Last Saturday, my wife and daughter went into the Apple Store to buy an iphone as a gift for our son-in-law who has been wanting one for a long time. Money is tight and he just couldn't afford one so we decided it would be a great gift for him with his birthday and college graduation coming up. Sounded like a good plan, but...
At my suggestion they went to the Apple store and were greeted with great enthusiasm by an Apple zealot until he found out the recipient of the iphone gift was an existing AT&T account holder. At that point the Apple salesman said they are not permitted to sell iphones direct to AT&T account holders, even though it was to be sold to my wife who was paying. He sent them to the att store down the street. My wife really really gets irritated with nonsense like this but knowing that there was nothing she could do, pissed off, went down the street to the AT&T store.
At the AT&T store she explained the situation and the salesman said that's right and proceeded to write up for a new iphone for $499.00 What happened to the $199 deal? The salesman said oh, that is for new accounts only and since the person for whom the phone was for is an existing customer, the price would be $499 or full list price. He explained that the now, existing customers can't get an iphone when upgrading from their lower cost phones. My son-in-law has AT&T's cheapest free phone and he needs a new one now since it broke. AT&T said he can't even get a replacement now until May, because he hasn't used the phone he has for the 3 year contract term which won't expire until January. Even with the phone that is broke. (It won't take calls unless plugged into a charger since the battery power system is broke.)
So, at this stage the iphone has been put on hold, indefinitely. My son-in-law and daughter are shopping for a different service, giving up the idea of becoming iphone users.
Now last summer, I stopped in the at&t store thinking I would try an iphone out for a few months for the trial period they had offered in advertising at the time. I came very close to getting one but then the at&t sales guy said the wait time was 4-6 weeks. Meanwhile at the Apple store people were walking out with them, no waiting. But they didn't have the no risk return trial offer that AT&T was advertising. So, I gave up the idea of trying one out myself.
At my suggestion they went to the Apple store and were greeted with great enthusiasm by an Apple zealot until he found out the recipient of the iphone gift was an existing AT&T account holder. At that point the Apple salesman said they are not permitted to sell iphones direct to AT&T account holders, even though it was to be sold to my wife who was paying. He sent them to the att store down the street. My wife really really gets irritated with nonsense like this but knowing that there was nothing she could do, pissed off, went down the street to the AT&T store.
At the AT&T store she explained the situation and the salesman said that's right and proceeded to write up for a new iphone for $499.00 What happened to the $199 deal? The salesman said oh, that is for new accounts only and since the person for whom the phone was for is an existing customer, the price would be $499 or full list price. He explained that the now, existing customers can't get an iphone when upgrading from their lower cost phones. My son-in-law has AT&T's cheapest free phone and he needs a new one now since it broke. AT&T said he can't even get a replacement now until May, because he hasn't used the phone he has for the 3 year contract term which won't expire until January. Even with the phone that is broke. (It won't take calls unless plugged into a charger since the battery power system is broke.)
So, at this stage the iphone has been put on hold, indefinitely. My son-in-law and daughter are shopping for a different service, giving up the idea of becoming iphone users.
Now last summer, I stopped in the at&t store thinking I would try an iphone out for a few months for the trial period they had offered in advertising at the time. I came very close to getting one but then the at&t sales guy said the wait time was 4-6 weeks. Meanwhile at the Apple store people were walking out with them, no waiting. But they didn't have the no risk return trial offer that AT&T was advertising. So, I gave up the idea of trying one out myself.
