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Second phone on family plan has to wait an ADDITIONAL 6 months to upgrade to 3GS?!

I

itotah

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 11, 2009
6
0
PLEASE tell me that I was given wrong information from AT&T.

I'm a die hard Apple fan - I got my original iPhone the first day it came out and then a year later I waited several hours (in the scorching LA heat) to get the 3G iPhone on its debut day.

I was very excited when I heard that the new iPhone is being released on June 19th - again I planned to get it on its debut day.

BUT I CAN'T

There's no need to go into the whole "gotta wait until you've had your previous contract for a year to not get dinged when upgrading" fiasco, there are already enough angry blogs about that (hello, Apple - you should have waited at least a month for your release date to make your die hard fans able to get the new phone immediately without penalty), but now I've been told that as the SECONDARY person on my family account, I have to wait an ADDITIONAL six months to get my new phone. That's right, I have to wait ONE YEAR and SIX MONTHS after my activation date to get my new phone!!!!! My boyfriend, the primary person on our account, who bought his phone WITH mine ON THE SAME DAY only has to wait until next month. HOW IS THAT FAIR?

Note: Apple, there is NO WAY I'd buy this phone next JAN because you'll have a NEW one next summer! I would have bought EVERY new iPhone released, and now I'm being told that I CAN'T without paying through the nose. What is your logic? I was already upset about having to wait one month to meet my "one year contract" commitment, but now I have to add an additional 6? Seven total? Are you insane?

I'm your DREAM customer.
I'm a walking iPhone infomercial.
Not only does everyone in my family have one, I've personally bought FIVE iPhones as gifts!!!

Again, PLEASE tell me that this is all misinformation - if not, you're going to lose me and my very contagious enthusiasm.
 
Can't say I have much sympathy, I bought 2 phones on launch day with a family plan and can't upgrade either until 3/11/10.
 
Its correct.
You have to wait 18 months since your last phone upgrade if you sign a 2 year contract to get another subsidyzed price on a phone. Any kind of phone from any cellphone carrier.
You guys never had cellphone plans before? Thats how it always works.
You wont qualify for the $199 16GB $299 32GB deal.
You can do an early upgrade and pay $399 or $499 for the 32GB.
 
OP,

This is one of the things you learn when you enter the adult world. You learn how different things work, how different common contracts and industries work etc etc.

Sure you might be upset, but it is what it is, and your scorn for Apple is wholly mis-placed.

Nobody is stopping you from buying a new iPhone or two when they are launched. What they are saying is they are not going to pay for part of that phone for you. Hopefully you can understand that when AT&T takes on a subsidy and reduces the price of your phone substantially, that in return for that, you provide the consideration of paying for monthly service for a period of time.

By doing this, AT&T makes money on your contract, and thus has the funds available to subsidize the phone for you. What you want to do is get the full benefit of the subsidy without giving AT&T their fair consideration.

Nobody will stop you if you want to pay the full price of it. Realize though that subsidized phones are tit for tat, and not some kind of magical agreement that creates lower prices out of thin air. The reality is you are just spreading out the $200-$400 dollars over the life of your contract. So you can do that, or you can pay for it up front. You indignation or attitude that someone is screwing you or mis-treating you is simply inaccurate.

When you signed up for your 3G phone last year and signed an extended 2 year contract, it never crossed your mind that if they came out with a phone 12 months later you might not be eligible for the full subsidized price the day it came out?

If not, then consider this a learning lesson, and please put your outrage away.
 
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