Think AT&T will push up upgrade eligibility?

[FreakinEurekan]

Well if I pay $175 to cancel the contract and pay $199 at Verizon it will cost me $374... If I buy it with an early upgrade discount at AT&T it will cost me $450. So it is cheaper to leave.

Or, you pay $175 to cancel the contract and pay $199 at AT&T for a total cost of $374. The $450 is just one of your options, not the only one.

You can also sell your iPhone 4 (get, say, $350-$400) and then buy an unlocked one for $650 and keep your current AT&T contract. That will cost you a net of $250-$300 depending on what you get out of your 4.

I do think they'll bump eligibility, and I plan to take advantage if they do. I bought my iPhone 4 in November 2010 but for whatever reason I'm eligible for upgrade 11/6/2011 - even though I did a 2 year contract. Don't know why, but I'll take it - if AT&T doesn't move up eligibility, I don't have long to wait.

 

[maflynn]

You're right, I thinking that you would cancel att outright which you would lose your phone number. By transferring the phone number you cancel att and eat the ETF.

 

[saving107]

Or, you pay $175 to cancel the contract and pay $199 at AT&T for a total cost of $374. The $450 is just one of your options, not the only one.

If you cancel your contract with AT&T, you have to wait 30 days before you're allowed to re-join the network to get a discount on a new phone, but you have 60 days to come back and continue your previous contract and have the $325 ETF reversed.

EDIT:
Correction, ETF is $325 (minus $10 for every 30 days of your 24 month contract) and not $175.

So your total will actually be $325 + $199

 

[Captainobvvious]

If you cancel your contract with AT&T, you have to wait 30 days before you're allowed to re-join the network to get a discount on a new phone, but you have 60 days to come back and continue your previous contract and have the $175 ETF reversed.

Exactly.

AT&T's point of view used to be "Sure cancel with us but where are you gonna go?"

Now its "If you cancel with us you have a other options and its cheaper"

Considering that its cheaper to go to their generally more reliable competition I can't imagine they wont push up eligibility.

 

[zmulleni]

True, but they lose money by doing this every year. It makes little business sense for them to keep doing it. They did this last time specifically because verizon was on the horizon. They have little to lose at this point by telling their customers to honor the contract.

I'm curious as to how you feel they are losing money by bumping up eligibility. If you extend eligibility the customer gets what they want and locks up for an additional two years as opposed to ditching you when the contract expires. Doesn't AT&T make more off of the contract (especially long term) than they do off of devices offered. Plus you buy the new iPhone you also have those who buy accessories sold at the AT&T store and those who may add new/additional features to their plan. Anyone that has worked retail knows the markup on mobile accessories is insane and that adding plan options goes a long way for the carrier. Where exactly are they losing money by doing this?

My business sense tells me to lock up my current and loyal customers on the industries biggest product launch and avoid losing a strong customer base to Sprint and Verizon.

 

[jeme]

Can you talk and surf on the other carriers? I think I would miss that.

 

[mpossoff]

I imagine they will... They are facing a lot more competition that has the iPhone than they used to and even back then they pushed up eligibility.

Plus my early termination fee is $175... If I buy the iPhone 4 (assuming its the same price as the 5) right now they will charge me $450...

That means it cheaper for me to pay the ETF and go to Verizon than it is for me to upgrade and stay with AT&T...

That would apply to basically everyone who isn't upgrade eligible for the iPhone 5 and I am sure they know that.

Its cheaper to go to the competition that has generally better service isn't a great formula for AT&T.

It's only better if you don't mind being on a tierd data plan.

 

[bgro]

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Strange how everyone is different. I have a 4 line family plan, all iPhones. 1400 minute plan, 2 unlimited data plans, 2 2GB, family unlimited text.

Got my iPhone 7/6/10 and was eligible for uograde 12 months later (I am the primary line). Everyone else is not eligible yet. I thought all primary lines were eligible as long as plan exceed $100/month or something like that?

Also have 23% corporate discount. Hopefully they extend eligibility so I can upgrade all my lines.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Got my iPhone 7/6/10 and was eligible for uograde 12 months later (I am the primary line). Everyone else is not eligible yet. I thought all primary lines were eligible as long as plan exceed $100/month or something like that?

That was never the case. It'd be a bonanza of epic proportions.

Only the primary line (which can only be one) is eligible for the upgrade, typically. It IS possible for other lines to be included but thats relatively rare. One must include such extras as phone insurance, international data etc over the 100 dollar/month threshold.

 

[NoHo]

I hope not.

Those of us who skipped the iPhone 4 thinking there would be the iPhone 5 in June 2011, then had to wait even LONGER, would have to compete with the people who bought iPhone 4 on release day for the first pre-orders.

 

[earlycuyler]

To the OP:

You said you have four lines in your plan. Are any of the other lines eligible for an upgrade? If so, AT&T will swap the upgrade eligibility to your line if you want. That's how I got my iPhone. I plan on doing it again this time if my current December eligibility date holds.

 

[ToddH]

I'm guessing so. I called the *639# and ATT&T said i was eligible for an upgrade right now and I checked that two months ago. I got my iPhone 4 on it's release date. So yeah, i think they are. All i have to do is pay an $18 upgrade fee.

 

[EricNau]

With how good a seller the iPhone 4 was and since apparently nobody is eligible for an upgrade how can ANYONE upgrade to the new model?

I've been eligible to upgrade my 3GS since the iPhone 4 was released, but didn't see the need (nor did I have the desire to spend $250 to abandon my perfectly good phone). So, it's not everyone... just everyone who bought a new iPhone less than 16 months ago.

Personally, I'd rather AT&T lower my monthly rate than paying for everyone to upgrade their iPhones every year.

But that's just me. Guess I just don't understand why so many people act entitled to a subsidized smartphone after one year, when the contract so clearly says every 24 months.

 

[Muad'Dib]

I'm eligible 11/25. I hope they bump me up. If not I may go VZW.

 

[bushman4]

If ATT does NOT start early Upgrade Eligibility for sure they will be shooting themselves in the foot. Remember Sprint is supposedly getting the Iphone also which will hurt ATT.

 

[cward0715]

After reading this post, I just checked my AT&T upgrade eligibility, which was previously set for June of 2012. As of tonight I am eligible for an iPhone only upgrade at the full subsidized price!

 

[maflynn]

I stand corrected. Looks like ATT is pushing up the eligibility. I added my line to my account back in March/April and I'm now able to upgrade if I'm willing to pay an 18 dollar fee. I don't know if that's the full subsidized price, but to just see that there's an availability is shocking given my line has only been with ATT for 6 months or so.

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Here's where things get odd, my wife who's had her iPhone 4 since it hit the streets last July is NOT eligible until February.

 

[I8P'CS]

Be blessed with what you have, its great to have apple products yes, but the iPhone 4 is not a rubbish phone. What stops you from just waiting until Feb? the need for latest? showing off? plus what's wrong with the 4? I have no iPhone but will be getting the ip5 i don't care about 6 and if in a contract will just wait for the next one to upgrade when that gets released.

People need to be happy with what they have some of the richest people don't change phones the way average people like to nowadays. You clearly don't need the 1p5 but want it. Save some money , what happened to buying something when one actually needs it. Sorry for the rant but been watching this forum closely these last few weeks, all of a sudden people iPhone 4 have problems and they want to wait be for seeing a genius cos they want an ip5, which they will never get. The iPhone looks like its becoming a chad must have. hit down people. i don't care

 

[BoxerGT2.5]

But that's just me. Guess I just don't understand why so many people act entitled to a subsidized smartphone after one year, when the contract so clearly says every 24 months.

Welcome to 2011, it's been this way since about 1995 and only getting worse.

 

[EddyP]

By bumping eligibility forward, they give their customers the choice of an iPhone 5 on AT&T now - or an iPhone 5 at the end of the contract on any carrier they want. I think that is a significant incentive.

Yes. Especially as it seems we will have more carrier choices with the 5.

 

[Vanarak19]

not eligible according to ATT *639#. And I bought my 4 on prerelease day...

 

[mnsportsgeek]

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I'm holding out hope that they push it up 6 months in advance because I am eligible on April 10.

 

[earlycuyler]

I stand corrected. Looks like ATT is pushing up the eligibility. I added my line to my account back in March/April and I'm now able to upgrade if I'm willing to pay an 18 dollar fee. I don't know if that's the full subsidized price, but to just see that there's an availability is shocking given my line has only been with ATT for 6 months or so.

Are you sure that isn't the non-subsidized iPhone upgrade deal? If you have an iPhone but aren't yet eligible for a traditional upgrade, ATT will offer you a "discounted iPhone upgrade." Basically, you pay the subsidized price (they call it 2-yr commitment pricing), plus $250, plus an $18 "upgrade fee." So, effectively your upgrade fee is $268. And you have to re-up for two years even at that.

 

[maflynn]

it only mentions that I have to pay 18 bucks but it is possible I still have to kick in extra $$ The issue is that there is no iPhone 5 so I cannot be sure what ATT will do. I've said this in another thread, I'm probably not going to upgrade anyways, so I'll let this update pass on by and then when an LTE equipped iPhone hits the streets I'll grab that

 

[maximus96]

bought 2 ip4 on launch day for a 2-line family plan with the least minutes, comes out to be $115 a month so i'm not eligible until 2/2012. if AT&T doesn't bump me, i'll port my numbers over to google voice and pay the ETF, then start a new account in my wife's name with AT&T or verizon. don't need to wait 30 days, and comes out cheaper than paying for the early upgrade. people can still call my old number.

selling the unlocked iphone 4's would cover the cost of the ETF+iphone 5.