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AT&T Next plan: worth it?

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blhoward2

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2012
533
21
horsebattery said:
Keep the line associated to a phone that doesn't require a data plan.

Edit: As mentioned 2 posts above, this would work for users that still have that $9.99/mo family line.
Click to expand...

My plan still says it is $9.99 per additional line for new lines so its not a grandfathering issue. I think they only way you can't is if you're on a MobileShare plan.

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henryonapple said:
You can pay cash and not have a credit card on file.

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no problem.
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I was referring to the people buying the phones after they were blacklisted. After more than one chargeback, eBay/paypal/any credit card processor would refund them all.
 
X

Xerotech

macrumors 6502
Jul 22, 2011
418
5
henryonapple said:
OK, but to initially get an iPhone, that extra line would have to be active for 2 years in order to get the subsidy price, right? Because if you purchased an iPhone right off the bat you would be required to have a data and text plan.
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Depends on the circumstances. A lot of times they'll allow you to throw on a dummy phone, or simply activate one yourself. The data plan can then be removed because you no longer have a smartphone. Done this before when BB touch screens sucked, ended up putting my dummy phone back on and had no problems removing the data.

I guess that would only work for people who have 'family plans' vs these new rip off share plans.
 
G

gentlefury

macrumors 68030
Jul 21, 2011
2,866
23
Los Angeles, CA
henryonapple said:
OK, but to initially get an iPhone, that extra line would have to be active for 2 years in order to get the subsidy price, right? Because if you purchased an iPhone right off the bat you would be required to have a data and text plan.
Click to expand...

Not if you have a dumb phone you can add on the line. (If you don't have one go on ebay, they are super cheap...and some dealers hang onto peoples phones if they don't want them for replacements...you can get one cheap there too.)

Add a family line with an iPhone, then switch the iPhone to your line and add the dumb phone to the new line, they change the plan to reflect that it is a dumb phone add on. I used to work for a Verizon dealer and we did this all the time to get people upgrades. You end up paying an extra $120 for the year...and get a $650 phone for $300...not a bad deal!

Verizon kinda caught on to this tho...which is why all add on phones are now $30. Kinda sucks :(
 
H

henryonapple

macrumors 6502
Oct 29, 2012
406
0
gentlefury said:
Not if you have a dumb phone you can add on the line. (If you don't have one go on ebay, they are super cheap...and some dealers hang onto peoples phones if they don't want them for replacements...you can get one cheap there too.)

Add a family line with an iPhone, then switch the iPhone to your line and add the dumb phone to the new line, they change the plan to reflect that it is a dumb phone add on. I used to work for a Verizon dealer and we did this all the time to get people upgrades. You end up paying an extra $120 for the year...and get a $650 phone for $300...not a bad deal!

Verizon kinda caught on to this tho...which is why all add on phones are now $30. Kinda sucks :(
Click to expand...

thanks, will definitely consider this, wish I had done this for this upcoming launch though!
 
B

blhoward2

macrumors 6502a
Sep 19, 2012
533
21
henryonapple said:
OK, but to initially get an iPhone, that extra line would have to be active for 2 years in order to get the subsidy price, right? Because if you purchased an iPhone right off the bat you would be required to have a data and text plan.
Click to expand...

The contract is only for voice. Once you activate the phone, you can switch a dumb phone onto it and remove all that. Most times you can also just tell them what you're doing and they'll skip that step.
 
H

henryonapple

macrumors 6502
Oct 29, 2012
406
0
mainomega said:
Even though it has been proven to be a rip off I'll add my comment.

It's a lot cheaper to just add a dummy line (9.99) to an account and use that upgrade than it is to sign up with Next. You do have to carry that line for at least 2 years ($278 w/ taxes) but you always have an upgrade available and you can sell the phone to cover all the cost.

Cost of phone plus dummy line 199.99 + (24x9.99) = 439.75
I've sold all my previous iphones for around $400-600.
I've made money most years except for the $400 where I just was to lazy to sell it for 4 months.
Click to expand...

this is not worth it going from an individual to a family though, right?
 
S

SeanZy

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2008
856
102
I don't pay for my phone bill luckily so the next plan worked perfect for me. Overall I'm paying less than an unlocked phone
 
Arndroid

Arndroid

macrumors 6502a
Oct 3, 2013
903
461
playaproved said:
Here are my thoughts...

I did the next plan on my 32GB phone. When you do the next plan the phone is valued at $640, instead of $749. So I already got a $109 discount on the retail price, I'll make 12 payments of $32 over the next year, totaling $384, leaving me with $256 left on the phone when the new iPhone drops. I'll then sell this phone for about $500 a week or so before I'm due for my new phone and be ahead $244 to pay for the new one.

Best of all is no contract.
Click to expand...

Ruh roh. Someone didn't read the details of the plan.
 
S

SeanZy

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2008
856
102
panzer06 said:
You have to surrender the phone
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Wrong.

If you read what the guy said, he was going to sell the phone on CL or whatever, then pay the remaining balance off on it (which makes it his to keep), and still have 250 dollars in the green to put towards the next phone.

if you pay the 20 months worth of payments the phone becomes yours.
 
C

CEmajr

macrumors 601
Dec 18, 2012
4,450
1,230
Charlotte, NC
It's a rip off. You still have to pay the same rate plan as people who are getting their phones subsidized so you're better off just taking the subsidy. It's a great deal for AT&T and those who actually fall for it. You're essentially paying for the phone twice, first with the rate plan which already has the price of a subsidized phone factored in, and second for the additional payments of Next. Amazing deal for the carrier.

Just get the subsidy and sell your phone when you want to upgrade.
 
S

SeanZy

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2008
856
102
I still do not understand the logic of people who say that its a waste since you have to pay the full price and pay for a monthly plan.

if you buy a phone off contract, you still have to pay monthly for your bill! its the same thing! Who cares if the damn phone is unlocked, if you want to use it, youre going to pay their monthly rates anyways.

I really dont get it.
 
D

DontSayIt

macrumors newbie
Oct 5, 2013
10
0
SeanZy said:
Wrong.

If you read what the guy said, he was going to sell the phone on CL or whatever, then pay the remaining balance off on it (which makes it his to keep), and still have 250 dollars in the green to put towards the next phone.

if you pay the 20 months worth of payments the phone becomes yours.
Click to expand...

The phone becomes his, yes.

However, he will not be eligible to upgrade after 12 months unless he trades the phone back in. While the phone is fully paid, AT&T will not give him discounted pricing or a new Next installment plan unless he trades his phone in. If he sells it, he will not be eligible until 20 months. So he'd be without a phone for 8 months.
 
S

SeanZy

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2008
856
102
DontSayIt said:
The phone becomes his, yes.

However, he will not be eligible to upgrade after 12 months unless he trades the phone back in. While the phone is fully paid, AT&T will not give him discounted pricing or a new Next installment plan unless he trades his phone in. If he sells it, he will not be eligible until 20 months. So he'd be without a phone for 8 months.
Click to expand...

That is definitely not the case.

ATT told me that if you pay the phone off, it becomes yours, and the line goes back to being eligible for an upgrade again, and since it is eligible for an upgrade, you can do another NEXT plan.

Directly from the FAQ:

"After the installment plan is paid in full, you may then purchase a new device with an AT&T Next installment plan or choose to buy a new device with a two year agreement."

So I am not sure where you are getting your info.
 
scapegoat81

scapegoat81

macrumors 6502a
Oct 7, 2012
758
148
Philly
sardil said:
Incorrect.

After 12 months, you will be out $384 and without a phone if you want to upgrade.

You only get too keep the phone after making 20 payments. By then, you have paid $640 for a phone everyone else got for $299 on the same exact contract. Congratulations.
Click to expand...

Well put my friend. Everyone is clueless about this program (not trying to insult the OP). All they see is the ability to get a new device every year (which I don't see a point in doing anyway). At&t is robbing these poor people blind. They were pushing Next pretty hard when I was in line on launch day for the 5s. Most of us rolled our eyes & found it pretty funny. Can't fool us power users :p
 
O

orangebluedevil

macrumors 6502
Jun 28, 2010
323
17
playaproved said:
Here are my thoughts...

I did the next plan on my 32GB phone. When you do the next plan the phone is valued at $640, instead of $749. So I already got a $109 discount on the retail price, I'll make 12 payments of $32 over the next year, totaling $384, leaving me with $256 left on the phone when the new iPhone drops. I'll then sell this phone for about $500 a week or so before I'm due for my new phone and be ahead $244 to pay for the new one.

Best of all is no contract.
Click to expand...

Uh oh. You don't get the keep the phone. You return it. So make that -$250
 
S

SeanZy

macrumors 6502a
Dec 29, 2008
856
102
orangebluedevil said:
Uh oh. You don't get the keep the phone. You return it. So make that -$250
Click to expand...

Uh-oh, after 20 payments he gets to keep the phone.

Uh-oh, 20 payments of 32 dollars comes out to 640.

Uh-oh, that is cheaper than buying the phone without subsidy.

And for those who say "Omg you have to pay for a monthly plan AND the full cost of the phone" guess what, if you pay for the full price phone, youre still gonna have to pay that monthly plan if you plan on using the phone for anything.
 
AndrewR23

AndrewR23

Contributor
Jun 24, 2010
4,548
1,721
Pretty easy solution.

Buy iPhone 5S for full price (16GB 700.04) for me.

I sold my pristine 5 with a yr of warranty, jailbroken and unlocked for 600$ cash via Craigslist.

And only paid 100$ out of pocket. No monthly payments, nothing.
 
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