, meaning I was no longer eligible. I called the store again and they asked for the IMEI of the 1st gen iphone and once that was put back in the system my status changed back to upgrade eligible. Try it out there's no harm in trying.
It actually still works. I returned my black iphone 3g from the AT&T store because I wanted to get a white one from Apple since they have unlimited stock. Once the return was finished I was back to my old upgrade date, meaning I was no longer eligible. I called the store again and they asked for the IMEI of the 1st gen iphone and once that was put back in the system my status changed back to upgrade eligible. Try it out there's no harm in trying.