$499 was a discount on the 3G?

[PSM]

I wrote to AT&T's customer service asking why I wasn't eligible for the subsidized price, since the last time I bought a subsidized phone was in Oct 2007.

Well they told me that when I bought my 3G for $499 and signed a new contract, that contract gave me the phone for a discounted price, thus resetting my eligibility from that date. Is this news to anyone else? I don't recall the option to buy the phone without a contract for more than $499, so what exactly was I getting a discount from? I thought that because I wasn't paying $299, I was not resetting my upgrade clock.

I feel like we've been screwed here. Is this standard in the industry that there are two levels of subsidy, both of which reset the date at which you can get a discounted phone? I'm away from home and can't look at what the contract said.

I'm curious to hear what other people think, and if anybody is in a position to do a little investigation into whether this is right.

 

[Tramain]

If you buy a new iphone AT&T adds 2 years to contract.

 

[PSM]

If you buy a new iphone AT&T adds 2 years to contract.

Yeah, I have no problem with that. But was anyone aware that buying a 3G last year at $499 counted as a "discounted" price, making you ineligible for a discount for another 2 years, just as if you had paid $299?

 

[shutter]

I wrote to AT&T's customer service asking why I wasn't eligible for the subsidized price, since the last time I bought a subsidized phone was in Oct 2007.

Well they told me that when I bought my 3G for $499 and signed a new contract, that contract gave me the phone for a discounted price, thus resetting my eligibility from that date. Is this news to anyone else? I don't recall the option to buy the phone without a contract for more than $499, so what exactly was I getting a discount from? I thought that because I wasn't paying $299, I was not resetting my upgrade clock.

I feel like we've been screwed here. Is this standard in the industry that there are two levels of subsidy, both of which reset the date at which you can get a discounted phone? I'm away from home and can't look at what the contract said.

I'm curious to hear what other people think, and if anybody is in a position to do a little investigation into whether this is right.

Until a few months ago you could not buy the iPhone from AT&T or Apple without a 2 year contract. Only in the last few months did they come out with commitment free pricing on the iPhone. And let's face it, whether you bought it online or in the store, you signed the contract, how could you not know you signed a contract. They tell you, "I need you to sign this, it is your contract it says..blah, blah blah etc..."

And the pricing for no contract is 599 and 699, so it was a 200 dollar discount.

 

[texags08]

In 2008 when you bought the 3g you were getting the early upgrade subsidy by paying 499...

 

[iphonemilk]

Guys guys guys , one thing I do know a new law was passed or is being passed that will give us more protection against this stuff and help to remove these long contracts.

Either way I'm willin to bet if the iPhone was on any other carrier even verizon the same crap would be happening

Thts why I laugh when people get mad at ATT and wish for verizon.

Thats like not like being burned but enjoying being drowned

Either way it's bad

 

[OmariJames]

I was aware of that from the get go and I made sure I could upgrade for the 299 price.

I knew that if you weren't eligible for an upgrade you would have to pay more and I don't think Apple or at&t made that clear enough. Now they made it a lot more clear.

 

[Allyson Kazmucha]

Yeah either way reset your eligibility. If you paid 499 you still got a 200$ discount.

As far as paying 499, I'm skipping the 3G S because I got 199/299 price last year, and if you pay 499, you'll keep paying 499 every year, lol

For what I use my phone for, the 3G is good enough until I'm eligible. I'm not all about wasting money right now.

I had a weak point last night where I considered selling my 3G and using the money towards the 3G S at 499 for a 32GB, but changed my mind.

 

[PSM]

If you paid 499 you still got a 200$ discount.

See, this is what I think was never made clear when the 3G came out. Since unlike now, there was no option to pay $699, and the fact that $499 was a discount was not emphasized, I think many people like me took it to mean that Apple had simply managed to make the full price of the phone $100 lower than the 2G.

It seems like some people knew that, so maybe I just missed that point.

 

[chobbs1]

Buyer beware! Sales people are not your buddies. you said it yourself you "took it to mean", kinda sounds like an assumption. never assume, always know.