Early upgrade to iPhone 12 Pro

TL;DR: The early upgrade process is bad! Xfinity can fix it. Help us out by telling Xfinity about these options to improve the process.

I totally agree with you! The process for getting an early upgrade when new iPhones come out is absolutely horrible. Out of all the wireless carriers I have had and after previously being a part of Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, Xfinity Mobile really needs to improve the way early upgrades are done.

As was already mentioned, there is no way to check the current inventory. There is no way to contact your local store. You cannot check in store availability online or by calling the main Xfinity Mobile number. There is no way to do an early upgrade online or by phone. The only way to get an early upgrade is just show up at the store and hope they have something in stock. If the phone you want is out of stock, in this case an iPhone, too bad, check back later. They cannot even tell you when they are expecting more phones. You just have to try again and again and again until they have something available.

How can this be resolved? They need to come up with a new process for early upgrades instead of only letting us do this in store. There are many ways this can be done. The first option that I can think of is to allow us to reserve our phones online when pre-orders start and then pick it up in store when it is released. This would also make it easy to return your old device. This is what Apple used to do. The process would look like this:

1. Choose which phone you want to pre-order,
2. Select an option to upgrade early,
3. Select the store location you want to pick up from,
4. Schedule a time for an appointment,
5. Show up at your appointed time,
6. Return your old device,
7. And pick up your shiny new phone!

A second option is very similar. Instead of picking up your device in store, it would be shipped to you. So you pre-order your phone online, it gets shipped to you, and then you have a week to show up at your local store and trade in your old device. Here is the process:

1. Choose which phone you want to pre-order,
2. Select an option to upgrade early,
3. Select the store location to return your old phone to,
4. The phone is shipped to you,
5. Return your old device at your nearest store.

A third option does not require a visit to your local store. Your pre-order online, they send you your new phone, and you return your old phone in an included return kit with prepaid shipping. This is what Apple currently does. Here is what would happen:

1. Choose which phone you want to pre-order,
2. Select an option to upgrade early,
3. The phone is shipped to you,
4. You return your old phone in the return kit.

What is the solution? Make some noise. Tell Xfinity that they need to change their early upgrade process. When you visit the store, tell them about this. Call them. Repeatedly. Tell them there is a better way.

Do you have a better idea? Reply and let me know.

According to https://www.xfinity.com/mobile/policies/device-upgrades-terms , there are other options without visiting a store.

Also, I forgot to mention that when I try to order online it tells me that I have to go to the store.

It is really nice that they say that, but that has not been my experience. I called them and told them that I wanted an early upgrade and they told me I had to do the early upgrade in store. I specifically asked them if I could do it online or over the phone, and all they told me was to go to the store. I don’t know if it is different for iPhones, or if they have changed their policies, but they have given me no option to do this as outlined in the document you shared. I can try to reference this document to see if they can do it, but I doubt it. I messaged and chatted with several representatives online today and they indicated that in store was their only option. No one ever told me about an early upgrade program or even seems to know about its existence. They did take my feedback and say they would look into changing their process so we will see.