The original plan was to offer mildly subsidized prices of $399 and $499 for the 16GB and 32GB versions of the
iPhone 3G S to AT&T customers who weren't currently "upgrade eligible," but the carrier's having a change of heart, ostensibly in response to... you know, people wanting to pay less. The new plan is to let anyone with an upgrade date in the months of June, July, August, or September get in on the fully discounted $199 / $299 price points, which should cover a good number of existing 3G owners. Unfortunately, the way the upgrade date is calculated is black magic involving your monthly bill, your credit rating, your contract, and your astrological sign, so you'll need to log in to AT&T's site or call up a rep to figure out the full deal; we're told customers should start to see those new discounts reflected on their accounts as of tomorrow. And don't worry -- anyone who's already preordered will be receiving a full refund for the difference.
posted Jun 17th 2009 12:58PM
Good one!
No it's based off your blood type and PH levels of your pool. Everyone know that.
And also if it's that time of the month for the person processing your order! =)
"which should cover a good number of existing 3G owners". How does that work if the are only one year into their two year contract. I'm over a year on my current none iphone contract yet am required to pay the 399/499 price until October so looks this wont help me either. I did call customer care and was told they would upgrade my line with any phone for free or little cost except the iPhone of course.
LOL - so how is that an upgrade?
This does not help 3G owners at all.
I bought my 3G the very first day it went on sale, and AT&T just told me that I'm still not eligible until March 2010. So apparrently the only people elibigle are ones that bought an original iphone before spring 2008, and did not extend their contract to get a 3G.
Sounds nice for PR purposes, but a useless gesture for most of us.
read the review the 3G is no different than the 3G S ... they speed is almost the same... so you can engrave S on yours right now.
The big difference is the cameras, a faster CPU and that neat new compass (sarcasm on the compass thing)...
@LisaGee and big_psirex
I think you guys are missing the point. the point he is making is that AT&T is making a publicity stunt when in actuality it helps NO ONE. The iPhone 3G came out a year ago and to be eligible for an upgrade you must wait 18 months. Therefore 3G owners (who bought the phone on the first day) on their contracts it says they are eligible at the earliest is middle of December of this month. The cut off they made June, July, August, September helps NOBODY who bought an iPhone 3G even on the first day. Only people who are helped are the people who purchased the original iPhone before the 3G came out.
So this whole article of AT&T relenting and allowing iPhone 3G users upgrade to the S version is total crap.
Will this affect buyers who purchased the phone through Apple?
I think it is safe to say that unless you recently (30 days or less) got an Iphone you are screwed if you want to upgrade...
Awww... iPhone owners upset because they don't get preferential treatment.
If you want to get the latest and greatest new phone every year, then open up that wallet and pay full price just like everyone else has to do with every other phone.
Agreed.
i guess AT&T has been listening to twitter
Screw the 3G S!!!!
I have a 3G and there is no difference so I'll wait for my contract 2 run out and hopefully Apple comes out with the "iPhone HD" and adds some really updates for the WWDC 2010 event/iPhone Release party
Same as im actually doing. I got an iphone 3G. I dont need these features in the S so fast so ill just wait till next WWDC and get the better phone then in my upgrade window.
And then we will get subsidized price and the people who got the Iphone 3G S now will have to get a new phone and shell out even more money in 364 or so days.
does that include purchases made through the apple web site as well?
Andy J is right! the ATT upgrade policy makes complete sense. I dont know if people truly understand how phone subsidies work. This also is not a publicity stunt. I am normally eligible for an upgrade in late august. with this new deal, i can get an iphone 3gs on friday. thank you ATT!
okay guys,
Just called att got the same BS about march 2010. Called the customer service line they tried to tell me the same thing so i proceed to ask if they were even aware of what i was reffering to and it seemed he was not so i decided to hang up and just call tomorrow and see what would happen. three minutes after hanging up I get a phone call from the customer service rep i was speaking to and he states that he just received the email with the offer i was reffering to and that I do qualify for the upgrade. He said " anyone that purchased the phone in July, August, or September of 2008 should qualify" and said he could guarantee that i was eligble but that the system was not upgraded yet so it wouldnt allow it yet to try tomorrow. However he said it may take a couple of days for the system to allow the upgrade to just keep calling in to see but that he would note my account with the information so that the representatives knew what i was reffering to. HOPE THIS HELPS!!!
BEst of luck everyone.
An annoyed existing 3G user :)
Aw damn it dude, u posted it like a min after i replied to another comment.
This is good news =D.
as an att employee i can tell u first hand that cust service doesnt always know whats going on. they are constantly sending in cust with wrong information!! if you want to know the real deal, i will tell you GO INTO THE STORE AND ASK!! bc even if cust service gives you some run around on how they can do special things....we are only able to do the things the system in store allows us to. we have no way around it. EPICALLY with the iphone. those things are SET IN STONE! this entire iphone thing this year is driving my store CRAZY!! and as an iphone user myself who upgraded from the 8-16g model APRIL 30TH and missed the cut off day for exchanges by 9 days....I'm furious myself....they wont even be lenient for me....their own staff. so just hang in there guys! it is just as annoying and aggravating to us att staff as it is for you cust! HEY...I DONT WANNA BE AT WORK AT 6AM TOMORROW! uggh!
Just got an email from ATT informing me that because I have an upgrade in July, I qualify to receive the 200.00 rebate which will be credited back to my account within 5 days. I guess it really is true! I paid 499.00 on an early upgrade.
Sounds like AT&T's exclusivity is coming to close. If it wasn't, they know for a fact that they could put their foot down, and make everyone, but those fully eligible for an upgrade, pay full retail.
Someone's getting nervous! :-)
LAWLZ @ all you iPhone addicts.
Just last week my HTC G1 got the addition of a camcorder, new GI, and much more with a simple 5 minute download.... but if iPhone users want cool new features like a super sweet compass...haha (which I've had, for free).... and CUT AND PASTE (primitive feature) to their phone they have to go buy a whole new device?
bahaha, AT&T/Apple have you guys running around like confused chickens with their heads cut off
Has anyone else benn told by and ATT rep that this is not the case and u would have 2 pay 399 or 499?
I dont know... my date is sep and i have called several times and they keep saying they know nothing about special prices for the iphone. I would have to pay the 399 or 499.. noone will let me upgrade