I am one of the few people in this world who actually understands the need for 2-year contracts, upgrade pricing, and subsidized handsets in the mobile phone market. As frustrating as they can be to many customers, they are necessary for the companies to operate successfully and efficiently. I get that.
Many of the U.S. mobile carriers, however, offer some flexibility when it comes to upgrade pricing. T-Mobile, for instance, allows you to upgrade at a full discount 2 months earlier than your contract expiration date. Additionally, they offer partial upgrades as your contract nears its end. With both options, you are required to extend your 2-year contract. Once again, I get it.
With both Verizon and T-Mobile, a determined customer can convince a Customer Care representative to allow an early upgrade under extenuating circumstances (e.g. lost or broken phone, loyal customer).
But then we get to AT&T. Oh, AT&T. Already in a public relations nightmare due to delaying MMS on the iPhone, disabling tethering on an iPhone, blocking Google Voice, and having subpar 3G coverage (there’s a map for that, video below)… AT&T absolutely refuses to work with their customers on upgrades.
For example, I am less than 2 weeks away from my upgrade eligibility. 2 Weeks! I have been with AT&T since before they sold out to Cingular (then repurchased themselves). I have every possible feature on my 4-line family plan. Simply put, I’m their ideal customer. Loyal, willing to buy everything, supportive. And I’ve even referred countless individuals to them!
That is… until today.
To upgrade a mere 2 weeks early, I would be required to pay a $200 fee! To upgrade a day early, you guessed it — $200! There are no prorated options. There are no customer loyalty options. There are NO options.
So, you’re probably asking, “Why can’t you just wait 14 days, Matt?”
That’s a wonderful question. I’m Glad you asked. Well, I will be leaving town in 12 days. That’s right. I have the willingness to pay a prorated portion of the early upgrade fee, a logical reason to make the request, a good standing long-term account, and a natural understanding of the mobile market. All of which means nothing, apparently.
AT&T, you have failed me. You’ve turned your back on one of your biggest and most vocal supporters.
∞ Updated 11/12/09 at 11:15 PM: After writing this post, I received a speedy response from AT&T via Twitter (@attjohnathon). He called me, politely apologized, and offered alternative solutions. Unfortunately, none of the alternatives were ideal for my situation.
Still, I appreciate the effort. While the problem has still not been resolved, and I don’t foresee that it will, AT&T did slightly redeem itself through their response. Slightly. Their default response to my situation seems to be to blame Apple’s system. Even if Apple is at fault, I find it odd that AT&T would blame it’s largest cash cow.
At this point, I still believe that the only reason to have mobile service with AT&T centers around your desire for an iPhone. And that is a pretty big reason. You can get cheaper plans, better service (apologies to Johnathon and his excellent help), and better coverage from a multitude of other providers.
∞ Updated 11/27/09 at 3:55 PM: I finally got my iPhone 3GS! And to prove it, watch the video below which explains the hassle!
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