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Own 2g Iphone, AT&T Won't Subsidize 3GS?
- Thread starter vogue8
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That's, from what I understand, is the misconception here. He payed $400 for the entire price of the phone: no subsidy. Remember back when the the (original) iPhone was launched? People would buy the iPhone and then buy another phone at the subsidized pricing and sell it on ebay. The OP should get subsidized pricing because, from my understanding, bought a new iPhone at full retail pricing without receiving a subsidy. He even stated he was coming from T-Mobile so let me ask you two things here blueturf: 1. How is paying the full price for the phone, without any sort of subsidy, count as an early upgrade? 2. How do you pay an early upgrade fee when your switching carriers?
Alisstar
macrumors 6502
This sounds odd, specially since AT&T knows that the 2G wasn't subsidized.
Do you live near an apple store? Have you tried checking your update status through the apple site? Are you getting the same results? I would try that route instead. I don't work for neither apple or AT&T, so I can't speak for them, but I believe you should pay $199 to upgrade. I would even try the "I'll cancel my account" approach and see what they say.
Here's the only issue that can come up in my head why you aren't getting the subsidized pricing: Did your wife have a phone, on a new contract that was subsidized, before you got her the iPhone 3G? Did you somehow use your upgrade to make it possible to get6 the subsidized 3G? If so, there's the reason why you can't get the subsidized pricing on the 3GS.
abijnk
macrumors 68040
Sorry, it just doesn't work that way. When you activated the original iPhone, despite it not being subsidized, you still agreed to their terms with regard to upgrades, which are tied to your contract, incidentally.
The first generation iPhone was a unique beast. When you activated the phone, whether it be on a new or existing line of service, you did in fact reset your upgrade eligibility, despite the lack of subsidy. Every time you sign a new contract your upgrade eligibility is affected. The only way to get a new phone and NOT affect your upgrade eligibility is to pay full retail price and activate that phone on an existing line. However, with the original iPhone, even though you paid full retail price, you were required to sign a new two year contract, thus changing upgrade eligibility for existing customers, and establishing it for new customers.
The confusing part came with the announcement of the 3G. Since the phone was being subsidized and AT&T was not offering a "no contract" price you needed to either be eligible for an upgrade or a new customer to qualify for the full discounted price. But then AT&T threw a curveball. They said that all existing iPhone customer would be automatically eligible for the full subsidized price. So basically, if you had an iPhone on your account you upgrade eligibility was automatically upgraded (as a "gift" of sorts from AT&T). This lead to a rash of people buying used first generation iPhones and activating them on their accounts to get the new upgrade eligibility (myself included). But, yet again, there was a catch! This policy had a cutoff date. My guess is that the OP didn't make this cutoff date, and is therefore stuck in his 2-year contract, which provides the provisions for his upgrade eligibility. Unfortunately for the OP, he has no recourse. Sorry dude, I know that sucks, but its just how it is.
Whatever you say. I activated a 1st gen in Aug. 2008, signed a 2 year contract and was eligible for new customer pricing since day 1.
Alisstar
macrumors 6502
It does work that way when you buy a phone without subsidy.
I'll put myself as an example. I purchased a Motorola SLVR at regular price without subsidy for $349 (I think) when it first came out. I then, 8 months later changed my mind and purchased a new HTC phone at upgrade price of $199.
He is not breaking the contract, he just wants to upgrade his phone, which in turn makes him eligible to purchase a phone at upgrade price at any time during his contract.
When my contract for the HTC was over (because I bought it at a subsidized price), I was given then the option to upgrade or purchase an iPhone at either the upgrade price, or the regular price.
I just searched all the MacRumors archives and AT&T press releases about iPhone, and NOT ONE says anything about a cut off date for being upgrade eligible with an 1st gen iPhone. If you didn't get a subsidy, you are eligible for one. It is that simple. Doesn't matter if you have an iPhone or not. If you didn't purchase a phone from AT&T, then you are eligible.
OP, make sure you wife isn't eligible. If she is, then you can use hers and avoid fighting with them. Maybe they got the lines mixed up.
OP, make sure you wife isn't eligible. If she is, then you can use hers and avoid fighting with them. Maybe they got the lines mixed up.
I had an original iPhone. And i didn't purchase it from Apple. And I didn't have it before the 3G came out. And i did sign a 2 year contract when i activated it. And i was eligible for an upgrade since the day i signed the contract. So i don't know what else to tell you.
fireshot91
macrumors 601
I call BS on this.
I got an iPhone (First Gen) last august. I called up AT&T before, and after and MADE SURE that I was not extending my 2 yr contract.
Why? Because I didn't but an iPhone from them at a subsidized price.
What you're saying is equal to saying "Hey, I bought the 3GS at full retail of $699, so I should be into a new 2 year contract, so I'm not looking for an upgrade until next year" which is where you are wrong.
The only time your upgrade gets affected is when you buy a phone from AT&T at a subsidized price.
I can go to AT&T and start a new two year contract (Which, actually, I did close to 2 years back) and not buy a phone- just get a SIM card.
Oh, and Since I got my 2G last August from my cousin, I was eligible to get a 3GS at the $199/$299 price.
TMar
macrumors 68000
This isn't entirely right. AT&T was being lazy with the first iphone. The used their normal contract that stated the 18 month upgrade on subsisted hardware. When the 3g came out they knew they were going to have problems when people paid retail and they made them sign a contract that pertain to them.
People took advantage of this but putting an iphone on an existing line knowing that AT&T was going through accounts with iphones and reseting their upgrade dates. This is the short sightness of AT&T again for the few people who might have been left that hadn't activated original 2g's. Once they where through fixing accounts, they didn't think about phones that had yet been activated.
To the OP. Keep after them. Just because your account was active when they where fixing accounts shouldn't mean you should miss out.
Yep, I agree. Unless you have used your subsidy to purchase a phone (any phone), you should still be eligible for subsidized price for the 3G S.
Going back to my original comment, I think OP is simply confused whether or not you have used your upgrade.
PS. regarding the debacle of subsidy when 3G launch took place. AT&T would only prevent you from getting the subsidy if you're not eligible (ie. you have already used your subsidy on another phone, and plugging in your sim card in your friend's first gen), but they won't remove subsidy because you have just activated a phone. Don't get confused.
cWeems
macrumors 6502a
first, u shouldnt have purchased it in december if u were going to wait 6 monthsto activate wtf?? lol
second, the thing about 2G customers getting to upgrade whenever because it wasnt subsidized went out the window after may 27th, (3G was announced june 9th, if my memory serves me right, so that put those customers in the 14 day return policy window to return it) so by u waiting to activate it till june u screwed yourself.
nice.
EDIT: ive worked at att for the past 3 years, so dont think thats BS.
second, the thing about 2G customers getting to upgrade whenever because it wasnt subsidized went out the window after may 27th, (3G was announced june 9th, if my memory serves me right, so that put those customers in the 14 day return policy window to return it) so by u waiting to activate it till june u screwed yourself.
nice.
EDIT: ive worked at att for the past 3 years, so dont think thats BS.
Umm, that, again, would not make sense. You would have still payed full price for a phone and signed a new contract. Same as earlier. The date of activation should have nothing to do with it.
That fact alone makes me think it is BS.
abijnk
macrumors 68040
That's just it, though, AT&T didn't offer no contract pricing on the first iPhone. It required a two-year contract. Full price or not, it wasn't about what you paid, it was about the fact that you had to sign a contract no matter what.
Yeah, and if I remember correctly, people were buying their iPhones and, immediately after, were buying other devices to sell on ebay to recuperate the cost of the iPhone. Meaning, they were basically extending their contract again the same day but, also, not allowing them to upgrade to the 3G.