Like many folks, I have a 3G iPhone with a two-year contract. If and when the 3.0 iPhone is released in June, can you purchase it and have _that_ be associated with your contract, no matter how far you are into it? In other words, are iPhones and contracts independent of each other?
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Two-Year Contract Tied to 3G iPhone?
- Thread starter pab1953
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Not anymore they aren't. As soon as AT&T started subsidizing the iPhone, it became a "regular" phone in regard to upgrading when you're eligible. There's speculation that you'll be able to buy the new iPhone at an early upgrade price, similar with the iPhone 3G.
No one knows for sure until Apple/AT&T make an announcement, most likely June 8th. I can gaurantee that you will not get the regular new customer/upgrade eligible pricing, that's a no brainer since the iPhone 3G is subsidized by AT&T.
You can always pay full retail for an iPhone and it will not effect your contract or upgrade eligibility.
So to answer your question, yes and no.
The bottom line is that no one knows since AT&T has shown many times that they're willing to make up special rules that only apply to the iPhone.
So we can't base our guesses on what they do with other phones. We'll just have to wait and see what they tell us later in the summer.
So we can't base our guesses on what they do with other phones. We'll just have to wait and see what they tell us later in the summer.
eg: No official means to opt out of data service. It's officially permitted with every other phone AT&T carries, but not permitted with the iPhone.
eg: No means, until recently, to purchase the iPhone outright, at an unsubsidized price, without agreeing to a 2-year commitment. Even now, the no-commitment option is only available under select circumstances.
eg: No means, even after the tie-in contract has been terminated, to unlock the iPhone. AT&T does provide authorized unlocking for every other phone they carry.
I'd venture to guess AT&T would offer an early upgrade option, only with another 2-year contract. I'd also venture to guess the pricing would be similar to that of the last iPhone. My idea is that if the phone is discounted more than $100 off retail then an early upgrade option would be what I would choose. If they're going to be douches about it and say that they'll discount me $100 or less then they can keep their new phone and I'll pay retail ... or whatever eBay is going to charge me.
wait i don't get it, first you said there's speculation that there might be an early upgrade price, then i think what you said after that is that you're sure there's not gonna be an upgrade price. can you explain?
Early upgrade would be at a higher price over the cost if you were eligible for upgrade.
So you take scenario a, the customer is out of their contract, meaning they haven't upgraded their line in the last 12-24 months, they'll be eligible to upgrade to the new iPhone at a cost of $199/299 depending on storage option selected.
In scenario b, the customer upgraded their line within the last 12 months and is looking to get an iPhone, their cost will be the early upgrade price of $399/499 depending on the storage selected.
There are a lot of factors that go into whether or not you get to upgrade after 12 months, 15, 18 or 24. On accounts that spend excess of $150 per month for multiple lines, the PRIMARY line and only the primary line can upgrade every 12 months.
There are some business accounts that are allowed to upgrade every 12 months. Most iPhone customers will be eligible for upgrade every 18-24 months.
Your best bet is to look at your AT&T account online and see when it says you are eligible to upgrade.
goosnarrggh:
To go over your points...
Not having an official means to opt-out of data service is incorrect; do a search on the forums, countless people are able to get their data service turned off simple by saying they are surrounded by wifi. Otherwise, the iPhone is constantly using data, your charges would be astronomical if you did not have a data plan. The CSR reps at the stores would not deactivate data from you line, you wouldn't know until you got your first bill.
Most phones when they are first released aren't available for purchase outright. Granted they don't normally take as long as it took with the Phone. There are no select circumstances, you go in and buy an iPhone for $599/699 depending on the amount of storage you're after.
Currently there's no one out of their 2yr contract with AT&T that has an iPhone; hence they don't need to have one - yet! Now, after August of 09, if the case still exists then I'll be in 100% support of you on this one.
So you take scenario a, the customer is out of their contract, meaning they haven't upgraded their line in the last 12-24 months, they'll be eligible to upgrade to the new iPhone at a cost of $199/299 depending on storage option selected.
In scenario b, the customer upgraded their line within the last 12 months and is looking to get an iPhone, their cost will be the early upgrade price of $399/499 depending on the storage selected.
There are a lot of factors that go into whether or not you get to upgrade after 12 months, 15, 18 or 24. On accounts that spend excess of $150 per month for multiple lines, the PRIMARY line and only the primary line can upgrade every 12 months.
There are some business accounts that are allowed to upgrade every 12 months. Most iPhone customers will be eligible for upgrade every 18-24 months.
Your best bet is to look at your AT&T account online and see when it says you are eligible to upgrade.
goosnarrggh:
To go over your points...
Not having an official means to opt-out of data service is incorrect; do a search on the forums, countless people are able to get their data service turned off simple by saying they are surrounded by wifi. Otherwise, the iPhone is constantly using data, your charges would be astronomical if you did not have a data plan. The CSR reps at the stores would not deactivate data from you line, you wouldn't know until you got your first bill.
Most phones when they are first released aren't available for purchase outright. Granted they don't normally take as long as it took with the Phone. There are no select circumstances, you go in and buy an iPhone for $599/699 depending on the amount of storage you're after.
Currently there's no one out of their 2yr contract with AT&T that has an iPhone; hence they don't need to have one - yet! Now, after August of 09, if the case still exists then I'll be in 100% support of you on this one.
It's a simple formula. New iPhone released and available + Sell iPhone 3G on eBay = New iPhone without extending your contract.
was this early upgrade option offered when the 3G came out? I never knew about this option, i thought it was only the 199/299 or the regular retail price for the original iphone users.
also, i doubt the 3G's are going to be selling for nearly the same price as it is now when the new one comes out, there's gonna be a lot more available in the market and that'll probably drive the prices down a lot, and if i can only buy the new one for $399, then I don't think it's worth it since I probably won't be able to sell my 3G that price.
also, i doubt the 3G's are going to be selling for nearly the same price as it is now when the new one comes out, there's gonna be a lot more available in the market and that'll probably drive the prices down a lot, and if i can only buy the new one for $399, then I don't think it's worth it since I probably won't be able to sell my 3G that price.
Yes.
Nope... people who had 1st Gen iPhones were allowed to get the 3G at the subsidized price.
Reason behind that was the original iPhone was unsubsidized.
So if the 3G is subsidized, then it's probably not likely they'll subsidize the next one huh...sorry this is like a speculation statement from 10 million other threads haha
No... it's VERY likely the next model will be subsidized just like the 3G is.
The price points are pure speculation right now, but I doubt AT&T would go back to the full retail model (like the original iPhone)... especially in this economy.
The original iPhone release was a unique arrangement between AT&T and Apple.
I am taking my "official" data source from the AT&T contract which says, in no uncertain terms, that an eligible data plan is mandatory, and that AT&T always has the right to impose a data plan on you if they ever detect an iPhone linked to an account that doesn't have one.
I hadn't realized they changed their policy on that one. According to AT&T's website, the select circumstances I'm talking about is the question of whether or not you're an existing customer. The unsubsidized price is only advertised as being available to existing postpaid customers; for new customers the 2-year tie-in contract is still advertised as mandatory.
Anybody who's paid the early termination fee is out of their 2yr contract. Despite that, I agree it would be appropriate to reserve final judgement on that point until the contracts start dying their natural deaths after the full 2yr term.
Umm two year contract is a two year contract
what will end up happening is that we will probably get a discount on the new iPhone
then all that's left is to sell your old iphone on ebay
i assume we are going to take about a 100-200 dollar hit in order to upgrade to a new phone.. I.E. new phone costs 399-499 and we sell our old phone for 200-300
what will end up happening is that we will probably get a discount on the new iPhone
then all that's left is to sell your old iphone on ebay
i assume we are going to take about a 100-200 dollar hit in order to upgrade to a new phone.. I.E. new phone costs 399-499 and we sell our old phone for 200-300