AT&T; trade-in program to offer at least $100 for used smartphones

AT&T; wants users to ditch their old smartphones and buy new ones.

The Texas-based carrier announced it will begin the trade-in promotion Wednesday that offers users at least $100 in credit for their used smartphones. The credit, which can be significantly higher than $100 depending on the phone and its condition, will be given through an AT&T; promotion card that can be used toward products and services from the carrier.

“That means you can get 50% off the latest and hottest phones,” a company spokeswoman said in an email announcing the promotion. AT&T; typically sells top-of-the-line flagship smartphones, such as the iPhone 5, Galaxy S 4 and the HTC One, for $200 with new two-year contracts.

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For a smartphone to be eligible for at least $100 in trade-in credit, AT&T; said the device must be less than 3 years old and be in “good, working condition.” That means the phone turns on and off, the screen works, it has no damage and it still has a rechargeable battery.

AT&T; said it will also accept other devices for trade-in, including tablets, feature phones and data cards -- although these devices may not get $100 in trade-in value.

To determine how much they’ll get for their device, users can go to an AT&T; retail store or trade their device in online. For my iPhone 5, which works perfectly and is in great condition, the online calculator said I could get $272.

The carrier did not say how long the promotion will last.

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