Original iPhone Owner Showing as Ineligible for Upgrade

[RetroGamer360]

I am a current owner of an original 16GB iPhone. In fact I have two iPhones on my Family Talk Plan.

Here is my issue: I was eligible for an upgrade according to the AT&T site on July 14th. I went to my local AT&T store and ordered a 16GB Black iPhone via DF for $299.99 no problem. I just happened to be logged into my account today and it shows my line as not eligible for upgrade until 11-08-2008 ... I called AT&T Business Customer Care (I have FAN Discount) and was advised that my account was indeed not eligible for any upgrade discount and that the 16GB iPhone will cost me $499.99.

I advised her that I thought all existing iPhone users were eligible for the $199-$299 price regardless of when they purchased it. She said that was untrue and that standard upgrade guidelines apply whether exisiting iPhone user or any other phone. I pushed the matter so she checked with her supervisor and also reread all of her internal documentation and again advised that I was not eligible for an upgrade.

She then went and checked my eligiblility every week from April until July 1st, in an effort to convince me of my foolishness, stating that I was not eligible on any of those dates. I then asked her to check my status on July 14th, which is when I put in my order. She stated that someone in the store manually altered my upgrade status that day and that they could get in big trouble for it but that I was luck she guesses and proceeds to make me feel like a criminal. I didn't ask the store to change my status ... it said I was eligible on-line when I checked that morning. Well she would have none of it and kept stating that I was wrong and that I will have to deal with the store on this. I called the store and they said not to worry about it.

My question is this ... Am I wrong in my assertion that all existing iPhone owners are eligible for upgrade pricing to the iPhone 3G? Does anyone have something in writing from AT&T that states this? I thought there was a .PDF iReady document that spoke to existing iPhone owners.

Please either post or e-mail me this information if you have it. I am still concerned that I will have issues activating the phone when I pick it up in the store later this week.

Thanks in advance.

Mike

 

[dissdnt]

I've wondered this too. I haven't upgraded yet since we don't have 3g around here in upstate NY. But i haven't seen much if any discussion that people haven't been able to get an upgrade no matter what there status.

In general i would just go to an Apple store to do this stuff since they are all trained properly. AT&T stores are mostly affiliate stores run by, well anyone. Training is based on the people who own it and most employees are horrible.

No offense

 

[csrx]

You had a PITA rep. I would call back and try someone else, if they are not helpful ask to speak to their supervisor.
Some of these guys just make up policies, rules, etc.
I went through a similar problem, I asked to speak to their supervisor and got someone knowledgeable who worked with me and got my problem resolved.

The secret to the eligibility is the iphone 2.5g data plan. If you had this plan on your account (before July 11th), then you should be eligible for a discount.
They can only add an iphone data plan to an account which shows an iphone IMEI. The system validates you having an iphone by checking your data plan.

Call back and try again.

 

[roland.g]

Good thing the internet doesn't run on gas otherwise we'd have even higher prices.

 

[Kyeris]

Not sure if this will help anymore, but this is the checklist you were looking for:
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/specials/en/iReady_checklist.pdf

 

[Geckotek]

Certain people, nobody I know, activated their SIM card in someone else's 1G iPhone making them eligible for an upgrade.

So, I find this very strange unless AT&T is either a) changing their stand on the issue or b) there was a previous bug in their system allowing all 1G iPhone owners to upgrade and they are now fixing it. The later sounds far fetched.

 

[Geckotek]

You had a PITA rep. I would call back and try someone else, if they are not helpful ask to speak to their supervisor.
Some of these guys just make up policies, rules, etc.
I went through a similar problem, I asked to speak to their supervisor and got someone knowledgeable who worked with me and got my problem resolved.

The secret to the eligibility is the iphone 2.5g data plan. If you had this plan on your account (before July 11th), then you should be eligible for a discount.
They can only add an iphone data plan to an account which shows an iphone IMEI. The system validates you having an iphone by checking your data plan.

Call back and try again.

This is almost exactly right.....except that it works after July 11th as well.

 

[RetroGamer360]

I wonder if it is because I sold my original iPhone via eBay the day I paid for the DF at the AT&T store. I took out my SIM card when I shipped the phone though. If I knew this would be an issue, I would have waited to sell my current iPhone, particularly if I knew I would be without an iPhone for 2 weeks.

The CSR was very rude. And made a huge fuss saying that the store made this change and that the associate could be fired. I told her that it showed as eligible on-line before I went to the store but she didn't believe me. This is the 1st bad experience I have had with AT&T but as they say, "it takes a life time to earn a positive reputation and a moment of thoughtlessness to lose it."

The store I ordered it from said it will be fine but I am concerned that AT&T has changed their position and is now comunicating this BS to other current iPhone owners.