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Bought every iPhone to date. Can't upgrade? Plus, upgrade workaround?

M

mistertomlinson

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 22, 2007
333
19
First off, I know there are 16 threads about this topic, but mine's a little different.

I have owned every iPhone to date and purchased the 3GS last year, DAY ONE. As of June 19th, my contract will be one year old. Yet, I am not eligible for even the early upgrade price. AT&T says I will be eligible 2/11... but Apple says I'm eligible in December 2010. That's one issue I'm having. Why the difference?

And why are so many iPhone 3GS owners eligible when the majority of them renewed their contracts the same time I did, so most contracts are no older than mine. I don't understand why some people's dates have been pushed back and other haven't been. I understand that those eligible for upgrade in 2010 had their dates pushed ahead 6 months, but WHY were they eligible in 2010??? If they renewed their 2 year contract for the 3GS, why were they eligible in 2010 to begin with? I don't understand why "Account Holder A" buys a 3GS in June of 2009 and is eligible for upgrade this month, but "Account Holder B" whom also bought a 3GS in June 2009, but can't upgrade to the iPhone 4... why?

Finally, I'm trying to figure out how to get around things. Please advise. If I cancel my contract and pay the ~$100 ETF ($175-5 per month), a few people have said AT&T will not let me open another account for 6-12 months. Is this always the case?

Second option, what if I add another line and get the iPhone at a subsidized line, then cancel the first line and pay the ETF. This would work, right? I'd only lose my number?

Third, most legitimate option. I was thinking about adding a line for my brother. He's dying to get an iPhone 4. If I added a line and selected a family plan, shouldn't this give me "VIP status?" I have read that those with VIP status have had their upgrade eligibility pushed forward. If I went to AT&T on preorder day and opened his line first and bought the subsidized iPhone 4, chose a family plan, would I immediately be upgrade eligible on the original line? This way I could buy my iPhone 4 at the discounted price as well?

Thanks for the help and please don't bust my balls for opening yet another upgrade thread.
 
OP. You are the secondary line.

Secondary lines take up to 20 months to requalify for full upgrade.

Thus the feb 2010 upgrade date.

2. Others are available because they are the primary line and their lines would have been eligible June -Dec 2010 anyways so they got moved up.
Same thing with secondary lines eligible from June -Dec 2010. They got moved up.

There are thousands of people who are in your same boat. Either secondary line and not available till 02 2010.

Or they are on the cheap $39.99 primary line and thus not eligible for full upgrade till 20-21 months from their last upgrade.
 
aneftp said:
OP. You are the secondary line.

Secondary lines take up to 20 months to requalify for full upgrade.

Thus the feb 2010 upgrade date.

2. Others are available because they are the primary line and their lines would have been eligible June -Dec 2010 anyways so they got moved up.
Same thing with secondary lines eligible from June -Dec 2010. They got moved up.

There are thousands of people who are in your same boat. Either secondary line and not available till 02 2010.

Or they are on the cheap $39.99 primary line and thus not eligible for full upgrade till 20-21 months from their last upgrade.
Click to expand...

I'm not the secondary line. I am the ONLY line and have had the 3GS since day one. Contract is a year old.
 
mistertomlinson said:
I'm not the secondary line. I am the ONLY line and have had the 3GS since day one. Contract is a year old.
Click to expand...

Are you in the cheapest $39.99 voice plan? And the $30 data plan? AT&T does not count the text plans.

You need to be on the 59.99 voice plan or higher to get the early 6 month deal they are giving out. This is assuming you are on am individual line.
 
Geckotek said:
Please refer to the upgrade guide in my sig. This is addressed.
Click to expand...

While your guide did answer some questions, it didn't explain whether or not I could add a line with an iPhone 4 and cancel the original line, and simply pay the ETF on the first line.
 
aneftp said:
Are you in the cheapest $39.99 voice plan? And the $30 data plan? AT&T does not count the text plans.

You need to be on the 59.99 voice plan or higher to get the early 6 month deal they are giving out. This is assuming you are on am individual line.
Click to expand...

What if I upgrade to the $59.99 plan RIGHT NOW?! Will I suddenly be eligible?
 
you should qualify for the $399/$499? anyone know why he would not qualify for that price?

otherwise your best bet is to add a second line and then ask to swap phones for both lines (your current number to the new phone and the new number to the old phone) and then cancel your old line. if they dont let you swap phones, then you will lose your number.

i would as why you don't qualify for the early update. I have two lines and my main line qualifies for the full update and my second for an early update.
 
mistertomlinson said:
While your guide did answer some questions, it didn't explain whether or not I could add a line with an iPhone 4 and cancel the original line, and simply pay the ETF on the first line.
Click to expand...

You can do that, but why would I put that in my guide since that's not really a typical workaround.

Then again, I plan on doing the same. :p
 
mistertomlinson said:
What if I upgrade to the $59.99 plan RIGHT NOW?! Will I suddenly be eligible?
Click to expand...

That's what i figured. Those on the cheapest individual $39.99 aren't eligible for full upgrades for 20-21 months. That's why you have the 02 2011 ugrade date.

If you had the $59.99 voice plan you upgrade date would have been 11-2010 or 12-2010 and AT&T would have moved your upgrade date up 6 months.

You could try to move to the $59.99 plan. However it usually requires an average 3 month rolling average monthly bill to change things. So I doubt that would work and you would be wasting $20 extra each month for the next 3 months. AT&T will get their money either way.
 
OP- I feel like we're in the same situation.

I'm on a family plan with my mom. I guess you could call me "line 2." I bought the 3GS last year at $500. I was wondering- couldn't I simply preorder the phone and act like my mom, who has been eligible for an upgrade for a long time, was the one getting the iPhone 4 for only $300? And then just activate it in iTunes under my phone number...
 
bidwalj said:
you should qualify for the $399/$499? anyone know why he would not qualify for that price?

otherwise your best bet is to add a second line and then ask to swap phones for both lines (your current number to the new phone and the new number to the old phone) and then cancel your old line. if they dont let you swap phones, then you will lose your number.

i would as why you don't qualify for the early update. I have two lines and my main line qualifies for the full update and my second for an early update.
Click to expand...

Apparently, since I have the basic 450 minute plan, I don't qualify for early upgrade till 2/11, whereas if I had the $59.99 plan, I would be eligible. I'm still hoping someone lets me know whether I would suddenly qualify if I upgraded my plan now.
 
uiop. said:
OP- I feel like we're in the same situation.

I'm on a family plan with my mom. I guess you could call me "line 2." I bought the 3GS last year at $500. I was wondering- couldn't I simply preorder the phone and act like my mom, who has been eligible for an upgrade for a long time, was the one getting the iPhone 4 for only $300? And then just activate it in iTunes under my phone number...
Click to expand...

Sure you can, you don't have to pretend. This is called an upgrade swap. You use another line's upgrade to get the phone, their contract is extended, bu the iPhone will end up on your line.
 
uiop. said:
OP- I feel like we're in the same situation.

I'm on a family plan with my mom. I guess you could call me "line 2." I bought the 3GS last year at $500. I was wondering- couldn't I simply preorder the phone and act like my mom, who has been eligible for an upgrade for a long time, was the one getting the iPhone 4 for only $300? And then just activate it in iTunes under my phone number...
Click to expand...

You can order it under your moms line, provided she does not care, but when you get the phone, it will already be set to her number. You will likely then have to call up AT&T and get them to work it out for you, and may even have to go to and AT&T store.
 
elephunkman said:
Sure you can, you don't have to pretend. This is called an upgrade swap. You use another line's upgrade to get the phone, their contract is extended, bu the iPhone will end up on your line.
Click to expand...

fishmd said:
You can order it under your moms line, provided she does not care, but when you get the phone, it will already be set to her number. You will likely then have to call up AT&T and get them to work it out for you, and may even have to go to and AT&T store.
Click to expand...

Awesome. I feel like I could just go ahead and activate it on her line also and then swap SIM cards when I'm done. She wants my iPhone 3GS anyway so I planned on giving it to her when I get my iPhone 4, so swapping SIM cards should work right? Both phones use the same 3G data plan. Hmm.
 
uiop. said:
Awesome. I feel like I could just go ahead and activate it on her line also and then swap SIM cards when I'm done. She wants my iPhone 3GS anyway so I planned on giving it to her when I get my iPhone 4, so swapping SIM cards should work right? Both phones use the same 3G data plan. Hmm.
Click to expand...

Based on what someone said above, after the phones are up and running, you should be able to get them to swap the phones on each line.
 
mistertomlinson said:
Apparently, since I have the basic 450 minute plan, I don't qualify for early upgrade till 2/11, whereas if I had the $59.99 plan, I would be eligible. I'm still hoping someone lets me know whether I would suddenly qualify if I upgraded my plan now.
Click to expand...

No, the entire idea is that if you have a higher monthly plan, you pay off the subsidy sooner. You haven't been paying the higher price for the past year, your upgrade date wouldn't change.
 
fishmd said:
You can order it under your moms line, provided she does not care, but when you get the phone, it will already be set to her number. You will likely then have to call up AT&T and get them to work it out for you, and may even have to go to and AT&T store.
Click to expand...

False.
 
Switching Secondary Line to Primary.

I have a 3GS that is bought on release day last year and my upgrade date is 2/11/11, I am on a secondary line. My wife got her 3GS in March 2010 and her upgrade is 3/27/11. I just called ATT and they switched my number to the primary number and told me it would take effect on June 11th when my billing cycle reset. So in theory, on June 11th, shouldn't my upgrade date switch to June 2010?
 
uiop. said:
Awesome. I feel like I could just go ahead and activate it on her line also and then swap SIM cards when I'm done. She wants my iPhone 3GS anyway so I planned on giving it to her when I get my iPhone 4, so swapping SIM cards should work right? Both phones use the same 3G data plan. Hmm.
Click to expand...

iP4 uses a micro sim card and 3Gs uses full size sim card. Not gona work!

You can activate iP4 in iTunes with your number then activate the 3Gs with her number. You will have to buy a data plan for her number with the 3Gs.
 
iMikey1 said:
iP4 uses a micro sim card and 3Gs uses full size sim card. Not gona work!

You can activate iP4 in iTunes with your number then activate the 3Gs with her number. You will have to buy a data plan for her number with the 3Gs.
Click to expand...

I had a conversation in depth about this whole situation with my mom today on the phone. She told me she wanted to upgrade her crappy LG Shine to the new iPhone 4. I agreed that it was a good idea as she lives in Michigan, while I'm 17 and live in Indiana. We're both going to buy iPhone 4's on launch day now so we can take advantage of Face Time since we live in different states.

Looks like I'm going to be paying full price. It'll be worth it though.
 
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