Upgrade Eligibility

[madmak]

I am a new ATT customer who signed up at 3GS launch and purchased a 16GB 3GS and signed a new 2 yr contract. Yesterday I logged on the ATT website and just for heck of it checked my upgrade eligibility. My status says something like

You may be eligible for full discounted upgrade on 6/20/2010.

(ATT site is down right now, so cannot paste the exact wording)

I thought you only become eligible for full discount after 2 years. But if my status is correct, i can get an upgrade when the next iPhone comes out. That'd be sweet

[Jellotime91]

Well they did it the past 2 years for both iPhone launches, so the system may be updated to reflect that. After the revenue they made this year from that, I'm assuming they are going to do it in 2010, 2011, and so on.. :P

What's amazing about that is that you can sell your iPhone contract-free for $400 and get the new one without actually paying anything out of pocket.. :P EVERY YEAR!! XD

[Jevangil]

It has been mentioned in other threads that AT&T allows customers to upgrade yearly if they spend over $100 dollars on that particular line per month.

I have the 3GS and family messaging and a 700 minute voice plan. That breaks down to $60 for voice, $30 for messaging and $30 for iPhone data. A total of $120 a month on one line, not including tax and fees. With that, I have the ability to upgrade once a year.

WooHoo! Kidding. As often as the iPhone is coming out right now, it would be good to upgrade again next year if it is a "groundbreaking" upgrade like this year's was supposed to be.

[chobbs1]

Like this years was.

[madmak]

I have the cheapest iphone family plan and spend less than 100 bucks on both lines combined.either ways, I am not complaining :-)

[BENGRIMM]

If you have a family plan your time between upgrades is shortened , I have three lines on my family plan and my time is sixteen months instead of the 24 months . But what I have found if your a good pitch man you can get them to give you better pricing on some phones if you wait the full 24 months . Also if you can get you CCR to get a Manager they can sometimes do a curtosy upgrade once ever two years . The bad thing is it doesnt always work for Iphone upgrades .

[iMuggle]

People are confusing this.

To the OP, when you look under upgrade eligibility, it will ALWAYS say that, it's when you click upgrade today that it actually shows your eligibility and I'm sure if you actually click that, and pick a phone, it will tell you that you are NOT eligible.

AT&T did not do any favors for iPhone users. People don't seem to understand, when the first iPhone came out, you paid FULL price, yes you had to sign a contract but you never used your upgrade, so it was still in tact when the 3G came out in July 08, so yes, you were eligible for the discount price.

Forward to now, with the 3G S, NO, not all 3G users were eligible. Only those who spend enough monthly were. AT&T made an exception for people who were eligible between June and August so they could get the upgrade a bit early, and that's only because so many people whined and cried like babies about it.

If you sign a 2 year contract and get a phone at a subsidized price, do not expect to be eligible every 12 months unless you spend more than 98$/month, and that 98 has to be on ONE line, not all your lines on a family plan combined.

For example, on my plan, I have 5 lines, 2 of them had an iPhone 3G on them. the main line (which is mine) has about 150 of charges a month on it, so it is eligible every 12 months, therefore, I get a new upgrade every year. The other line (my girlfriend's), only has the 9.99 add a line plus the 30$ data plan, which is only 40, so she is only eligible every 18 mos or so for an upgrade.

I would not expect AT&T to do iPhone users anymore favors next year. They are treating the iPhone just like any other phone now. I don't see BB users crying and arguing every single time a new BB comes out about how they aren't eligible, so I guess I just don't understand why iPhone users think they are entitled to be treated any different from any other user.

AT&T is actually nice enough to give a price on iPhone for those who aren't eligible as an early upgrade, which they don't HAVE to do.

Eligible - 199/299
Ineligible - 399/499
No commitment - 599/699

I'm no AT&T fan girl, but this is basic common sense. I don't like a lot of things AT&T does, but in reference to upgrade policies, they are not obligated to let iPhone users upgrade to the newest model every year.

[madmak]

I understand all what you said and hence was surprised to see the eligibility date. That said, i have 2 lines and they both show different dates for eligibility. So i am not sure what you say is correct.

well, we will know for sure in a year.

[iMuggle]

Originally Posted by madmak

I understand all what you said and hence was surprised to see the eligibility date. That said, i have 2 lines and they both show different dates for eligibility. So i am not sure what you say is correct.

well, we will know for sure in a year.

Did you actually click upgrade today?

And the dates can be because of what you spend on each line. Like I said, my line is eligible every 12 months, my other 4 lines that are not primary are eligible every 18 mos.

It is based on what you spend. Trust me, unless there's a glitch with your upgrade, that's how it works.

[BENGRIMM]

You could always stop by your Local AT&T store and they can tell you with in 60 seconds what your date is for each line .