AT&T's Galaxy S22 offer allows for $800 off even if you trade in an older, broken phone
AT&T's deal for the latest Galaxy phones is particularly good if you have any older Galaxy S, Note or Z series phones.
AT&T will have aggressive deals for the Galaxy S22.
If you have AT&T and are thinking of upgrading your old Galaxy to a new Galaxy S22 phone, you could get a solid deal if you're willing to stay with the carrier for 36 months. On Wednesday the carrier announced its latest offers to entice new and existing users to upgrade following Samsung's Unpacked event. It's offering $800 off a new S22 phone (S22 regular, S22 Plus or S22 Ultra) when you trade in any old Galaxy S, Galaxy Note or Galaxy Z phone.
The older phones can be in any condition, too. The carrier is offering the credit even if your old device won't turn on, has a busted battery or a broken screen.
"We have the opportunity there with any of these devices, there's certainly value to us as a company, whether we can reuse the device, refurbish it or even recycle," Jenifer Robertson, executive vice president and general manager at AT&T Mobility, tells CNET.
"So the ability to get those devices back in our hands certainly brings us value and supports our commitment to be more environmentally conscious."
While the offer is new to AT&T, it follows a similar deal from Verizon last year. At several points in the year, the company dangled promotions to lure customers to new devices and wireless plans by adding extra value in exchange for broken devices.
To get AT&T's deal you'll need to have an unlimited plan, though the company tells CNET that you won't be limited to the company's three most recent unlimited options (known as Starter, Extra and Elite). If you have a recent but older unlimited plan, you can still take advantage of the deal. All of the unlimited plans have 5G access, including for the carrier's C-band and upcoming 3.45GHz 5G networks, which AT&T calls "5G Plus."
As with the carrier's previous upgrade deals, you'll need to pay for your new phone on a 36-month installment plan. The $800 will be doled out as bill credits over the course of those 36 months. If you want to leave the carrier early, you'll need to give up the remaining credits and pay off the remaining balance owed on the phone.
The new Galaxy S22 line will be available in stores on Feb. 25. If you want to preorder with AT&T, you'll get a free doubling of storage. AT&T hasn't given out an end date for the trade-in deal but says the offer will be available for a "limited time."