I have successfully purchased 10 extra character slots, bringing my total to 22 possible characters on the server. I purchased two additional unlocks from the GTN the other day, but was unable to use them. ('You have already unlocked this.' error) A bit of research here turned up the following thread.
www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=601006
This would seem to answer my first question, which is why I am unable to use the unlock. It says that 22 characters per server is the limit for a subscriber. (I had thought it was higher for some reason.) So if this is still the case, then it explains my first issue.
However, it also states here that an account that revert to FTP in my situation drops to 12 available characters. This sees wrong to me, as a Preferred player is supposed to have 6, and I have bought 10 unlocks, bringing my total to 16 if I revert to FTP.
Can someone please confirm that when my subscription ends in a couple weeks I will still have access to all 16 slots, and not just 12?