AT&T: “And for our loyal iPhone customers…”

Posted under A Geek Dad's Life, Blog Posts

AT&T’s special message to me:

“As a valued AT&T customer, AT&T can offer you an early iPhone upgrade with a new 2-yr commitment and an $18 upgrade fee. You may qualify for a standard iPhone upgrade on 04/20/2010.”

Attached are the screenshots of my personalized price quotes to ‘upgrade’ to a new iPhone 3GS.  It is a $200 upgrade penalty.

 

So, here’s what I hear them saying:

“As a way of saying ‘thank you’ to you, our loyal customers, for your business in these tough economic times, we would like to offer you a solid kick in the nuts.” – AT&T Management.

New customers are offered a $199 price tag on a new 16GB iPhone 3GS, but existing customers whose plans have not yet expired are told they must pay an additional $200 above what a new customer would pay.  Ouch.  I can understand the balance sheet logic, but I don’t have to like it.

I will be stewing about this for several weeks, I am sure. 

One last note from me to AT&T: Please deduct 27 loyalty points from my karma account.  I’ll be looking for a way to say goodbye to you sooner than before.  Also, your coverage in Peoria Illinois sucks ass compared to Verizon.  No 3G, and dark spots galore.  Thank you.