Tips for upgrading my iPhone 3G..

[deepen03]

Alright so I have the iPhone 3G, bought it last March. According to AT&T I am not eligible for a discounted upgrade til November 2010, which is ridiculous. basically would have to fork over 500 bucks to get even a 3GS right now. But I know the 4G is definitely coming out in June (rumors are always true).. So does anyone know any tricks to get a discounted upgrade somehow? Like some loophole in the contract or something?

I have a cousin with a BlackBerry. What he did was bought a protection plan from AT&T for 8 bucks a month. Then he broke the phone during the warranty, got it replaced and cancelled the warranty after the first month. So he basically paid 8 bucks for a brand new Blackberry Bold. Now I am assuming that won't work for an iPhone? Or is there something similar? I would appreciate any insight into this situation..

 

[renewed]

Alright so I have the iPhone 3G, bought it last March. According to AT&T I am not eligible for a discounted upgrade til November 2010, which is ridiculous. basically would have to fork over 500 bucks to get even a 3GS right now. But I know the 4G is definitely coming out in June (rumors are always true).. So does anyone know any tricks to get a discounted upgrade somehow? Like some loophole in the contract or something?

I have a cousin with a BlackBerry. What he did was bought a protection plan from AT&T for 8 bucks a month. Then he broke the phone during the warranty, got it replaced and cancelled the warranty after the first month. So he basically paid 8 bucks for a brand new Blackberry Bold. Now I am assuming that won't work for an iPhone? Or is there something similar? I would appreciate any insight into this situation..

Going to have to wait until you are eligible unless AT&T does something between now and then. There is no protection plan for damages to an iPhone so that would be futile.

 

[nizmoz]

Family Plan....$10 extra a month. Get your iphone.

 

[vizkiz]

Family Plan....$10 extra a month. Get your iphone.

$10 a month is for regular phones, that does not apply to the iPhone, or any smartphone I believe.

 

[Mystikal]

Alright so I have the iPhone 3G, bought it last March. According to AT&T I am not eligible for a discounted upgrade til November 2010, which is ridiculous. basically would have to fork over 500 bucks to get even a 3GS right now. But I know the 4G is definitely coming out in June (rumors are always true).. So does anyone know any tricks to get a discounted upgrade somehow? Like some loophole in the contract or something?

I have a cousin with a BlackBerry. What he did was bought a protection plan from AT&T for 8 bucks a month. Then he broke the phone during the warranty, got it replaced and cancelled the warranty after the first month. So he basically paid 8 bucks for a brand new Blackberry Bold. Now I am assuming that won't work for an iPhone? Or is there something similar? I would appreciate any insight into this situation..

I read to the part where you said "rumors are always true" and stopped. Cause thats not true.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

$10 a month is for regular phones, that does not apply to the iPhone, or any smartphone I believe.

It is 9.99 a month per line; regardless of phone.

OP. Add a new line with the new iPhone. Swap the sim cards and sell your current 3G on eBay. If you are lucky this will pay for the phone you bought. Now cancel the new line and pay the 175 dollar ETF. Bam new iPhone for only 175 dollars.

 

[vizkiz]

It is 9.99 a month per line; regardless of phone.

OP. Add a new line with the new iPhone. Swap the sim cards and sell your current 3G on eBay. If you are lucky this will pay for the phone you bought. Now cancel the new line and pay the 175 dollar ETF. Bam new iPhone for only 175 dollars.

http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-phone-service/specials/iphone-info.jsp

Minimum of $130 per month for two iPhones, plus txt plan.
Also, if you cancel within a month, you have to return the phone.

He might be able to get away with saying the first iPhone was lost or broken, but he's still looking at additional costs, over the "$9.99 a line for any phone."


I would suggest waiting til the new phone comes out in June/July. Jailbreaking and unlocking your current phone, and sell it on eBay for a bunch of money.
Then use that money and some out of your pocket to pay $500 for the new phone. You may also get a partial discount ($100) on the new iPhone for being a over year into your contract. You'll probably come out of it paying the $200 out of pocket (or less). Worst case, you come out just like if you bought it subsidized when you're eligible.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

30.00(data plan) + 9.99(line) = 39.99 per iPhone line

Then just wait 1 month after you activate and cancel the line. It will still be cheaper then paying 240 dollars over 2 years.

 

[Interstella5555]

Alright so I have the iPhone 3G, bought it last March.

Nice, good purchase. Hope you're enjoying it.

According to AT&T I am not eligible for a discounted upgrade til November 2010, which is ridiculous.

TOTALLY ridiculous!!! Why would they ever expect you to honor a contract thatyou signed? I mean, it's not like they're giving you an upgrade 6 months earlier than they need to or anything.

basically would have to fork over 500 bucks to get even a 3GS right now.

That price looks familiar...Almost like the price I paid for my unsubsidized 2G iPhone. Weird, like there's almost a difference in pricing between subsidized and unsubsidized phones. I'll have to look into this further.

But I know the 4G is definitely coming out in June (rumors are always true)..

Especially when you put two periods after the statement. But what about when rumors contradict? Will the madness ever end?

So does anyone know any tricks to get a discounted upgrade somehow? Like some loophole in the contract or something?

Translation: I signed a contract after reading it, and with full knowledge of Apple's release cycle for iPhones, and now want a way to break the terms of the contract for my own benefit without fulfilling the terms of the contract first. If only there was a word for that....

I have a cousin with a BlackBerry.

Cool story Bro

What he did was bought a protection plan from AT&T for 8 bucks a month.

What an informed and intelligent shopper!

Then he broke the phone during the warranty, got it replaced and cancelled the warranty after the first month.

Nice...I went into a store the other day and bought a pillow. I stuffed a bunch of DVDs in it before I left the store without paying for them (score!) and then returned the pillow, but kept the DVDs. Did I find a major loophole or what!?!?

So he basically paid 8 bucks for a brand new Blackberry Bold.

I would check that math if I were you

Now I am assuming that won't work for an iPhone? Or is there something similar? I would appreciate any insight into this situation..

That's a good question...Fraud transference between devices is tricky at best. My suggestions would be to ask an AT&T rep the best way to buy a phone, put insurance on it, break it, and then get an upgrade for free. I'm sure they'll be able to help you out.

 

[deepen03]

anyone else have any ideas? no sarcastic BS answers like the last guy please...

 

[Mlrollin91]

In reality it comes down to adding the line being more expensive than buying it for 499.

Adding line:

Phone: 299+ tax
Activation: 26
Prorated Month: 15+ tax
First Month: 40+ tax
Cancellation: 175

Assuming your tax rate is 8% that adds up to be around $615

The phone with early upgrade would be 499+ tax so about 550. Then you could sell your 3G maybe make 200-250 so now its down to 300-350 the price of the 3GS.

Hope that helps.

I did the same thing with mine in November.

 

[yg17]

anyone else have any ideas? no sarcastic BS answers like the last guy please...

Let's see....you're trying to find a way out of a contract that you signed, then endorsing insurance fraud. You're not going to get much besides "sarcastic BS answers" here.