User profile for user: Kate.O
Kate.O Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

iPhone upgrade switching carriers

I have been a sprint customer for 8 years and I’m finally tired of not having service and I’m canceling. The iPhone I have on that service was purchased last October from the Apple iPhone upgrade program and sprint was chosen as my current carrier. Sprint has said that I will need to return my phone as well as my husband’s (I messed up and upgraded his through Sprint’s iPhone forever plan when I should’ve gone through Apple as well) to complete the cancellation. Is this true? Or should my iphone have nothing to do with them?

Posted on Jun 26, 2018 9:16 PM

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User profile for user: anypats
anypats
User level: Level 7
21,399 points

Posted on Jun 27, 2018 8:27 AM

If you went through Apple to get your iPhone and not Sprint then you should have no obligation to hand it over to them. However, it will remain locked to Sprint and from what I understand, they will only unlock a device that is fully paid for and for current customers. You will need to continue making payments on that iPhone until you are eligible for an upgrade through Apple or pay off the iPhone in full. The iPhone upgrade program uses Citizen's One to finance your iPhone. If you hand your iPhone over to Sprint, Citizen's One will continue to bill you for that iPhone and you will no longer have it to trade into Apple. If you have had the iPhone for at least 6 months, you can pay a lump sum to be able to trade your iPhone early. You just have to have made a total of 12 payments (e.g. If you have had it for 7 months you can pay a lump sum of 5 more payments to upgrade early). If you give it to Sprint, you will continue to have to pay the full 24 payments to Citizen's One and you won't be eligible to do another Apple Upgrade program until the 24 months are up.

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User profile for user: anypats
anypats
User level: Level 7
21,399 points

Jun 27, 2018 8:27 AM in response to Kate.O

If you went through Apple to get your iPhone and not Sprint then you should have no obligation to hand it over to them. However, it will remain locked to Sprint and from what I understand, they will only unlock a device that is fully paid for and for current customers. You will need to continue making payments on that iPhone until you are eligible for an upgrade through Apple or pay off the iPhone in full. The iPhone upgrade program uses Citizen's One to finance your iPhone. If you hand your iPhone over to Sprint, Citizen's One will continue to bill you for that iPhone and you will no longer have it to trade into Apple. If you have had the iPhone for at least 6 months, you can pay a lump sum to be able to trade your iPhone early. You just have to have made a total of 12 payments (e.g. If you have had it for 7 months you can pay a lump sum of 5 more payments to upgrade early). If you give it to Sprint, you will continue to have to pay the full 24 payments to Citizen's One and you won't be eligible to do another Apple Upgrade program until the 24 months are up.

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iPhone upgrade switching carriers

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