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DollaTwentyFive

macrumors 6502a
Nov 11, 2010
747
4
Parts Unknown
Regarding the end-around scenario #3 - you can always port to a very inexpensive prepaid carrier, pay your term fee, then sign up with AT&T as a new customer and port in from the prepaid carrier. They used to force the number to be off of their network for an extended period but recently, that restriction has been relaxed. After all, they want you back.
 

hbenitez09

macrumors regular
Jun 16, 2009
223
30
You are forgetting that both of these companies charge activation fees. The early upgrade cost is 450 + 36.00 upgrade fee

Switching to Verizon will be 199 + 36 activation plus your etf of 205. Also consider Verizon forces all customers into share plans which probably means your plan will be going up in price. Individuals on the share plan usually pay more. You would be paying 100 dollars for a 2gb plan. 110 for 4 gb



Copied from: http://www.theverge.com/2013/9/9/4711334/at-t-upgrade-pricing-a-ripoff

"I just did some basic math, and figured out that it's actually cheaper to cancel my account
with AT&T and sign up again than it is to "Upgrade".

Let's start with some basic assumptions...

1) The iPhone 5S will come out tomorrow, and the entry level price will be $199

2) AT&T charges $325 early termination fee minus $10 for every month you've had service. Having had the phone for a year, that's a $205 early termination fee.

Scenario #1 - Loyal AT&T customer

I upgrade my iPhone 5 to an iPhone 5S. AT&T quotes this pricing as $445.

Total price: $445

Phone Number: Same number

Scenario #2 - Switcher

I port my number to Verizon. I buy the entry level phone from Verizon for $199, plus the ETF of $205 to AT&T.

Total price: $404

Phone Number: Same number

Scenario #3 - End-Around

I cancel service with AT&T, and pay the ETF of $205. I sign up for a new account with AT&T for $199.

Total Price: $404

Phone Number: I lose the number

So, It appears that AT&T is penalizing users for being loyalty, while making it more desirable to switch carriers."

The next comment said that someone explained this to an AT&T rep on their live chat and recieved a $125 discount towards the iphone early upgarde. That brings down $320 which is better than paying $445 but not was good of a discount I was able to get last year ($250).

Im basically going to copy and paste this into the live chat over and over untill I get someone who will give me a discount. Who else is going to try with me?


----------

If you port out to a prepaid carrier and attempt to port back your initial account will be setup again there is about a 90 day waiting period until you can establish a new account. If you port out and back in same day or a week after your account hasn't processed the cancel and the bill. AT&T has a built in fail proof system that blocks their employees from being able to do a port to a new account if the number was recently on att



QUOTE=DollaTwentyFive;17869427]Regarding the end-around scenario #3 - you can always port to a very inexpensive prepaid carrier, pay your term fee, then sign up with AT&T as a new customer and port in from the prepaid carrier. They used to force the number to be off of their network for an extended period but recently, that restriction has been relaxed. After all, they want you back.[/QUOTE]
 

britneyfan

macrumors 6502
Sep 18, 2010
443
0
Nice! how'd you do that!

I called during the summer about it, and they said they would consider it. Next thing I know, I get a *639# text saying that I was eligible for an upgrade offer. I called back and it worked.

I guess I got lucky.

Good luck to you!!! :)
 

CrAkD

macrumors 68040
Feb 15, 2010
3,180
255
Boston, MA
I might try this. I paid like $700 for my 64gb 5 last year with that early upgrade scam. I know I should of just paid the full amount and I'd have an upgrade this year. Maybe I'll call the retention department and ask them if there's anything they can do so I don't port out to Verizon.
 

GadgetGeek407

macrumors 6502a
Mar 26, 2009
994
61
florida
most people have had success getting a partial upgrade reset to a full upgrade at the att store or having to order over the phone.

I know a few people including myself last year were able to call att and a certain department that I cannot recall for the life of me, was able to reset the upgrade eligibility in a way that I can go to best buy or any third party and they did see the full upgrade once it was reset by att, can anyone else help?
 

2298754

Cancelled
Jun 21, 2010
4,890
941
Get ready for some issues if you attempt to buy from apple directly. You will have better luck with AT&T for directly or back on the phone. They didn't technically make your account eligible they typed notations that approve the upgrade. You might have issues in cor not all managers will approve upgrades with notations. It's manager discretion

Yeah, you are correct. worst case scenario I'll just pre order on the phone and get it shipped.
 

crazyskater52

macrumors newbie
Oct 26, 2011
19
0
most people have had success getting a partial upgrade reset to a full upgrade at the att store or having to order over the phone.

I know a few people including myself last year were able to call att and a certain department that I cannot recall for the life of me, was able to reset the upgrade eligibility in a way that I can go to best buy or any third party and they did see the full upgrade once it was reset by att, can anyone else help?

Does anyone have any more information on this? That would be amazing, thank you.
 

DENTNU

macrumors member
Jul 24, 2010
57
4
I just called the retention department and got credited $120.00. While I did not get the $250.00 some of you got or the full upgrade price. At least its something to help with the cost of my early upgrade...
 

thecurryman

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 9, 2012
329
45
I just called the retention department and got credited $120.00. While I did not get the $250.00 some of you got or the full upgrade price. At least its something to help with the cost of my early upgrade...

nice! if you dont mind, what did you tell them?
 

zishbu

macrumors newbie
Sep 12, 2013
1
0
Early Upgrade Success

nice! if you dont mind, what did you tell them?

I came across this yesterday and decided to try it myself, again.

Begin long story:
I've successfully done this before albeit for different reasons. When the Lumia 920 came out, I upgraded at almost no cost from the Lumia 900 I had bought just months before. I wrote a blog post on it with full detail...

http://gabrielbeaver.me/2012/11/upgrade-lumia-900-to-lumia-920-att-gets-it-right-if-you-ask/

I cracked the display on said Lumia 920 (huge bummer) just a couple weeks ago and swapped back to my old iPhone4 (with terrible battery at this point I might add). I called AT&T then but was not very forceful.

"Do you have insurance?" No.
"Did you want to add a line?" No.
"Did you want to add a line and do AT&T Next?" No.

Sorry nothing we can do. No upgrade until November 2014.


I then called back yesterday and went through the same options. I then said, well this iPhone4 isn't going to work, can't keep battery, I'm a long term customer (over 6 years) is there anything at all you can do for me without having to be encumbered with another line, just give me new customer pricing? I was told no and that she was sorry.

Here is where the conversation turned quickly - I then asked for ETF pricing and said that I would check with Verizon because my my phone situation just wasn't working. I was then asked to hold while she checked with her manager.

I then was forwarded to a manager or supervisor who asked what I needed and then I asked to receive new customer pricing on a new iPhone, specifically the iPhone5S next week. She said Ok, no problem. I asked if there was anything I needed to do to ensure this was on my account, she said nope, you're all set.

I then got a text message a few minutes later:

"approved for standard upgrade to iphone 5s when it comes out over the phone only with credit card through customer relations only"

The key to this - communication and attitude. I noted in my blog post too, be genuinely nice to the service reps. They have a script to follow, but time and again I have gotten great service and what I needed from being kind, but be firm in a polite way when you feel like you've reached the end of your bargaining. If you reach the manager, you've won.

Good luck!
 
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