AT&T extending upgrade cycle

[RenoD2010]

If your contract expired March or later, you will now have to wait 24 months instead of 20 to receive a subsidy on a new phone.

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[dcunited08]

If your contract expired March or later, you will now have to wait 24 months instead of 20 to receive a subsidy on a new phone.

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That sucks, think we can complain enough to get it reversed?

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk HD

 

[meyerweb#CB]

They're following Verizon's lead. Personally, I think it's short sighted. If they let me upgrade a 20 months, I'm still in contract and pretty much have to stay with the existing carrier if I want an early upgrade. If they make me wait the full 2 years, I'm no longer under contract, and it's much easier for me to bolt and try someone else.

 

[cgardnervt]

Where is this information coming from? Link please!

Sent from my HTC One

 

[steveh552]

Where is this information coming from? Link please!

Sent from my HTC One

I read it on CNET this morning


http://www.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-575...evice-upgrade-wait-time-from-20-to-24-months/ AT&T bumps up device upgrade wait time from 20 to 24 months
__________
Sent from my galaxy s4

 

[jblank]

Well that is the clincher for my wife and I then, we're gonna leave 'em. This was kind of the one thing that AT&T had over the other carriers, that had us wanting to stay and now, this is the last straw. I think it's a huge mistake for them.

 

[JoJoCal19]

Well that is the clincher for my wife and I then, we're gonna leave 'em. This was kind of the one thing that AT&T had over the other carriers, that had us wanting to stay and now, this is the last straw. I think it's a huge mistake for them.

Honestly, it doesn't much make sense to be in contract anymore. Just grab the new GoPhone plan at $65 per line that gets to use LTE and all of the features like visual voicemail, etc or if not, Net10/ST wireless. Nowadays you can buy a slightly used couple month old phone on CL or eBay for not much more than on contract pricing anyways. I myself am leaving VZW for AIO wireless.

 

[usguyver]

I still think AT&T is better Verizon or the prepaid carriers.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[RenoD2010]

I still think AT&T is better Verizon or the prepaid carriers.

Posted via Android Central App

Personally, aside from pricing, AT&Fee actually has been quite good to me (jeesh, especially when compared to Comcast). They have reversed countless fees, have yet to throttle my data (I have unlimited and occasionally go over the 3GB - now bumped to 5GB because I have an LTE phone) and have excellent coverage in all the places I need it.

I still use the nickname AT&Fee because the price of service for what you get is still out of whack.

As for this extended upgrade cycle; my wife just got her iPhone 4s in October and is very happy with it and I got this phone only a month ago. We have a third line for my mother-in-law which we pay for on the condition that we can hold her upgrade (this July) in reserve should we decide one of us wants to change phones or something happens to the ones we have.

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[icwhatudidthere]

So is this a good enough contract change to allow us to cancel our contract without paying an ETF?

 

[21stNow]

So is this a good enough contract change to allow us to cancel our contract without paying an ETF?

No, because it is not a change in contract. An upgrade starts a new contract. The next upgrade date is not part of the current contract and could have changed at any time. When you view your upgrade eligibility in the OLAM, it is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute a guaranteed offer.

 

[Almeuit]

No, because it is not a change in contract. An upgrade starts a new contract. The next upgrade date is not part of the current contract and could have changed at any time. When you view your upgrade eligibility in the OLAM, it is for informational purposes only, as does not constitute a guaranteed offer.

This.

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[yfan]

I think this is a good thing. Like a poster already said, this will remove the incentive to stay with AT&T rather than shop around for another carrier when your upgrade becomes available - which now coincides with the time your contract expires. AT&T will either have to retain those customers on merit or lose them. This will also accelerate the move towards decoupling the phone from the carrier, as more people look for options and buy a phone on their own, avoiding contracts altogether. This means there will be more interest in unlocked phones (especially Google's Nexus/experience phones). Hopefully the market pressure of the move away from subsidized phones will also force carriers to lower prices or at least, offer decent prepaid plans.

 

[RenoD2010]

I think this is a good thing. Like a poster already said, this will remove the incentive to stay with AT&T rather than shop around for another carrier when your upgrade becomes available - which now coincides with the time your contract expires. AT&T will either have to retain those customers on merit or lose them. This will also accelerate the move towards decoupling the phone from the carrier, as more people look for options and buy a phone on their own, avoiding contracts altogether. This means there will be more interest in unlocked phones (especially Google's Nexus/experience phones). Hopefully the market pressure of the move away from subsidized phones will also force carriers to lower prices or at least, offer decent prepaid plans.

Here's hoping.

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[icwhatudidthere]

I'm so sad. This change was enough of a nudge for me to finally give T-Mobile a try. Picked up an HTC One yesterday and it turns out I love it. But T-Mobile service is horrible where I need it. I am actually on get this: not 4G, not faux G, not 3G, not even 2G, but good ole original OG GPRS in my office! And that's next to a window in midtown Manhattan.

Guess I'm stuck.