Have you ever wanted to know how you can check to see if your AT&T account is eligible for an iPhone upgrade? You can instantly check your AT&T iPhone upgrade eligibility by dialing a simple short code on your phone.

This is super easy, here is how you can check your iPhone upgrade eligibility with AT&T:



Open the “Phone” app on your iPhone and go to the number keypad Dial *639# and press the call button Wait a moment and you will get a text message from AT&T notifying you of your iPhone upgrade eligibility

A text message will arrive to the iPhone letting you know what the upgrade eligibility status of the phone and line is.

Now here’s the interesting part, many people seem to be pushed into the upgrade option if there is a newly released iPhone. Usually this means signing a contract, or trading in the old phone, but it varies per plan.

Assuming you’re eligible (everyone I know who has tested this has been, all waiving the $18 fee), you’ll get a text that says something like the following:

As a valued customer, we can offer you an upgrade with a new 2-yr commitment and waive the $18 upgrade fee

Or you might see an upgrade eligibility text that says something like this:

This line is upgrade eligible. Before upgrading your phone, be sure to back it up to make it easier to transfer content to your new phone. Go to Settings on your phone to learn how.

If the phone is upgrade eligible, you can get the new iPhone upgrade through AT&T, an authorized retailer, or through Apple.

For example, according to Steve Jobs at WWDC in 2010, if your AT&T contract expireed anytime in 2010, you were eligible for an iPhone 4 upgrade. Maybe it’s because I’m a graphics nerd, but the A4 processor combined with the new iPhone 4G increased screen resolution and pixel density really tempted me to that upgrade… and I regularly get a new iPhone anytime it’s released because of my interest in being an early adopter plus my job.

If you’re curious, check out the iPhone availability and pricing for the model you are interested in, then see if you’re eligible for an upgrade. If the iPhone is subsidized they usually start around $199 with a renewed AT&T contract, otherwise the monthly payment plans are often $15 a month or so tacked onto a normal bill. It varies, so dial that *639# number to find out!