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Screwed by AT&T! (Read if you have iPhone 4S)

sydia21 said:
They allowed it if you already had an upgrade due but the policy changed BEFORE the 4s was released, not 6 months ago. You are misinformed.
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False...just confirmed with ATT

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The issue is not the contract...I understand I signed a 2 year contract. The issue is that AT&T silently (or maybe I just didn't listen hard enough) updated a policy to remove benefits (or exceptions) that it allowed higher revenue customers.

It was a business decsion that they will have to live with and of course, I have to live with.

Thanks for all of the positive responses!
 
9/21

I have also upgraded every year in the past. Two different reps at AT&T told me they will be making exceptions for certain customers beginning 9/21, when the 5 is released. I am eligible for 1 subsidized upgrade now and am confident they will grant my other 2 next week.
 
quincy164 said:
I have also upgraded every year in the past. Two different reps at AT&T told me they will be making exceptions for certain customers beginning 9/21, when the 5 is released. I am eligible for 1 subsidized upgrade now and am confident they will grant my other 2 next week.
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Awesome....good to know. Did you call or e-mail to get the exception?
 
BigSky20 said:
False...just confirmed with ATT

----------

The issue is not the contract...I understand I signed a 2 year contract. The issue is that AT&T silently (or maybe I just didn't listen hard enough) updated a policy to remove benefits (or exceptions) that it allowed higher revenue customers.

It was a business decsion that they will have to live with and of course, I have to live with.

Thanks for all of the positive responses!
Click to expand...

If it's not in writing, it's not a policy. It was never in writing and still isn't. They can and will do whatever they want regarding early upgrades, $250 fees, etc. From a business perspective it makes no sense to let you upgrade early if you're in a contract that has a whole year left.
 
BigSky20 said:
False...just confirmed with ATT

----------

The issue is not the contract...I understand I signed a 2 year contract. The issue is that AT&T silently (or maybe I just didn't listen hard enough) updated a policy to remove benefits (or exceptions) that it allowed higher revenue customers.

It was a business decsion that they will have to live with and of course, I have to live with.

Thanks for all of the positive responses!
Click to expand...

http://www.phonecan.com/index.php/my-at-t-upgrade-eligibility

I would have posted directly from the AT&T site but it seems that they are preparing for a big event :D
 
BigSky20 said:
Thanks for all the kind comments :)

Just to educate some misinformed people. AT&T allowed full subsidized pricing through the iPhone 4S. This is a new policy from 6 month ago. In other words, I have bought every iPhone at the full subsidized price on launch date every year.

Entitlement?? That's funny. I would have signed a new 2 year contract with AT&T, so I would subject myself to a higher termination fee and a new obligation.

Wow....I thought this forum supported apple users. Apparently...not!
Click to expand...

Sorry that you are being called out for being dumb.

AT&T didn't need to offer you yearly upgrades on a 2 year commitment.

Go ahead and switch to Verizon, with will get you nowhere because they are even worse than AT&T customer service wise.


Besides, why do you need a new iPhone every year you diva?
 
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b166er said:
If it's not in writing, it's not a policy. It was never in writing and still isn't. They can and will do whatever they want regarding early upgrades, $250 fees, etc. From a business perspective it makes no sense to let you upgrade early if you're in a contract that has a whole year left.
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No business sense.....ahhh, how about extending the term of the contract.
 
Not AT&T fault. I'm pretty sure you received an email about the policy change. Chances are, you didn't read it. They been stop doing the early upgrades like that.
 
Sean4123 said:
Sorry that you are being called out for being dumb.

AT&T didn't need to offer you yearly upgrades on a 2 year commitment.

Go ahead and switch to Verizon, with will get you nowhere because they are even worse than AT&T customer service wise.

I've worked for a cell phone company before and you people that feel entitled are the worst. To be honest, getting rid of you would be a breath of fresh air.

Besides, why do you need a new iPhone every year you diva?
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Did you get fired for your pleasent demeanor?
 
As previously mentioned, but not in as much detail, if you are an AT&T customer, and are in good standing, 6 months after date of activation you are elligable for early upgrade pricing.
No, its not the full upgrade, and it might only be a bit of a break, but at least its something, if you are really that interested in having the latest and greatest.
I'm only upgrading to the iPhone5 using early upgrade pricing because I think the 4 inch display will help blind users, and give the fingers a bit more space to explore the screen with voiceover, since we can't see with our eyes.
Other than that, I have been satisfied with the 4s.
LTE is useless here, because AT&T has no LTE coverage around here.
All the same, hopes for it one day. lol
 
sydia21 said:
http://www.phonecan.com/index.php/my-at-t-upgrade-eligibility

I would have posted directly from the AT&T site but it seems that they are preparing for a big event :D
Click to expand...

So, it looks like the policy changed on 4/2011, but it also says this:

"If you’re last upgrade was before the change in April, you’re still grandfathered under this system. As of this writing, that would represent a large majority of customers."

So, it is what it is....Thanks for the info!
 
BigSky20 said:
No business sense.....ahhh, how about extending the term of the contract.
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The value of the subsidy is amortized over 24 months not 12 or 18 or whenever you decide you want a new phone at the upgrade price. Using your rationale, AT&T should let you buy a new phone every week at the upgrade price and as long as you keep extending your contract but that wouldn't make any sense for a cellular carrier.
 
BigSky20 said:
No business sense.....ahhh, how about extending the term of the contract.
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Why? So a year from now you can complain, again, that your contract is only half over? ATT is not the only one offering the iPhone anymore. They aren't going to bend over for the customer.

What you want is an unlocked iPhone 5 so you can upgrade and still finish your existing contract without having to extend anything. Then next year for the 2013 iPhone you'll be eligible for a subsidized prize. Then you sell your unlocked iPhone 5 for probably almost what you paid for it.

Unlocked iPhone 5's will probably be available in a month or so, just be patient and save the money and honor the contract you signed.
 
Some of you are missing the OP's point. AT&T always offered reduced cost early upgrades to those of us spending a lot each month ($300+). That was a main selling point that kept me with AT&T. They apparently changed this policy without telling us.

That's reason to be ticked off. That said, I won't switch. VZW is no better on this subject, and I can't talk & surf at the same time.
 
BigSky20 said:
No business sense.....ahhh, how about extending the term of the contract.
Click to expand...

Wow you legitimately think that AT&T should bow down to your loyalty because you've managed to cut the duration of all your iPhone contracts in half by upgrading everytime (except the first iPhone which wasn't subsidized). I'm sure there are alot of iPhone and dumbphone users out there who sit wait out their entire contract and don't complain.
 
This didn't just happen for the iPhone 5. This whole thing started last year. I was one of you guys that upgraded every year on the day with AT&T and they wouldn't let me last year so I had to add a line and do a upgrade swap.

It's all just catching up to all of you who got lucky last year.
 
gopnick said:
Some of you are missing the OP's point. AT&T always offered reduced cost early upgrades to those of us spending a lot each month ($300+). That was a main selling point that kept me with AT&T. They apparently changed this policy without telling us.

That's reason to be ticked off. That said, I won't switch. VZW is no better on this subject, and I can't talk & surf at the same time.
Click to expand...

If it's not in the contract, AT&T is free to discontinue it at anytime and has no obligation to inform anyone. The fact that they offered the benefit for many years when they weren't required to doesn't seem to have bought them any loyalty so I'm not surprised that they stopped offering it. When you sign a 2 year contract and they let you upgrade early, it's a nice gift, not a contractual obligation.
 
BigSky20 said:
I have purchased every iPhone on launch date. I just found out from ATT because the iPhone 4S came out less than a year ago....I cannot upgrade to the iPhone 5.

So I thought that I just have to wait until October....nope!

I was just told by an AT&T manager that they used to allow early upgrades after 12 months for high revenue accounts and 20 months for all others. Apparently, they changed this policy and now treat all accounts the same and only offer the 20 month upgrade option, so the upgrade date is May 2013!

Of course, you could go to Verizon, but the early termination fee at this point in contract is $215.

As soon May comes around, I am going to Verizon! If anyone hears anything different on this new policy, please let me know.
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You think Verizon doesn't do the same thing? Lol have fun over there.
 
Jordan921 said:
You think Verizon doesn't do the same thing? Lol have fun over there.
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Ok Im confused, I bought the iPhone 4S for 199.99 last year and this year it tells me I can upgrade for 199.99 + 250.00 (449). Granted its not 199 but atleast I (you) can purchase it? Whats the problem?
 
takasugi said:
If it's not in the contract, AT&T is free to discontinue it at anytime and has no obligation to inform anyone. The fact that they offered the benefit for many years when they weren't required to doesn't seem to have bought them any loyalty so I'm not surprised that they stopped offering it. When you sign a 2 year contract and they let you upgrade early, it's a nice gift, not a contractual obligation.
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I don't disagree at all, except that it *did* buy loyalty. I was no longer feeling good about that, and the only thing now keeping me on AT&T's crap network is simultaneous data/voice.

And yeah, it was a nice gift. I give gifts to my clients. Even relatively small things are important in business.
 
BigSky20 said:
I have purchased every iPhone on launch date. I just found out from ATT because the iPhone 4S came out less than a year ago....I cannot upgrade to the iPhone 5.

So I thought that I just have to wait until October....nope!

I was just told by an AT&T manager that they used to allow early upgrades after 12 months for high revenue accounts and 20 months for all others. Apparently, they changed this policy and now treat all accounts the same and only offer the 20 month upgrade option, so the upgrade date is May 2013!

Of course, you could go to Verizon, but the early termination fee at this point in contract is $215.

As soon May comes around, I am going to Verizon! If anyone hears anything different on this new policy, please let me know.
Click to expand...

You can sell your 4s and buy unsubsidized you know?
 
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