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Carrier How Early Has AT&T Let You Upgrade For New iPhone

How Early Has AT&T Let Your Upgrade While on Contract?

  • 1 to 2 Months Early

    Votes: 12 52.2%

  • 3 to 6 Months Early

    Votes: 2 8.7%

  • 6 Months or More Early

    Votes: 9 39.1%
  • Total voters
    23
S

sandmanfvr

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 19, 2010
93
4
Well with the iPhone 6 event coming up, good part of us are ready to jump and upgrade/refresh our cell phones. My contract was to be up like in October, but if you remember this http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/09/att-extends-upgrade-period-to-two-years/ that many of us on AT&T were pushed out to 2 years (Thanks AT&T :mad: ). Anyway, say this iPhone is available end of September or maybe October, that is a few months early for me, has anybody gotten lucky and AT&T let them upgrade on a new 2 year contract that early for a shiny new iPhone? I know Sprint has done this in the past before, as they want the sale? My wife is up to upgrade, so she will be on ground floor of an iPhone 6, but if I can't upgrade I will probably save back and buy it out right before end of the year, but want to see if others have been able sweet talk AT&T into letting them have a new iPhone. Thanks.
 
I think they may let you upgrade a week or two early. They may allow you to do it for a higher fee, if memory serves me.
 
sometimes they let u slide if ur really close like couple of days or so.
 
Hopefully the way it works out the launch day 2012 to launch day 2014 two year cycle overlaps nicely and we don't have to wait at all!
 
I think if you bought an iPhone 5 at launch they will let you upgrade to an iPhone 6 at launch. The bigger question is will they still be offering subsidized phones or will upgrades have to use AT&T Next (where you pay full price for the phone and pay it off in monthly installments). Also hoping the my grandfathered unlimited plan is still allowed.
 
maflynn said:
I think they may let you upgrade a week or two early. They may allow you to do it for a higher fee, if memory serves me.
Click to expand...

I think its if you have had your phone for six months, they'll give you the upgrade for $450 and a new two year contract.

If you have had your phone less than that, sign up for U-Verse and I bet they give it to you.
 
I doubt they'll let you upgrade for the subsidized price early. AT&T wants everyone on NEXT, in which case they'd be happy to let you upgrade at any time.
 
barkomatic said:
I doubt they'll let you upgrade for the subsidized price early. AT&T wants everyone on NEXT, in which case they'd be happy to let you upgrade at any time.
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That's my thought, too.

With NEXT/Edge/Jump, I'd be surprised if the carriers moved upgrade dates for 2-year contracts at all this year.
 
barkomatic said:
I doubt they'll let you upgrade for the subsidized price early. AT&T wants everyone on NEXT, in which case they'd be happy to let you upgrade at any time.
Click to expand...

Oh they have been pushing at me to do this. "Upgrade now on next!". Its no big deal, frankly I might just sell a couple old phones, and then put the money back and get one out right, screw next plans and such. If I have to wait some then so be it, but AT&T screwed me over (and many others) by changing my contract end date, but other than that the service has been good. Lets wait and see.
 
sandmanfvr said:
Oh they have been pushing at me to do this. "Upgrade now on next!". Its no big deal, frankly I might just sell a couple old phones, and then put the money back and get one out right, screw next plans and such. If I have to wait some then so be it, but AT&T screwed me over (and many others) by changing my contract end date, but other than that the service has been good. Lets wait and see.
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AT&T can't change your contract end date arbitrarily. That's actually grounds for a lawsuit. You signed up for a 2 year/24 month contract. They have offered 12-20 month fully subsidized upgrades previously as a courtesy. Is their new upgrade policy anti-consumer? Yes, I think that part's pretty obvious. They didn't, however, change your contract end date. That was already 24 months when you signed your contract and it's still 24 months now.
 
rui no onna said:
AT&T can't change your contract end date arbitrarily. That's actually grounds for a lawsuit. You signed up for a 2 year/24 month contract. They have offered 12-20 month fully subsidized upgrades previously as a courtesy. Is their new upgrade policy anti-consumer? Yes, I think that part's pretty obvious. They didn't, however, change your contract end date. That was already 24 months when you signed your contract and it's still 24 months now.
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Those contracts are loaded with clauses that pretty much allow the carrier to do whatever they want. It's sad, but a way of life.
 
AustinIllini said:
Those contracts are loaded with clauses that pretty much allow the carrier to do whatever they want. It's sad, but a way of life.
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There are plenty of clauses, sure. Extending the contract without your approval is not one of them. Granted, they can delay upgrades however long they want or even choose not to offer subsidized upgrades at all. That's their prerogative. Granted, subsidized or financed devices is one of the ways AT&T attracts and keeps customers so they can't make their upgrade policies too awful. :rolleyes:
 
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I'm hoping Verizon allows people to upgrade whether through subsidy or edge. All of the launch day iPhone 5 folks are stuck on sept 21 upgrade cycles which seems a bit late to the party for this launch.

I know the thread requests AT&T but does anyone have any thoughts on Verizon allowing people to do the Edge upgrade without trading anything in on launch day ?
 
My next contract isn't over until January. I'm gonna use their new pay to upgrade feature for the 100 ish dollars left to pay on my 12 months. Send my phone back after I order my iPhone. So glad they changed that from having to drive to a store to do it.
 
If you are eligible on September 30th and want to upgrade on the 1st of September AT&T will let you (provided there is no outstanding balance on your account... so you may have to pay it earlier than you're used to).

Verizon will not. From what I have heard there are almost no exceptions.

Many people have been turned away after waiting in line for hours, so make SURE you are completely eligible (don't plan on "sweet talking" your way into an upgrade...).

Unless you are a Premier customer with numerous lines (and a bill of over $200 a month last I heard), don't expect to get any exceptions to the rule with AT&T either. No, they don't care if you've been loyal for 20 years, and no, they don't care if you threaten to leave... They care about $$$$, and the odds are, after you throw your fit, that you aren't going anywhere :p
 
I'm sure AT&T will let everyone who bought the 5 or 5S at launch. I've been doing this year after year. Call them and ask nicely I guess. I've never been denied!

(It also helps that you are a loyal customer, 15 years for me, and pay your bill on time)

I have two lines that are ready for this new iPhone6. Can't wait!
 
rui no onna said:
There are plenty of clauses, sure. Extending the contract without your approval is not one of them. Granted, they can delay upgrades however long they want or even choose not to offer subsidized upgrades at all. That's their prerogative. Granted, subsidized or financed devices is one of the ways AT&T attracts and keeps customers so they can't make their upgrade policies too awful. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Look at the article I posted, they did do it and it sucks. I was to be up next month, but whatever. I was just asking and if I have to suck it up I will wait or pay full price.
 
sandmanfvr said:
Look at the article I posted, they did do it and it sucks. I was to be up next month, but whatever. I was just asking and if I have to suck it up I will wait or pay full price.
Click to expand...

They don't extend the contract. AT&T had a perk for years that allowed customers on a traditional 2 year contract to get a new phone 6 months early. And they got rid of the perk. It was never written into the contract, etc. They just let everyone do it, and now they don't. Simple as that.

If you are a loyal customer to them, I have had no issues with being granted early upgrades or having my date pushed up to get a new iPhone at launch. I've never been turned down.

Over the last few years, I've upgraded anywhere between 4 months into the contract and up to 6 months till the end of the contract.
 
AutoUnion39 said:
They don't extend the contract. AT&T had a perk for years that allowed customers on a traditional 2 year contract to get a new phone 6 months early. And they got rid of the perk. It was never written into the contract, etc. They just let everyone do it, and now they don't. Simple as that.

If you are a loyal customer to them, I have had no issues with being granted early upgrades or having my date pushed up to get a new iPhone at launch. I've never been turned down.

Over the last few years, I've upgraded anywhere between 4 months into the contract and up to 6 months till the end of the contract.
Click to expand...

Good point, thanks for that reminder, I vaguely remember that and thought it was the contract that was being extended, not the perk being taken away.

I will ask them to see if I can get one and see.
 
How Early Has AT&T Let You Upgrade For New iPhone

If I recall, you'd be eligible for an early upgrade exactly one year after the purchase of your current phone. Not sure if AT&T will move it up or not. I'm probably going to purchase the 6 with Next.
 
I reckon how much your bill is probably has effect on whether they'll let you upgrade early. One thing I've noticed on the old Family Talk plans is that the main line on the account (ergo most money spent) becomes upgrade eligible more quickly than the add-on lines. I remember my dad's line being eligible for a fully subsidized upgrade 12-15 months into the contract while for our lines, it was 18 months.

From previous experience, AT&T isn't particularly strict when it comes to the actual date of contract ending. They'd usually allow you to upgrade at the start of the month of your contract end date.
 
In the past I always got an early upgrade 6 months into a 2 year contract. Never bothered with it, though. Since they were only taking $250. off of the retail price.
 
Eileen89 said:
In the past I always got an early upgrade 6 months into a 2 year contract. Never bothered with it, though. Since they were only taking $250. off of the retail price.
Click to expand...

I thought they stopped the early upgrade discount?
 
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