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AT&T Bumps Up iPhone Upgrade Eligibility For Some
AT&T pre-empts a lot of upgrade whining...
Ahead of what's expected to be an announcement of a new iPhone later on today, people are noticing that AT&T is bumping up the iPhone upgrade discount eligibility date for many users. You'll recall that during the launch of the iPhone 3GS, many users complained about not being able to buy the new phone at a subsidized price -- despite the fact they agreed to a two-year contract and the associated terms of their previous iPhone discount. AT&T responded by nudging the eligibility date up -- and they appear to be pre-emotively doing the same here. Users can check your phone upgrade eligibility date by clicking on "Check Upgrade Options" after they log in to the AT&T wireless website.
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pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
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join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

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Nice

This way more people will hit the cap sooner.

trparky
Premium Member
join:2000-05-24
Cleveland, OH

trparky

Premium Member

Re: Nice

Yeah, that's why I'm not upgrading. I have a year left on my contract and when it's up I'm most likely going to Sprint and possibly getting an EVO or whatever else cool Android phone there is.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Nice

The EVO pricing isn't exactly the greatest either... and, like anything else, they're likely to put a cap on their phones as well. Right now it's unlimited because it won't hurt them to gain some new customers while they're down and hurting for 'em.. but when/if they become popular again, they're going to HAVE to most likely add caps again.

gball
Master Yoda
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join:2000-11-28
South Bend, IN

gball

Premium Member

Re: Nice

Still much cheaper than the rip off plans for the iphone.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Nice

Really? What is that "iPhone" plan you speak of? I didn't know "iPhone" had a plan "exclusive" to the "iPhone"...

Care to re-think that?

And hate to tell you this, but "much cheaper" is not the phase or term I'd used to describe what you're saying there. From where it stands today, it's a $10 difference.. that's hardly "much cheaper".. also, ask those people who live in non 4G areas how they like paying the mandatory $10 4G data fee that they'll likely never get to use now, or for many moons or years to come?

It's all relative.

But - still, answer the question.. what is the "rip off plans for the **iPhone**" you speak of? I didn't know there was one exclusive to the iPhone.

debo
@comcast.net

debo

Anon

Re: Nice

First off, iPhone does have its own data plan. Secondly, $10 extra a month isn't much cheaper when looking at one month, but over the course of a 2-year contract that's $240 extra so yea I would say it's much cheaper.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

1 recommendation

ropeguru to pnh102

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to pnh102
And the upgrade will probably be considered a contract change which will force people off the unlimited plan and to one of the new ones.

trparky
Premium Member
join:2000-05-24
Cleveland, OH

trparky

Premium Member

Re: Nice

Apparently not but still I'm starting to really hate AT&T these days. Useless sacks of crap if you ask me. All those profits and what do they do with it? Keep it and don't do jack shit with it.

ptrowski
Got Helix?
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join:2005-03-14
Woodstock, CT

ptrowski to ropeguru

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to ropeguru
said by ropeguru:

And the upgrade will probably be considered a contract change which will force people off the unlimited plan and to one of the new ones.
It doesn't. You are grandfathered in, I confirmed today with AT&T customer service.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Nice

I guess the upside is that AT&T will give you a new iPhone at a discounted price, with an unlimited data plan for the next two years, when it seems like the movement is towards capped and metered data plans.

Of course, if you put off getting an iPhone for another year, I wonder if it's possible to be grandfathered in for the "unlimited" plan then... Perhaps it's possible to stretch the unlimited data plan to the "next" iPhone....

So I wonder how long the grandfathering promise will last. Anyone ask AT&T about this?

ptrowski
Got Helix?
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join:2005-03-14
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ptrowski

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Re: Nice

said by IPPlanMan:

I guess the upside is that AT&T will give you a new iPhone at a discounted price, with an unlimited data plan for the next two years, when it seems like the movement is towards capped and metered data plans.

Of course, if you put off getting an iPhone for another year, I wonder if it's possible to be grandfathered in for the "unlimited" plan then... Perhaps it's possible to stretch the unlimited data plan to the "next" iPhone....

So I wonder how long the grandfathering promise will last. Anyone ask AT&T about this?
What I was told this morning is as long as you have the data plan you can keep in. Once you change the data plan though you cannot go back.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

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Re: Nice

So does that mean we are promised unlimited data from iPhone to iPhone with AT&T?

ptrowski
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ptrowski

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Re: Nice

said by IPPlanMan:

So does that mean we are promised unlimited data from iPhone to iPhone with AT&T?
If you have it currently, yes.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

1 edit

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: Nice

I wonder if it's iPhone to iPhone to iPhone....

Of course, we're unable to tether the whole time....

ptrowski
Got Helix?
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ptrowski

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Re: Nice

said by IPPlanMan:

I wonder if it's iPhone to iPhone to iPhone....
That was what I was told. As long as you have an iPhone even if you upgrade you will not lose the plan. I kept mine as I use more data. My wife has never gone over 120MB so I bumped her down to the lower plan. The rep made it evidently clear that once you change away from the $30 plan there is no going back. I asked him how long I get to keep my $30 plan and he said as long as you own an iPhone, you can keep the even if you upgrade the phone.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

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Re: Nice

Perhaps this is the only way to keep "unlimited data"... iPhone to iPhone to iPhone.

ptrowski
Got Helix?
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ptrowski

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Re: Nice

said by IPPlanMan:

Perhaps this is the only way to keep "unlimited data"... iPhone to iPhone to iPhone.
Pretty much.

Uncle Paul
join:2003-02-04
USA

Uncle Paul to ptrowski

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to ptrowski
So on a family plan (all iPhones) we can have some on the lower data plans and others on the unlimited?

ptrowski
Got Helix?
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ptrowski

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Re: Nice

said by Uncle Paul:

So on a family plan (all iPhones) we can have some on the lower data plans and others on the unlimited?
I would assume so. Before I made the change today to my wife having a different account (for upgrade eligibility reasons) the rep said you can.

David
Premium Member
join:2002-05-30
Granite City, IL

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David to IPPlanMan

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to IPPlanMan
said by IPPlanMan:

So I wonder how long the grandfathering promise will last. Anyone ask AT&T about this?
As far as grandfathered plans I can kind of vouch for this one. Back when the elite tier $44.95 (DSL) plan was considered grandfathered at the time, grandfathered meant your price wouldn't go higher or lower as long as you didn't do any of the following

1.) disconnected service/ended service
2.) disconnect-non pay
3.) changed service tiers/plans
4.) moved (again this was back in the day for DSL!)

I issued quite a few warnings back then that after you change it's gone. Don't even send me an IM to ask if they can get it back.

The same grandfathering rules should apply but if you (I am thinking) do any one of the top 3, that would cancel your grandfathered plan.

Hopefully that helps.

Gbcue
Premium Member
join:2001-09-30
Santa Rosa, CA

Gbcue to ptrowski

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to ptrowski
said by ptrowski:

said by ropeguru:

And the upgrade will probably be considered a contract change which will force people off the unlimited plan and to one of the new ones.
It doesn't. You are grandfathered in, I confirmed today with AT&T customer service.
It still allows AT&T to raise your rates (even while you're in contract, as long as they allow you a way out free). Like with SMS fee increases.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
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join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to ropeguru

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to ropeguru
said by ropeguru:

And the upgrade will probably be considered a contract change which will force people off the unlimited plan and to one of the new ones.
BINGO!
you don't think T is doing this "just to be nice" do you!
whenever the phone company wants to do something nice for you, WATCH YOUR WALLET!

jchambers28
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join:2007-05-12
Peculiar, MO

jchambers28

Premium Member

phone

A plane phone works for me I don't need all this I phone ,droid,blackberry crap. I have a prepaid plan with unlimited talk and text and its reasonably price I think its a waste of money.
kxrm
join:2002-07-18
Fort Worth, TX

1 edit

kxrm

Member

Re: phone

said by jchambers28:

A plane phone works for me I don't need all this I phone ,droid,blackberry crap. I have a prepaid plan with unlimited talk and text and its reasonably price I think its a waste of money.
Choice....

Thank God we all have it.
vanheve2
join:2005-12-16
Chicago, IL

5 recommendations

vanheve2 to jchambers28

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to jchambers28

plane phone
said by jchambers28:

A plane phone works for me I don't need all this I phone ,droid,blackberry crap. I have a prepaid plan with unlimited talk and text and its reasonably price I think its a waste of money.
A "plane" phone, ugh?
Gami00
join:2010-03-11
Mississauga, ON

Gami00

Member

Re: phone

that's a cool phone, regardless.

ptrowski
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ptrowski to vanheve2

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to vanheve2
said by vanheve2:
said by jchambers28:

A plane phone works for me I don't need all this I phone ,droid,blackberry crap. I have a prepaid plan with unlimited talk and text and its reasonably price I think its a waste of money.
A "plane" phone, ugh?
You beat me to it.

Michael C
join:2009-06-26
Cedar Park, TX

Michael C to vanheve2

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to vanheve2
++

djrobx
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join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

1 recommendation

djrobx to jchambers28

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to jchambers28
I'm the opposite. I almost never use the telephone portion of my mobile. Being able to do things like get traffic reports in real time, and browse the web while I'm waiting is priceless to me.
bdon78
I didn't do it
join:2009-05-18
Decatur, GA

bdon78 to jchambers28

Member

to jchambers28
said by jchambers28:

A plane phone
Looks like investing in a smartphone that has internet capabilities might help out with the spelling of "plain" phone...

Uncle Paul
join:2003-02-04
USA

Uncle Paul

Member

Re: phone

Didn't you hear, the internet makes you stupider....

(That's right I said stupider).

Bill Neilson
Premium Member
join:2009-07-08
Alexandria, VA

Bill Neilson

Premium Member

Good for AT&T

But I am still not sure why most who signed onto a 2-year deal a year ago would be OUTRAGED at how they can't get a FULLY subed phone today.

I have a 3G and waited 2 years for the new phone....seems reasonable and I knew that signing on

I decided not to get 3GS b/c I didn't qualify for a subed price and I knew why.....yet some acted like AT&T was screwing them for not letting them get a subed phone for a 2nd straight year.

MovieLover76
join:2009-09-11
Cherry Hill, NJ
(Software) pfSense
Asus RT-AC68
Asus RT-AC66

MovieLover76

Member

Re: Good for AT&T

Because a lot of people buy iPhone as status symbols, not as much now but especially years ago, having last years model is so uncool. until the iphone everyone knew and accepted that you only got a new phone from AT&T/Verizon every two years but a large percentage of iPhone users are trendy and they don't understand complex things like contracts, they understand me want, cry when I don't get my way.

That sad I bought a 3GS 32GB last august so I'm not eligible for an upgrade, I'd love a 64 gb version or a better screen, both of which are almost shoe-in's, couldn't give a crap about a front facing camera, but I'm not gonna pay full price, I'd rather wait for an LTE iPhone or Android phone next year, if it's still based on 3G, not worth the price to me.

I wonder if the bump in eligibility doesn't signal a new iPhone carrier? get a few more locked in contracts before another carrier gets a chance at the iPhone maybe?

powerspec88
Premium Member
join:2007-03-11
Lees Summit, MO

powerspec88

Premium Member

Not for me.

Says I have to buy a iPhone at full price, but I also did upgrade to the 3GS when it came out from the 3G. Guess they don't want me saving money again. Thinking of just getting a EVO as it would be cheaper for me to pay the ETF and move over to Sprint. On the plus side of that would be I would have 4G plus free tethering once I root the phone!
kxrm
join:2002-07-18
Fort Worth, TX

kxrm

Member

Re: Not for me.

You don't need to root it to tether for free. Just get the free version of PDAnet.

Camaro
Question everything
Premium Member
join:2008-04-05
Westfield, MA

Camaro

Premium Member

Why?

Is it that all of the information about the real tech part of the internet,wireless providers always comes to the masses by FINANCIAL media,the last time i checked i know more about the internet "thingy' than my accountant does,seems to me if more people were educated about this subject then these company's wouldn't even dare try this crap.

hayabusa3303
Over 200 mph
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join:2005-06-29
Florence, SC

hayabusa3303

Premium Member

crazy

lets see how many people drop them or dont sign up. they want to nickel and dime, they might lose more in the end of this.

ptrowski
Got Helix?
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join:2005-03-14
Woodstock, CT

ptrowski

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Re: crazy

said by hayabusa3303:

lets see how many people drop them or dont sign up. they want to nickel and dime, they might lose more in the end of this.
I thought about it, but I ve yet to find another phone that works as a good MP3 player. I moved to the iPhone as I got tired of carrying a Blackberry and an iPod.

MovieLover76
join:2009-09-11
Cherry Hill, NJ
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MovieLover76

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Re: crazy

That's a very good point and that's exactly what got me to cave i n and get an iPhone last year, andriod's cloud is nice for contacts, bookmarks, calenders etc. but for music itunes is 10x more convenient and the ipod app on the iphone is much better than androids music app

morbo
Complete Your Transaction
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00000

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morbo

Member

iPhone + AT&T = financially milkable sheeple


The more I think about it, the more I think that these two companies and the people that mindlessly respond to the latest iDevice deserve one another.

•••••

kingdome74
Let's Go Orange
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join:2002-03-27
Syracuse, NY

kingdome74

Premium Member

Offer

Here's what it said at my upgrade offer:

iPhone Upgrade
As a valued AT&T customer, we can offer you a discounted iPhone upgrade at a higher price, along with a 2-year commitment and an $18 upgrade fee. Please proceed with the online upgrade process for pricing details. You may qualify for a full discount on a standard iPhone upgrade on 08/19/2010


Higher price for long-term commitment. What a deal

•••••

baineschile
2600 ways to live
Premium Member
join:2008-05-10
Sterling Heights, MI

baineschile

Premium Member

why bother

why do applefans get an iphone with a 2 year committment....when there is a new phone released every year.

HardwareGeek
join:2003-11-15
Brooklyn, NY

HardwareGeek

Member

for a while now

for the past 3 weeks they have been doing this.

It says you are ineligable but then says you can upgrade the to the iPhone at a special rate.
SinNombre
join:2004-09-16
Charlotte, NC

SinNombre

Member

Re: for a while now

Speak of the devil... when I checked over the weekend, prices for me to upgrade my phones were twice what they are now. Someone made a change today - I can get a 3GS refurb for $150 now.

Looking at the specs for the new iphone 4 though, I have to wait and see what the $$$ is going to be for that.

Still isn't going to keep me from jumping ship if/when VZW gets it's own iphone.
majortom1029
join:2006-10-19
Medford, NY

majortom1029

Member

Re: for a while now

$199 for the 16 gig .

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

iPhone 4 Upgrade Questions

So if I have a 3GS and I am eligible now and want to get an iPhone 4....

1) Does AT&T take my iPhone 3GS back or is it mine to keep?
2) If I do keep my 3GS, what's the best way to sell my 3GS? Craigslist, eBay, Nextworth?
3) Do I my keep 3GS simcard for use in the iPhone 4 or does it go with the sold iPhone 3GS?

Pretty basic questions I know, but I trust the crowd here...
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: iPhone 4 Upgrade Questions

1) It's yours.. they don't take it from you.
2) Anything that works for you, however, if you post on cragis list, you'll die!!!
3) Sim.. for the most part, I pull the sim and keep it.. the new iPhone buyer can go to AT&T and get their own. You'll get a new phone with it's own SIM. With iPhone, there really is no need to move SIM cards as it's all handled through iTunes.

IPPlanMan
Holy Cable Modem Batman
join:2000-09-20
Washington, DC

IPPlanMan

Member

Re: iPhone 4 Upgrade Questions

Thanks for the info!

I don't think the old sim will fit the new iPhone 4 anyway right, since it's a MicroSim?

Has anyone had a bad experience with NextWorth or Gazelle?

I was thinking of doing that.... unless you think I'd get more money on ebay, etc.

It seems like people get more money if it's sold unlocked...
ryderuntil
join:2001-01-31
Mocksville, NC

ryderuntil

Member

Its Not 4G

I read when jobs when showing the iPhone off he had trouble with the network and ask those in the audience to turn off their wifi.

Good ole ATT

ToxicDrew
Premium Member
join:2001-09-24

ToxicDrew

Premium Member

Re: Its Not 4G

said by ryderuntil:

I read when jobs when showing the iPhone off he had trouble with the network and ask those in the audience to turn off their wifi.

Good ole ATT
Didn't know AT&T was providing the wifi for the event...

dathing
join:2002-01-09
Sykesville, MD

dathing to ryderuntil

Member

to ryderuntil
said by ryderuntil:

I read when jobs when showing the iPhone off he had trouble with the network and ask those in the audience to turn off their wifi.

Good ole ATT
Get your facts straight. AT&T had nothing to do with the problem.

He asked the audience to turn off their wi-fi and put down their laptops because they were having trouble with their local wifi network, NOT the AT&T network. What does AT&T have to do with their local wifi?

»www.engadget.com/2010/06 ··· dc-2010/
cableguy619
Premium Member
join:2003-06-24
Chula Vista, CA

cableguy619

Premium Member

ummmm

If you upgrade you can opt to keep unlimited just no tethering
ebubman
join:2002-01-17
Mechanicsburg, PA

ebubman

Member

fan not eligibile

i have a fan account & it appears that att is not budging even 60 seconds on our elig upgrade date which is in fall 2010. at this time i'd consider getting 2 iphones w/, of course, data plans which ostensibly would pump up the arpu---however, att will not budge. i suppose the outcome could well be that when the upgrade gods @ attws deem i'm eligible, i may well have lost interest. not a problem.
jfmezei
Premium Member
join:2007-01-03
Pointe-Claire, QC

jfmezei

Premium Member

Different slant

When I started reading this thread, my initial reaction was:

Apple must have made a sweet deal to AT&T to reduce upgrade requireemnets to allow for a quick boost of iphone4 sales. Since Apple is now measured in how many iphones/ipads it sells, getting those numbers up quickly will have a "wow" factor for the next quarterly financials.