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bbrandon14's profile

Contributor

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2 Messages

Wednesday, June 4th, 2014 4:57 AM

Going from contract to AT&T next - what happens to my current phone?

Hello everyone,

 

I'm currently about 14 months into a 2 year contract. I'm looking into going onto the AT&T Next plan, which the website says I'm eligible to do. I read online that I could trade in my device if I moved from a contract to AT&T Next, but the representative told me that I couldn't; I'd have to wait out the contract on the phone I got in the 2 year agreement and just let it sit there, or pay the early termination fee, before I could do anything with it.

 

Which one is true?

Thanks!

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

10 years ago


@bbrandon14 wrote:

Hello everyone,

 

I'm currently about 14 months into a 2 year contract. I'm looking into going onto the AT&T Next plan, which the website says I'm eligible to do. I read online that I could trade in my device if I moved from a contract to AT&T Next, but the representative told me that I couldn't; I'd have to wait out the contract on the phone I got in the 2 year agreement and just let it sit there, or pay the early termination fee, before I could do anything with it.

 

Which one is true?

Thanks!


I believe the rep is wrong. If you upgrade via Next, your current contract will remain in place but the phone is yours and you can do whatever you want with it, including trading it in. 

 

Master

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4.1K Messages

10 years ago


@bbrandon14 wrote:

Hello everyone,

 

I'm currently about 14 months into a 2 year contract. I'm looking into going onto the AT&T Next plan, which the website says I'm eligible to do. I read online that I could trade in my device if I moved from a contract to AT&T Next, but the representative told me that I couldn't; I'd have to wait out the contract on the phone I got in the 2 year agreement and just let it sit there, or pay the early termination fee, before I could do anything with it.

 

Which one is true?


OK, Much like Sandblaster says, your curretn phone is yours, any it is still under contract, so you have to keep your account active, or pay the ETF, but the phone is yours.  Now the "upgrade availablity via NEXT is something different.  This is a program with AT&T that will allow you to purchase a new phone now on a finance charge free system, so you could get a new phone now and finance it over 20 or 26 months depending upon whic program you choose (NEXT 12 if the 20 month financing, and NEXT 18 is the 26 month financing).  One of the features of the NEXT programs is that they allow you to trade in your phone after you've paid a certain amount at no charge, assuming your phone is in good shape and free of defects.  That is where the 12 and 18 in the program names come from, as thats thE number of months you need to pay before you can trade in your phone.  If you choose not to trade in your phone and you keep it until it's paid off, then it's yours again to do with as you please.

 

The confusing part is that AT&T also has a "trade in program" ( 

https://tradein-program.att.com/home.php5?c=en-us ) where you can get "money back" for your old phones in working order.  This program has nothing to do with the NEXT programs, and is one way to get something back for your old phones that you own (like the contract phones you may be upgrading).

Contributor

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2 Messages

10 years ago

Excellent, thanks for the clarificiation. I know that the NEXT 'upgrades' are different, and maybe that's where the confusion between me and the rep is coming from. But I just want to clarify: if my intention is to get on the NEXT 12 track, and I'm in the middle of a contract currently, I can go to AT&T, trade in my current device (for $150 or so, as the website says), and get the new one with the 20 month financing. I'll be obligated to stay with AT&T's service for the remainder of my contract, but I am *not* obligated to keep my current, non-NEXT phone; I can get the 'money back' for it to help defray some of the cost of the new, NEXT phone.

 

If that's correct, how would I...explain this to a rep? I've talked to two now who seem convinced that this isn't the case, even though I'm reading here and in media otherwise.

Master

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4.1K Messages

10 years ago


@bbrandon14 wrote:

Excellent, thanks for the clarificiation. I know that the NEXT 'upgrades' are different, and maybe that's where the confusion between me and the rep is coming from. But I just want to clarify: if my intention is to get on the NEXT 12 track, and I'm in the middle of a contract currently, I can go to AT&T, trade in my current device (for $150 or so, as the website says), and get the new one with the 20 month financing. I'll be obligated to stay with AT&T's service for the remainder of my contract, but I am *not* obligated to keep my current, non-NEXT phone; I can get the 'money back' for it to help defray some of the cost of the new, NEXT phone.

 

If that's correct, how would I...explain this to a rep? I've talked to two now who seem convinced that this isn't the case, even though I'm reading here and in media otherwise.


You are correct in your understanding.  Have you gone into a corporate AT&T store for your discussions?  If you haven't, I would suggest you try that.  An authorized reseller might not be willing to work this with you, as they will make more "commission" by getting you to do things "their way".  If you have gone into an AT&T corporate store, and the representative there tells you different from what you are thinking, ask to speak to a manager.

 

One way that might help them to understand is if you ask them if you purchase a new phone on a NEXT program, what happens to your current phone now since it is not on a NEXT program?  Once they answer that telling you that you can keep it, you then ask, OK, now can I use the trade in program (you can even provide the link from above) with my old phone to get a "credit" for the value?  If they say no, ask them why not, and where in the two program texts does it say that they can't combined and used at the same time?

 

I am not as up on the trade in program, as I tend to "recycle" my old phones by giving them to other people who have broken their current ones, so I seldom trade any in.  It is possible that deep in the requirements it states that it is not applicable when purchasing a phone via a NEXT program.  Similarly, the NEXT programs may have some limitation which doesn't allow the use of the Trade In program.  I have not upgraded to a NEXT prgram yet as I want to be able to upgrade this fall when (if?) a new iPhone comes out.  Since the NEXT program would require me to pay off the current phone in full to upgrade before 12 months, I decided to wait the 3-6 months to get a new phone using a NEXT program just to save a few more dollars.

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