For those customers looking to confirm whether they are eligible for fully-subsidized or early upgrade pricing for the iPhone 5 or interested in comparing service plans across carriers, Apple is offering a pair of tools through its online store to assist with finding such information.

iphone 5 upgrade eligibility
Featured on the iPhone 5 store page, the eligibility tool allows current iPhone owners to select their current carrier from among AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon, and enter some information to retrieve personalized information on pricing for the iPhone 5. Given that the iPhone 4S debuted just eleven months ago, many iPhone 4S customers are not yet eligible for full or even partial subsidy on the iPhone 5, so they may want to confirm launch day pricing on their accounts and see the dates when they will qualify for improved pricing.

A second tool available through the iPhone 5 store page allows users to quickly and easily view service plans from among the three major U.S. carriers in order to help customers decide which carrier and plan will best meet their needs.

iphone 5 plan comparison
AT&T offers the greatest number of basic options, with customers able to choose from individual and family plans, as well as the carrier's new Mobile Share plans. Sprint provides several options for both individual and family plans, while Verizon is now offering only Share Everything plans with unlimited voice and text.

Customers can select one option from each of the three carriers and then view their details side-by-side to help compare each company's offerings.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

TonyC28 Avatar
172 months ago
Don't forget the $36 upgrade fee. You know, the fee they charge you to allow you to buy something from them.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oneMadRssn Avatar
172 months ago
What about Canada?
I think it's ridiculous that Rogers has a 3 year upgrade period.

Yea. But you guys have to a competent healthcare system, so we're even! :D


Sprint? $10 more, but data is “unlimited” (to use THAT term loosely). IF their coverage matches AT&T and Verizon, I’d consider it.

It's worth noting that Sprint phones can roam on Verizon for free, 3G data included. In Boston, Sprint's coverage is good. However when I go up north to camp or ski, I often roam on Verizon just fine without incurring any additional charges. In essence, you get Sprint's affordable pricing with the benefit of Verizon's network.

Also, ALL mobile-to-mobile calls are free, regardless of carrier, all the time. Not just to a select few phone numbers like with other carriers. Nights and weekends start at 7pm, not 9pm like other carriers. So your monthly block of minutes is only for calls with landline numbers on weekdays before 7pm. My family talks a lot and we barely use any minutes (we talk approximately 3000 minutes total; but our plan is for 700 minutes, of which we use about 300).

Not sure about LTE roaming; probably no roaming agreements with LTE on any carrier until it's very widespread.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GeekLawyer Avatar
172 months ago
Nice, useful tools. Especially the second one, on pricing. I've had essentially the same plan since the launch of the original iPhone. Don't think I'm going to be making any changes anytime soon. :)

Can't wait to pre-order!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
unknownperson Avatar
172 months ago
WHAT ABOUT NON CONTACT IPHONES! NOT UNLOCKED.. JUST FULL PRICED..

Sry caps
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Akinzo Avatar
172 months ago
Yes plus tax on the $649 amount and a $36 fee.

I'm wondering if it would be possible to buy an AT&T at full price off contract? Like we were able to for the 4s last year.?
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
imwoblin Avatar
172 months ago
AT&T executives must be using reverse psychology when executing their business model. Let see, we have all these loyal Apple iPhone customers even with expanding competition. Let's see how much pain we can inflict ( no FaceTime without WiFi & 20 month upgrade discount cycles) and see who leaves and who stays with us, then grudgingly give in at the last minute. Sounds like Russian Roulette to me.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Two More U.S. States Commit to Offering iPhone Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet App

Thursday November 20, 2025 8:21 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Earlier this week, Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to offer the feature. Subsequently, we shared a list of additional states that are committed...
android iphone airdrop quickshare

iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices

Thursday November 20, 2025 9:47 am PST by
Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the iPhone and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available. The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold....