Importantly, we want our customers to better understand our wireless device upgrade program. Like most U.S. carriers, we offer a variety of phones that we sell below our actual cost when customers agree to sign service agreements. In general, the more a customer spends with us, the quicker they become eligible for a price break on a new device. For example, iPhone customers who spend more than $99 a month per line with us generally are eligible for an upgrade between 12 and 18 months into their contract.
We also currently offer early upgrade pricing only for iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3G.
All of that said, we?ve been listening to our customers. And since many of our iPhone 3G customers are early adopters and literally weeks shy of being upgrade eligible due to iPhone 3G S launching 11 months after iPhone 3G, we?re extending the window of upgrade eligibility for a limited time.
We?re now pleased to offer our iPhone 3G customers who are upgrade eligible in July, August or September 2009 our best upgrade pricing, beginning Thursday, June 18.
Same here, when I log in to Wireless.ATT.com and click upgrade I get a message saying it will be before March 2010 before I am allowed to upgrade...
I'm not pleased with that at all, so what exactly is AT&T doing for us 'early iPhone 3G adopters'?
I might just pay $399 for the phone and then I'll have the freedom of leaving when a new iPhone comes out on a different network (When is Verizon's 4G GSM network going up??)
Basically if read it says people that would have been able to upgrade over the next (not including June) 3 months, they will be able to upgrade early, it's not "Anyone with a 3g phone". I'm sure they had a business based reason for that 3 month window, not to be "nice", it's not like AT&T is out to do anyone any favors but themselves. People seem to think this is an all or nothing upgrade offer.
I am one of the lucky ones that is eligible to upgrade after 12 months. I bought mine in Aug 2008 and was eligible to upgrade in Aug 2009. Just for informational purposes, my plan is about $120 a month and I have my bill auto debited. I have 900 minutes a month, with the $20 unlimited text plan.
I was very surprised I qualified after only 12 months, but I can confirm that some people do qualify for this.
Yes the iPhone is the anti-Blackberry of the smartphone market. So it's kind of useless to compare apples and oranges.
Just wished Apple made a more serious iPhone version for corporate types w/Exchange, keypad etc. right off the bat, they had RIM by the nuts for quite some time there. Now it's tough times, smart phones are supplemented by business as a expense. So a lot of people will use that instead of buying their own iPhone and trying to work with that.
We will see if the deals/iPhone 3Gs will bounce Apple back up in market share or not.
IMMO, not a lot people have huge amounts of money to spend being upside down on their mortgages and all.
And this matters how, either to an iPhone customer or an Apple shareholder?
Why can't those people just wait a few more weeks then? Honestly, isn't this standard practice for subsidized phones? Didn't these people know they weren't going to be able to upgrade at the fully subsidized price? I was surprised that I could upgrade to the new iPhone from my original iPhone before my two year contract was up in September... so I did.
I guess ignorance is bliss until comes back and slaps you in the face!?
I'm not sure about that $99 a month minimum. I've never spent over $99 a month, and I'm still considered a valued customer eligible for earliest upgrade. I've been an AT&T customer since...the ROKR with iTunes came out...2005, so maybe being an older customer helps...or maybe they're just flexible?
I still don't understand all the whining. When you bought the iPhone 3G before, you agreed to a two year contract and in return, at&t gave you a discount or a subsidy on the price of that 3G phone. There is no qualification for "loyal customers" or "early adopters" that says "you guys are special so we will just count that subsidy as a loss and help you buy another one when the next version comes out in only a year."
Some people seem to have a sense of entitlement that I find rather sad.
I really don't understand why coddling of these people who don't want to honor their contract...
I won't upgrade, and when my contract expires, if not sooner, I will leave the iPhone until such time as I have a choice other than ATT. This is entirely ATT's fault. This pricing debacle is just the icing on the cake for me.
While traveling between Burbank, CA and Pasadena, on the 134/210 freeways last Sunday, I received a call that a friend had taken seriously ill.
that call, between my iPhone and a land lione, was dropped 14 times in 6 miles.
f--k you, AT&T.
News that important, and you couldn't pull over for a few minutes to finish the call?
Dude this is great great news . How could you find fault with what has just happened. Many here bitched long and loud about AT&T's policy concerning updates on there phones . AND AT&T does a 360 and does almost all of what we wanted, Including MMS AND TETHERING.
Apple rocks . AND at least for today so does AT&T.
I feel that apple put the screws to AT^T on all this .
AND I feel AT&T may be exclusive for a while longer.
A long while longer. <<is that bad english ?>>
Again mac tripp dude I enjoy your posts and laff at your glossy screen phobia's. But today me aNd you should at least clap our hands for APPLE/AT&T because they just crushed the rest of the smartphone market.
When consumers fight back, they win. I'm happy that early adopters will be able to take advantage of pricing I've had before this was announced (July 28th will make a year for my iPhone contract), as I wrote about on Saturday and covered by GigaOM. I should also add that my monthly bill was UNDER $99/month until two months ago.
That's a step in the right direction. Since I don't use my iPhone data network all that much, I would like a reduced rate. Give me that and you can be my new best friend.
"AT&T says it hears its customers loud and clear, and concedes it made a mistake"...
AT&T responds to iPhone data reduced rates: eeyyy? speak up, sonny! Eeyy?!
So I guess "early adopter" is a variant on "loyal customer"?
People are rattling on as if having purchased an iPhone 3G soon after its release is something laudable and they deserve a cookie.
How does that conceivably make any sense? Do people imagine that they did AT&T a favor by sticking their neck out and buying a phone? And then they were betrayed even though they were AN EARLY ADOPTER AND LOYAL CUSTOMER!
I think it's fine that AT&T is hastening the re-up window by a few months, but I still think the way people are talking about this is crazy. Worse, it's infected the general tech press, who are reacting to the online chatter as if it were proof that AT&T had gone crazy and was busily executing puppies.
I want a thorough investigation. People who have had another smart phone with another carrier- say a BlackBerry on Verizon-- for less than two years, go on over to the Verizon store and demand new customer pricing. If it's not forthcoming, you MUST GO CRAZY AND BITCH AND MOAN ENDLESSLY ON TEH INTERNETS.
Right? Or is it only AT&T and the iPhone that require pandering?
Comments
When is Verizon's 4G GSM network going up??
Supposedly in 2011.
Importantly, we want our customers to better understand our wireless device upgrade program. Like most U.S. carriers, we offer a variety of phones that we sell below our actual cost when customers agree to sign service agreements. In general, the more a customer spends with us, the quicker they become eligible for a price break on a new device. For example, iPhone customers who spend more than $99 a month per line with us generally are eligible for an upgrade between 12 and 18 months into their contract.
We also currently offer early upgrade pricing only for iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3G.
All of that said, we?ve been listening to our customers. And since many of our iPhone 3G customers are early adopters and literally weeks shy of being upgrade eligible due to iPhone 3G S launching 11 months after iPhone 3G, we?re extending the window of upgrade eligibility for a limited time.
We?re now pleased to offer our iPhone 3G customers who are upgrade eligible in July, August or September 2009 our best upgrade pricing, beginning Thursday, June 18.
Patience. Let the system catch up.
If you were eligible to upgrade at the higher prices for the times AT&T listed, then you can now take advantage of the lowest prices.
If you aren't eligible at all, then you still aren't.
That seems right to me.
If you purchased the iPhone 3G in July, August or September of last year AND...
You spend over $99.99 a month on the data and voice plan combined...
Then you will be eligible to upgrade early on Friday.
Remember, taxes, gps, fees, overages, etc... do not count toward that total dollar amount.
Any questions?
Yours!
I so wanted to say that...
Same here, when I log in to Wireless.ATT.com and click upgrade I get a message saying it will be before March 2010 before I am allowed to upgrade...
I'm not pleased with that at all, so what exactly is AT&T doing for us 'early iPhone 3G adopters'?
I might just pay $399 for the phone and then I'll have the freedom of leaving when a new iPhone comes out on a different network (When is Verizon's 4G GSM network going up??)
Basically if read it says people that would have been able to upgrade over the next (not including June) 3 months, they will be able to upgrade early, it's not "Anyone with a 3g phone". I'm sure they had a business based reason for that 3 month window, not to be "nice", it's not like AT&T is out to do anyone any favors but themselves. People seem to think this is an all or nothing upgrade offer.
No, you would have to travel back in time and purchase it (3G) June of last year.
Yeah, just use your Mac OS X's Time Machine!
Ok, since some people don't understand the upgrade eligibility...
If you purchased the iPhone 3G in July, August or September of last year AND...
You spend over $99.99 a month on the data and voice plan combined...
Then you will be eligible to upgrade early on Friday.
Remember, taxes, gps, fees, overages, etc... do not count toward that total dollar amount.
Any questions?
yea, could you put that in binary?
I was very surprised I qualified after only 12 months, but I can confirm that some people do qualify for this.
Yes the iPhone is the anti-Blackberry of the smartphone market. So it's kind of useless to compare apples and oranges.
Just wished Apple made a more serious iPhone version for corporate types w/Exchange, keypad etc. right off the bat, they had RIM by the nuts for quite some time there. Now it's tough times, smart phones are supplemented by business as a expense. So a lot of people will use that instead of buying their own iPhone and trying to work with that.
We will see if the deals/iPhone 3Gs will bounce Apple back up in market share or not.
IMMO, not a lot people have huge amounts of money to spend being upside down on their mortgages and all.
And this matters how, either to an iPhone customer or an Apple shareholder?
I guess ignorance is bliss until comes back and slaps you in the face!?
Some people seem to have a sense of entitlement that I find rather sad.
I really don't understand why coddling of these people who don't want to honor their contract...
Never thought I'd say this:
I won't upgrade, and when my contract expires, if not sooner, I will leave the iPhone until such time as I have a choice other than ATT. This is entirely ATT's fault. This pricing debacle is just the icing on the cake for me.
While traveling between Burbank, CA and Pasadena, on the 134/210 freeways last Sunday, I received a call that a friend had taken seriously ill.
that call, between my iPhone and a land lione, was dropped 14 times in 6 miles.
f--k you, AT&T.
News that important, and you couldn't pull over for a few minutes to finish the call?
Wow. That's truly sad.
Love Apple, but it seems like they are heavily losing iPhone market share to RIM, thus the deep discounts.
Of course it could very well be the huge amount of people waiting for the new iPhone 3Gs...
So much for that article right? Hehehehe
We will see of course if this course of action by Apple/ATT works.
Opening up the iPhone to other network carriers has helped RIM considerably, Apple should do the same.
See this article:
http://www.crn.com/retail/218000045;...PCKH0CJUNN2JVN
Dude this is great great news . How could you find fault with what has just happened. Many here bitched long and loud about AT&T's policy concerning updates on there phones . AND AT&T does a 360 and does almost all of what we wanted, Including MMS AND TETHERING.
Apple rocks . AND at least for today so does AT&T.
I feel that apple put the screws to AT^T on all this .
AND I feel AT&T may be exclusive for a while longer.
A long while longer. <<is that bad english ?>>
Again mac tripp dude I enjoy your posts and laff at your glossy screen phobia's. But today me aNd you should at least clap our hands for APPLE/AT&T because they just crushed the rest of the smartphone market.
peace dude
9
That's a step in the right direction. Since I don't use my iPhone data network all that much, I would like a reduced rate. Give me that and you can be my new best friend.
"AT&T says it hears its customers loud and clear, and concedes it made a mistake"...
AT&T responds to iPhone data reduced rates: eeyyy? speak up, sonny! Eeyy?!
People are rattling on as if having purchased an iPhone 3G soon after its release is something laudable and they deserve a cookie.
How does that conceivably make any sense? Do people imagine that they did AT&T a favor by sticking their neck out and buying a phone? And then they were betrayed even though they were AN EARLY ADOPTER AND LOYAL CUSTOMER!
I think it's fine that AT&T is hastening the re-up window by a few months, but I still think the way people are talking about this is crazy. Worse, it's infected the general tech press, who are reacting to the online chatter as if it were proof that AT&T had gone crazy and was busily executing puppies.
I want a thorough investigation. People who have had another smart phone with another carrier- say a BlackBerry on Verizon-- for less than two years, go on over to the Verizon store and demand new customer pricing. If it's not forthcoming, you MUST GO CRAZY AND BITCH AND MOAN ENDLESSLY ON TEH INTERNETS.
Right? Or is it only AT&T and the iPhone that require pandering?