Carrier AT&T - closing without ETF

[KoolAid-Drink]

Question - I have AT&T, and am thinking of switching to Verizon for the 6s this fall. I bought an iPhone 5s from AT&T in early 2014, with a 2-year contract that expires in early 2016. However, the iPhone 5s was dropped in the lake this summer. I purchased a 5s full price (no contract, but AT&T) from the Apple store but felt it was too expensive, so I returned the 5s, but kept the SIM, which I transferred to an unlocked iPhone 5 I bought from Amazon (used).

I was reading the ETF details on AT&T's website, and it says this:

If you're an AT&T NextSM customer or you brought your own device, there is no ETF.

Based on the fact I have my own device (the used, unlocked 5), technically, would that mean I don't get an ETF if I close out early? My AT&T profile shows the current device.

Thanks!

 

[Juansito]

ETF is if you break your 2 year contract before the end date.... It has nothing to do with your phone. Your not an ATT Next customer, ATT next is for people that are not on contract their contract is done and can leave whenever they want without paying a fee.

They gave you a discount on a new phone when you did the 2 year contract and in order for them to make that money back they locked you into a 2 year plan -- if you break that plan you need to pay them an ETF.

 

[imaginex20]

you could have went to Apple with your 5S (The one you dropped in water) and pay the out of warranty cost of $269 for a new refurbished phone.

 

[chrfr]

Based on the fact I have my own device (the used, unlocked 5), technically, would that mean I don't get an ETF if I close out early? My AT&T profile shows the current device.

Your contract still accounts for paying for the original device. You can't get out of the contract early without paying the ETF regardless of which phone you're using on the plan.

 

[snow755]

Verizon sucks and a rip off stay with AT&T they have better deals and better price with verizon you get 2GB of date for $60 too where AT&T you get 5GB of date for the same price this about i am paying about 106 per moth wish is not bad for what am getting

 

[nostresshere]

Your "contract" is tied to the phone service/number. As along as that number is still in service with ATT, you are fine. It seems to be tied to the actual phone, but it is not. You must keep that number with ATT until the end of the term, or pay an ETF. It might be worth asking how much that is.

 

[Epyon790]

Your "contract" is tied to the phone service/number. As along as that number is still in service with ATT, you are fine. It seems to be tied to the actual phone, but it is not. You must keep that number with ATT until the end of the term, or pay an ETF. It might be worth asking how much that is.

$325 - (number of months completed)*10

 

[KoolAid-Drink]

you could have went to Apple with your 5S (The one you dropped in water) and pay the out of warranty cost of $269 for a new refurbished phone.

I couldn't. The iPhone had sank to the bottom of the lake. Couldn't recover it.

Verizon sucks and a rip off stay with AT&T they have better deals and better price with verizon you get 2GB of date for $60 too where AT&T you get 5GB of date for the same price this about i am paying about 106 per moth wish is not bad for what am getting

Why does VZW suck? People say often they have really good LTE coverage. Also, I really like their $45/month 3GB plan (better than my existing $45/month for 2GB on AT&T, grandfathered in) + $15 line access every month isn't bad.

 

[chrfr]

Why does VZW suck? People say often they have really good LTE coverage.

I don't know why people generalize about coverage. In Boston, and where I usually am with the phone, I found AT&T to be faster and have a more stable data connection than Verizon does, so I switched. That AT&T was also cheaper was a bonus.
Without knowing the area you're in, it's impossible to say if one carrier is better than the others.

 

[netnothing]

I don't know why people generalize about coverage. In Boston, and where I usually am with the phone, I found AT&T to be faster and have a more stable data connection than Verizon does, so I switched. That AT&T was also cheaper was a bonus.
Without knowing the area you're in, it's impossible to say if one carrier is better than the others.

Doesn't Verizon still have the issue of no data while talking? That has been a factor in the past for a lot of people. Can't tell the number of times I've texted friends on Verizon, using iMessage, where it doesn't get delivered right away. Most times it's because they are on the phone. It then waits and sends via normal text.

I'm in NH and also find that AT&T is faster here. Really have to narrow it down to the area you are in the most.

-Kevin

 

[KoolAid-Drink]

I don't know why people generalize about coverage. In Boston, and where I usually am with the phone, I found AT&T to be faster and have a more stable data connection than Verizon does, so I switched. That AT&T was also cheaper was a bonus.
Without knowing the area you're in, it's impossible to say if one carrier is better than the others.

I'm in DC (occasionally go to rural California).

Doesn't Verizon still have the issue of no data while talking? That has been a factor in the past for a lot of people. Can't tell the number of times I've texted friends on Verizon, using iMessage, where it doesn't get delivered right away. Most times it's because they are on the phone. It then waits and sends via normal text.

I'm in NH and also find that AT&T is faster here. Really have to narrow it down to the area you are in the most.

-Kevin

I'm deaf so only rely on data/texts, not voice, so that wouldn't be an issue for me.

 

[C DM]

Verizon sucks and a rip off stay with AT&T they have better deals and better price with verizon you get 2GB of date for $60 too where AT&T you get 5GB of date for the same price this about i am paying about 106 per moth wish is not bad for what am getting

Verizon's pricing is about the same as that of AT&T.