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summers4kids's profile

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Wednesday, September 12th, 2018 8:37 PM

Upgrading Phones

We have an AT&T cell phone plan and are eligible for upgrades. If I buy my cell phone outright from another source, can I add it to my account without a monthly device fee?

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ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

If you mean without installments. Of course.  The access fee is for service, not equipment 

you also avoid an upgrade fee if you don’t purchase through ATT Next installments 

You can swap SIM cards and activate the new phone yourself.  

 

ACE - Expert

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64.7K Messages

6 years ago

There is no monthly device fee. You pay for service for every line on your plan, regardless of where you buy the phone. You won’t have a monthly phone payment (a phone payment is not a device fee) if you buy elsewhere but you still have to pay for service for that line.

Contributor

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2 Messages

5 years ago

AT&T just told me that you do NOT avoid an upgrade fee even you don’t purchase through ATT Next installments. I was charged $32.4 ($30 plus taxes and fees) as I bought my phone at apple store. They changed policy in February 2018. I've been their wireless customer for more than 10 years and I have 5 lines in my plan. Can anyone help to verify this is true? Thanks! 

ACE - Professor

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2.9K Messages

5 years ago

@tchsu731  I purchased my IPhone Xs full price from Apple and inserted the SIM card from my IPhone 6 and was not charged an activation fee. The device model on my account does reflect the Xs assigned to my phone number. 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

5 years ago

@tchsu731

Apple is charging upgrade fees if you buy a carrier device.  I avoid the upgrade fee by saying “I’m prepaid” and I pay full price.  

 

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