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You turn in your phone because you don't fully own it and start a new NEXT program with the new phone. However, as many have stated, that is not a good idea. It's better to pay off the balance and sell it yourself for more.
So it's basically a lease with option to buy or lease with option to renew/upgrade program.
 
As someone who paid about $900 (with tax) for an iPhone last year, I sure hope you're right. If Verizon drops 2-year contracts as well, I wonder how Apple will present the prices at the next iPhone introduction because I don't think listing $649, $749 and $849 will look that great. Maybe $349 (16GB), $449 (32GB), $549 (64GB) and $649 (128GB) will look better.

I doubt it. Apple has to keep their stock price up. I can see them adding a 6c at $499 for the budget customer. But with 0% financing form the carriers, it will be easier to swallow.

One good thing AT&T is doing is making it transparent how much an iPhone really costs. There's a reason Apple is making so much money and their stock is booming while AT&T stock is lagging.

But on this board, AT&T is the evil corporation and Apple is doing you a favor selling overpriced hardware.

As a comparison to the price gouging, 4K 55 inch TVs are cheaper than iPhones when they used to be $10k a few years ago but Apple is charging the same price ($650) for 7 years now.
 
So it's basically a lease with option to buy or lease with option to renew/upgrade program.

Not really. With a lease, you never own the merchandise. With NEXT, you own the phone from day 1. But if that's easier to understand, then go with it.
 
Not really. With a lease, you never own the merchandise. With NEXT, you own the phone from day 1. But if that's easier to understand, then go with it.
Maybe I misunderstood. My understanding was that you didn't own the phone until it was paid for, in other words if I stop paying and cancel my service they are going to want me to pay the remainder due on the phone. The way I interpreted the plans the idea is that theoretically you decide if you want to upgrade every 1 year or 2 years. However the number of payments due is actually greater than that time period. So you have to decide wether to pay the remainder due and purchase your iPhone or turn it back in before starting your next term. So if you are using these plans the way they are intended you would never actually own a phone at all unless you decided to purchase it for remaining balance due at the end of your term.
 
So it's basically a lease with option to buy or lease with option to renew/upgrade program.

No. It's a payment plan. To simplify it to the lowest level, you pay for it until you own it. If you haven't done so and want a new device, you give it back and start over. Or, you have the option to keep it by paying the remaining balance owed.

It's nowhere near the rocket science that some are making it out to be.
 
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Maybe I misunderstood. My understanding was that you didn't own the phone until it was paid for, in other words if I stop paying and cancel my service they are going to want me to pay the remainder due on the phone. The way I interpreted the plans the idea is that theoretically you decide if you want to upgrade every 1 year or 2 years. However the number of payments due is actually greater than that time period. So you have to decide wether to pay the remainder due and purchase your iPhone or turn it back in before starting your next term. So if you are using these plans the way they are intended you would never actually own a phone at all unless you decided to purchase it for remaining balance due at the end of your term.

It's definitely not a lease. It's financing over a set time period with an option to restart a new financing term.
 
Maybe I misunderstood. My understanding was that you didn't own the phone until it was paid for, in other words if I stop paying and cancel my service they are going to want me to pay the remainder due on the phone. The way I interpreted the plans the idea is that theoretically you decide if you want to upgrade every 1 year or 2 years. However the number of payments due is actually greater than that time period. So you have to decide wether to pay the remainder due and purchase your iPhone or turn it back in before starting your next term. So if you are using these plans the way they are intended you would never actually own a phone at all unless you decided to purchase it for remaining balance due at the end of your term.

If you insist on stating it that way, try this: you don't "own" the phone until it's paid for the same way you don't own your car until you make the final payment and the bank releases the title.
 
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If you insist on stating it that way, try this: you don't "own" the phone until it's paid for the same way you don't own your car until you make the final payment and the bank releases the title.
Well I guess it's silly to argue over the meaning of the wording used, I guess my point was if your using this as intended you would never own a phone.

From my perspective I like to upgrade every year and keep my phones, with this plan it will cost more to do that.
 
Well I guess it's silly to argue over the meaning of the wording used, I guess my point was if your using this as intended you would never own a phone.

From my perspective I like to upgrade every year and keep my phones, with this plan it will cost more to do that.

How do you upgrade every year today with a 2 year contract? If you pay full price, you can continue to do so with NEXT.
 
Well I guess it's silly to argue over the meaning of the wording used, I guess my point was if your using this as intended you would never own a phone.

From my perspective I like to upgrade every year and keep my phones, with this plan it will cost more to do that.

Not looking to quibble over semantics, but ... I suppose we could dissect "as intended", especially from the point of whose perspective, AT&T's or the customers? My intent is to own every phone that I purchase, whether it's an outright purchase, a subsidized 2-year contract deal or via Next. From where I sit, I recognize that I must pay IN FULL for any device, regardless of how/when that payment is made.

With that point being made, I've probably said all that I can say on this topic. I am out.
 
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As someone who paid about $900 (with tax) for an iPhone last year, I sure hope you're right. If Verizon drops 2-year contracts as well, I wonder how Apple will present the prices at the next iPhone introduction because I don't think listing $649, $749 and $849 will look that great. Maybe $349 (16GB), $449 (32GB), $549 (64GB) and $649 (128GB) will look better.

I sure as hell hope you're right. When you think about it, the $649 price tag for the 16gb iPhone 6 is ridiculous. Case in point, the iPad Air 16gb with LTE retails for $629. How in the hell does a 9.7" device with essentially the same internal components with a much bigger screen sell for less?! The reason is because these devices are being sold at an artificially higher rate due to the contract subsidies.
 
I sure as hell hope you're right. When you think about it, the $649 price tag for the 16gb iPhone 6 is ridiculous. Case in point, the iPad Air 16gb with LTE retails for $629. How in the hell does a 9.7" device with essentially the same internal components with a much bigger screen sell for less?! The reason is because these devices are being sold at an artificially higher rate due to the contract subsidies.

A bigger, higher resolution screen. A bigger battery. A better GPU (A8X). All for $20 less!
 
How do you upgrade every year today with a 2 year contract? If you pay full price, you can continue to do so with NEXT.
I upgrade with a new 2 year contract. You essentially get $100 off the phone if you upgrade early (after only 1 year). I will now assuming I stay with AT&T have to pay full price for the phone in addition to the more expensive NEXT plan. This will end up costing more.
 
I can't speak to unlimited plans because I don't have one but other than that how is Next worse than the 2 year contract? Either way you're paying off the phone in installments.
It's not but people can't read properly when it comes to stuff like this so they don't "get" it. Just look at all the fools complaining about Att "dropping" subbed priceing..... (No it's simply not available at Apple but don't tell them)....I'd like to see their heads explode!

Now worries about losing unlimited data is a different story.... even though most that have it in no way come close to needing it and most other plans would fit their needs and cost less.
 
I upgrade with a new 2 year contract. You essentially get $100 off the phone if you upgrade early (after only 1 year). I will now assuming I stay with AT&T have to pay full price for the phone in addition to the more expensive NEXT plan. This will end up costing more.

How did you "essentially get $100 off" by upgrading 12 months into a 2 year contract? When I've upgraded an iPhone after just 12 months in the past, I had to pay an additional $250 early upgrade cost, plus my contract would start over with a new 2 year contract. Even figuring in cash recouped by selling the old phone, I certainly wasn't saving any money doing that.

These days I'm on AT&T Next 12, which suits me better than my old 2-year AT&T contracts did.
 
How did you "essentially get $100 off" by upgrading 12 months into a 2 year contract? When I've upgraded an iPhone after just 12 months in the past, I had to pay an additional $250 early upgrade cost, plus my contract would start over with a new 2 year contract. Even figuring in cash recouped by selling the old phone, I certainly wasn't saving any money doing that.

These days I'm on AT&T Next 12, which suits me better than my old 2-year AT&T contracts did.
I've never heard of or been charged an "early upgrade cost". When you upgrade 1 year in the phone is subsidized and is $100 less than the full no contract price.
 
I did the math and had an AT&T rep agree that I'm better off with a 2 year contract to go along with my unlimited plan. I'd be paying full price for the phone and no discount on my plan if I went with Next. The 2 year contract gives me $450.00 off of the price of the phone and I pay the same price on my monthly bill (450 minutes - $39.99, Unlimited texts - 20.00, Unlimited data - $30.00 = $89.99 minus $16.10 FAN discount = $73.89. Toss in Fees and Taxes it comes up to $81.29. Can't beat that! And I used 35GB last month.

I get a new phone every 2 years. The old one ends up in a drawer or one of my kids uses it to go online at home. I should start selling them. That would pretty much pay for the new phone but I have every iPhone that I'ved owned since they first came out.
 
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Yeah, that's not going to happen. I worked it out a number of years ago and I'm not going to try to figure it out again. Bottom line, if you're on an unlimited plan, you're over paying if you DON'T do an upgrade every two years with the 2 year contract. This is because of the cost of the device being built into the cost of the service and not getting a discount when you're out of contract. So basically, there's really no point in paying full price.

It's been my experience that AT&T is VERY reluctant to force anyone off any sort of plan. We may coerce and bribe you to do so, but I can only think of one instance where people were forced off a particular plan. Although, who knows what may happen in the next year.

My guess, and once again, only a guess, is that by next year, we may not offer 2 year contracts at all. I think right now we're testing all of our systems and situations to see how this goes over the next 6 months. But we all may as well get used to it. I say we, because yes, I still do 2 year contracts and am also on an unlimited data plan.

And those belly aching that AT&T is trying to screw you or what not, once again, get over it. Because pretty soon no one is going to be able to buy a smartphone with a discounted price.
I wouldn't advertise that you work for AT&T and then tell customers to "get over it".

First off, as a customer of AT&T, if you told me that in the store, I'd be talking to your manager, very loudly. Then, I'd be going to your competition.
Secondly, you probably signed some sort of agreement with AT&T that you wouldn't represent them outside the scope of your work. If you work anywhere where you have contacts with customers, you should know better than to say such things as "get over it". Castigating those that pay your salary is the worst way to treat them with such things as "belly achers" and telling them to "get over it," which has all of the tone of "#$%^ off." Sometimes, previewing your post is the best advice.
Thirdly, just because you know something doesn't mean you have to say it. Your status as an employee of AT&T and putting forward-looking information puts you and AT&T at risk. I'm pretty sure that the company doesn't appreciate your revelations of the testing, whether couched in "I'm just guessing" Opening up that line of thinking as a rumor from someone that claims to be from the inside of the corporate wall to the customer begs them to ask questions, or question whether AT&T cares about them.

Other great lines:
Sears: We don't take Visa/Mastercard. Get over it.
Blockbuster: We don't do streaming. Get over it.
Kodak/Polaroid: We don't do digital photography. Get over it.
White Star Line: We don't have enough lifeboats. Get over it.

So, you can take my advice for whatever it's worth, but it's not done in malice or contempt, just as advice from one pseudo-anonymous poster to another.
 
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I wouldn't advertise that you work for AT&T and then tell customers to "get over it".

First off, as a customer of AT&T, if you told me that in the store, I'd be talking to your manager, very loudly. Then, I'd be going to your competition.
Secondly, you probably signed some sort of agreement with AT&T that you wouldn't represent them outside the scope of your work. If you work anywhere where you have contacts with customers, you should know better than to say such things as "get over it". Castigating those that pay your salary is the worst way to treat them with such things as "belly achers" and telling them to "get over it," which has all of the tone of "#$%^ off." Sometimes, previewing your post is the best advice.
Thirdly, just because you know something doesn't mean you have to say it. Your status as an employee of AT&T and putting forward-looking information puts you and AT&T at risk. I'm pretty sure that the company doesn't appreciate your revelations of the testing, whether couched in "I'm just guessing" Opening up that line of thinking as a rumor from someone that claims to be from the inside of the corporate wall to the customer begs them to ask questions, or question whether AT&T cares about them.

Other great lines:
Sears: We don't take Visa/Mastercard. Get over it.
Blockbuster: We don't do streaming. Get over it.
Kodak/Polaroid: We don't do digital photography. Get over it.
White Star Line: We don't have enough lifeboats. Get over it.

So, you can take my advice for whatever it's worth, but it's not done in malice or contempt, just as advice from one pseudo-anonymous poster to another.

"Don’t judge, so that you won’t be judged."
 
Don't non-sequitor, or Apple will stop making iPhones.
I also took latin in my second school :) "Non-sequitur" OMG :) You have a sence of humor. I've ever known where I could use it. Now I know to convince Apple to stay in business and Att to sell me at lower price Apple' products.
Att, please vendere! :)

Sorry for the offtop.
My opinion on the situation: Att overspent over the last couple years. They gave t-mo 4B dollars for nothing, they bought 18.2B spectrum, Mexican provider, .... They need to make money somehow. This is how life it is. VZW, T-mo are in the same, deep bent position.

T-mo CEO Mr. Legere started all this freedom-uncarrier game.
He "brainwashed" us with his modern-liberal idea: if we switch from Att "bad" network to t-mo "fastest" 1/2size-att network we all can save. Also there was created strong public opinion(myth) that t-mo has the best CS on the planet. ( I got not connected test drive kit, had to return it, twitted t-mo ceo, nobody helped me, cannot order another one since I "tried" the network already ). For 10 years with Cingular-Att I had no problem with CS. They are even better now.

I just calculated how much money I spent on att + phone per month and with my discount I realized, that I loose around 40 dollars I switch to t-mo. t-mo has only one good feature for me, unlimited data/text roaming.

Same idea with all share Att plans, listen to them I have to switch from unlimited to more expensive limited plan. :)


I also like, how people say here "FREEDOM" :) "NO CONTRACT" ! what is Next, it is 0 percent financial loan, you financial obligatin, another words financial contract. Listen to you guys, you don't like contracts, but like financial contracts. It makes no sense. 40 dollars upgrade fee. Guys! I'm an immigrant and English is my 3-d language, never had a problem, it was always waived. Be polite with CS and you get your money back.

I also expect that sooner or later ( I hope later, but it will be sooner) Att stops subsidy. By that time t-mo expends its LTE band 12 low frequency network. Iphone 6s supports lte 12. T-mo plan become less expensive compare to what I have now. I switch.

My opinion that business build long term relation with me, not I with business. I have to pay more one way or another and I can find a better deal I take it.

I'm very aggresive player on my Edgeworth diagram.
My prof. told me once "you can Earn less, but save more!" I told him "you can earn more and spend less to earn even more."
 
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I will be gone if I can't do a 2 year plan. With rent and food going sky high and wages remaining stagnate and low I can't afford to keep having $20 here and $30 there extra fees to pay each month. $105 monthly for cell phone service is ridiculous as it is without a $25 fee on top of it.
 
I will be gone if I can't do a 2 year plan. With rent and food going sky high and wages remaining stagnate and low I can't afford to keep having $20 here and $30 there extra fees to pay each month. $105 monthly for cell phone service is ridiculous as it is without a $25 fee on top of it.

Then don't get a new cell phone with NEXT. Keep the one you have and let your contract expire and start saving $25 on the monthly service with the BYOD plan.
 
Then don't get a new cell phone with NEXT. Keep the one you have and let your contract expire and start saving $25 on the monthly service with the BYOD plan.

From my understanding you won't be saving anything. When my 4s went off contract I didn't save any money, my bill was exactly the same. I don't see how this would be any different.
 
That's because you were on a 2 year contract plan where you SHOULD upgrade every two years to make it worth it. If you switch to a BYOD plan, you save $25 per month on service.
 
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