iPhone 5 - Box in Apple Store - Upgrade - npr

After months of rumors, the iPhone 5S has finally arrived, but the big question is, are you eligible for an upgrade?

Inevitably every year when the new iPhone is announced people immediately start wondering if they are eligible for an upgrade. The simple rule of thumb is, at least in the “S” release years, is if you picked up an iPhone 4S at release, you probably are. If you picked up an iPhone 5 last year, then you are probably only halfway through your contract and you’ll have to decide if you really want to go through the hassle of an early upgrade.

We’ve rounded up links to the four major U.S. carriers to help you learn as quickly as possible if you’re eligible for an upgrade or not. If you want one centralized location to check out phone upgrades, Best Buy offers a handy upgrade eligibility checker that features all four major U.S. carriers in a drop down menu.

AT&T

AT&T Store Kansas City - 02

AT&T customers just need to login to their account or dial *639# from their handsets to find out if they are eligible for an upgrade.

Sprint

sprint-store

Sprint customers can check their upgrade eligibility online by entering their phone number and zip code in the provided form. You can also log into your My Sprint account and click the “Upgrade phone” link. If you’re on the go you can simply text “upgrade” to 1311 if you’re in a hurry.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile Store

T-Mobile, depending if you’re not on the new JUMP plan, just needs you to log in to your T-Mobile account and click on “Upgrade Phone.”

Verizon

verizon-store

Verizon customers just need to login to their “My Verizon” account online to see if they’re eligible for an upgrade. If you prefer, you can also simply dial #874 to receive an automated reply that will let you know

Will you be picking up an iPhone 5S?

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.