AT&T must be sick and tired of being despised by everyone and their mother’s because they have announced that they are changing their upgrade eligibility policy for early iPhone 3G adopters.
AT&T issued a statement on their website explaining how they have listened to everyone complain long enough, and that they are willing to give in to your demands, or at least some of them.
Importantly, we want our customers to better understand our wireless device upgrade program. Like most U.S. carriers, we offer a variety of phones that we sell below our actual cost when customers agree to sign service agreements. In general, the more a customer spends with us, the quicker they become eligible for a price break on a new device. For example, iPhone customers who spend more than $99 a month per line with us generally are eligible for an upgrade between 12 and 18 months into their contract.
We also currently offer early upgrade pricing only for iPhone 3G S and iPhone 3G.
All of that said, we’ve been listening to our customers. And since many of our iPhone 3G customers are early adopters and literally weeks shy of being upgrade eligible due to iPhone 3G S launching 11 months after iPhone 3G, we’re extending the window of upgrade eligibility for a limited time.
We’re now pleased to offer our iPhone 3G customers who are upgrade eligible in July, August or September 2009 our best upgrade pricing, beginning Thursday, June 18.
This means if you were eligible for an early upgrade in July, August, and September of this year (thanks to your $100 phone bill), you can pick up an iPhone 3G S for the fully subsidized price of $199 for a 16GB iPhone 3G S and $299 for a 32GB. This will save you about $200.
If you will benefit from this change but you have already pre-ordered your new iPhone 3G S at a higher price, that’s alright, AT&T will help you out. If you pre-ordered at an AT&T store, they will simply adjust your price when you pick it up. If you pre-ordered online, they will send you an email and issue you a credit.
Now that you know, what are you waiting for? Go pre-order yourself a new iPhone 3G S!
