Carrier Will AT&T move upgrade dates if they're close to a iPhone release?

[Aibocyrus]

For new accounts. It's still available for current customers.

For now. The way it's working, they will phase out the 2 year contract option period once the current 2 years end. Hasnt happened yet but we have definitely been warning our customers who prefer 2 year contracts that by the time this contract is done, they will have no option but NEXT when they upgrade again.

 

[willmtaylor]

For now. The way it's working, they will phase out the 2 year contract option period once the current 2 years end. Hasnt happened yet but we have definitely been warning our customers who prefer 2 year contracts that by the time this contract is done, they will have no option but NEXT when they upgrade again.

Good to know. It stands to reason, but hadn't heard about that from an ATT rep before. Thanks for the info!

 

[melman101]

As an AT&T employee I will tell you all that there is no benefit to us how you upgrade. You can do NEXT on your unlimited plan. The reason we won't move your upgrade for a two year contract is because you have a option to upgrade on NEXT. Yes it makes your UDP more expensive monthly, but you can have the phone when you want. If you are on a 10GB data plan or higher, no matter how you run the numbers you save about $180 on average if you utilize NEXT vs a 2-year contract. Most carriers will get rid of the 2 year option eventually. Verizon already has. I'm sure AT&T won't be far behind.

You can still buy a Verizon phone via 2yr contract pricing on Apple.com

 

[RabbitLuvr]

If I switch from 2-yr contract with family share, plus one UDP and one 2GB data plan, what happens to my FAN discount? It currently applies to my family share minutes, my UDP, and my husband's 2GB data.

Additionally, if I switch to Mobile Share and upgrade with Next, how does my husband's phone (still under contract for another year) affect our bill?

This is so confusing.

Edit: I average about 5-7GB of data, while my husband averages less than 1GB.

Edit 2: I don't currently have a monthly access charge for either phone. However the fine print on the website seems to indicate I'll lose my access charge discount if I sign another 2-yr contract. Again, I'm wondering how my second line would be affected.

 

[Aibocyrus]

If I switch from 2-yr contract with family share, plus one UDP and one 2GB data plan, what happens to my FAN discount? It currently applies to my family share minutes, my UDP, and my husband's 2GB data.

Additionally, if I switch to Mobile Share and upgrade with Next, how does my husband's phone (still under contract for another year) affect our bill?

This is so confusing.

Edit: I average about 5-7GB of data, while my husband averages less than 1GB.

Edit 2: I don't currently have a monthly access charge for either phone. However the fine print on the website seems to indicate I'll lose my access charge discount if I sign another 2-yr contract. Again, I'm wondering how my second line would be affected.

On the mobile share plan, when you sign a 2-year contract you do lose your current $15/mo line discount. Your lines would however stay at the $25 if you sign up for NEXT.
As far as your fan goes, that comes off the data portion on your mobile share plan, and it will continue to apply to the same charges on the UDP.
We do have lots of people that use NEXT on UDP specifically because they do upgrade to new iPhones every year and this is a way for them not to have to jump through a million hoops or pay $450 or more for an early upgrade out the door.
Heads up too everyone that's on AT&T. The company did recently change their upgrade fee policy. Signing a new 2-year will result in a $45 upgrade fee, a BYOD and NEXT are now a $15 upgrade fee.
If your FAN waives that, then you're good to go. Otherwise you'll see the one time charge on your next generated bill after the upgrade

 

[AZhappyjack]

If I switch from 2-yr contract with family share, plus one UDP and one 2GB data plan, what happens to my FAN discount? It currently applies to my family share minutes, my UDP, and my husband's 2GB data.

Additionally, if I switch to Mobile Share and upgrade with Next, how does my husband's phone (still under contract for another year) affect our bill?

This is so confusing.

Edit: I average about 5-7GB of data, while my husband averages less than 1GB.

Edit 2: I don't currently have a monthly access charge for either phone. However the fine print on the website seems to indicate I'll lose my access charge discount if I sign another 2-yr contract. Again, I'm wondering how my second line would be affected.

I switched a couple of months ago. In my case, they let me out of my contract on the 3 lines under contract (phones were mine to keep - even unlocked them), as long as I bought 3 phones under NEXT. The FAN applies only to the Mobile Share data and not to the individual lines. I also got 15GB data doubled to 30GB for the same price.

So they may let your husband's line out of contract if you buy another phone on Next - but try to get them to wait for another 2 weeks.

The per phone "access" charge is $40/line but they discount to $15 if you buy on Next or BYOD. It would be $40 if you got a 2-year subsidy (still not 100% how that works with mixed "plans").

 

[AZhappyjack]

On the mobile share plan, when you sign a 2-year contract you do lose your current $15/mo line discount. Your lines would however stay at the $25 if you sign up for NEXT.
As far as your fan goes, that comes off the data portion on your mobile share plan, and it will continue to apply to the same charges on the UDP.
We do have lots of people that use NEXT on UDP specifically because they do upgrade to new iPhones every year and this is a way for them not to have to jump through a million hoops or pay $450 or more for an early upgrade out the door.
Heads up too everyone that's on AT&T. The company did recently change their upgrade fee policy. Signing a new 2-year will result in a $45 upgrade fee, a BYOD and NEXT are now a $15 upgrade fee.
If your FAN waives that, then you're good to go. Otherwise you'll see the one time charge on your next generated bill after the upgrade

You got the numbers backwards. It's a $40 fee with a $25 discount, so the net is $15/line...

 

[cousintim]

they will phase out the 2 year contract option period once the current 2 years end. Hasnt happened yet but we have definitely been warning our customers who prefer 2 year contracts that by the time this contract is done, they will have no option but NEXT when they upgrade again.

Can you cite an official source or reference for this? If not, it's speculation and you're spreading FUD. Like unlimited data, AT&T prefers to let the market naturally mitigate its legacy service offerings.

 

[AJsAWiz]

As a rep at AT&T, i will tell you that there is no way we can upgrade. Especailly since you re grandfathered in. If you want to do an early upgrade, we could possibly let you upgrae early using AT&T NEXT, but that's a completely different story. But, I wouldnt be able to upgrade you at all on a 2 year agreement or even pre order the device before your upgrade date.

Booo!
I've grown accustomed to (and prefer) subsidized iPhones. I've never paid full price for any of my iPhones and I've had them since the very first one was released.
I don't want to pay full price (NEXT) in installments and turn in the phone for a new one.

 

[cousintim]

I've never paid full price for any of my iPhones and I've had them since the very first one was released.

The original iPhone (2G) was only sold at full price without subsidy.

 

[xaqt93]

As an AT&T employee I will tell you all that there is no benefit to us how you upgrade. You can do NEXT on your unlimited plan. The reason we won't move your upgrade for a two year contract is because you have a option to upgrade on NEXT. Yes it makes your UDP more expensive monthly, but you can have the phone when you want. If you are on a 10GB data plan or higher, no matter how you run the numbers you save about $180 on average if you utilize NEXT vs a 2-year contract. Most carriers will get rid of the 2 year option eventually. Verizon already has. I'm sure AT&T won't be far behind.

Also an employee at AT&T...it does matter how the customer upgrades. If you knew your stuff, acording to MyCSP, 2-year agreements hurt your numbers. Especially with your NEXT numbers. They only thing that does not matter are the GAs. You'll still get a GA out of it if the circumstaances allow for it, however, it hurts your numbers to have customers sign up for the 2-year agreement.

Booo!
I've grown accustomed to (and prefer) subsidized iPhones. I've never paid full price for any of my iPhones and I've had them since the very first one was released.
I don't want to pay full price (NEXT) in installments and turn in the phone for a new one.

You don't have to turn your phone in for a new one. If you pay the whole thing off you keep it. All you have to do is make it all the way through your 12, 18, or 24 month instalment plan. Plus, it is now impossible to save money on a 2 year contract with ATT. You save more on ATT NEXT then a 2 year even though you are paying off the phone...

 

[pokerplayer73]

Since clock turned 12 and day switched over to Sep 1, I thought why not just check out the eligibility on AT&T site. Lo and behold, it shows I am eligible to upgrade on both lines now, whereas earlier it showed 09/21/15 as the eligibility date. Both lines have UDP on 2-yr contract.

There are couple of AT&T service reps who are saying something else on these forums. Would they care to respond?

 

[cousintim]

it is now impossible to save money on a 2 year contract with ATT. You save more on ATT NEXT then a 2 year even though you are paying off the phone...

You're either misinformed or intentionally deceptive. For an individual user, a two-year agreement is, at worst, a breakeven proposition for less than 10GB. With a FAN (corporate) discount, a two-year agreement is clearly the better deal. The reduction applies to the entire monthly fee. With Next, it does not apply to the line charge or the equipment fee.

 

[cousintim]

Since clock turned 12 and day switched over to Sep 1, I thought why not just check out the eligibility on AT&T site. Lo and behold, it shows I am eligible to upgrade on both lines now, whereas earlier it showed 09/21/15 as the eligibility date. Both lines have UDP on 2-yr contract.

There are couple of AT&T service reps who are saying something else on these forums. Would they care to respond?

There are truth-tellers, and then there are AT&T reps.

 

[Kevsta26]

Since clock turned 12 and day switched over to Sep 1, I thought why not just check out the eligibility on AT&T site. Lo and behold, it shows I am eligible to upgrade on both lines now, whereas earlier it showed 09/21/15 as the eligibility date. Both lines have UDP on 2-yr contract.

There are couple of AT&T service reps who are saying something else on these forums. Would they care to respond?

Now if only this was possible on Verizon My contract ends on the 22nd (11 days after preorders open) and no matter where I look, I can only find Verizon allowing no more than 7 days before contract end date. It really sucks when those few extra days cost you a few months of extra waiting due to back orders...

 

[forecheck]

Wow, thought for sure they would push us to Next if we wanted to upgrade a few days earlier.

 

[Kevsta26]

Wow, thought for sure they would push us to Next if we wanted to upgrade a few days earlier. The first message is from 2 days ago.

I hope Verizon gets the memo and lets me upgrade early this month. Just a week and a half! That's all I'm asking...

 

[Cowboy1629]

What do you know! Looks like they bumped me up to full subsidy as of September 1st, was 9/21. I guess customer service doesn't have any idea how their system works because I talked to two different reps as well as one live chat last week and they all said there was no way I could upgrade before the 21st without having to pay the reduced subsidy price of $250 unless of course I wanted to use the NEXT program.

 

[slippery-pete]

Also an employee at AT&T...it does matter how the customer upgrades. If you knew your stuff, acording to MyCSP, 2-year agreements hurt your numbers. Especially with your NEXT numbers. They only thing that does not matter are the GAs. You'll still get a GA out of it if the circumstaances allow for it, however, it hurts your numbers to have customers sign up for the 2-year agreement.


You don't have to turn your phone in for a new one. If you pay the whole thing off you keep it. All you have to do is make it all the way through your 12, 18, or 24 month instalment plan. Plus, it is now impossible to save money on a 2 year contract with ATT. You save more on ATT NEXT then a 2 year even though you are paying off the phone...

Yup, interested in hear their responses. I have ZERO interest in going to Next. Want to keep my 2 year and unlimited data.

 

[TWD98j]

I also got my date bumped forward from 9/21. My assumption is that as long as you are within the same month AT&T will let you upgrade anytime. I had checked earlier in the day on Monday and it still said 9/21, but then I checked shortly after 12 midnight and then it was there for my upgrade.

All set to go for the 6S Plus (hopefully) next Friday!

I have the day off from work and plan on being at the local AT&T store early enough to get a preorder in. Probably going to go for 64GB space gray. I thought about maybe going for 128GB but I don't really think I need it. My 5S is 64GB and even now I have over 15GB of free space and I don't think I'll be changing my usage habits.

 

[melman101]

I have a bad feeling that AT&T's website will not be able to handle this.

Mel

 

[willmtaylor]

I have a bad feeling that AT&T's website will not be able to handle this.

Mel

It never has. None of them (ATT, VZW, APL) have ever been able to.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

Plus, it is now impossible to save money on a 2 year contract with ATT. You save more on ATT NEXT then a 2 year even though you are paying off the phone...

Please quit spreading bad information. The NEXT plan makes sense for some users, but not everyone. Those of us with UDPs and FANs pay less money by taking the 2-yr subsidy. It's black and white; the math doesn't lie.

 

[Aibocyrus]

You're either misinformed or intentionally deceptive. For an individual user, a two-year agreement is, at worst, a breakeven proposition for less than 10GB. With a FAN (corporate) discount, a two-year agreement is clearly the better deal. The reduction applies to the entire monthly fee. With Next, it does not apply to the line charge or the equipment fee.

If you took the time to simply run the numbers, you save roughly $180 per line on NEXT. On a 2-year you over pay for the phone completely! Do the math. That simple. Us reps aren't being deceptive, we know what we are talking about and, I for one, try to save people money. If a two year contract would save someone money, I'd tell them to do that. But if you are on a 10GB plan or higher you're over paying for your phone by almost $200.

 

[cousintim]

If you took the time to simply run the numbers, you save roughly $180 per line on NEXT. On a 2-year you over pay for the phone completely! Do the math.

Prepared last year:

Us reps aren't being deceptive, we know what we are talking about and, I for one, try to save people money. If a two year contract would save someone money, I'd tell them to do that. But if you are on a 10GB plan or higher you're over paying for your phone by almost $200.

A majority of individual users are on plans under 10GB and Next is more expensive. Selling Next to them is deceptive.