Trading in your phone age

[AndroidKvN]

So I'm currently 17 and want to trade in my phone, I already have a phone plan/provider (AT&T)under my parents. If I go the AT&T store am I able to trade in my current phone for a new one without my parents?

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Depends on how old the phone is not you I believe.
I could be wrong though.

 

[mikedt]

Is 17 counted as been a minor in the US? Like you may have to be at least 18, or 21 is it? If so probably not without parental consent and approval.

 

[dontpanicbobby]

Yes.
They hate that.

 

[AndroidKvN]

Is 17 counted as been a minor in the US? Like you may have to be at least 18, or 21 is it? If so probably not without parental consent and approval.

The age to get a plan is 18, I can just buy a new phone and put my sim card in it but I'm not sure if I can trade in my phone, as it would make my new phone cheaper then.

 

[Hadron]

Who is the legal owner of the phone? If the phone and plan were purchased by your parents it would seem logical to me that they'd have to consent to the trade in. Of course I've no idea whether they ask for any proof of ownership (though for a phone bought on a contract theirs systems probably have a record).

And is this phone change related to a plan renewal or just separate from that? Because if you are too young to have a plan in your name you'd surely need a parent to agree the plan renewal or change. Is the phone paid off? I don't feel I know the circumstances well enough to know quite what's involved.

I should also add that I'm neither a lawyer nor an American, so I'm just speculating on what would seem logical rather than basing judgement on US consumer or contract law - though some of these observations I'm sure are correct (if they do apply to your case).

 

[MoodyBlues]

So I'm currently 17 and want to trade in my phone, I already have a phone plan/provider (AT&T)under my parents.

Are there any contracts involved? Like a phone payment plan, or a contract to stay with AT&T for X months?

If I go the AT&T store am I able to trade in my current phone for a new one without my parents?

See above. If there are contracts involved, only the person(s) named on them have the legal right to make changes.

Besides, if the new phone costs more than the old--which is likely--how would you pay the difference?

Just out of curiosity, and don't answer if you'd rather not, why do you want to do this without your parents involved?

PS When I was 17, I was married.

 

[Steven58]

You can't get into your parents' account without their approval. You have to authorization to do so. To trade in your device you have to get into their account. I am not sure you can upgrade your phone, paying it in full without full access to their account. I know. I'm an account owner of a family account. It sounds to me as if you have to include them. I think you'd be able to buy your own phone and switch sims, that's about it. But why would you want to do that? That sounds like a waste of money and a hassle to me.

 

[AndroidKvN]

1

Are there any contracts involved? Like a phone payment plan, or a contract to stay with AT&T for X months?

See above. If there are contracts involved, only the person(s) named on them have the legal right to make changes.

Besides, if the new phone costs more than the old--which is likely--how would you pay the difference?

Just out of curiosity, and don't answer if you'd rather not, why do you want to do this without your parents involved?

PS When I was 17, I was married.

I believe there is a contract involved for every month for at&t's service. The contract is most likely under my parents name. My current phone is the s8 plus and I'm wanting to trade in for the s10e which is actually cheaper but also 2 years newer. I would still have to pay a bit for the extra months as I got my s8 in December. The main reason I'm trying to do this without my parents is because they are usually busy throughout the week, so it's hard to find time. Essentially my plan is to just buy the s10 e directly and not pay for the phone monthly and swap the sim card over to the new phone as well.

 

[ocnbrze]

well according to ATT Terms of Service you have to be 18 years old which is the "applicable age of majority" for most states.

You must accept this Agreement as a condition of receiving the Service. By accepting this Agreement, you confirm you are a capable adult over the applicable age of majority (e.g. eighteen (18) years of age in most U.S. states and territories; nineteen (19) in Alabama and Nebraska; and twenty-one (21) in Mississippi and Puerto Rico – an "Adult")