iPad Did you buy a discounted iPad from AT&T last year?

[iMas70]

I bought a discounted iPad 4 from AT&T last year. Signed a 2 year contract so I received $100. off. That brought the price of my 32GB version down to $629. I called AT&T tonight to see what the scoop is if I want to sell it and get the new iPad Air. The person I spoke to said that the iPad is locked and wouldn't be able to be used on another network outside of AT&T unless I pay a $106. fee. Don't know where the additional $6. came from and I thought it would be prorated so I figured I'd only pay $50. because I've had it for a year. I won't have to pay this fee if I sell it to someone that will be using it on the AT&T network.

Just passing along the info incase anyone else went with this promotion and is thinking about selling.

 

[iMas70]

I called AT&T today and received more info. If I want to buy a discounted iPad from them (32GB Wifi-Cellular - $729.99 - $100.00 = $629.99), I'll have to sell my current iPad to someone that uses AT&T. If I do that, I'd go online to assign the billing responsibility over to them. I'd have to do that before I purchased a new iPad. Or, I'd have to add another line to my account and have 2 iPads on it.

If I don't sell it, then I wouldn't be able to purchase one from AT&T with the $100.00 discount. If I bought it from them it would be full price. I could probably purchase one somewhere else to get some type of discount. If anything I could use my Target card and save 5% ($36.49 off). Based on the prices that I'm seeing people sell their iPad 4s for, I might just keep this one and let me kids use it on WiFi. The new one will be a tax write off for me anyway.

If I do want to sell the iPad 4 later, I'd have to wait until the 2 years is up. It can be off of my account, but I'd have to wait a year.

 

[mcdj]

I already explained this to you in another thread. The ipad is not locked. Your SIM is the only thing tying it to your 2 year commitment. If you want to sell your current ipad, pull your SIM out and sell it. The buyer then puts their SIM in, from ANY CARRIER, and off they go. Or they use it on wifi if they don't want a data plan. Or they use it as a cutting board. It doesn't matter. The ipad is not locked to AT&T.

For your part, you must either keep paying for data until your two year commitment is up, OR, pay the ETF. The ETF on a discounted iPad plan is $150, minus $4 for every month you've already paid in. So if you've been on the plan 10 months, that means your ETF would be $110.

If you decide to keep paying the data contract, just buy a new ipad from wherever. Put your current SIM in it and you're good to go.

If you pay the ETF, you wipe the slate clean, meaning you can then get a new ipad with a $100 discount and start a new 2 year contract. Of course it makes no sense to pay $110 to get $100 off a new ipad.

You can also just skip all that nonsense and sign up for Next after you pay the ETF. No money down. They give you the ipad, then you pay for the data plan, and a portion of the cost of the ipad for 20 months. After 20 months, you own the ipad. Or, after 12 months, you can give them the ipad back and get a brand new one.

Personally, I will be going for Next. I got a discounted ipad last year. My local AT&T store manager said because I have a family plan with a lot of devices, he would waive my ETF and move me to the Next program.

I would investigate this with your local ATT. Clearly they have the authority to do this at the store level.

 

[rui no onna]

You can also just skip all that nonsense and sign up for Next. No money down. They give you the ipad, then you pay for the data plan, and a portion of the cost of the ipad for 20 months. After 20 months, you own the ipad. Or, after 12 months, you can give them the ipad back and get a brand new one.

+1. This is what I plan on doing when a 256GB iPad comes out.

 

[iMas70]

Thank you for the info. I just wanted to get someone else's answer from AT&T. I guess of course they wouldn't tell you to just remove the SIM then put it in the new one. I prefer to have a data plan on my iPad. I use it away from home and my kids watch Netflix in the car.

I'm really considering the Next plan. I can't say that I'll get a new iPad next year but Apple tends to make new versions attractive enough for me to want to upgrade if I can.

Funny thing is, I can ask AT&T this question 3 times and get 3 different answers. I called them one more time between my post in yours. This time I was told that if I buy an iPad Air, I can contact them to add that to my account. It would replace my current iPad. Then I can do what I want with it (sell it to anyone or keep it to use on WiFi). There wouldn't be any other fees of penalties involved. <face palm/shakes head>. He did say that I wouldn't be eligible for the Next program until next year.

If I decide to get one, I think the easiest thing to do will be to see what store has the best deal and buy it there. No contract or anything like that. I can come and go as I please. Then if they don't swap them on my plan like they said, I'll just swap the SIMs like you said.