Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Unlimited Data on ATT- How low could I go with retentions?

G

gadgetfreaky

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Oct 28, 2007
1,406
533
I use about 3 GB a month according to ATT and now pay 35 for unlimited data and 40 bucks for the "voice" + 3-5 bucks for text. So a total of 75-80 per month with the price increase.

I believe I have 2 months since the increase to cancel my plan with no penalty which I believe was in Feb. How low do you guys think I could get retentions in order to keep me?
 
Tell them about the tmobile, sprint and other carriers deals and see if they can match it or offer you some free stuff.
Remember you're now also losing a 2 year subsidy worth $450 every 2 years per line that they are not allowing you to use any more.
 
On giving up my unlimited plan, and for service alone, I was given a 6GB plan for $40 plus unlimited phone and text for $25 = $65. Additionally I received a 10% AARP discount on the data portion, for a net of $61. (There is no discount on unlimited portion).
 
OlgaJ said:
On giving up my unlimited plan, and for service alone, I was given a 6GB plan for $40 plus unlimited phone and text for $25 = $65. Additionally I received a 10% AARP discount on the data portion, for a net of $61. (There is no discount on unlimited portion).
Click to expand...

Did you just ask what kind of deals they could give to get rid of the unlimited plan? Or did you have to hassle them about other carrier prices
 
The first rep gave me nothing other than the standard plans and rates. At that time I said "well I will have to check and see what Verizon and T-Mobile have to offer." That's when he told me he will transfer me to another dept where they may be able to offer a better deal. So, to answer your question, yes, I did have to mention the competitors.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jev425
OlgaJ said:
The first rep gave me nothing other than the standard plans and rates. At that time I said "well I will have to check and see what Verizon and T-Mobile have to offer." That's when he told me he will transfer me to another dept where they may be able to offer a better deal. So, to answer your question, yes, I did have to mention the competitors.
Click to expand...

Great! I will give it a try. I enjoy the unlimited plan but being a student now, I would really like being able to tether my laptop to my phone, to use Internet( don't like using public wifi)
 
OlgaJ said:
The first rep gave me nothing other than the standard plans and rates. At that time I said "well I will have to check and see what Verizon and T-Mobile have to offer." That's when he told me he will transfer me to another dept where they may be able to offer a better deal. So, to answer your question, yes, I did have to mention the competitors.
Click to expand...
You most likely called in to change your plan and didn't call in to retentions to cancel, that's where the best promotions are. Though I'm curious about doing this as well. 6GB sounds perfect and I have no idea why I'm so reluctant to give up my UDP considering I only use 2 - 3GB, 5 max during summer months.
 
Let me make sure I understand one of the points.......

AT&T would allow me to retain the subsidized phone on only the UDP?

Edited to Add:
With 2 iP6S+'s & iPad Air?
 
So looking at the full analysis- the monthly benefit is not that big of a deal with my bill around 70 bucks. The biggest benefit is you get out of contract and I just bought my phone in September.

Looking at my data usage - I use about 3GB of data over the past few months. Also of note, I was out of the country for 2 months and ATT still showed me using 1gb of data (my phone was powered off the entire time- I used a different phone abroad).

I do like buying new phones every year so It seems like getting out of the ETF now makes sense no matter waht retentions offers me. My long term view is that data will all get much much cheaper so in 2 years everyone will have an unlimited data plan.
 
I have the unlimited/limited plan, I go over the allotted time every month and they govern my speeds after that so it kinda sucks. But that is after 20 gigs I think...
 
I get this on the regular... image1.png
 
gadgetfreaky said:
So looking at the full analysis- the monthly benefit is not that big of a deal with my bill around 70 bucks. The biggest benefit is you get out of contract and I just bought my phone in September.

Looking at my data usage - I use about 3GB of data over the past few months. Also of note, I was out of the country for 2 months and ATT still showed me using 1gb of data (my phone was powered off the entire time- I used a different phone abroad).

I do like buying new phones every year so It seems like getting out of the ETF now makes sense no matter waht retentions offers me. My long term view is that data will all get much much cheaper so in 2 years everyone will have an unlimited data plan.
Click to expand...

My monthly bill was $85 and included 200 texts at $5 per month. So it was a much bigger savings for me. I don't think I have ever gone more than 3GB per month in all my years with the unlimited plan. Now I can tether my ipad, when I'm away from wifi, so I can save more money by not purchasing a prepaid plan for the ipad.
 
If I didn't already have an amazing plan I would switch over to allow tethering but I am paying $73/month after taxes for unlimited Talk/Text/Data. I average about 10GB/month so it would cost more to cover my usage just to enable tethering.
 
gadgetfreaky said:
So looking at the full analysis- the monthly benefit is not that big of a deal with my bill around 70 bucks. The biggest benefit is you get out of contract and I just bought my phone in September.

Looking at my data usage - I use about 3GB of data over the past few months. Also of note, I was out of the country for 2 months and ATT still showed me using 1gb of data (my phone was powered off the entire time- I used a different phone abroad).

I do like buying new phones every year so It seems like getting out of the ETF now makes sense no matter waht retentions offers me. My long term view is that data will all get much much cheaper so in 2 years everyone will have an unlimited data plan.
Click to expand...

The only way to get out of contract etf free is to port out to another carrier.
If you change plans and stay on AT&T or the 2 months passed by since your price increase then you will still be tied up for the rest of your contract period.
 
Last edited:
Well I had my call with retentions. very well trained reps.

She got me an old grandfathered voice plan (I dont use voice a lot) for 29 and I kept Unliited Data
With

She then gave me a credit of like 50 bucks to offset my texting. I have a 17% discount with my employer so my pre tax bill is $54. I'm guessing taxes will be around 11 so Ill be at $65.

That said - I'm giving up the opportunity to get out of $250 in ETF fees. has anyone been able to get more out of retention- a reduction in the plan costs? Seems like I settled for too little- just 50 bucks in credits and the reduced plan which I could have gotten anyway.
 
gadgetfreaky said:
Well I had my call with retentions. very well trained reps.

She got me an old grandfathered voice plan (I dont use voice a lot) for 29 and I kept Unliited Data
With

She then gave me a credit of like 50 bucks to offset my texting. I have a 17% discount with my employer so my pre tax bill is $54. I'm guessing taxes will be around 11 so Ill be at $65.

That said - I'm giving up the opportunity to get out of $250 in ETF fees. has anyone been able to get more out of retention- a reduction in the plan costs? Seems like I settled for too little- just 50 bucks in credits and the reduced plan which I could have gotten anyway.
Click to expand...

Honestly. Having 60 days to "opt out" of contract without ETF due to $5 price increase of unlimited data is no biggie to most of us these days.

1. If u used ur last full subsidy upgrade say last September 2015, u already qualify for ATT next even with ur subsidy upgrade. Which means u can get another iPhone 7 in September with att next and pay it off and be out of contract once it's paid off. U aren't "locked" into the subsidy contract without ETF even after ur 60 day window to opt out.

2. Other carriers will essentially pay ur ETF when u switch to them. U may have to wait 6-12 weeks. But ur ETF will be taken care of.

Since OP is a low data user (3gb on unlimited plan). OP has a lot of options.

Me personally. Even with the $5 price increase (we have two grandfathered unlimited). I still get my 24% fan discount off data. So the $10 extra i am paying isn't a big deal ($3.80 increase per line after discount).
 
gadgetfreaky said:
Well I had my call with retentions. very well trained reps.

She got me an old grandfathered voice plan (I dont use voice a lot) for 29 and I kept Unliited Data
With

She then gave me a credit of like 50 bucks to offset my texting. I have a 17% discount with my employer so my pre tax bill is $54. I'm guessing taxes will be around 11 so Ill be at $65.

That said - I'm giving up the opportunity to get out of $250 in ETF fees. has anyone been able to get more out of retention- a reduction in the plan costs? Seems like I settled for too little- just 50 bucks in credits and the reduced plan which I could have gotten anyway.
Click to expand...

They told me to switch to a special 6GB offer as my 3 month average was 4GB but looking at my last 12 i have averaged 8-10GB/month and my current cycle I was over 6GB already. She then offered me a 12GB plan that would be $20 higher but would "cover" the cost of a NEXT device when I got it. She then offered to drop me to a $20/month talk plan and keep my unlimited data. That would have hurt me with overages in talk. After everything was done I kept my original unlimited talk, text and data for $73 per month after taxes and ended up only getting a $25 credit.
 
noodles5666 said:
They told me to switch to a special 6GB offer as my 3 month average was 4GB but looking at my last 12 i have averaged 8-10GB/month and my current cycle I was over 6GB already. She then offered me a 12GB plan that would be $20 higher but would "cover" the cost of a NEXT device when I got it. She then offered to drop me to a $20/month talk plan and keep my unlimited data. That would have hurt me with overages in talk. After everything was done I kept my original unlimited talk, text and data for $73 per month after taxes and ended up only getting a $25 credit.
Click to expand...

20 dollar voice plan? wow. What's the plan limit?
[doublepost=1459828938][/doublepost]
aneftp said:
Honestly. Having 60 days to "opt out" of contract without ETF due to $5 price increase of unlimited data is no biggie to most of us these days.

1. If u used ur last full subsidy upgrade say last September 2015, u already qualify for ATT next even with ur subsidy upgrade. Which means u can get another iPhone 7 in September with att next and pay it off and be out of contract once it's paid off. U aren't "locked" into the subsidy contract without ETF even after ur 60 day window to opt out.

2. Other carriers will essentially pay ur ETF when u switch to them. U may have to wait 6-12 weeks. But ur ETF will be taken care of.

Since OP is a low data user (3gb on unlimited plan). OP has a lot of options.

Me personally. Even with the $5 price increase (we have two grandfathered unlimited). I still get my 24% fan discount off data. So the $10 extra i am paying isn't a big deal ($3.80 increase per line after discount).
Click to expand...

Well google Fi is pretty cheap - 20 bucks base plan and 10 bucks per gig. No contracts. I can just pop in a sim card and boom. Free of ATT with no ETF if I leave now.

ATT is forcing people off the unliited plan - but in the next year or two- data is gonna be included in for personal use for 50 bucks. right now- avg plans probalby run 70- they'll be down to 50 at the rate things are going.
 
gadgetfreaky said:
Well I had my call with retentions. very well trained reps.

She got me an old grandfathered voice plan (I dont use voice a lot) for 29 and I kept Unliited Data
With

She then gave me a credit of like 50 bucks to offset my texting. I have a 17% discount with my employer so my pre tax bill is $54. I'm guessing taxes will be around 11 so Ill be at $65.

That said - I'm giving up the opportunity to get out of $250 in ETF fees. has anyone been able to get more out of retention- a reduction in the plan costs? Seems like I settled for too little- just 50 bucks in credits and the reduced plan which I could have gotten anyway.
Click to expand...
That sounds like my voice plan as well, is it the Nation 300 Rollover?

I'm on the same boat as you are, and possibly the same voice plan and grandfathered UDP plus $10 unlimited texting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back