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AT&T Forcing me to "Upgrade" [Must Read]
- Thread starter quantumrand
- Start date
I went back to the store last night and asked this question re: being able to exchange another phone since I wanted to keep the one I have and donate it later. The sales rep said I couldn't since it's registered with my account online. If they didn't check yours then I wonder why I got the yarn about the phone being attached to my account. I have a W810i that I want to keep!
I am planning to get a cheap unlocked phone and return that instead. Have to see how that goes.
I am planning to get a cheap unlocked phone and return that instead. Have to see how that goes.
quantumrand
Android Expert
MarcMaiden
Android Enthusiast
Just to clarify somethings:
-as the above stated, the network change is regional.
-You can choose a free 3g messaging phone/basic phone with out signing a contract.
- If you want a smartphone, you can either get a credit of $200 to one off the full price if you do NOT want to sign a contract.
-If you are ready to sign a contract, they will give you an extra $100 off the upgrade price, meaning you can get a captivate, windows phone, or Iphone 4 for $100
how do i know this? I work for AT&T
make sure you go to a CORPORATE OWNED retail store, not an authorized dealer for they are not honoring this.
Im not trying to protect the company or anything, but they way i see it, this is its a good deal. If you are not ready to sign a contract, get the free phone, wait till you are to buy a smart phone or something. If you are ready to sign the contract, use it as an excuse to get a hell of a deal on a smart phone.
like the above said, the only downside of this is off network EDGE only phones will not work anymore which to some can be a deal breaker
-as the above stated, the network change is regional.
-You can choose a free 3g messaging phone/basic phone with out signing a contract.
- If you want a smartphone, you can either get a credit of $200 to one off the full price if you do NOT want to sign a contract.
-If you are ready to sign a contract, they will give you an extra $100 off the upgrade price, meaning you can get a captivate, windows phone, or Iphone 4 for $100
how do i know this? I work for AT&T
make sure you go to a CORPORATE OWNED retail store, not an authorized dealer for they are not honoring this.
Im not trying to protect the company or anything, but they way i see it, this is its a good deal. If you are not ready to sign a contract, get the free phone, wait till you are to buy a smart phone or something. If you are ready to sign the contract, use it as an excuse to get a hell of a deal on a smart phone.
like the above said, the only downside of this is off network EDGE only phones will not work anymore which to some can be a deal breaker
MarcMaiden
Android Enthusiast
lol nice. Sometimes, it's embarrassing to work for AT&T when you hear stuff like this. unfortunately I can only speak for myself, and not for the company. I'm sure it's like this with any sales/commission based company but I've seen some shady people work for the company.
MarcMaiden
Android Enthusiast
no sorry,
I just heard that it was Northern California and 200,000 people were affected. You are safe for now
which phone did you end up getting from tmob?wunderhund
Lurker
Hi -- I'm not an Android user, but this seems to be the only place on the net that's discussing this issue.
I'm a San Francisco AT&T customer (since the PacBell days) and currently have a voice-only plan with an unlocked Nokia E50. Old, yes, but I just want to use the phone as a phone and do minimal texting - no data, browsing, etc. -- I don't want to retire it, yet!
I received the same letter and text from AT&T, as well, and want to know if I do NOT get a 3G phone, will the reception for voice simply become worse, or will it cut out totally? What about other AT&T customers from other parts of the country who do not have 3G phones -- how will their non-3G phone behave when they visit Northern California?
FWIW -- AT&T still offers a couple non-3G phones on their site, though I doubt they would be found in the store.
Cheers.
I got the mytouch slide and I love it; just waiting for the official froyo update so I can save apps to the sd (without having to root) since the internal storage is a bit weak. I don't mind only having edge at all; one of the main reasons I got an off carrier phone was so I didn't have to get the data plan since I have wifi everywhere I go right now anyway and the voice quality is fine. Wunderhund brings up a good point though. If at&t is eliminating edge is some areas, would I have no service at all if I went there?
I am also in the San Francisco Bay Area I got the same letter as others about coming in and changing phones by Jan 6, but it sounds like just a ploy to get people in the stores and sign them up for two years!
In my case they sent the letter under my sons phone number (he's the add-on on my account). Neither my son nor I have 3G phones. However, my sons has been replaced since the original contract. Turns out they will ONLY give you a free phone with no 2 year contract required for the ORIGINAL phone on record, so they will not give the deal for my sons phone. My phone IS the phone on record, and they told me I could get an iPhone 4 for $100 with NO contract. However, since the letter did not come with MY number on it the offer does not extend to me! They claim I still have to get a new phone, but I will have to do it under the "upgrade" program (so for an iPhone, $199 WITH a 2 year contract.. on both phones!).
Just sounds like a scam... they send a letter with my sons number, knowing they won't honor that because he no longer has the original phone from 3 years ago!, then they DON'T extend the same offer to me, knowing that I DO have the original phone! Why would the offer not apply to ALL phones on the account if they are not 3G? When I pressed them about what will happen if I don't get new phones, especially since they were not extending the offer to my old phone, they really could not give me straight answer. They would not say the phone would quit working, cause if it did, how could they not make the same offer to me! I think they just knowingly sent the letter in this way so they would not have to actually do anything... just get me in the store for a standard "upgrade" of the phones and lock lock us in for another two years.
SO RVP, if you don't have the original phone on their record, they won't exchange it. Coming in with a cheap phone in order to keep the one you have just won't work.
In my case they sent the letter under my sons phone number (he's the add-on on my account). Neither my son nor I have 3G phones. However, my sons has been replaced since the original contract. Turns out they will ONLY give you a free phone with no 2 year contract required for the ORIGINAL phone on record, so they will not give the deal for my sons phone. My phone IS the phone on record, and they told me I could get an iPhone 4 for $100 with NO contract. However, since the letter did not come with MY number on it the offer does not extend to me! They claim I still have to get a new phone, but I will have to do it under the "upgrade" program (so for an iPhone, $199 WITH a 2 year contract.. on both phones!).
Just sounds like a scam... they send a letter with my sons number, knowing they won't honor that because he no longer has the original phone from 3 years ago!, then they DON'T extend the same offer to me, knowing that I DO have the original phone! Why would the offer not apply to ALL phones on the account if they are not 3G? When I pressed them about what will happen if I don't get new phones, especially since they were not extending the offer to my old phone, they really could not give me straight answer. They would not say the phone would quit working, cause if it did, how could they not make the same offer to me! I think they just knowingly sent the letter in this way so they would not have to actually do anything... just get me in the store for a standard "upgrade" of the phones and lock lock us in for another two years.
SO RVP, if you don't have the original phone on their record, they won't exchange it. Coming in with a cheap phone in order to keep the one you have just won't work.
nb_mitch
Android Enthusiast
Are you saying that you have your son's phone? If so, why not just switch SIM cards with your son and then trade in his/your phone?
That is, if you are trying to take advantage of this "deal". The only part of this deal that is meaningful is the "no contract" part as you can get a free phone in all shapes and sizes from Wal-Mart, Wirefly, Amazon, etc.
I though about that too, but my sons original phone was a Motorola. We don't have that one any more. I went in to the AT&T store yesterday. They told me outright that they are not sending the letter to all 2g phone owners. If there is more than one phone on the account, they are only sending it to one and implying that the other phones have to do a regular "upgrade" which means for an iPhone (16 gig) paying $199 (rather than 100), and $18 "upgrade fee" (what the hell??), tax on the full retail price (another $60 in CA) and signing a new 2 year contract... even a "free" phone from them on an upgrade requires a 2 year contract.
They were still very reluctant to say what would happen if I did nothing. Almost as if nothing is going change in reality.. they are just looking to worry people into upgrading and signing new 2 year contracts.
They were still very reluctant to say what would happen if I did nothing. Almost as if nothing is going change in reality.. they are just looking to worry people into upgrading and signing new 2 year contracts.
MarcMaiden
Android Enthusiast
Honestly, I do not even know what is going to happen exactly when the changes start....Will service completely shut off? will nothing happen? who knows...
I havent heard about them not sending to "all" 2g owners...honestly, it doesnt even have to do with 2g itself. It has to do with a frequency that EDGE uses. so some 2g phones might be effected, but maybe not "all". either way, try going to another at&t store because ive given more than 1 person on a family plan a free phone through this offer.
if they try selling you something say no thank you. if they talk about upgrades say no thank you.
I hate how a lot of sales people (and managers) at some of the stores treat people. they do not understand that good customer service = money. I've made more money being honest to customers (due to repeat business) than employees who try to milk customers for sales. Im sure its like this with every carrier, i mean it is a sales job but still....
Snow_Fox
Android Expert
I just have to throw my .02$ in..
As a former salesmen.
I agree 100% about the honest issue.. I hate that some people view being a sales person as a "cut-throat, take no prisoners" ordeal.
Gives ALL sales people bad names.. Even if a lot have ill intent, I hate having to earn a customers trust taht I am not out for blood.
What is the point of selling someone he iphone 4 32 gigs if they are only going to go home and realize they can't pay the monthly bill, turn around bring the phone back and you lose comission?
Sadly, seems like mos sales people would rather have phone's brought back than to settle on the smaller comission.
I also hate pushing accessories, I know the customer doesn't need or want and can't be convinced to buy but, thats another rant.
As a former salesmen.
I agree 100% about the honest issue.. I hate that some people view being a sales person as a "cut-throat, take no prisoners" ordeal.
Gives ALL sales people bad names.. Even if a lot have ill intent, I hate having to earn a customers trust taht I am not out for blood.
What is the point of selling someone he iphone 4 32 gigs if they are only going to go home and realize they can't pay the monthly bill, turn around bring the phone back and you lose comission?
Sadly, seems like mos sales people would rather have phone's brought back than to settle on the smaller comission.
I also hate pushing accessories, I know the customer doesn't need or want and can't be convinced to buy but, thats another rant.
This makes no sense at all with all my time on AT&T I have had many unlocked phones and never had this issue as a matter of fact I have a Nexus S now and dont have this issue. I also have many friends who do the same. They can not legally force you to buy a phone when they allow unlocked phones on their network. I would call 611 and chew them out, theres no way in hell they can make you do that its a breach of contract. So if they try have them dissolve your contract and go either tmobile or simple mobile. I'm gonna tell you that they cant force you, been there done that. Beside the fact that the text in NO WAY says you have to switch it says you may have issues which is just a scare tactic