Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
AT&T just flat out lied to me, wish I had been recording the conversation. I called customer service to ask what my ETF would be since I am not eligible for an upgrade till 05/2013 and was immediately given the standard "we would hate to lose you" spiel. After 10 minutes of ducking my original question, the rep finally told me that my ETF would be $215, which is still cheaper than the early upgrade price. OR IS IT?! When I pointed this fact out, the rep actually had the balls to tell me that the the Early Upgrade Price is now only $150. They claimed that this lower Early Upgrade fee is only going to stay effective for a limited time (yea, right) for the iPhone 5 only because they wanted to "help all our loyal customers out." I told the rep multiple times that their website currently shows that Early Upgrade Pricing for me would still be $449 (16GB) and they claimed that by the time I go to place the preorder at midnight, the new lower price should show. I asked if this Early Upgrade discount applied to just to me or to everyone and they said it applies to everyone eligible for early upgrades. Basic logic tells me that this rep was either severely misinformed or blatantly lying. Anyone else call AT&T and receive similar information?

It would work for me...
 
God, I'm paranoid this won't work for some reason.

So I add a new line on the family plan with the data right? Is there a way to get a line without the data for the first month?
 
God, I'm paranoid this won't work for some reason.

So I add a new line on the family plan with the data right? Is there a way to get a line without the data for the first month?

Not possible because the line NEEDS the data to be activated. Its a smartphone.
 
Dammit it is saying I need a deposit to open the third line and therefore can't open it. Does the deposit screw up the upgrade switch ?
 
OK, so just to make sure I've done this correctly...I ended up getting through on apple.com & ordered my new line at the full subsidized price, order went through after I selected all of the plans I'd need, etc. Now all I have to do once the hubbub dies down a bit is merge the lines into one account (I only had a single line prior to this morning) through att.com, right? And then once the phone comes, drag it and my RAZR into the AT&T store to do the SIM swap and change my existing phone # over to the new phone?

Sorry for all the redundancy, but I guess I'm looking for a little reassurance that this is all gonna be OK (cue soothing music, soft focus, etc.) :)
 
Dammit it is saying I need a deposit to open the third line and therefore can't open it. Does the deposit screw up the upgrade switch ?

I got the same error message about needing a deposit for the new line. There is a separate thread on this topic as others seem to be experiencing the same issue.
 
using the method in the OP, do i need to pay the price of the data plan for the first month?

If i swap ~3days after getting the phone how does the price of the data plan work out with the swap?

And there is not a double activation fee for the phone swap?
 
using the method in the OP, do i need to pay the price of the data plan for the first month?

If i swap ~3days after getting the phone how does the price of the data plan work out with the swap?

And there is not a double activation fee for the phone swap?

It'll be prorated for 3 days. I don't remember being charged a separate activation fee when doing the device swap last time.
 
Was finally able to order mine via apple.com (Premier still shows no data plan error) and missed the first wave if not second wave of shipments. Now I just have to find a dumbphone so I can do this swap when it arrives.
 
Family Plan Start A $60

Well in year 2 of the dummy line option it would still be and extra $120 for that year(you do not need to start up another new line in year 2) and $240 total for both years. I am not sure why you have a year 3 since the contract is only 2 years. So year 1's price and years 2's price are the same at $355 per year and there is no year 3 as we are comparing only 2 years prices for the 2 options.
sorry for my ignorane But I Think If I Move To The Family Plan Goin To Cost Me $20 More Mean Is $240 A year + I Have To Chage My Text Plan To $30 From $20 If I Want To Have Messaging Unlimeted With Mobile To Any Mobile Calling
 
sorry for my ignorane But I Think If I Move To The Family Plan Goin To Cost Me $20 More Mean Is $240 A year + I Have To Chage My Text Plan To $30 From $20 If I Want To Have Messaging Unlimeted With Mobile To Any Mobile Calling

Well I am not really going to be using the second line so I can have one phone have no texting and i am grandfathered in a $5 a month text plan i can keep. The retention department is also going to let me keep my 39,99 450 minute voice plan. pretty much the only difference in my bill will be the extra $10 a month for a line I won't use. But that will be worth it to be able to upgrade at full subsidy every year. I can usually sell the current model for around $500 and then I'll be able to upgrade for $300.
 
I understand you add a line to your family plan with the cheapest data package. Receive the phone, activate it, and then go to the store to switch it to your main line. You then add a dummy on the new line and cancel the data plan.

My question... When the 4s came out, our unlimited data packages changed name and capabilities. It when from 'Unlimited Iphone Data' to 'Unlimited Iphone 4s Data'. ATT also change the name and capabilities for the IP5 to 'Unlimited Iphone 5 with LTE'. Do you guys anticipate any problems for use guys taking advantage of the new line loop hole ? Did anyone who did it for the 4s have their data lines remain the same or change ? I'm assuming it at least doesn't compromise the unlimited data portion.
 
Well I am not really going to be using the second line so I can have one phone have no texting and i am grandfathered in a $5 a month text plan i can keep. The retention department is also going to let me keep my 39,99 450 minute voice plan. pretty much the only difference in my bill will be the extra $10 a month for a line I won't use. But that will be worth it to be able to upgrade at full subsidy every year. I can usually sell the current model for around $500 and then I'll be able to upgrade for $300.
thank you for answering, So Mean I can Choice To Keep My 39.99 450 minute and Only Paid $10 More For The New Line? At&t said They have To Move Me To The $59.99 family plan

Note "Sorry For My English Is Not Better Good Looking" :D
 
This is outstanding news, honestly. Because AT&T no longer does the early upgrade date for iPhone users, like they've done in years past, I was unable to qualify for a full upgrade until 5/13, and was needing to find a way to get the phone at regular price.

Let's pray everything goes well Friday morning.
 
This is outstanding news, honestly. Because AT&T no longer does the early upgrade date for iPhone users, like they've done in years past, I was unable to qualify for a full upgrade until 5/13, and was needing to find a way to get the phone at regular price.

Let's pray everything goes well Friday morning.

Does this work if you have an unlimited data plan?
 
Thank you, OP. I was fully prepared to pre-order my 64GB for the "early upgrade" price of $649. Then I saw your post and now I've opened up a new dumb-line and will be able to get a full upgrade every year. I thought it was kind of funny that the person at AT&T knew what I was trying to do as soon as I mentioned opening a new line. :D

----------

Does this work if you have an unlimited data plan?

It does. There was no way I was going to do it if I was going to lose my precious unlimited data plan.
 
Has anyone think this would work or had this done before...

I have 5 lines on my family plan. 2 of the lines are on unlimited data plan and eligible for upgrades this year. The 3rd line has the 4s but with $15 200 mb data and is not fully upgrade eligible until next year. The other 2 lines are used by other family members without data and no contracts with dummy phones.

Can I buy the iPhone 5 under one of the 2 lines then activate for $15 200 mb data plan and also cancel the data plan on the "dummy line"?
 
Bump..anyone comment on if I could do the upgrade swap with a $15 data plan instead of unlimited?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.