Use requires minimum new 2 year activation plan.

[mav]

At the end of each of the three Apple iPhone commercials, it clearly states... "Use requires minimum new 2 year activation plan."

Keywords are new and activation.

For the past couple of days, I've been trying to figure out what this exactly means for us, current AT&T customers. Unfortunately I think I've found out how Apple and AT&T will deal with this and it's not looking good.

I've called several AT&T stores in the SoCal area. Nine out of ten of the AT&T stores, blatantly stated that they will only sell the iPhone to either new customers performing new activations or current customers who are towards the end of their contract or out of one, eligible for an upgrade and willing to renew for a new 2 year contract. Current AT&T customers under contract, who are not eligible for an upgrade will not be allowed to purchase the iPhone. The one other implied the same policy but said that you are more than welcome to stand in line, camp out, do whatever you need to do, but they cannot guarantee the iPhone for current customers already in a contract.

Next, I called several Apple stores in SoCal. All of them stated that the iPhone will require a minimum new 2 year activation contract with AT&T. They do not know how they will handle current AT&T customers but they cannot guarantee that current customers will be able to purchase one.

To make a long story short, I think current AT&T customers under contract and not eligible for an upgrade will probably be locked out of the iPhone market.

Disappointed.

 

[ebrunn]

At the end of each of the three Apple iPhone commercials, it clearly states... "Use requires minimum new 2 year activation plan."

Keywords are new and activation.

For the past couple of days, I've been trying to figure out what this exactly means for us, current AT&T customers. Unfortunately I think I've found out how Apple and AT&T will deal with this and it's not looking good.

I've called several AT&T stores in the SoCal area. Nine out of ten of the AT&T stores, blatantly stated that they will only sell the iPhone to either new customers performing new activations or current customers who are towards the end of their contract or out of one, eligible for an upgrade and willing to renew for a new 2 year contract. Current AT&T customers under contract, who are not eligible for an upgrade will not be allowed to purchase the iPhone. The one other implied the same policy but said that you are more than welcome to stand in line, camp out, do whatever you need to do, but they cannot guarantee the iPhone for current customers already in a contract.

Next, I called several Apple stores in SoCal. All of them stated that the iPhone will require a minimum new 2 year activation contract with AT&T. They do not know how they will handle current AT&T customers but they cannot guarantee that current customers will be able to purchase one.

To make a long story short, I think current AT&T customers under contract and not eligible for an upgrade will probably be locked out of the iPhone market.

Disappointed.

I think that most of their customer base is still Cingular, so this is a good way to get them into Att contracts. Thats the only reason why they are doing it. This will probably be the last time this will happen with the iPhone.

 

[lasquintanas]

Luckily i am up for an upgrade but i would be furious if i had the money to buy an iPhone and they wouldn't let me. Seems silly.

 

[tompayne]

agreed, i too am up for an upgrade, but that doesn't make any sense at all.....thats like saying we only want to make 1million dollars and not 5 million.

 

[debest74]

At the end of each of the three Apple iPhone commercials, it clearly states... "Use requires minimum new 2 year activation plan."

Keywords are new and activation.

For the past couple of days, I've been trying to figure out what this exactly means for us, current AT&T customers. Unfortunately I think I've found out how Apple and AT&T will deal with this and it's not looking good.

I've called several AT&T stores in the SoCal area. Nine out of ten of the AT&T stores, blatantly stated that they will only sell the iPhone to either new customers performing new activations or current customers who are towards the end of their contract or out of one, eligible for an upgrade and willing to renew for a new 2 year contract. Current AT&T customers under contract, who are not eligible for an upgrade will not be allowed to purchase the iPhone. The one other implied the same policy but said that you are more than welcome to stand in line, camp out, do whatever you need to do, but they cannot guarantee the iPhone for current customers already in a contract.

Next, I called several Apple stores in SoCal. All of them stated that the iPhone will require a minimum new 2 year activation contract with AT&T. They do not know how they will handle current AT&T customers but they cannot guarantee that current customers will be able to purchase one.

To make a long story short, I think current AT&T customers under contract and not eligible for an upgrade will probably be locked out of the iPhone market.

Disappointed.

HOW CAN THIS BE POSSIBLE...NOOO! there most be a way to get around this...

 

[ATTingular]

I think that most of their customer base is still Cingular, so this is a good way to get them into Att contracts.

New AT&T=Cingular with a new name, thereforee what you just said makes absolutely no sense.

Per the OP, retail staff still doesn't know all the details. They will in a week as training kicks in. The smart ones told you they couldn't guarantee anything, the idiots are the ones that said no under any circumstance.

 

[khunlyon]

New AT&T=Cingular with a new name, thereforee what you just said makes absolutely no sense.

Per the OP, retail staff still doesn't know all the details. They will in a week as training kicks in. The smart ones told you they couldn't guarantee anything, the idiots are the ones that said no under any circumstance.

actually, when ATT became Cingular a few years back, they actually forced people at one point or another to get a Cingular (not ATT) plan and phone. The plans were different. Perhaps they plan to do the same thing again with the iPhone and name change...

Either way, I'm glad i bought my 680 from palm and didn't use my upgrade so I can use it for the iPhone!

 

[ATTingular]

That was because Cingular bought AT&T Wireless, a completely separate company. The billing systems were not compatible, so you had to migrate. The phones wouldn't work because AT&T wireless phones were locked to AT&T Wireless and would have to be reprogrammed to accept Cingular to work. This is re-branding, merely a change of logos. You still have your nation plans, still have rollover, plus access to the excellent home services offered from AT&T landline.

 

[Bootlessjam]

This makes no sense! The people who are most likely to buy a iPhone are current Cingular customers!

Whay can't current customers who are still under contract just continue on the plan they are on but swap their handset to the iPhone! That's how it should have been done!

 

[iphonenut]

i know i've said this before but it doesn't make businesss sense for a company to REFUSE customers' cash.

there has to be a way around this.

 

[DrDent]

All it means is that current customers would have to restart their two year contract.

 

[mav]

All it means is that current customers would have to restart their two year contract.

This only applies to current customers that are already towards the end of their contract or completed it and eligible for an upgrade. For those of us already in one, we cannot simply restart it.

 

[brinox]

This makes no sense! The people who are most likely to buy a iPhone are current Cingular customers!

wewt, im not - im with verizon at the moment, but have been wanting to switch to cingular/AT&T because my university gets 15%a discount and combined high speed internet bill.

sad part is i bought an LG VX8600 in november (out of contract renewal) and reset my contract date (yay early termination fees...).

so my iPhone will cost me $600 + sales tax + activation fee + $175 early termination fee from verizon! grr im thinking nearly $900 after everything goes through...

 

[C130]

I just spoke to an AT&T rep in Albuquerque and he stated that current customers (in contract) will be able to purchase the iPhone but will pay full price, either $499 or $599. He stated that new customers will qualify for a discount, didn't know the exact amount, thought it might be around $150. He also stated that an option was to activate a new line, which is $9.99 a month on a family plan and that would also qualify for the discount. I asked him if he was positive on all of the above and he stated yes but I personally have my doubts as it seems that all the ATT&T employees are just talking about something they really know nothing about because they all have a different answer, depending on who you talk to. I travel a lot so inquire at different cities and get different answers. He also mentioned the fact that the release version wasn't 3G, (everyone probably already knows this) and personally he was going to wait because the non 3G is pretty slow which I agree as my 8125 is not fast at all and the data plan is not cheap. I might just have to wait for the 3G version for $600.

 

[DrDent]

If you are near the end of your contract you will get some sort of discount. If not you will pay full price and your contract will start over.

 

[DMcGrew]

I'm just tired of all the confusion. I wish they'd just release the pricing details already.

 

[C130]

I agree, it shouldn't be that complicated and to believe existing customers or actually any customer at all would be excluded from purchasing the iPhone would be beyond stupid but then again we are talking about cell phone companies. I would find it more hard to believe that Apple would allow this but either way there should not be so much confusion.

 

[ATTingular]

Currently, the only people excluded from buying the iPhone are people using phones that are under large corporate contracts. Consumers are still a little up in the air, but expect everything to be settled in a week or so.

 

[mav]

Currently, the only people excluded from buying the iPhone are people using phones that are under large corporate contracts.

There goes my plan B.

 

[ColsTiger]

That was because Cingular bought AT&T Wireless, a completely separate company. The billing systems were not compatible, so you had to migrate. The phones wouldn't work because AT&T wireless phones were locked to AT&T Wireless and would have to be reprogrammed to accept Cingular to work. This is re-branding, merely a change of logos. You still have your nation plans, still have rollover, plus access to the excellent home services offered from AT&T landline.

Plus there was the whole TDMA migration to GSM in 2003. Many of the phones you were required to buy actually gave you much better quality calls because GSM was so much better than TDMA.