14 DAY TRIAL // One of the latest rumors that have been cycling around the Web is that AT&T plans to launch a Phone Trade-In program, and that it will probably start sometime in June. The new initiative could aim at providing a helpful hand to those of the carrier's subscribers that have bought a device days before another one surfaced and would like to trade the old handset for the new one.
According to Boy Genius Report, the mobile phone operator is set to launch the program in about four months, and there will be some stipulations that AT&T users need to take into consideration. For starters, we should note that the carrier plans to offer trade-in values ranging from $50 to $200.
At the same time, the phone one would like to trade in should not be more than two years old. In addition, the carrier also asks for the device to be in good shape, which means that those owning an old StarTac or a smashed handset, whichever that would be, won't be able to change it. Moreover, it should also be noted that AT&T is reported to offer no contract discounts for the new phone, so the price will have to be paid entirely, only for the trade-in allowance.
For the time being, the fact that AT&T might plan to start such a program remains only a rumor. On one hand, it is a good initiative, if it becomes reality, while on the other it is rather unlikely to see users go for a $50 discount offered for an older model, when the carrier provides larger discounts for a two-year contract. It remains to be seen whether the operator plans to come up with higher trade-in values or will reduce the contractual discounts to make the program appealing.