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For AT&T Customer's who have a contract, the subsidies?

D

DropKick

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 19, 2008
70
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For example, I'm currently with AT&T (I switched when the iphone launched last year) but I'm eligible for an upgrade since my contract is going to run out soon. Would I qualify for the subsidies? If I do, how would that work since I most likely will be buying from an apple store and activating it at home?

Perhaps I can call AT&T after I've activated the new iphone and let them know I want to renew for another 2 years?
 
I believe you only get the subsidy once every two years if you are an existing customer. If you are only a year into your contract I don't know that it would apply, but we'll see. Anything is possible I've found.. :rolleyes:
 
DropKick said:
For example, I'm currently with AT&T (I switched when the iphone launched last year) but I'm eligible for an upgrade since my contract is going to run out soon. Would I qualify for the subsidies? If I do, how would that work since I most likely will be buying from an apple store and activating it at home?

Perhaps I can call AT&T after I've activated the new iphone and let them know I want to renew for another 2 years?
Click to expand...

Once you activate your iPhone via iTunes it is going to require that re-up for 2 years anyay.
 
I was thinking the same thing - I'm about 6 months into a family contract with my partner.

Something to remember is that even with the iPhone, the celluar market is one of the most competitive markets out there. I moved to AT&T earlier this year essentially for free because I was willing to walk out of the store and say, "well then, thank you for your time, but that's just not acceptable terms to me."

AT&T sales reps work on commission, and although they claim to be powerless to negotiate nonstandard terms and rates, they will also connect you to "corporate" (meaning the sales folks on the phone), who apparently do have the power to negotiate.

Total cost for me to join my partner on a family plan with AT&T (I switched from Verizon): sales tax on a Nokia 6085 and a two-year contract. The signup fee was waived, the "upgrade" fee on our phones was waived, the Nokia was free, and all other applicable fees were waived.

So, long story short - if you want an iPhone with a subsidy play hardball. Tell them you'd be happy to re-up for two years, but that's your only concession. Odds are they'll want the sale of the iPhone more than they care about contract terms.
 
DropKick said:
Perhaps I can call AT&T after I've activated the new iphone and let them know I want to renew for another 2 years?
Click to expand...
One final thought - do all negotiation BEFORE purchasing anything. Otherwise, there's no leverage for you and no incentive for AT&T. You'll lose your ability to say, "well, I *would* buy the iPhone now, but since you're not letting me get it on a subsidy, I'll take a pass."
 
djransom said:
Once you activate your iPhone via iTunes it is going to require that re-up for 2 years anyay.
Click to expand...

Not true.

When I upgraded from my 4GB iPhone to an 8GB, there was no extended (or new) contract. My original purchase date still holds; just over a year left in my original contract.
 
Its highly likley that the subsidies could change the way that works.

The reason we do not extend our contracts now is because the subsidy did not apply to our purchases. We actually purchased the phone straight up.

These new iPhones we will not pay in full. So I believe that yes we will have to extend or wait to renew our contracts.
 
ert3 said:
Its highly likley that the subsidies could change the way that works.

The reason we do not extend our contracts now is because the subsidy did not apply to our purchases. We actually purchased the phone straight up.

These new iPhones we will not pay in full. So I believe that yes we will have to extend or wait to renew our contracts.
Click to expand...

If you buy from Apple, you will be paying in full and NOT extending your contract. If you buy from At&t and select a 2 year plan (which will give you the cheaper price), then you will have an extended contract.

Sound right?
 
FoxyKaye said:
One final thought - do all negotiation BEFORE purchasing anything. Otherwise, there's no leverage for you and no incentive for AT&T. You'll lose your ability to say, "well, I *would* buy the iPhone now, but since you're not letting me get it on a subsidy, I'll take a pass."
Click to expand...
Good point, if we don't find out after the press conference then I'll purchase the iphone and call AT&T before I activate it. Either way I'm buying, but I would just like some more light shed on this whole situation :)

Plus, I already sold my 1st gen iPhone a few months ago in anticipation for this new one, so I'd have to choose an iPhone plan all over again, hopefully there is an option to renew and get some kind of rebate.


Hopefully we find out soon! :cool:
 
crobbins said:
I believe you only get the subsidy once every two years if you are an existing customer. If you are only a year into your contract I don't know that it would apply, but we'll see. Anything is possible I've found.. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
My contract said that I was eligible for an upgrade from day 1 of activating my iPhone, since the iPhone was not subsidized and I was already out of contract at the time. Probably anybody with a current iPhone contract who was out of contract when they signed up can get a subsidized upgrade phone; whether the new iPhone will qualify I don't know.
 
brn2ski00 said:
If you buy from Apple, you will be paying in full and NOT extending your contract. If you buy from At&t and select a 2 year plan (which will give you the cheaper price), then you will have an extended contract.

Sound right?
Click to expand...

If I remember, last year whether you bought from AT&T or Apple, no contracts or negotiations were done at the store. It's like buying a camera. Pay and go. The contracts were all done through iTunes during ther activation process.
This time i think the following:
We will all pay full up front and then receive a "credit-subsidy" of some sort after activation and contract extention. This reduces mass buying at lower prices for Ebay=> unlocking.

Sound plausible?
 
cjandnw said:
If I remember, last year whether you bought from AT&T or Apple, no contracts or negotiations were done at the store. It's like buying a camera. Pay and go. The contracts were all done through iTunes during ther activation process.
This time i think the following:
We will all pay full up front and then receive a "credit-subsidy" of some sort after activation and contract extention. This reduces mass buying at lower prices for Ebay=> unlocking.

Sound plausible?
Click to expand...

Yeah, that sounds like you are on the right track.

However, consumers will still be able to buy the phones at full price and sell them however (eBay, CL, etc...)
 
i am still confused. i purchased a 16GB phone is Feb. i hadn't received a subsidy from AT&T for over two years. activated my phone through iTunes and it extended my contract two years. now the website says i am not eligible for an upgrade until Dec 2008. I spoke with an AT&T rep and she said since my contract was renewed when I activated the iPhone, i was not eligible for an equipment upgrade or subsidized price on any phone.
 
There is no way that Apple will allow at&t to deny its iPhone user-base (2.3 million as of Jan 08) the ability to upgrade for the subsidized price. It is much easier to stomach $199 for an "upgraded" phone than it is to pay $399 for a "new" phone.
 
danny_w said:
My contract said that I was eligible for an upgrade from day 1 of activating my iPhone, since the iPhone was not subsidized and I was already out of contract at the time. Probably anybody with a current iPhone contract who was out of contract when they signed up can get a subsidized upgrade phone; whether the new iPhone will qualify I don't know.
Click to expand...

You've hit the nail on the head. AT&T can't deny current iPhone users hardware subsidies (if we're willing to extend our contracts another two years) since they didn't subsidize the first iPhone at all. If they did that, they'd get sued. A lot.

This is my guess...you'll be able to get the new iPhone in an AT&T store with activation for $200, or you can get it ifor $400 at the Apple store and then get a $200 credit toward your AT&T bill after you activate it at home (in both cases, signing a new 2 year contract). Either way, anyone who's willing to sign a new 2-year contract -- anyone who hasn't received a phone subsidy from AT&T in the last 18 months at least, but they might be willing to throw that rule out -- should be able to get the discount.
 
cyclone84 said:
There is no way that Apple will allow at&t to deny its iPhone user-base (2.3 million as of Jan 08) the ability to upgrade for the subsidized price. It is much easier to stomach $199 for an "upgraded" phone than it is to pay $399 for a "new" phone.
Click to expand...


Just like there is no-way that apple would deny Sling iPhone support because they are greedy bastards that want you to ONLY watch videos from iTunes? ;)

I'm pretty sure any subsidized price will be for those with no-contract (or expired). I hope I'm wrong though!
 
mrogers said:
You've hit the nail on the head. AT&T can't deny current iPhone users hardware subsidies (if we're willing to extend our contracts another two years) since they didn't subsidize the first iPhone at all. If they did that, they'd get sued. A lot.

This is my guess...you'll be able to get the new iPhone in an AT&T store with activation for $200, or you can get it ifor $400 at the Apple store and then get a $200 credit toward your AT&T bill after you activate it at home (in both cases, signing a new 2 year contract). Either way, anyone who's willing to sign a new 2-year contract -- anyone who hasn't received a phone subsidy from AT&T in the last 18 months at least, but they might be willing to throw that rule out -- should be able to get the discount.
Click to expand...

Hopefully they toss that rule out for the purchase of the iPhone.
 
mrogers said:
You've hit the nail on the head. AT&T can't deny current iPhone users hardware subsidies (if we're willing to extend our contracts another two years) since they didn't subsidize the first iPhone at all. If they did that, they'd get sued. A lot.

This is my guess...you'll be able to get the new iPhone in an AT&T store with activation for $200, or you can get it ifor $400 at the Apple store and then get a $200 credit toward your AT&T bill after you activate it at home (in both cases, signing a new 2 year contract). Either way, anyone who's willing to sign a new 2-year contract -- anyone who hasn't received a phone subsidy from AT&T in the last 18 months at least, but they might be willing to throw that rule out -- should be able to get the discount.
Click to expand...
That would be excellent, a rebate or credit of $200 would be fine by me.
 
DropKick said:
For example, I'm currently with AT&T (I switched when the iphone launched last year) but I'm eligible for an upgrade since my contract is going to run out soon. Would I qualify for the subsidies? If I do, how would that work since I most likely will be buying from an apple store and activating it at home?

Perhaps I can call AT&T after I've activated the new iphone and let them know I want to renew for another 2 years?
Click to expand...

Tell them you want to talk to the retention department at AT&T. Not only could you possibly get a subsidy on the iphone (if it's offered) but a much better plan than the ones advertised. If you browse the AT&T section of howardforums and look at peoples signatures you can see some crazy plans.

As a poster above mentioned .... it's all about leverage.
 
I have an iphone, my wife does not. What if I up her 2 year contract and get the new one. Can I just transfer her number to my old iphone and take the new one?

she can careless about the phone, she just wants a cell phone and my original iphone would be a step up from her Razr. lol.
 
CKohkah said:
I have an iphone, my wife does not. What if I up her 2 year contract and get the new one. Can I just transfer her number to my old iphone and take the new one?

she can careless about the phone, she just wants a cell phone and my original iphone would be a step up from her Razr. lol.
Click to expand...

Yeah I've done that before. I used my wife's line to get myself a new BlackBerry since she was eligible for upgrades and I wasn't, and then when it arrived I just switched the SIM cards.

Lots of phones would be a step up from a Razr :p
 
CKohkah said:
I have an iphone, my wife does not. What if I up her 2 year contract and get the new one. Can I just transfer her number to my old iphone and take the new one?

she can careless about the phone, she just wants a cell phone and my original iphone would be a step up from her Razr. lol.
Click to expand...
I would think that you could just swap SIM cards, but I don't know for sure.
 
After reading this post, I went to the AT&T website to see what my upgrade options were. My previous 2 year contract was up prior to buying the iPhone, so I am currently 1 year into the new contract. Looking online, it looks like I have the upgrade option available, so I bet for others it is the same situation.

When I look at the phones available, they have the subsidized price (except the current iPhones, which are all listed out of stock anyways).
 
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