Family Plan Upgrade options.. One of you get Screwed!

[tpeter]

Me and my wife both got the iPhone 4 last year together on the release date. We normally had separate plans but decided to do a family plan to save a few bucks.

Anyway, when we check our upgrade options it tells me that she can upgrade for the 199 and I will have to pay the 199 plus the 250 or wail till Feb 25 2012.

I called ATT and asked WTF as to why she can get and I cant even though we both bought on the same date. They told me its the way the bill is paid. She pays the brunt of the bill and i pay the lesser half the way the computer has it setup. So basically one of us gets screwed because of a technicallity which is BS.
ATT told me that I could still use her upgrade if i wanted but then she would have to wait. I would just go in the store and buy a phone then go home and activate it with my number.

Now here is the question.

If i Pre order on Apples website on OCT 7th its going to ask me the phone number im upgrading which would be me. Now i am the one that needs to pay a total of 450 to upgrade. Now when you go into a ATT store and buy they don't activate it there. You just buy go home plug into iTunes then select the number you are upgrading.

Doing on Apple.com I would probably have to say im upgrading my wifes phone for the 199. If i do this will the ordered phone come setup with her number? Or could i still put into iTunes and activate it with my number?

Basically my wife gets the upgrade and I don't. She could care less about the new one and I want one.

Do you understand the question im asking?

Can i preorder or will i have to buy in the store.

 

[imutter]

The AT&T person may not have told you incorrectly
You took the family plan last year ...question is:
Did you both cancel old contracts and started new?
or did one add the other?

I buy my phone at Apple take t to AT&T and have them switch all lines and nmbers (I like new sims with every new phone-call me picky. I never had an issue ever not getting a new sim or switching devices.

 

[tpeter]

When we both got the new iPhone we started the 2yr contracts again. We both got the iPhone at 199 on release day.

But she is eligigle and I am not.

 

[hplbiking]

Not sure about the number issue, but it appears you can use her upgrade on your number. Your the same bill so I don't think AT&T cares which one. But that does sound correct. Our bill is in my wife's name as she gets a discount through work. She is always about 6 months ahead of me for upgrades.

 

[tpeter]

Not sure about the number issue, but it appears you can use her upgrade on your number. Your the same bill so I don't think AT&T cares which one. But that does sound correct. Our bill is in my wife's name as she gets a discount through work. She is always about 6 months ahead of me for upgrades.

Now when i preorder on Apple.com wont Apple ask for the phone number and account I am setting up? If they do i will have to use hers?

I may just end up selling both or our iPhone 4 on ebay and make 600. Then ill need 650 to get us both new ones including the high upgrade cost for me.

 

[imutter]

Now when i preorder on Apple.com wont Apple ask for the phone number and account I am setting up? If they do i will have to use hers?

I may just end up selling both or our iPhone 4 on ebay and make 600. Then ill need 650 to get us both new ones including the high upgrade cost for me.

that was most people do
but yes the line which is upgradeable is the number you put in
I upgrade hubbies line but switch phone to me and he get's my old.

 

[trido]

that was most people do
but yes the line which is upgradeable is the number you put in
I upgrade hubbies line but switch phone to me and he get's my old.

when you say switch phone to me can you do that at home with iTunes(if you bought from Apple .com)?
Or must we take the iPhone 4s to a ATT store to switch?
What I want to do is order online using my wifes upgrade number however i want the new iPhone 4s on MY line.So my question when Apple delvs new iPhone 4s can i at home put it on my phone number? Or must an ATT store do that

thanks

 

[tpeter]

when you say switch phone to me can you do that at home with iTunes(if you bought from Apple .com)?
Or must we take the iPhone 4s to a ATT store to switch?
What I want to do is order online using my wifes upgrade number however i want the new iPhone 4s on MY line.So my question when Apple delvs new iPhone 4s can i at home put it on my phone number? Or must an ATT store do that

thanks

Thats what im trying to do. You don't have to bring to ATT. I know when you buy a phone at ATT they don't setup. You open the box at home and setup through iTunes.
Now when you order from Apple.com they make you put your phone number in to see how much you pay.

 

[imutter]

you switch the sim card at home ( I am just picky and like a new sim card every new phone)
also new iPhones are on iOS5 and there is no more connection to iTunes needed (not even to hook it up)

 

[trido]

Thats what im trying to do. You don't have to bring to ATT. I know when you buy a phone at ATT they don't setup. You open the box at home and setup through iTunes.
Now when you order from Apple.com they make you put your phone number in to see how much you pay.

So your thinking since I ordered it from APPLE with HER number then Apple gets their upgrade fee?
So that means what the phone just ships with a blank SIM?
Then I can activate it at home and it will ask on what line?
I never bought from Apple.com so that why all the questions I have no idea what you do after phone arrives?

Trido

 

[imutter]

Thats what im trying to do. You don't have to bring to ATT. I know when you buy a phone at ATT they don't setup. You open the box at home and setup through iTunes.
Now when you order from Apple.com they make you put your phone number in to see how much you pay.

You will need an iTunes account to purchase but the phone is set up without any PC or iTunes hook up
Also you will need a cloud ID

 

[trido]

imutter ,one other thing I havea FAN account with ATT any issues activating Apple.com phone at home and they pull fan number off account?
Seems like way back people went to Apple staores with a FAN att account and were told they had to have ATT pull FAN off then buy phone then put FAN back on ?
Has that I hope all changed with Apple?

thanks for your help

Trido

 

[jcmitchell5]

Here is what you do... Since the iPhone will come to your door step you will upgrade with her phone number. When the iPhone comes to your house, you pop your sim card into the new phone and it should activate with your sim card/ your line. This will allow you to use her upgrade price and you will be able to use the phone as your own. Even if it makes you use her sim card, all you would have to do then is switch the sim cards to where yours is in the new phone after everything is said and done.

 

[imutter]

imutter ,one other thing I havea FAN account with ATT any issues activating Apple.com phone at home and they pull fan number off account?
Seems like way back people went to Apple staores with a FAN att account and were told they had to have ATT pull FAN off then buy phone then put FAN back on ?
Has that I hope all changed with Apple?

thanks for your help

Trido

So do I and I never had to pull it and we had AT&T forever and iPhones since day 1
your AT&T contract stays except they add 2 years to the line you buy the phone on
once the phone get's home you switch the sims (they have your line info and phone #) to the phones you like
then you connect your phone to the power source (no PC needed) and set it up with your iTunes account ID and add icloud ID done ! Sell your old phone get some $ for it and upgrade with that $ the other line if you want!

 

[imutter]

Here is what you do... Since the iPhone will come to your door step you will upgrade with her phone number. When the iPhone comes to your house, you pop your sim card into the new phone and it should activate with your sim card/ your line. This will allow you to use her upgrade price and you will be able to use the phone as your own. Even if it makes you use her sim card, all you would have to do then is switch the sim cards to where yours is in the new phone after everything is said and done.

He needs to buy the phone on her # to get the free upgrade

 

[trido]

Here is what you do... Since the iPhone will come to your door step you will upgrade with her phone number. When the iPhone comes to your house, you pop your sim card into the new phone and it should activate with your sim card/ your line. This will allow you to use her upgrade price and you will be able to use the phone as your own. Even if it makes you use her sim card, all you would have to do then is switch the sim cards to where yours is in the new phone after everything is said and done.

I don't havea iPhone at this time now I have access to a BLANK micro sim if that works but again I don't havea iPhone right now only she does.

 

[tpeter]

Here is what you do... Since the iPhone will come to your door step you will upgrade with her phone number. When the iPhone comes to your house, you pop your sim card into the new phone and it should activate with your sim card/ your line. This will allow you to use her upgrade price and you will be able to use the phone as your own. Even if it makes you use her sim card, all you would have to do then is switch the sim cards to where yours is in the new phone after everything is said and done.

That sounds like a plan.

I just want to make sure come preorder time in the early AM hours im not screwing up ordering with the wrong LOGIN..
So i will use my wifes to order then switch SIMS.

 

[trido]

He needs to buy the phone on her # to get the free upgrade

right well not free upgrade but cheaper than mine.
So I know this order it using HER number.Let me ask it this way
1. does new phone come from Apple with a blank micro sim?

2. if yes then i can use my iTunes a ccount and activate new pnone on MY number not her number correct?
all at home not going to att to have them do the switch?

trido

 

[katelynneemma]

Att has always set my phone up for me. iPhone 4 we walked in and upgraded the boyfriends line to the iPhone 4. Then said ok now I want to trade phones, switch mine to him and I get the new iPhone 4. They did it no problem. So I would say if Your going to order it from Apple just order under her # then take both phones to ATT and have them switch everything over for you. They have always don't it for free for me. When my iPhone 4 was stolen they even gave me a new sim card free for my old junker phone to hold me over till the 4s.

 

[trido]

So do I and I never had to pull it and we had AT&T forever and iPhones since day 1
your AT&T contract stays except they add 2 years to the line you buy the phone on
once the phone get's home you switch the sims (they have your line info and phone #) to the phones you like
then you connect your phone to the power source (no PC needed) and set it up with your iTunes account ID and add icloud ID done ! Sell your old phone get some $ for it and upgrade with that $ the other line if you want!

Again I don't have a iPhone now my self( only wife does) so I cant just switch sims with hers
I can get a blank micro sim