Question about existing non-iPhone non-eligible AT&T customers

[Greenlight711]

I joined AT&T late last year, but I'm still not eligible for an upgrade. I don't have an iPhone at the moment and obviously I'm looking into getting the 3G version.

Can I still qualify for the subsidized pricing if I sign up for 2 more years?

 

[angel1286]

I joined AT&T late last year, but I'm still not eligible for an upgrade. I don't have an iPhone at the moment and obviously I'm looking into getting the 3G version.

Can I still qualify for the subsidized pricing if I sign up for 2 more years?

nope you would have to get the early upgrade pricing of 399/499 and those are with a new 2 yr agreement

 

[GuyOnTheCouch22]

exactly, unfortunately thats what i will be doing come friday

 

[Greenlight711]

That doesn't make sense. Why would a new AT&T customer be able to get the subsidized pricing and not an existing one renewing a contract?

 

[TheCreator]

That doesn't make sense. Why would a new AT&T customer be able to get the subsidized pricing and not an existing one renewing a contract?

because you are already using a phone subsidized by AT&T for your current contract.

 

[TimothyB]

I'm really considering finding a used iPhone on craigslist, even with a cracked screen.

I mean, why pay $399-$499 when I can find a cheap $200 4gb iphone, then activate, then be eligible for the discount and end up with 2 iPhones for the same price.

Though, I may just prefer to go with the a $399 8gb. That way it leaves me eligible for an upgrade in Nov, so then in 2009 when the next iPhone comes, I'd be able to upgrade to that 3rd gen for $199, hopefully at 16gig if they only offer 16/32gig models. But if all iPhone 3G owners are suddenly eligible again for a discount, I'd be pissed. Hopefully all the 3G buyers that get a discount on the 11th will have to pay the early upgrade $399+ price on the next iPhone launch.

 

[The Sweet Love]

I never know if I should apply below or above the quote...but anyways..if you pay $399 for the iPhone you are purchasing the iPhone at that price because you are getting early upgrade eligibility. So your upgrade status so your upgrade status would change to that of everyone who is purchasing the iPhone at $199. I could be wrong though...but that is the way I interpreted it.

I'm really considering finding a used iPhone on craigslist, even with a cracked screen.

I mean, why pay $399-$499 when I can find a cheap $200 4gb iphone, then activate, then be eligible for the discount and end up with 2 iPhones for the same price.

Though, I may just prefer to go with the a $399 8gb. That way it leaves me eligible for an upgrade in Nov, so then in 2009 when the next iPhone comes, I'd be able to upgrade to that 3rd gen for $199, hopefully at 16gig if they only offer 16/32gig models. But if all iPhone 3G owners are suddenly eligible again for a discount, I'd be pissed. Hopefully all the 3G buyers that get a discount on the 11th will have to pay the early upgrade $399+ price on the next iPhone launch.

 

[TimothyB]

I never know if I should apply below or above the quote...but anyways..if you pay $399 for the iPhone you are purchasing the iPhone at that price because you are getting early upgrade eligibility. So your upgrade status so your upgrade status would change to that of everyone who is purchasing the iPhone at $199. I could be wrong though...but that is the way I interpreted it.

That's what I'm wondering. The $399 price with the 1st iPhone was not called an Early Upgrade, and you upgrade status stayed where it was at from your previous subsidized phone, but of course that changed later when they made all iPhone owners instantly eligible.

The question is I guess, is some how the $399 price also subsidized? If they do reset the upgrade eligibility at that price, should it be only for an additional year, being as it's half the subsidy of the $199 price.

I mean, I'm only 4 months away from my upgrade. I'd hate to have to buy at $399, then start all over for another 2 years, all while people 16 months away, get the same $399 price, and hardly take a hit starting over.

 

[firewood]

That doesn't make sense. Why would a new AT&T customer be able to get the subsidized pricing and not an existing one renewing a contract?

Because they're already getting monthly revenue from you. New customers will produce a much greater increase in their quarterly earnings, so they work harder to bribe them into a contract.

 

[mark34]

That doesn't make sense. Why would a new AT&T customer be able to get the subsidized pricing and not an existing one renewing a contract?

It has been this way for years at all of the carriers. This is not new.

 

[grego33]

I'm really considering finding a used iPhone on craigslist, even with a cracked screen.

I mean, why pay $399-$499 when I can find a cheap $200 4gb iphone, then activate, then be eligible for the discount and end up with 2 iPhones for the same price.

Though, I may just prefer to go with the a $399 8gb. That way it leaves me eligible for an upgrade in Nov, so then in 2009 when the next iPhone comes, I'd be able to upgrade to that 3rd gen for $199, hopefully at 16gig if they only offer 16/32gig models. But if all iPhone 3G owners are suddenly eligible again for a discount, I'd be pissed. Hopefully all the 3G buyers that get a discount on the 11th will have to pay the early upgrade $399+ price on the next iPhone launch.

If you take the 399/499 option you're still going to be locked into a new contract beginning July 11 2008 (assuming that's the purchase date). So you'd be ineligible for upgrade until July 2010. To do what you're describing you'll have to wait for the proposed 599/699 pricing. If you're eligible for upgrade in Nov of this year then I'd go to an AT&T store on a less-busy day than July 11 and see what they can do for you. Otherwise I'd consider waiting a month or so as I've always been told my my local AT&T store that you can upgrade as long as you're within 3 months of the end of your contract.

 

[TimothyB]

If you take the 399/499 option you're still going to be locked into a new contract beginning July 11 2008 (assuming that's the purchase date). So you'd be ineligible for upgrade until July 2010. To do what you're describing you'll have to wait for the proposed 599/699 pricing. If you're eligible for upgrade in Nov of this year then I'd go to an AT&T store on a less-busy day than July 11 and see what they can do for you. Otherwise I'd consider waiting a month or so as I've always been told my my local AT&T store that you can upgrade as long as you're within 3 months of the end of your contract.

Well, Nov is the earliest I can upgrade, so my contract ends way after that.

But is there anywhere online that says directly from ATT if that's true? The $399-$499 was the standard price before, seems crazy we'd be treated like doing a subsidized phone at that price now. On the first launch, they clearly said you didn't need to be upgrade eligible, and buying the iPhone only restarted your 2 years, while your upgrade status stayed the same as before. I guess I'll have to write them.

 

[cryo]

If you take the 399/499 option you're still going to be locked into a new contract beginning July 11 2008 (assuming that's the purchase date). So you'd be ineligible for upgrade until July 2010. To do what you're describing you'll have to wait for the proposed 599/699 pricing. If you're eligible for upgrade in Nov of this year then I'd go to an AT&T store on a less-busy day than July 11 and see what they can do for you. Otherwise I'd consider waiting a month or so as I've always been told my my local AT&T store that you can upgrade as long as you're within 3 months of the end of your contract.

What do you guys foresee in terms of the 3rd gen phone's (the one after the 3G) upgrades over the 3G? I know people want copy/paste, video conferencing, etc. I am just debating whether I should jump on the 3G at $199 next week and lose my upgrade eligibility next year when the new one comes out, or wait it out with the original iPhone. The 3G speed is a big upgrade, in my mind, so I feel like the other features people are missing aren't that big a deal to me, even if they come on the 3rd generation phone.

 

[TimothyB]

If you take the 399/499 option you're still going to be locked into a new contract beginning July 11 2008 (assuming that's the purchase date). So you'd be ineligible for upgrade until July 2010. To do what you're describing you'll have to wait for the proposed 599/699 pricing. If you're eligible for upgrade in Nov of this year then I'd go to an AT&T store on a less-busy day than July 11 and see what they can do for you. Otherwise I'd consider waiting a month or so as I've always been told my my local AT&T store that you can upgrade as long as you're within 3 months of the end of your contract.

Tried to find what I could on this, here's what I found from an ATT FAQ page, which I recall reading last year:

From: http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/iphone-faqs.jsp

Q. Do I lose my discount eligibility on phones or devices other than iPhone?
A. No. Although existing customers are required to sign a new 2-year service contract when activating iPhone, the discount eligibility for other devices will continue from the time of your current contract. For example, if you are eligible for an upgrade discount next month, you will still be eligible for the upgrade discount on a device other than iPhone next month.


They say other than iPhone, but at the time they wrote that, there was no subsidized price. Now it doesn't make sense, within a month, their example account would be discount eligible, but only devices other than the iPhone, where's the countdown to that then, unless you are always eligible for the iPhone if you have an iPHone. And like so, with this 3G launch, all iPhone owners are eligible for the new iPhone, even if they still had 10 months left before they're eligible for other devices and just bought the iPhone last week.


Q. I just upgraded my phone recently. Are there any penalties or restrictions for upgrading to iPhone right away?
A. No. Everyone can upgrade to iPhone right away, you just need to add a Data Plan for iPhone (this may replace your current data plan but your voice plan will stay the same) and sign a new 2-year service contract. Discount eligibility for other devices will continue from the time of your current contract.


Here they specifically say you can "UPGRADE" to the iPhone right away. And that your discount eligibility for other devices will continue from the time of your current contract. Though, like the other question above, that was written before the new subsidized $199 upgrade price. So if they say upgrading to the iPhone doesn't reset eligibility, then why would the early upgrade do so. I'm only going by what ATT has posted. As there are no other details on their site about this beyond these two Q&As.