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dmk1974

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 16, 2008
2,480
539
Ok, here's my situation. Below are 3 phones that I have on my shared plan.

#1 Mine (Primary)
iPhone 3GS 32 GB - Upgrade Eligible 12/17/2009

#2 Wife
iPhone 3G 8GB - Upgrade Eligible 02/20/2011

#3 Mother-in-Law
LG Vu - Upgrade Eligible 04/01/2011

Now, I would like to get my wife a 3GS 16GB this weekend for her birthday. Per online, it says it will cost her $599. If I want to get one for my line or my MIL line, it is $399. Of course if I wait until after any of those dates above, it should be $199, but I'd rather get it now.

I'm guessing an option is to upgrade to the 3GS on my MIL line, then switch the 3GS to my wife, and switch my MIL back to the LG Vu. But I'm guessing that I'd have to mess with swapping out her SIM and needing to have her phone in my possession. I'd prefer to just basically get my wife upgraded but at the lower cost.

Is there any way easier to do this? Would AT&T just kinda swap upgrade dates on my lines since they are all under contract any my responsibility anyway?

Thanks!
 
I have called about this numerous times and they will swap it as long as another line is eligible to upgrade. You have to go in the store though from what I understand.
 
I have called about this numerous times and they will swap it as long as another line is eligible to upgrade. You have to go in the store though from what I understand.

Do I have to actually have to have the two handsets that are going to be "swapped"? I'm sure my MIL wouldn't mind giving me her phone for an hour, but I'd rather try not to go through that hassle.
 
Yes an ATT store. All Apple will be able to do is sell and activate the iPhone but wont be able to do the swap.
 
OP, according to the dates you have. Your Mother-in-Law has a upgrade eligibility date in the year 2011. So it would be the same $599 pricing as before.

Well, what is strange, is the MIL line and my line have two light blue upgrade boxes at the top of the page for upgrading (the 2nd describes an iPhone at a reduced discount). Her line and my line both do actually say $399.

My wife's line only has one light blue box and does not have the iPhone one. Her pricing says $599.
 
So I went to my local AT&T store tonight to try to get the phone. He told me that on my line, they could only do the $199 pricing a month before my upgrade date (i.e., November 17, 2009). He also said on my MIL line, he couldn't do the $399 even since she's only been on my account for 2 months. I told him that online it said I could now, but he told me that the stores aren't as "flexible".

Even when I go through the Apple site (not just the AT&T site) it says that my MIL line would cost $399. I'm willing to pay that as long as my primary line remains at being upgrade eligible this December. Sounds like I'll have to just go through the local Apple Store...their iPhone boxes are nicer anyway :)
 
I tried this when upgrading to the 3GS. Another line on the family plan was eligible, so I bought it under that line, but it now has a required iPhone data plan as well. Luckily, the user of that line was getting my old 3G. This was done at the Apple Store.

Wouldn't this mean that if you are trying to get a discount by buying from an eligible line, you would have to enable the iPhone data plan on that line? Or is the data plan not required if you buy it at an AT&T store and they know you're not actually going to be using an iPhone on that line?
 
I tried this when upgrading to the 3GS. Another line on the family plan was eligible, so I bought it under that line, but it now has a required iPhone data plan as well. Luckily, the user of that line was getting my old 3G. This was done at the Apple Store.

Wouldn't this mean that if you are trying to get a discount by buying from an eligible line, you would have to enable the iPhone data plan on that line? Or is the data plan not required if you buy it at an AT&T store and they know you're not actually going to be using an iPhone on that line?

Hmmm. That's a good point. I'm not sure. Another way to look at it is that I'd upgrade on my MIL line and then cancel the data plan when swapping handsets between lines. I'd still have two iPhone data plans. Would they hut me with some type of penalty?
 
Hmmm. That's a good point. I'm not sure. Another way to look at it is that I'd upgrade on my MIL line and then cancel the data plan when swapping handsets between lines. I'd still have two iPhone data plans. Would they hut me with some type of penalty?

to the best of my knowledge, you get no penalty if you talk the iphone off that newly opened line. If you activate a cheap phone that doesnt require data on that line, the data plan is taken off. They can not hit you with an ETF as long as the line is active in some way.
 
Hmmm. That's a good point. I'm not sure. Another way to look at it is that I'd upgrade on my MIL line and then cancel the data plan when swapping handsets between lines. I'd still have two iPhone data plans. Would they hut me with some type of penalty?

No, they won't hit you with any penalties. Just cancel the data plan.
 
No, they won't hit you with any penalties. Just cancel the data plan.

Cool.

Also, what is the process then for swapping SIMs and so on? If I upgrade at the apple store on my MIL line (without having her LG Vu) in hand, will her phone shut off when the new 3GS is activated? Or do I need to just pop my wife's 3G sim into the 3GS right after I leave the apple store? Just not clear about the best process so I especially don't mess up my MIL line without requiring a trip to her house.
 
I have called about this numerous times and they will swap it as long as another line is eligible to upgrade. You have to go in the store though from what I understand.


Going into the store when you are trying to early upgrade really helps. I agree with this. I upgrade practically when I want to because I simply go into the store and ask. They can actually call and get permission to upgrade you early.

1 reason why I like AT&T
 
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