AT&T & Verizon join in on 'free' iPhone 7 deals offering up to $650 in credit [u]
Not content to let Sprint and T-Mobile steal their thunder, U.S. carriers AT&T and Verizon have launched their own promotions in which customers can potentially get a free iPhone 7 after trading in an older device. [Updated with second AT&T option]
The AT&T deal, ending Sept. 15, requires that people be porting a number to AT&T for the first time, and also be a DirecTV subscriber. There are also other limitations, among them that trading in an eligible iPhone will only net up to $650 in credit spread over the course of an AT&T Next plan.
While that amount is enough to cover a 32-gigabyte iPhone 7, people wanting a more expensive device -- such as a 7 Plus -- will have to pay the difference. The deal is unavailable in Connecticut, Rhode Island, or Florida's Miami-Dade county.
Verizon's offer spreads up to $650 credit across a 24-month period, during which people have to stay with the carrier to keep the savings. People must trade in an iPhone 6 or 6s in good condition to get full credit.
Preorders for the iPhone 7 began earlier on Friday. U.S. shipping times have already stretched out to 2 to 3 weeks in many cases.
Update: An AT&T spokesperson reached out to AppleInsider to note the existence of a second deal, similar to to the first but which doesn't require a DirecTV subscription or porting a phone number. Customers must simply trade in an iPhone 6 or 6s in "good working condition," and buy an iPhone 7 through AT&T Next. The older hardware must be owned outright.
The AT&T deal, ending Sept. 15, requires that people be porting a number to AT&T for the first time, and also be a DirecTV subscriber. There are also other limitations, among them that trading in an eligible iPhone will only net up to $650 in credit spread over the course of an AT&T Next plan.
While that amount is enough to cover a 32-gigabyte iPhone 7, people wanting a more expensive device -- such as a 7 Plus -- will have to pay the difference. The deal is unavailable in Connecticut, Rhode Island, or Florida's Miami-Dade county.
Verizon's offer spreads up to $650 credit across a 24-month period, during which people have to stay with the carrier to keep the savings. People must trade in an iPhone 6 or 6s in good condition to get full credit.
Preorders for the iPhone 7 began earlier on Friday. U.S. shipping times have already stretched out to 2 to 3 weeks in many cases.
Update: An AT&T spokesperson reached out to AppleInsider to note the existence of a second deal, similar to to the first but which doesn't require a DirecTV subscription or porting a phone number. Customers must simply trade in an iPhone 6 or 6s in "good working condition," and buy an iPhone 7 through AT&T Next. The older hardware must be owned outright.
Comments
Look under "cellular and wireless": http://www.apple.com/iphone-7/specs/
From what I saw, if you buy the phone outright or go through one of Apple's installment / lease plans, it will be unlocked. But if you want to pay through your carrier's installment plan like AT&T Next, it will be carrier locked (presumably until you've paid it off or turned it in to upgrade / switch to another phone).
There's another catch in that you have to provide your cell number to buy at AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon iPhone on Apple's online store. T-Mobile is the only carrier choice on Apple's site that doesn't authenticate you as a customer. So the T-Mobile phone (which is the same model number as for AT&T) is the only one you can buy as a kind of "SIM free" unlocked iPhone. Yes it will come with a T-Mobile SIM in it, but you can just remove it and put your own SIM in it. But note that the T-Mobile/AT&T model doesn't support CDMA. So it cannot "fall back" to CDMA if you used it on Sprint's or Verizon's network.
11. provided without, or not subject to, a charge or payment
If it were free I would be able to walk into the store, grab one off the shelf or have an employee hand me one, then walk out without paying anything or signing for some sort of commitment.
Given that you have to surrender a working (and salable) iPhone 6 or 6S in order to get the $650 credit it's not such a great deal. I prefer paying full-price and taking the $25/month credit. Which, by the way, does not end. So if you upgrade only every 3 years then the line savings are $900/phone.
In that case you're still saving $5 per month as you're paying $15 for line access, but that doesn't offset the appeal of trading in for a new phone quite as much.
This is not right, I'm giving them a perfectly functioning 6s to be able to buy an iPhone 7 through AT&T Next? Am I missing something?
So basically you're exchanging your perfectly working Iphone 6s with a brand new Iphone 7, provided that you stay with them for 24 (or 30) months.
Please let me know if I am incorrect.......
After an hour they just said that no, I could not anymore.
So, do I stick with AT&T and keep paying a more for my service (2 grandfathered unlimited plans) or do I go to T-Mobile where I can trade in my 6 and get a 7 for free AND pay less every month for unlimited? Duuuh.
I've been with AT&T since the bought Cingular and had the first iPhone. That doesn't mean anything to them though I guess.
"*FREE IPHONE 7 32GB OFFER: Limited time (ends September 30, 2016, in Puerto Rico). Select stores and online. Not an AT&T Next upgrade offer. "
Thus, the questions...this does NOT appear to apply towards upgrades of existing lines, just new accounts and/or new lines of service.
Always have to read that small print with these tricky sales tactics.
Any hear otherwise from ATT?
A tip: if you have anyone you know who works for T and you've had a horrible customer service experience, there is a employee referral program that gets the frustrated friend a phone call within 24 hours from a higher-up/exec team that takes care of you. I highly recommend finding someone that works for T and telling them to get you a call. The exec team can often help make exceptions you'd otherwise not know about.
Re: switching, AT&T has consistently faster speeds bc TMUS limits video unless you have Premium plan and T Mobile coverage is good in metro areas but not so good vs T in others. I probably wouldn't switch to T Mobile. You're paying slightly more for better data overall. It's also a nightmare to switch carriers on a family plan with lines in different states. There should be a free or premium concierge service that handles everything bc this big switch is an archaic method.