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Not eligible for an AT&T handset upgrade? Here's how to avoid being overcharged

saDeRmac said:
I'm not sure what to say right now because I think that the upgrade eligibility thing is going to change as we get closer to the launch... I'm intensely hoping that everyone will be eligible for the iPhone 3G just like the 1st gen iPhone. I can't really speculate cause i work for the company and they said only state the facts... I'm sorry, I just can't give people a false hope...:confused::apple:
Click to expand...

Does the fact still remain that owners of the 1st GEN iPhones are elgible to upgrade regardless of elgibility status?
 
Here is another "situation" question... sorry!

I bought the 8gig for $599 last July when it came out. Have been using it for 11 months up until about 1 and a half weeks ago when my iphone had a unfortunate run in with my La-z-boy recliner :(

Luckily I had another cheap flip phone, so I took the sim card out, put it in my old phone, and I had service. This phone can't do data, and I didn't want to pay for it, so I called up AT&T and told them my iPhone broke, and that I didn't need the data plan anymore.

My question, I am not eligible for upgrade until like March of '09 because of the new contract I signed, but will I be because I had been a customer in good standing with the iphone for those 11 months and payed full retail? (Regarding the line in the leaked memo about current iPhone 2G customers will be made eligible) I called up AT&T again asking about this, and the woman I talked to said that it is easy to tell I had the iPhone on my account for 11 months because a Customer Service person at the store can simply look at my bill.

Kind of a specific situation, but any insight would be nice because of all this confusing misinformation!

Thanks
 
saDeRmac said:
I'm not sure what to say right now because I think that the upgrade eligibility thing is going to change as we get closer to the launch... I'm intensely hoping that everyone will be eligible for the iPhone 3G just like the 1st gen iPhone. I can't really speculate cause i work for the company and they said only state the facts... I'm sorry, I just can't give people a false hope...:confused::apple:
Click to expand...

Well thanks for all your time in this thread. Too bad you're not getting paid for this because you're giving better service off-the-clock than most people apparently get from calling in. Kudos to you!

I think I'm pretty much SOL. It sucks that there's not really anything I can say or do about this situation because in the end, AT&T I'm sure simply just doesn't give a rat's patoot. Not much I can do about it at this point, so I'll just suck it up and deal.
 
Schmoe0013 said:
Here is another "situation" question... sorry!

I bought the 8gig for $599 last July when it came out. Have been using it for 11 months up until about 1 and a half weeks ago when my iphone had a unfortunate run in with my La-z-boy recliner :(

Luckily I had another cheap flip phone, so I took the sim card out, put it in my old phone, and I had service. This phone can't do data, and I didn't want to pay for it, so I called up AT&T and told them my iPhone broke, and that I didn't need the data plan anymore.

My question, I am not eligible for upgrade until like March of '09 because of the new contract I signed, but will I be because I had been a customer in good standing with the iphone for those 11 months and payed full retail? (Regarding the line in the leaked memo about current iPhone 2G customers will be made eligible) I called up AT&T again asking about this, and the woman I talked to said that it is easy to tell I had the iPhone on my account for 11 months because a Customer Service person at the store can simply look at my bill.

Kind of a specific situation, but any insight would be nice because of all this confusing misinformation!

Thanks
Click to expand...
I think that b/c it shows on your account that you purchased and iPhone... The manager at the store will override the upgrade stipulation... Please keep checking back or PM me closer to launch as I will have a more definite answer.
 
Mahram said:
Well thanks for all your time in this thread. Too bad you're not getting paid for this because you're giving better service off-the-clock than most people apparently get from calling in. Kudos to you!
Click to expand...

Agreed. He has been very helpful to this thread as well as others. Keep up the great work :cool:
 
saDeRmac said:
I think that b/c it shows on your account that you purchased and iPhone... The manager at the store will override the upgrade stipulation... Please keep checking back or PM me closer to launch as I will have a more definite answer.
Click to expand...

Excellent. Thank you for your input; it is helpful!
 
Schmoe0013 said:
Excellent. Thank you for your input; it is helpful!
Click to expand...
To tell you the absolute truth, thanks for not thinking I'm a fraud. Other fourms are like you don't work for at&t ****... Thanks again and remember PMing me has a lot quicker answer ;)
 
saDeRmac said:
Yes IRU discounts will be availible if your FAN has a rate plan discount. Talk to an at&t rep in a store to find out more.
Click to expand...

I have no idea what an IRU or FAN is. I just tell them (AT&T) I'm in the military and they tell me how to get the discount. :D

This worked with our Blackberry Curves and I just wanted to know if this will be the case with the iPhone. Previously, as everyone probably knows, there wasn't any discounts on any iPhone products.
 
saDeRmac said:
To tell you the absolute truth, thanks for not thinking I'm a fraud. Other fourms are like you don't work for at&t ****... Thanks again and remember PMing me has a lot quicker answer ;)
Click to expand...

Heh, of course! I'm from Minnesota, so I assume the best before the worst!

And question, do managers at stores have the authority to override upgrade eligibility on accounts? I would assume yes, but want to make sure. (In case I am in that situation, I know who to talk to)

Thanks
 
Schmoe0013 said:
Heh, of course! I'm from Minnesota, so I assume the best before the worst!

And question, do managers at stores have the authority to override upgrade eligibility on accounts? I would assume yes, but want to make sure. (In case I am in that situation, I know who to talk to)

Thanks
Click to expand...
Yes, they base it on tenure, no past due balances for the past few mths and no disconnects.
 
djransom said:
Does the fact still remain that owners of the 1st GEN iPhones are elgible to upgrade regardless of elgibility status?
Click to expand...

saDeRmac said:
Yes and regardless of tenure. :apple:
Click to expand...

I'm someone who bought my iPhone after May 27th. I knew about the new version but also knew it was likely to be subsidized & I am not eligible for an equipment upgrade so went ahead & got it with the intention of buying a new one in a few months & giving this one to my mother. I have heard that I will be eligible to trade my current phone for the new version (minus some fees). What I would prefer is to be eligible for the upgrade pricing & keep my old phone so I can give it to Mom. She's retired & would prefer to have the $20 plan rather than have to pay $30 + $5. Anyone know if I will have that choice -- to get the upgrade price, or will I have to do a trade because of when I purchased mine.
 
HDJulie said:
I'm someone who bought my iPhone after May 27th. I knew about the new version but also knew it was likely to be subsidized & I am not eligible for an equipment upgrade so went ahead & got it with the intention of buying a new one in a few months & giving this one to my mother. I have heard that I will be eligible to trade my current phone for the new version (minus some fees). What I would prefer is to be eligible for the upgrade pricing & keep my old phone so I can give it to Mom. She's retired & would prefer to have the $20 plan rather than have to pay $30 + $5. Anyone know if I will have that choice -- to get the upgrade price, or will I have to do a trade because of when I purchased mine.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I don't have an answer to that... I know what people say when I say this but it really is true whether you want to believe it or not... not enough information has been given out and there will be more as launch day comes closer. I believe that at&t has lawyers working on the Ts&Cs right now... unfortunately on this subject I've said all I know.
 
Okay here is the official word. You HAVE to be eligible to upgrade in order to get the iPhone 3G for the subsidized price. No if ands or buts about it. I talked with my manager and from what they have been told and the intranet's information, its looking more and more final. They haven't come up with the official unsubsidized price yet. Now I know that people are getting sick with me and other employees saying that it is all subject to change but it really is.

EVERYTHING whether unsubsidized or subsidized has a 2 yr contract added to the line for the iPhone 3G. Even if you purchase the phone for the unsubsidized price you will be signing a new agreement that starts from the day that you sign the new agreement till two years later.

Straight from the horse's mouth:

What if a non-2G iPhone customer isn't eligible for the upgrade but still wants to do so?
Customers can always upgrade early, but they will have to pay the full price and sign a new 2-yr. agreement Out of policy upgrades are not allowed and there are no exceptions in this rule Offer the customer an opportunity to come back and purchase the iPhone 3G at the discounted price when they are eligible.
 
saDeRmac said:
Okay here is the official word. You HAVE to be eligible to upgrade in order to get the iPhone 3G for the subsidized price. No if ands or buts about it. I talked with my manager and from what they have been told and the intranet's information, its looking more and more final. They haven't come up with the official unsubsidized price yet. Now I know that people are getting sick with me and other employees saying that it is all subject to change but it really is.

EVERYTHING whether unsubsidized or subsidized has a 2 yr contract added to the line for the iPhone 3G. Even if you purchase the phone for the unsubsidized price you will be signing a new agreement that starts from the day that you sign the new agreement till two years later.

Straight from the horse's mouth:

What if a non-2G iPhone customer isn't eligible for the upgrade but still wants to do so?
Customers can always upgrade early, but they will have to pay the full price and sign a new 2-yr. agreement Out of policy upgrades are not allowed and there are no exceptions in this rule Offer the customer an opportunity to come back and purchase the iPhone 3G at the discounted price when they are eligible.
Click to expand...

Interesting! Well, I hope they will see I have been a iPhone customer, and just this last month it changed. <crosses fingers>
 
saDeRmac said:
Okay here is the official word. You HAVE to be eligible to upgrade in order to get the iPhone 3G for the subsidized price. No if ands or buts about it. I talked with my manager and from what they have been told and the intranet's information, its looking more and more final. They haven't come up with the official unsubsidized price yet. Now I know that people are getting sick with me and other employees saying that it is all subject to change but it really is.

EVERYTHING whether unsubsidized or subsidized has a 2 yr contract added to the line for the iPhone 3G. Even if you purchase the phone for the unsubsidized price you will be signing a new agreement that starts from the day that you sign the new agreement till two years later.

Straight from the horse's mouth:

What if a non-2G iPhone customer isn't eligible for the upgrade but still wants to do so?
Customers can always upgrade early, but they will have to pay the full price and sign a new 2-yr. agreement Out of policy upgrades are not allowed and there are no exceptions in this rule Offer the customer an opportunity to come back and purchase the iPhone 3G at the discounted price when they are eligible.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but I'm still not believing it by what someone says. AT&T allowed everyone to buy a 1st gen phone last year whether they were eligible or not, so why would they not do it this time? Doesn't make sense. We'll see what happens between now and July 11th, however I'm still optimistic based on what Ive been told, what I've read in other articles citing sources and how they have handled it in the past.
 
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liquidlink said:
Another option for you to do

1. Start a new line of service with a iPhone 3G
2. Get smallest plan for 1 month
3. Cancel service after 40 days
4. Pay $175 ETF
5. Use your new iPhone 3G on your regular account

Cost - $199 for new iPhone + $175 ETF = $374.00 - Cheaper then trying to get one unlocked
Click to expand...

you haven't factored in the activation fee and the one month of service. It is more like 500 or more when you are done.
 
zub3qin said:
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)



you haven't factored in the activation fee and the one month of service. It is more like 500 or more when you are done.
Click to expand...

OK so add another $36 activation fee, bring it to $400. Only service will be used so that is not a lose. If AT&T will not let me upgrade I will just do it this way and pay less then paying with out a contract for a 3g iPhone.

Actually all of this will be decided on July 11th when we know 100% what AT&T is doing.
 
WannaApple? said:
Sorry, but I'm still not believing it by what someone says. AT&T allowed everyone to buy a 1st gen phone last year whether they were eligible or not, so why would they not do it this time? Doesn't make sense. We'll see what happens between now and July 11th, however I'm still optimistic based on what Ive been told, what I've read in other articles citing sources and how they have handled it in the past.
Click to expand...

The 1st gen iPhones were NOT subsidized which is why everyone were able to by them. Your upgrade status did not matter because your only option at the time was to pay full price for the phone. Now AT&T is subsidizing the phone and upgrade status is now a factor as well as owning a 1st gen iPhone.
 
An interesting situation :

What if I sign a contract with my 2.5G refurb iPhone in July and then buy iPhone 3G? Will I be eligible since iPhone 2.5G is not subsidized? It is just because iPhone 2.5G has some software/hardware issues and I have to avail warranty on it but I need to activate for warranty.

btb I am eligible for an equipment upgrade on July 17th, so what are my best chances here?
 
So, here's my deal. I'm on a family plan with my mom and my little sister. They're both eligible for an upgrade and little sis plans on using hers for an iPhone 3G. My mom, on the other hand, wants my crappy Razr because she likes the way it looks. Go figure. I used my upgrade last year to purchase a BlackBerry Curve that took up toiletdiving as a hobby and is no longer with us.

From what I have gathered from this thread; I will NOT be able to use my mom's upgrade to purchase an iPhone and switch out the SIM cards. Will it brick it or will it not allow it to happen at all? Or will I have to activate it with my mom's SIM and then do the switch? Does anyone have a clue how this will go or am I just going to have to try it out?
 
TStewart422 said:
So, here's my deal. I'm on a family plan with my mom and my little sister. They're both eligible for an upgrade and little sis plans on using hers for an iPhone 3G. My mom, on the other hand, wants my crappy Razr because she likes the way it looks. Go figure. I used my upgrade last year to purchase a BlackBerry Curve that took up toiletdiving as a hobby and is no longer with us.

From what I have gathered from this thread; I will NOT be able to use my mom's upgrade to purchase an iPhone and switch out the SIM cards. Will it brick it or will it not allow it to happen at all? Or will I have to activate it with my mom's SIM and then do the switch? Does anyone have a clue how this will go or am I just going to have to try it out?
Click to expand...

In this case, it definitely is possible but you have to live with a data plan and so does your mom. If data plan is not a compulsion, its a different story.

I am sure unlocking software can just activate the iPhone for ATT use if not unlock it at this moment. Laying hands on iPhone 3G is the problem, once you get it - we can rock it out!
 
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