We wrote about the potential downside of applying for the new AT&T Access More card since it requires signing up for service with AT&T. While you only need to remain a customer for 15 days, this would still seemingly result in a hard inquiry on your credit when processing your AT&T service agreement.
We still  haven’t heard back from AT&T, but we did manage to clarify a few things.
Hard Inquiry
With regard to whether one receives a hard inquiry when signing a service agreement with AT&T, the consensus definitely seems to be that generally a hard inquiry is done on your credit report. This is based on the comments to our original post and on what we’ve seen elsewhere.
Equifax is the credit bureau that’s mentioned often and that’s a good thing since Equifax is the least used report for many. (Recently, I’ve been hearing more and more people say that their Transunion is used more than the Equifax.)
One comment, in particular, addressed our scenario of signing up for a service agreement without any contract at all. Reader Ivan reported that he brought his own phone when signing up for service and it still resulted in a hard inquiry.
We also got a comment from reader Estelle who works for AT&T and confirmed that a hard inquiry is done. I followed up with Estelle via email and he confirmed that even when you bring your own phone there is an inquiry done. And that there’s no difference whether the sign up with AT&T is done in-store or online.
Bonus for Existing Customers
A few readers wondered how exactly the $650 signup bonus will play out for existing AT&T customers. Since they’re already customers, would they need to do any additional agreement with AT&T in order to get the signup bonus? Or would they not be eligible for the bonus at all?
Via my contact at Citi I was able to confirm that current AT&T customers will be eligible for the bonus without any additional agreements necessary. (They would, however, need to remain an AT&T customer for 15 days.)
Here’s the exact quote:
Yes, existing AT&T customers would be eligible for the new phone benefit immediately after becoming a AT&T Access More cardmember. They could purchase a phone right away, and would receive a statement credit (up to $650 excluding taxes, fees and service) after they meet the $2,000 spend in first 3 months requirement. Note that the phone purchase is counted as part of the $2,000 spend.
This is great news for AT&T customers since they could get the $650 toward a phone without any additional requirements aside from the $2000 in spend. Or actually ~$1350 in spend, as the $650 counts toward the minimum spend. And they won’t have to worry about a second hard pull done on their credit.
Conclusion
Just to recap in brief:
- There will probably be a hard inquiry (likely Equifax) done for new AT&T customers.
- Existing AT&T customer can buy the new phone immediately with no additional requirements besides for the minimum spend.
BTW, for those who are taking the $95 into account… my husband got the card, bought the phone, received the $650 credit, and then cancelled his card. It was about 6 months after he opened the card, so Citi refunded about half of the $95 annual fee, which was about $48 (I don’t remember the exact amount).
Does the card holder and AT&T account holder have to be the same person? For example, my mom has her own AT&T account already, but I want to open the card myself and buy her a phone, will that work?
I don’t know https://www.doctorofcredit.com/need-know-citi-att-650-signup-bonus/#Mixing_Names
No, I’m the Account holder and my mom was able to get the credit as well. It was much easier to sell her on it after I successfully got the credit myself, as well as several of my friends.
For Citi to have not rescinded this offer yet somewhat concerns me, as there must be an enormous number of folks who are spending outside of their normal spend to get the phone and end up paying fees/interest in order to offset our successes.
Using the card in my name, can i get a At & T no contract phone in my friend’s name to be eligible for this offer? or should the phone be taken in the card holder’s name?
I think it would work, but I can’t guarantee it.
Thanks for all the helpful information. My contract is up with Verizon and I was thinking about joining my parents’ family plan at AT&T. If i apply for this card and buy the phone, will I need to pay the activation fee for switching from Verizon to At&T if I am adding myself as a new line to my parent’s family plan? Will there be any other incentives offered as a new customer coming over? Thanks for your help!
You can ask ATT that, but I think you would not have an activation fee in your case.
Thanks Mike for your easy steps ,will follow that .
1) click link(do all activity in the window that comes up)
2) login to existing account or ceate new one
3) if exisiting account, buy phone against existing line or create new line and buy phone against new line
4) receive phone and activate with pre-installed sim card.
Following the link without using at that time wont waste it, so you can explore it first; but all that the link is doing is tracking the purchase in that window to your card account.
Also, based on Todd’s comments, even if it doesn’t track properly, it is easy enough to call and have them correct it.
NOTE: if you are using an att plan that still has ‘phone upgrades’ every ~2 years, this whole process is marginally economical as you are still paying the monthly subsidy cost.
Let us know if this addresses your concerns.
@Mike , @Todd,
1)Ordering phone and getting service active both are two different steps. i am talking about adding new line case. ??
2)in both the case you have to login to existing att account. Or first you can click on citi link ,order the phone and then login to existing att account to active new line.
I mean can you please outline sequence of steps i will really appreciate.
Thanks
Just wanted to add an affirmative data point; the 650$ credit posted to my CC account today, after submitting a payment for the 2095 minimum and change yesterday.
-activated iPhone on existing primary line for my ATT account, with existing primary line sim(not the new one that came with the phone)
-only 8 days into new phone activation as of posting of $650 credit
-Only ~1200 had posted as of first billing cycle, but as soon as I met the minimum mid cycle and paid it off the entire balance, the $650 credit posted.
-used the promotional portal link while logged into existing ATT account
I do not know if the 650 will be credited to my bank account yet or if I’ll have to use it up like a prepaid card yet.
When my credit posted I just went into the account and requested a check for my balance since I don’t intend to use the card much.
Ah, very good idea, that’ll make things easier, thanks!
Did your dad receive his $650 statement credit from Citi? Did your mom receive too?
Dear Mike,
Your $2095 including the purchase of the phone or excluding because @todd mention his purchase didn’t include and he has to get it approve by referring Citi Rep.
Same is true of you or your $2095 include phone purchase.
Data point will be useful.
Thanks
Hi Jackie,
The ~2095 includes the purchase of the phone; so in effect, aside from buying the (64GB) iPhone @$750+tax, I spent ~$1,300 otherwise.
I finally received my $650 credit a few days ago after a few messages back and forth and sending in my phone purchase receipt. They said they couldn’t tell whether I used the special link or not so they needed proof of purchase.
As a current AT&T customer I consider this card to be an outstanding deal.
Dear Todd,
Which fax number you fax the receipt? i had a same issue and it is still not posted after two billing cycle .
Look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
I ended up being able to email it to someone that I contacted through the message system. He gave me his email address so I could attach the scan so I don’t have the fax number. You need to get in touch with them first to make sure they are expecting it.
The 2 other cards we got had no issues with the credit posting. We just purchased another 2 phones with 2 new accounts last week, so I’m hoping those go smoothly as well.
Hello Todd,
You mentioned 2 phones with 2 new accounts, you mean that 2 new credit card account with 1 Phone account (family plan)?
Also, did you receive credit for other family members too? pls let me know i’m in the same boat.
Sorry, I should have chosen my words better. These were additional phone numbers under the same family plan. We have now done 6 of the 7 numbers we have on the plan. 3 of the credits were no problem. The additional 3 numbers were more recent and haven’t posted yet even though they should have. I contacted them through message center just an hour ago actually to get the credit for my line.
So we are about 50% success rate without having to do anything and the other 50% I have to contact them to push it along. A little annoying, but still valuable.
Now I wonder will we be able to close this card and then get it again next year?
I’ve tried this a few ways. Using my company’s Premier Account link if I try to add a new line to my wife’s account, or create a whole new account it will charge me a $40 Activation Fee.
If I try to create a new account without using my company’s Premier Account link then there is no Activation Fee.
This is frustrating because I want to use my wife’s account to avoid a hard credit check but also don’t want to pay an activation fee.
With my company’s legacy FAN account (same as Premier???), they always charge me an activation fee if I activate a new phone on a two-year agreement. I usually call to get it waived.