AT&T Launches Lower-Cost Mobile Share Value Plans for Families

[bigcstyle4]

I just switched to this and it will save me about $30/month.

I had 2 lines:
- 550 minutes
- shared unlimited texts (barely used due to iMessage)
- unlimited data on one line (I average about 4-5GB)
- 3GB on the other (she uses about 900MB)

We had been going over our minutes every month and only had about 100 rollover minutes left. I was going to have to either increase the minutes or go on a shared plan anyway.

 

[UnseenLlama]

I just switched to this and it will save me about $30/month.

I had 2 lines:
- 550 minutes
- shared unlimited texts (barely used due to iMessage)
- unlimited data on one line (I average about 4-5GB)
- 3GB on the other (she uses about 900MB)

We had been going over our minutes every month and only had about 100 rollover minutes left. I was going to have to either increase the minutes or go on a shared plan anyway.

Ha...sounds just like my wife and I. Glad AT&T finally felt the pressure to update their plans.

 

[StangGT909]

My final summary:

Current Plan:
4 GB: $70 - 23% discount = $54
2 Lines @ $40 = $80
Total = $134 + it cost me $200 x 2 lines to purchase the phones

New Plan:
10 GB: $100 - 23% discount = $77
2 Lines = $15 x 2 = $30
Next for 2 Lines = $27 x 2 = $54
Total = $161

Difference = $27 total, or $13.50 per line

$13.50 per line x 12 months = $162


So I would go from 4 GB -> 10 GB
Per Line, at $162 a year, I get a new phone EVERY YEAR

Prior to all these fancy plans coming out, is there anyone that wouldn't happily take their iPhone 5S into an apple store after 1 year and exchange it + $162 cash for a brand new iPhone 6 ?????? $162 for a new phone. That's slick

 

[Seabassthegreat]

So, the $15 is for existing customer lines. Renew and it jumps to $40?



A short term savings until you add more lines or upgrade a phone?

Correct

 

[theonekcrow]

I have 6 lines, 3 smartphones and 3 basic phones.

Under my old 8 GB plan ($90), I was paying $40/mo. per smartphone and $20/mo. per basic phone. I also have a 10% FAN discount for the college I attend. So old price per month after taxes and extras (3 lines w/ roadside assistance and one with the Mobile protection pack)... about $330.00/mo.

Under the new plan, my data goes up by $10/mo. but my cost per line drops to $15/mo. for each line. After the FAN discount, extras, and estimated taxes my new price per mo. should be about $250.00.

An $80 savings? I'm sold!!!!

(And as far as upgrades go, we do not upgrade as often since we usually last 2 years with devices... so no skin off our backs.)

 

[yg17]

ATT and TMobile are the same network

----------



They share the same network.

That is not even close to true. They both use GSM, UMTS and LTE but they absolutely are not the same network.

 

[theonekcrow]

Prior to all these fancy plans coming out, is there anyone that wouldn't happily take their iPhone 5S into an apple store after 1 year and exchange it + $162 cash for a brand new iPhone 6 ?????? $162 for a new phone. That's slick

Can you do NXT plans at the Apple Store?

 

[peteo]

Agreed. I worked for AT&T for 8.5 years (And don't miss it one bit). They are a completely reactionary company; they rarely lead. . . . Well, . . . I take that back. They lead when it comes to price increases.

Having said that, I went over the details myself. I was on a 6Gb 2 iPhone, 2 iPad plan for $180/month. Now, under this plan, it drops to $150/month for an increase to 10Gb of traffic.

While I couldn't find a catch, I am waiting for the shoe to drop.

Catch is you can't get a subsidized phone any more so you new phone will cost you full retail

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Prior to all these fancy plans coming out, is there anyone that wouldn't happily take their iPhone 5S into an apple store after 1 year and exchange it + $162 cash for a brand new iPhone 6 ?????? $162 for a new phone. That's slick

I don't follow. Under the subsidized plan one pays $235 for a new 16GB phone but in two years can sell that phone for at least that much meaning the cost of the phone is $0. Here one pays $162 + their old phone for a new phone every year vs $0 or even making a small "profit." (The math is similar for the higher storage models too).

So how is next better? It's smoke and mirrors. True, one doesn't get a new phone every year, but phones don't change that much year to year that it's a "must" upgrade situation.

 

[malizivko]

I am so confused right now, how much would it be to move to this Next plan if I have 3 iPhones on my account, all of them are under contract till April. I would go with 10GB plan or one higher

Also when you upgrade next or after 18 months (Next 18) time do you give out your old phone or not ?

 

[StangGT909]

I don't follow. Under the subsidized plan one pays $235 for a new 16GB phone but in two years can sell that phone for at least that much meaning the cost of the phone is $0. Here one pays $162 + their old phone for a new phone every year vs $0 or even making a small "profit." (The math is similar for the higher storage models too).

So how is next better? It's smoke and mirrors. True, one doesn't get a new phone every year, but phones don't change that much year to year that it's a "must" upgrade situation.

Yeah if you don't get it waived, the upgrade fee is $35 + $200 for a phone for $235.
You use the phone for 2 years
After the 2 years your phone would be worth probably about $200 but it costs you $200 for your next phone w/ contract

Under the new plan, if my $162 / year difference is correct, of course it's not as cheap as the subsidized route.

But in my opinion the delta is not a lot, and given the option to upgrade every single year for $162 and never pay the upgrade fee, I just think that's cool.

 

[alent1234]

The phone is now financed by a third party and not att
It frees up a lot of money for them instead of sending it to apple or Samsung

This makes me feel uneasy. Like another poster said, 'waiting for the other shoe to drop'

But after going through their plan selection tool, I went from $290 a month to $200 a month for 4 iPhones and 1 iPad mini on the 15GB plan.

Can this be real? That is a savings of $1080 per year. Really? What am I missing?

No more subsidy on iPhone upgrades? Hmmm.

Well, its a savings that sounds reasonable, so I made the switch.

 

[djmodifyd]

I just switched. I had a 10 gig plan with 2 iPhones and 1 ipad....saved about 50 bucks a month.

I'll figure out the phone situation when the time comes. I'll probably buy it outright after selling my current phone. At least I won't have any damn contracts anymore!

 

[CEmajr]

Not a bad move at all from AT&T. T-Mobile made them respond more aggressively than I thought they would. Looking at the math:

AT&T
4 Lines, 10GB Shared = $160 + 4 iPhone 5S ($32.50/mo for 20 months) = $290/mo = $6440 over 2 years

T-Mobile
4 Lines, 10GB at 2.5GB/line = $140 + 4 iPhone 5S ($27/mo for 24 months) = $248/mo = $5952 over 2 years

Verizon
4 Lines, 10GB Shared = $260 per month, $800 due at signup for 4 iPhone 5S = $7,040 over 2 years

AT&T is making Verizon look pretty bad with these prices now. They may have to react soon as AT&T is closer in coverage to them than T-Mobile is.

 

[Plutonius]

May not have good coverage where you live. But they have superior coverage and almost all the major cities

T-Mobile does have great coverage in the major cities but, it doesn't change the fact that they have the worst coverage by far among the major carriers.

 

[mcfmullen]

In what world is this a good deal? Here in Canada, which historically has muchh higher rates than the US, it costs me 60$ for unlimited talk and text canada-wide long distance, no roaming and US messaging with call display, voicemail, and 2gb.

Twice that is 120$. Granted, you'd get more data but the value isn't there for me unless you add another line. At that point, the deal is very good.

 

[leo8877]

If you do this are you then required to purchase your phones through ATT or can you still purchase through Apple? If you purchase through Apple would you have to do the full price-no SIM option? I assume Apple won't be on board with this new pricing structure from their site/store, but I wouldn't want to purchase from anyone but Apple direct.

 

[UnseenLlama]

In what world is this a good deal? Here in Canada, which historically has muchh higher rates than the US, it costs me 60$ for unlimited talk and text canada-wide long distance, no roaming and US messaging with call display, voicemail, and 2gb.

Twice that is 120$. Granted, you'd get more data but the value isn't there for me unless you add another line. At that point, the deal is very good.

This plan is good for families, hence the "family value share". Don't compare it to individual plans.

 

[techiegirl]

I have 4 lines (2 iPhones, 2 iPads). All are on contract. Can I switch to the $15 plan now? I can't do it online.

 

[scapegoat81]

I can confirm that they do indeed give existing ON CONTRACT customers this $15 per iPhone deal. Not the $40 per line that others are spreading in these forums. Both lines are currently still on contract....

 

[techiegirl]

It won't switch for me online and I called twice. They insist the phones have to be on contract.

 

[iFalcon]

I can confirm that they do indeed give existing ON CONTRACT customers this $15 per iPhone deal. Not the $40 per line that others are spreading in these forums. Both lines are currently still on contract....

Confirmed $15 each for all of our 3 on contract smartphones. With our 28% corp discount the savings adds up nicely each month.

 

[koa]

I can confirm that they do indeed give existing ON CONTRACT customers this $15 per iPhone deal. Not the $40 per line that others are spreading in these forums. Both lines are currently still on contract....

I just spoke with ATT (twice) and confirmed this is true. You do not lose your subsidized phone purchase option as long as you renew your two year commitment and your existing phone for is eligible for an upgrade. Same as before and includes iPhones. There is no add on for a subsidized phone.

 

[bniu]

att is just a money hungry company...

AT&T has to make money to stay in business. While we'd all love it if AT&T just gave us free service, it will do us no good it they go out of business...

 

[bmms8]

I have 5 iPhones on my family plan. We have 15gb mobile share with this new pricing it comes out to a savings of $150 per month unless i calculated wrong.

But when i go to upgrade to say the iPhone 6, i pay $200 for the phone if I'm eligible and my line changes from $15 to $40 is that right? Thanks!