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Carrier AT&T Preorder Question

J

justinharris89

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 2, 2015
27
7
Hello everyone!

So I'm wanting to pre order tonight, and I've got my favorites already set up; However, when I was looking at the payment options, the only AT&T Next option is the standard 24 month upgrade but I'm wanting to move from my regular old contract to an AT&T Next Every Year. I haven't pre ordered in a couple of years so I wanted to ask in case anyone remembers from last year: will you have the option to select AT&T Next Every Year after selecting AT&T Next the first time on the Apple Store app, or would I be better off pre ordering through the AT&T Website? Sorry if this has been asked a bunch already, thanks for your help!
 
You should have the option to do the Every Year. Even Apple's site says this. If you read carefully, the option in the app says: "Upgrade every 12 or 24 months..."

I'm sure we'll have the option as that's what I'm doing, too. Every Year.
 
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Decimotox said:
You should have the option to do the Every Year. Even Apple's site says this. If you read carefully, the option in the app says: "Upgrade every 12 or 24 months..."

I'm sure we'll have the option as that's what I'm doing, too. Every Year.
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I did see that, I was more wondering if the step where you select which AT&T Next plan was an additional step we can't yet choose, and if anyone remembered from their pre order experience last year.
 
justinharris89 said:
I did see that, I was more wondering if the step where you select which AT&T Next plan was an additional step we can't yet choose, and if anyone remembered from their pre order experience last year.
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Yeah, IIRC from last year, it should be one step beyond that. We can't see it yet, obviously. Although, the app has changed since last Sept, so it may be a little different this year.
 
I'm planning to preorder tonight, as well. I also will be using the AT&T Next option for mine. I have not fared well with timely delivery of previous iPhones ordered through AT&T even though I order on release night.
 
So is it decided that Next Every Year + ATT Mobile Insurance to be a better deal and more benefical than Iphone Upgrade Program + Applecare?

Also, what is this $15.00 "Smartphone Access Charge" I see in the monthly charge estimate?
 
That $15 is the per line charge for every phone. It adds to the core data plan. It's what gives you a phone number and lets you use the phone. You'll also pay a bit over $4 per month on top of that for various fees and taxes.

"Is it decided" is a silly question; everyone's opinions will be different. Figure out the costs between the two and measure against your usage patterns and tolerance for risk. Personally I think both deals suck. I buy my phones outright at full price and don't buy any insurance. I also don't buy a phone every year. My two year old iphone6 is in mint condition. Sure, I suppose an accident could happen... but in the twenty years I've owned cellphones there's not a single time I'd have used any insurance...

Has there been an iPhone launch yet where AT&T hasn't screwed up preorders?
 
deeddawg said:
That $15 is the per line charge for every phone. It adds to the core data plan. It's what gives you a phone number and lets you use the phone. You'll also pay a bit over $4 per month on top of that for various fees and taxes.

"Is it decided" is a silly question; everyone's opinions will be different. Figure out the costs between the two and measure against your usage patterns and tolerance for risk. Personally I think both deals suck. I buy my phones outright at full price and don't buy any insurance. I also don't buy a phone every year. My two year old iphone6 is in mint condition. Sure, I suppose an accident could happen... but in the twenty years I've owned cellphones there's not a single time I'd have used any insurance...

Has there been an iPhone launch yet where AT&T hasn't screwed up preorders?
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Thanks for the insight.

Where I said "is it decided" was purportedly sardonic only because, as you said, there isn't a definite answer.

I was rather trying to figure out the basics of each plan and their cost variances since one will surely have more cons than the other based on particularity and specifics.

I also never had insurance on a phone since I could always replace the screens myself for cheap; however, since the 6 bolstered screen replacement prices to that of Apple's own in-house treatment, I'd rather just get insurance since the end price is roughly the same.
 
If you order through Apple tonight with the ATT Next program, will they still send a box to send your old phone back with, or do you have to contact ATT about that?
 
humpstyles said:
Where I said "is it decided" was purportedly sardonic only because, as you said, there isn't a definite answer.

I was rather trying to figure out the basics of each plan and their cost variances since one will surely have more cons than the other based on particularity and specifics.
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Apple has a starting point for you if you select an AT&T model/color/capacity and click on the Compare Payments link down below the Pay in Full option. You can see it here: http://www.apple.com/shop/buy-iphone/iphone-7/4.7-inch-display-32gb-black-att#00,10,31,40


I also never had insurance on a phone since I could always replace the screens myself for cheap; however, since the 6 bolstered screen replacement prices to that of Apple's own in-house treatment, I'd rather just get insurance since the end price is roughly the same.
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Counterargument would be to ask why pay the price up front if you probably won't use it? Again it really boils down to your self-assessment of how likely you will need the service and how impactful it'd be to face a $300/$330 out-of-warranty charge. Particularly since the new water resistance spec should help with some of the risk scenarios. Some people are just much rougher on their phones than others, and for those it might make sense while for me it'd be throwing away money.
 
Chacocliff said:
If you order through Apple tonight with the ATT Next program, will they still send a box to send your old phone back with, or do you have to contact ATT about that?
Click to expand...
Last year, there was a link to print a shipping label with your confirmation email from Apple. Just use the box that your new phone comes in.
 
justinharris89 said:
Hello everyone!

So I'm wanting to pre order tonight, and I've got my favorites already set up; However, when I was looking at the payment options, the only AT&T Next option is the standard 24 month upgrade but I'm wanting to move from my regular old contract to an AT&T Next Every Year. I haven't pre ordered in a couple of years so I wanted to ask in case anyone remembers from last year: will you have the option to select AT&T Next Every Year after selecting AT&T Next the first time on the Apple Store app, or would I be better off pre ordering through the AT&T Website? Sorry if this has been asked a bunch already, thanks for your help!
Click to expand...



The 24 month option is the Every Year. Technically you have 24 months of installment plans. You are just able to upgrade at 12 months with a trade in.

From the AT&T website:
  • AT&T Next Every Year: 24 monthly installments; eligible for upgrade with eligible trade-in when 50% of the full retail price is paid off (approximately 12 monthly installment payments). A 30% down payment may be required.
 
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I've done att premier store orders a few times and apple once. They all went off without a hitch. I've had issues with phones twice being defective upon receipt and I got new ones from Apple within a few days. The one year warranty is good for me from Apple. If something happens in the second year I'll just upgrade early or pay to get it fixed.

I did have a 6 that bent and then the screen broke. It was still under warranty but I didn't have a backup or Apple Store close by so I just lived with it. A local store did a good job of trying to unbend it and replacing the screen.
 
I'm planning on doing the AT&T Next Every Year option, but I'm upgrading from a line that had Next 12 last year. I knew I had to make my final 12h payment before tonight, so I got on the website and tried to do that. I selected the option to make the last payment so I could be Next upgrade eligible, but it gave me an error saying it did not recognize the device. I called AT&T and they were able to make the payment for me manually. After that, it said I was upgrade eligible, but if I tried to go to the next screen, it still gives me that error message. I think I might be screwed tonight when I go to preorder if it gives me that error when I try to upgrade. I think it's because the device I bought last year is on a different line now, so it doesn't have the connection between the installment plan on one line and the device on another line.

Anyone else have that error message when you tried to pay your last payment?
 
Travisimo said:
I'm planning on doing the AT&T Next Every Year option, but I'm upgrading from a line that had Next 12 last year. I knew I had to make my final 12h payment before tonight, so I got on the website and tried to do that. I selected the option to make the last payment so I could be Next upgrade eligible, but it gave me an error saying it did not recognize the device. I called AT&T and they were able to make the payment for me manually. After that, it said I was upgrade eligible, but if I tried to go to the next screen, it still gives me that error message. I think I might be screwed tonight when I go to preorder if it gives me that error when I try to upgrade. I think it's because the device I bought last year is on a different line now, so it doesn't have the connection between the installment plan on one line and the device on another line.

Anyone else have that error message when you tried to pay your last payment?
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I paid mine yesterday with no issues. Their site may just be bogged down right now with everyone checking their accounts and getting ready for pre-order.
 
mrsvoussy said:
I paid mine yesterday with no issues. Their site may just be bogged down right now with everyone checking their accounts and getting ready for pre-order.
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No, it's a problem with my line. I tried it last night and again this morning with the same error message. Like I said, the CSR was able to add a payment manually, which made me upgrade eligible. But one I click Continue to actually try to upgrade, it errors out again with the same message. I'm just hoping it works tonight when I go to preorder. The CSR says it's supposed to ask for me IMEI once I click Continue.
 
shox2k2 said:
The one year warranty is good for me from Apple. If something happens in the second year I'll just upgrade early or pay to get it fixed.
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If you buy the phone outright with a warranty-doubling credit card that second year is already covered for free. Obviously loss or non-warrantable damage isn't covered. (I'm assuming one can pay off the credit card out of your savings, then just replenish your savings account over the next couple of years)
 
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