Comments on: What will the iPhone 3G cost current AT&T customers? http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/ Using mobile devices since they weighed 30 lbs. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:42:33 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: steve http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7521 steve Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:35:49 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7521 <p>I'm in the same boat as several people here. My current Blackjack broke a couple weeks ago, and I didn't have insurance, so I'm out a phone. I go to AT&T and they say I have to wait two months for a phone upgrade in order for me to get the Iphone that the $199 price.</p> <p>They basically told me that I'm screwed and won't work with me on this. I either have to buy a new cheapo nokia phone from them as a temporary phone, or be without for the next two months.</p> <p>Maybe I'll be looking at T-mobile now, thanks assholes!</p> I’m in the same boat as several people here. My current Blackjack broke a couple weeks ago, and I didn’t have insurance, so I’m out a phone. I go to AT&T and they say I have to wait two months for a phone upgrade in order for me to get the Iphone that the $199 price.

They basically told me that I’m screwed and won’t work with me on this. I either have to buy a new cheapo nokia phone from them as a temporary phone, or be without for the next two months.

Maybe I’ll be looking at T-mobile now, thanks assholes!

]]> By: gina http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7523 gina Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:31:50 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7523 <p>I called AT &T today. they told me I'm not available for an upgrade until next year. I currently have the black jack and have been waiting for the new i-phone. Since I'm not available for an upgrade I have to pay full price for a 3g i-phone. This is such a joke and rip off. looks like I'll be changing carriers.<br /> I'd rather use an i-phone wanna be and break my contract than pay the people that enjoy ripping off thier exighsting customers!! AT&T are just scumbags and so is apple ...birds of a feather flock together.</p> I called AT &T today. they told me I’m not available for an upgrade until next year. I currently have the black jack and have been waiting for the new i-phone. Since I’m not available for an upgrade I have to pay full price for a 3g i-phone. This is such a joke and rip off. looks like I’ll be changing carriers.
I’d rather use an i-phone wanna be and break my contract than pay the people that enjoy ripping off thier exighsting customers!! AT&T are just scumbags and so is apple …birds of a feather flock together.

]]> By: Hutch http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7526 Hutch Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:32:34 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7526 <p>I was told by AT&T that I would qualify for the reduced price even though I am not eligible for an upgrade til October. I contacted Customer Relations after complaining to a customer service rep. I have been with AT&T since 1998 when it was Cingular and Cellular One. I was told an exception would be made in my case because I had an excellent payment history and my loyalty would be rewarded. I was also told that to qualify for the lower price I had to purchase the phone at an AT&T store, not an Apple store. A note was made on my account and the manager of the nearest AT&T store was made aware. I called on July 11 and I was told that AT&T would NOT honor their promise and that NO EXCEPTION would be made to their updated iphone policy. I called the AT&T store manager and he echoed what I was told. </p> <p>What a crock! I am so pissed. This is the way loyalty is rewarded? I only have 3 months left and they went back against their word. What a bunch of lowlife crooks. I told the manager that I would just get a jailbroken iphone and switch carriers. He replied "Good luck finding any". Scumbags!</p> I was told by AT&T that I would qualify for the reduced price even though I am not eligible for an upgrade til October. I contacted Customer Relations after complaining to a customer service rep. I have been with AT&T since 1998 when it was Cingular and Cellular One. I was told an exception would be made in my case because I had an excellent payment history and my loyalty would be rewarded. I was also told that to qualify for the lower price I had to purchase the phone at an AT&T store, not an Apple store. A note was made on my account and the manager of the nearest AT&T store was made aware. I called on July 11 and I was told that AT&T would NOT honor their promise and that NO EXCEPTION would be made to their updated iphone policy. I called the AT&T store manager and he echoed what I was told.

What a crock! I am so pissed. This is the way loyalty is rewarded? I only have 3 months left and they went back against their word. What a bunch of lowlife crooks. I told the manager that I would just get a jailbroken iphone and switch carriers. He replied “Good luck finding any”. Scumbags!

]]> By: kevin white http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7527 kevin white Wed, 18 Jun 2008 07:52:11 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7527 <p>I really wish someone would just make a definitive explanation of this, perhaps... AT&T? </p> <p>It sounds like: </p> <p>- If you have an iPhone already, you get the subsidized price. If you bought one since May, you get it without a contract extension. Otherwise, you extend your contract. (activating an iPhone extended your contract anyway, didn't it?)</p> <p>- If you don't have an iPhone already, you may have to pay full price for one if you aren't in the upgrade period. </p> <p>If they actually charge existing iPhone owners full price, that's gonna cause a big stink, bigger than the price drop from last year. </p> I really wish someone would just make a definitive explanation of this, perhaps… AT&T?

It sounds like:

- If you have an iPhone already, you get the subsidized price. If you bought one since May, you get it without a contract extension. Otherwise, you extend your contract. (activating an iPhone extended your contract anyway, didn’t it?)

- If you don’t have an iPhone already, you may have to pay full price for one if you aren’t in the upgrade period.

If they actually charge existing iPhone owners full price, that’s gonna cause a big stink, bigger than the price drop from last year.

]]> By: mw65719 http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7532 mw65719 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:54:56 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7532 <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <p>Regarding Jake's comment about 2-year contracts:<br /> Be happy that 1 year is the market standard in the US for the contract tenure.<br /> In many other countries 2 years is the standard - at least if you receive a subsidized phone. However, many mobile phone providers will give you a new subsidized phone (usually not as deeply subsidized) after 12 months if you sign up for an extension (again 2 years from the day you accepted the offer for the new phone). So theoretically you can get 1 phone within 2 years, 2 phones within 3 years, 3 phones within 4 years, and so on.</p> </div>

Regarding Jake’s comment about 2-year contracts:
Be happy that 1 year is the market standard in the US for the contract tenure.
In many other countries 2 years is the standard – at least if you receive a subsidized phone. However, many mobile phone providers will give you a new subsidized phone (usually not as deeply subsidized) after 12 months if you sign up for an extension (again 2 years from the day you accepted the offer for the new phone). So theoretically you can get 1 phone within 2 years, 2 phones within 3 years, 3 phones within 4 years, and so on.

]]> By: tnkgrl http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7535 tnkgrl Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:15:50 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7535 <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <p>I promised somewhat of an iPhone 3G rant: <a href="http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/why-im-disappointed-with-the-iphone-3g/" rel="nofollow">http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/why-im-disappointed-with-the-iphone-3g/</a></p> </div>

I promised somewhat of an iPhone 3G rant: http://tnkgrl.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/why-im-disappointed-with-the-iphone-3g/

]]> By: Rick Huizinga http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7538 Rick Huizinga Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:37:18 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7538 <p>I used the AT&T upgrade status website for the two iPhones on my account, and here is what I found:<br /> iPhone #1: Available for a subsidized upgrade<br /> iPhone #2: Not available for a subsidized upgrade until 8/17/08</p> <p>The reason for the difference is that a new line of service was setup when iPhone #1 was purchased. Because there was no subsidized phone purchase associated with the setup of this line of service, it has always been eligible for a subsidized upgrade.</p> <p>The line of service associated with iPhone #2, on the other hand was started before the purchase of the iPhone and the original phone for this line was a subsidized purchase. As a result, this line of service is not available for a subsidized upgrade until 2 years after the line of service was initially started.</p> I used the AT&T upgrade status website for the two iPhones on my account, and here is what I found:
iPhone #1: Available for a subsidized upgrade
iPhone #2: Not available for a subsidized upgrade until 8/17/08

The reason for the difference is that a new line of service was setup when iPhone #1 was purchased. Because there was no subsidized phone purchase associated with the setup of this line of service, it has always been eligible for a subsidized upgrade.

The line of service associated with iPhone #2, on the other hand was started before the purchase of the iPhone and the original phone for this line was a subsidized purchase. As a result, this line of service is not available for a subsidized upgrade until 2 years after the line of service was initially started.

]]> By: ignar http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7541 ignar Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:20:12 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7541 <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <p>Will I be able to buy a 3G phone at full price and use it with my 2G iPhone SIM? This is the only scenario I will want to get a 3G iPhone.</p> </div>

Will I be able to buy a 3G phone at full price and use it with my 2G iPhone SIM? This is the only scenario I will want to get a 3G iPhone.

]]> By: Kevin C. Tofel http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7544 Kevin C. Tofel Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:00:35 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7544 <p>There's quite a bit of information floating around out there on iPhone pricing, so let me tackle one bit of it. Current iPhone customers should be able to purchase a new iPhone 3G for the same $199 or $299 price, just like any other qualified upgraders. There's a few reasons that I believe this: one, the iPhone that these folks purchased in the past was NOT subsidized, so AT&T doesn't need to make back any subsidy on them... there's none to make up. Two: AT&T is strongly motivated to get people to upgrade to the iPhone 3G from the old model. Why? The old voice and data plan revs are split with Apple, the new voice and data plan revs are retained by AT&T. Add in the fact that these plans are higher and there's even more incentive.</p> <p>Current iPhone owners should be able to upgrade to the new handset with the subsidized price although their contract will be extended two more years.</p> There’s quite a bit of information floating around out there on iPhone pricing, so let me tackle one bit of it. Current iPhone customers should be able to purchase a new iPhone 3G for the same $199 or $299 price, just like any other qualified upgraders. There’s a few reasons that I believe this: one, the iPhone that these folks purchased in the past was NOT subsidized, so AT&T doesn’t need to make back any subsidy on them… there’s none to make up. Two: AT&T is strongly motivated to get people to upgrade to the iPhone 3G from the old model. Why? The old voice and data plan revs are split with Apple, the new voice and data plan revs are retained by AT&T. Add in the fact that these plans are higher and there’s even more incentive.

Current iPhone owners should be able to upgrade to the new handset with the subsidized price although their contract will be extended two more years.

]]> By: Jake http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7547 Jake Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:41:03 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7547 <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Wow, harsh words from Michael!!!</p> <p>If what James says is true (there are a few conflicting posts here) then it doesn't seem that strange to me. After all, surely this is the risk that original iPhone users took when they signed up for a two year contract. That's a really long time to be locked to one company/phone. </p> <p>The fact that you have to pay anything up-front for a mobile phone seems pretty ridiculous to me though. Especially after paying so much for the original iPhone. Upgraders must have more money than sense.</p></div>

Wow, harsh words from Michael!!!

If what James says is true (there are a few conflicting posts here) then it doesn’t seem that strange to me. After all, surely this is the risk that original iPhone users took when they signed up for a two year contract. That’s a really long time to be locked to one company/phone.

The fact that you have to pay anything up-front for a mobile phone seems pretty ridiculous to me though. Especially after paying so much for the original iPhone. Upgraders must have more money than sense.

]]> By: Michael Anderson http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7549 Michael Anderson Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:28:17 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7549 <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>"That is false advertising at every level"</p> <p>Then *every* cell phone EVER advertised is false advertising. How often do you see 'free phone' ads, or $99 Blackberry's ... or even the $99 Palm Centro. *ALL* are subsidized ... </p> <p>That statement alone either ruins your credibility to comment on these things or makes you the equivalent of a whiny teen.</p></div>

“That is false advertising at every level”

Then *every* cell phone EVER advertised is false advertising. How often do you see ‘free phone’ ads, or $99 Blackberry’s … or even the $99 Palm Centro. *ALL* are subsidized …

That statement alone either ruins your credibility to comment on these things or makes you the equivalent of a whiny teen.

]]> By: Robt http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7552 Robt Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:11:25 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7552 <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>I ordered the first iPhone through the Applestore on the day of the release. It's changed my cel phone experience for ever.</p> <p>Subsidy or not, I will order the next version on our about July 11th. I'd pay $ 500 or even $ 700 for it, no hesitation.</p></div>

I ordered the first iPhone through the Applestore on the day of the release. It’s changed my cel phone experience for ever.

Subsidy or not, I will order the next version on our about July 11th. I’d pay $ 500 or even $ 700 for it, no hesitation.

]]> By: Penny L http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7554 Penny L Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:38:20 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7554 <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <p>Absolutely agree with Pam. No Sling, no deal for this girl either.</p> </div>

Absolutely agree with Pam. No Sling, no deal for this girl either.

]]> By: JB http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7556 JB Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:35:58 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7556 <p>I agree 100% ChrisR. To me it makes business sense to allow current AT&T customers to purchase the Iphone at the 199\299 price.</p> <p>AT&T then profits from folks adding data plans and locking in for 2 years from 7/11. It's a win for Apple as far as market share. I think if Apple wants to recoup from not selling Iphones for 6 weeks they need to make that price point available for everyone regardless of their contract status with AT&T. My 2 cents.<br /> </p> I agree 100% ChrisR. To me it makes business sense to allow current AT&T customers to purchase the Iphone at the 199\299 price.

AT&T then profits from folks adding data plans and locking in for 2 years from 7/11. It’s a win for Apple as far as market share. I think if Apple wants to recoup from not selling Iphones for 6 weeks they need to make that price point available for everyone regardless of their contract status with AT&T. My 2 cents.

]]> By: Pam T http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7558 Pam T Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:24:56 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7558 <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <p>Sorry, not buying it until it can Sling. A girl's gotta have her priorities.</p> </div>

Sorry, not buying it until it can Sling. A girl’s gotta have her priorities.

]]> By: ChrisR http://jkontherun.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i/#comment-7560 ChrisR Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:53:58 +0000 http://jkontherun.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/what-will-the-i#comment-7560 <p>I'll find it very hard to believe if everyone doesn't receive the subsidized $199/299 price on July 11th, even existing AT&T customers with non-iPhone contracts.</p> <p>It doesn't make business sense to throw a roadblock in front of people that are excited about the new iPhone and are willing to pay a higher price for the new data plan. No other phone is going to generate this amount of interest at AT&T - does any one line up at the AT&T store for the new Win Mobile or BB phone - no.</p> <p>Regardless, my upgrade date on my BB 8800 is 8/24/08 - if I have to wait til then to get an iPhone, I guess I'll wait.</p> I’ll find it very hard to believe if everyone doesn’t receive the subsidized $199/299 price on July 11th, even existing AT&T customers with non-iPhone contracts.

It doesn’t make business sense to throw a roadblock in front of people that are excited about the new iPhone and are willing to pay a higher price for the new data plan. No other phone is going to generate this amount of interest at AT&T – does any one line up at the AT&T store for the new Win Mobile or BB phone – no.

Regardless, my upgrade date on my BB 8800 is 8/24/08 – if I have to wait til then to get an iPhone, I guess I’ll wait.

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