AT&T Offering $50 Bill Credit for iPhone Upgrades Made Through Apple Online and Retail Stores

MacRumors · Nov 12, 2014

AT&T is now offering a $50 bill credit to customers who purchase a new iPhone from the Apple Online or Apple Retail Stores. Neither company has marketed the deal but an AT&T spokesperson confirmed the existence of the promotion to MacRumors. The purchase and financing of any iPhone model that Apple sells, including the 5c, 5s, 6 and 6 Plus, qualifies the buyer for the credit.

The $50 credit promotion, which runs through the end of the year, does have a number of requirements which should be easily met for most existing AT&T customers:

- The iPhone must be purchased on an existing line as an upgrade.
- The iPhone must be financed on an AT&T Next installment plan.
- The iPhone must remain active and in good standing on Next for 45 days.

$50 Bill Credit Offer: Ends 12/31/14. Must remain in active and in good standing on Next for 45 days to receive bill credit on your AT&T mobility bill within 3 bill cycles. Upgrades only. Requires iPhone to be purchased via AT&T NextSM and activated on a qualifying AT&T voice and data wireless service plan. Offer may not be combinable with other credits, discounts and offers. Offer and terms subject to change and may be discontinued at any time without notice.

Customers looking for an unlocked phone should wait for the bill credit to be applied to their account before paying off the AT&T Next financing and unlocking their phone through AT&T's unlocking process.

The promotion launched earlier this week and is scheduled to run through December 31st, but the fine print notes that AT&T can discontinue it at any time.

Article Link: AT&T Offering $50 Bill Credit for iPhone Upgrades Made Through Apple Online and Retail Stores

joshwenke · Nov 12, 2014

No thanks, I'll stick with T-Mobile. AT&T just doesn't cut it anymore.

Petey-Pete · Nov 12, 2014

Next? No thank you.

sonicrobby · Nov 12, 2014

So next users, who dont even have an upgrade fee, will get money back? While those long time reliable customers with a 2 year contract get screwed yet again. I hate you ATT...

William Gates · Nov 12, 2014

I ordered a 6+ from my local AT&T store on Monday on a NEXT plan. Does this mean that I don't get the credit?

Avenged110 · Nov 12, 2014

joshwenke said:
No thanks, I'll stick with T-Mobile. AT&T just doesn't cut it anymore.

Honestly. Tmobile is the way to go.

jlgolson · Nov 12, 2014

William Gates said:
I ordered a 6+ from my local AT&T store on Monday on a NEXT plan. Does this mean that I don't get the credit?

Yup. Gotta buy through Apple. Cancel and reorder?

T5BRICK · Nov 12, 2014

Petey-Pete said:
Next? No thank you.

Out of curiosity, why? Next is basically 0% financing. With this deal you get an additional discount.

l00pback · Nov 12, 2014

sonicrobby said:
So next users, who dont even have an upgrade fee, will get money back? While those long time reliable customers with a 2 year contract get screwed yet again. I hate you ATT...

Some bean-counter somewhere figured out they make more money through NEXT, so they try to entice 2-year contract holders to switch. They may be trying to get people off the old "unlimited" plans, too. I'm with you, though. It's just a big "F-U" to us who are on contract.

William Gates · Nov 12, 2014

jlgolson said:
Yup. Gotta buy through Apple. Cancel and reorder?

Nope. On a business plan so I have to buy in an AT&T store. Or so they tell me.

scionfriar · Nov 12, 2014

T5BRICK said:
Out of curiosity, why? Next is basically 0% financing. With this deal you get an additional discount.

Have you done the math? Why would you think AT&T would be constantly encouraging users to sign up with NEXT?

alm99 · Nov 12, 2014

scionfriar said:
Have you done the math? Why would you think AT&T would be constantly encouraging users to sign up with NEXT?

128gb iPhone 6 full retail is $849.

On AT&T next it's $35.38/month for 24 months = $849.12

Not sure where Next is a bad deal?

tasset · Nov 12, 2014

AT&T Offering $50 Bill Credit for iPhone Upgrades Made Through Apple Online a...

sonicrobby said:
So next users, who dont even have an upgrade fee, will get money back? While those long time reliable customers with a 2 year contract get screwed yet again. I hate you ATT...

A couple points I have learned from doing business with AT&T, every other carrier, and every provider of any other service product:
1) they really don't care about whether you have been a good customer (past tense), only about how much they will extract from you going forward (future tense). The days of any loyalty favors are behind us.
2) if you do the math in the same method that they use, you can determine instances where you come ahead with Next compared to legacy contract plans and/or game the system. Big families/less frequent upgraders = great. Singles and gotta-have-new iPhone-every year = not so great for Next.

sonicrobby · Nov 12, 2014

tasset said:
A couple points I have learned from doing business with AT&T, every other carrier, and every provider of any other service product:
1) they really don't care about whether you have been a good customer (past tense), only about how much they will extract from you going forward (future tense). The days of any loyalty favors are behind us.
2) if you do the math in the same method that they use, you can determine instances where you come ahead with Next compared to legacy contract plans and/or game the system. Big families/less frequent upgraders = great. Singles and gotta-have-new iPhone-every year = not so great for Next.

Well clearly they dont care, if anything they realized they've done screwed up in giving their customers good deals, and they try to force them back into a position where they are getting the short end of the stick. And I have determined that next would actually be more costly in my position.

ptb42 · Nov 12, 2014

alm99 said:
128gb iPhone 6 full retail is $849.

On AT&T next it's $35.38/month for 24 months = $849.12

Not sure where Next is a bad deal?

It depends on your plan.

I've done the math. If your service plan is 10GB/month or more, then AT&T Next is a better deal. I would have said an outright purchase is the SAME as AT&T Next, but this credit makes AT&T Next slightly better.

If your service plan is less than 10GB/month, then a 2-year contract is a better deal. The difference is not enough to be offset by the $50 credit.

There are other factors than price, so your mileage may vary. But, you can read my earlier posting for comparison of exactly 24 months:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1804644/

tasset · Nov 12, 2014

ptb42 said:
It depends on your plan.

I've done the math. If your service plan is 10GB/month or more, then AT&T Next is a better deal. I would have said an outright purchase is the SAME as AT&T Next, but this credit makes AT&T Next slightly better.

If your service plan is less than 10GB/month, then a 2-year contract is a better deal. The difference is not enough to be offset by the $50 credit.

There are other factors than price, so your mileage may vary. But, you can read my earlier posting for comparison of exactly 24 months:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1804644/

Yes I concur with the 10gb mobile share plan being the tipping point to make Next a good deal. We have 8 lines (half being very light data users) and average $30 per line for service. When one comes to terms with reality of device costs and not everyone on a plan needs the newest, then Next can be alright.

Mw0103 · Nov 12, 2014

alm99 said:
128gb iPhone 6 full retail is $849.

On AT&T next it's $35.38/month for 24 months = $849.12

Not sure where Next is a bad deal?

Because they don't discount the plan enough:

2 year contract:

$399 for 128 gb iPhone 6
$80 / month 3 gb mobile share plan + smartphone access plan *24 = $1920
Total at the end of 2 years: $2319

Next 18:

$35.42 / month iPhone 6 128 gb *24 = $850
$65 / month 3 gb (includes $15 next discount) *24 = $1560
Total at the end of 2 years: $2410

So you pay ~$90 more for next, and if you upgrade before paying off the device, you give it (and its resale value) back to AT&T for $0.

tasset · Nov 12, 2014

Mw0103 said:
Because they don't discount the plan enough:

2 year contract:

$399 for 128 gb iPhone 6

$80 / month 3 gb mobile share plan + smartphone access plan *24 = $1920

Total at the end of 2 years: $2319

Next 18:

$35.42 / month iPhone 6 128 gb *24 = $850

$65 / month 3 gb (includes $15 next discount) *24 = $1560

Total at the end of 2 years: $2410

So you pay ~$90 more for next, and if you upgrade before paying off the device, you give it (and its resale value) back to AT&T for $0.

Single line? You seem like a candidate to buy your device outright and cozy up to someone with A family plan on AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile. That's where your savings will come from. Think of it like Federal income taxes; it's the single people who subsidize the families.

T5BRICK · Nov 12, 2014

scionfriar said:
Have you done the math? Why would you think AT&T would be constantly encouraging users to sign up with NEXT?

Yeah, I have done the math. It saves me and my family money but it may not for everyone else. I really only asked because statements like "Next? No thank you." are usually from folks who haven't done the math or don't consider other situations where it might actually be better.

giantfan1224 · Nov 12, 2014

The $50 essentially covers the sales tax at the time of purchase.

ssl0408 · Nov 12, 2014

I think I may have gotten this credit on my current bill. There was a $50 credit on my bill and I did upgrade via NEXT. It makes sense now!

oneMadRssn · Nov 12, 2014

Mw0103 said:
Because they don't discount the plan enough:

2 year contract:

$399 for 128 gb iPhone 6
$80 / month 3 gb mobile share plan + smartphone access plan *24 = $1920
Total at the end of 2 years: $2319

Next 18:

$35.42 / month iPhone 6 128 gb *24 = $850
$65 / month 3 gb (includes $15 next discount) *24 = $1560
Total at the end of 2 years: $2410

So you pay ~$90 more for next, and if you upgrade before paying off the device, you give it (and its resale value) back to AT&T for $0.

You forgot to include +$40 activation/upgrade fee on 2 year contract. And this -$50 for Next plans benefit. So the comparison at the end of 2 years is really $2359 (contract) v. $2360 (Next).

Further, with Next your taxes on the monthly service charge is less. They only tax the cost of the service, not the cost of the phone (tax on $80 with contract v. tax on $65 with Next). If the two are separated, you end up paying less in monthly tax.

The tax benefit combined with the waived upgrade fee, and this $50 bill credit, this tips the scales in favor of Next even in your <10GB individual account situation.

sesnir · Nov 12, 2014

alm99 said:
128gb iPhone 6 full retail is $849.

On AT&T next it's $35.38/month for 24 months = $849.12

Not sure where Next is a bad deal?

With Next, you have to trade in your iPhone to AT&T so you've paid $849.12 and have nothing to show for it while the person who didn't use Next paid $849 but still has the iPhone and can sell it for hundreds.

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/next.html#fbid=rVpKsUjy7aQ

Rigby · Nov 12, 2014

sesnir said:
With Next, you have to trade in your iPhone to AT&T so you've paid $849.12 and have nothing to show for

No you don't. If you pay it off in full, it's yours. Only if you want to trade it in for a new phone before paying it off do you have to give it back (and then the residual value will go towards buying the new phone).

There are also a few other advantages to the mobile share plans, e.g. tethering on lower tier plans and the ability to get your phone unlocked if you pay it off in full.

giantfan1224 · Nov 12, 2014

sesnir said:
With Next, you have to trade in your iPhone to AT&T so you've paid $849.12 and have nothing to show for it while the person who didn't use Next paid $849 but still has the iPhone and can sell it for hundreds.

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/next.html#fbid=rVpKsUjy7aQ

The Next plan is essentially an interest free loan on the full price of the phone with an option to upgrade before the loan term is up. You can pay off the remaining balance at any time and the phone is yours. If you decide to upgrade when eligible and the phone is worth more on the open market then what is owed, you can purchase it and sell it off to pocket the difference.

AT&T Offering $50 Bill Credit for iPhone Upgrades Made Through Apple Online and Retail Stores

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