I hope Verizon gets in on this also. It is about time for some good ole fashion carrier wars that will actually benefit the consumers.
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AT&T Hits Back at T-Mobile with Up to $450 in Credits for Switchers
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Go go T-Mobile, keep shaking things up.
Might as well now since they are eventually going to be acquired by Sprint.
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T-Mobile just recently targeting AT&T with a somewhat similar type offer. AT&T is just responding.
Has anything actually changed?
So with this whole up to 450$ in savings AT&T is offering, is no one else seeing the irony in the fact that when you buy let's say an iPhone from them, they are already taking 400$ off the retail price of that device with the signing of the contract or plan. So does this just mean that customers end up paying around the same price for the phone anyway? A 16GB 5s would cost 649$ outright with no plan... So take away 450$ from that and you have your regular 199$ pricing, just seems like a way for them to say they are saving you money, and to just keep doing the same thing.
So with this whole up to 450$ in savings AT&T is offering, is no one else seeing the irony in the fact that when you buy let's say an iPhone from them, they are already taking 400$ off the retail price of that device with the signing of the contract or plan. So does this just mean that customers end up paying around the same price for the phone anyway? A 16GB 5s would cost 649$ outright with no plan... So take away 450$ from that and you have your regular 199$ pricing, just seems like a way for them to say they are saving you money, and to just keep doing the same thing.
double catch
Two catches:
1. Your iPhone, unless it's a 4s, is worth much much more than $250, so getting $250 for a 'trade in' is not a good deal.
2. You have to pay either full price, be part of the failed Next program $$, or bring your own device to get the $200 credit, so if you do #1 above, you probably won't qualify for this.
Two catches:
1. Your iPhone, unless it's a 4s, is worth much much more than $250, so getting $250 for a 'trade in' is not a good deal.
2. You have to pay either full price, be part of the failed Next program $$, or bring your own device to get the $200 credit, so if you do #1 above, you probably won't qualify for this.
I tried this switch last year between April-May and their service was just god awful in SLC, UT. So bad in fact, I couldn't get decent data in 90+% of the locations I went within the SLC Valley.
I went from AT&T, T-Mobile to VZ. VZ also sucks.
I went from AT&T, T-Mobile to VZ. VZ also sucks.
Nah, we're good.
Some of us can actually do math, figure out TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) during the research stage.
Amen, and btw, more and more of my friends, who never cared before, have been asking me 'how did you do it' when I broke my contract and went prepaid. A lot of people are rializing they are getting screwed over with phone bills close to $100
AT&T employee here. To partake in this promotion, you must either BYOD, participate in AT&T Next, or buy a device at retail price. 2-year contracts are not included in this promotion.
Is this the first time AT&T has actually offered to pay money to customers instead of taking more away?
If rumors are to believed...AT&T will be buying or merging Vodaphone within 3-4 yrs along with moving from post-paid to pre-paid phones. The other rumors running are AT&T is polishing up so it can sell its self off after project VIP is completed within 3 yrs leaving only the business and cell phone business..similar to what just occurred in CT fire sell to Frontier Communications.
They are still taking more away. Quick napkin math would show that best case scenario you are out by $130 or so:
* Say you joined T-Mo during the April Promo and got the iPhone 5 for $0 down, $25 per month.
* If you switch, you owe T-Mo around $250 (phone balance), but you trade in and you get $250 so that evens out
* Now, you have one of two options with AT&T (let's assume a 5c to be consistent):
1. Sign new 2 year contract, you won't qualify for the $200 credit, and you would pay $136 for the new iPhone 5c
2. Buy device at full retail, $550, you get $200 credit making the device cost $350
I am assuming your bill is around $75 in both carriers ($50 + $25 in T-Mo, $75 for a 'decent' AT&T package)
I think this only makes sense for people who don't have good T-Mo coverage and need to jump ship, $100 or $200 is a good price to switch carriers
I'm happy for T-Mobile. But they do need lower frequencies in order to get me to switch. Building penetration is poor, or non existent in many areas.
If AT&T really wants to hit below the belt, all they need to do mention EDGE coverage from T-Mobile or even GPRS.
AT&T is evil, and pricey, and lame, but they do have better service in most areas and their signals go a lot farther than T-Mobile's. Hopefully T-Mobile can change that.
If AT&T really wants to hit below the belt, all they need to do mention EDGE coverage from T-Mobile or even GPRS.
AT&T is evil, and pricey, and lame, but they do have better service in most areas and their signals go a lot farther than T-Mobile's. Hopefully T-Mobile can change that.
Hope Sprint doesn't buy T-Mobile. Only three major carriers is a loss for the consumer. How does this even happen?
In 1982 AT&T was broken up into the baby bells. Now AT&T has acquired many of them, and Verizon, which was Bell Atlantic, ended up acquiring many of the rest. And yet somehow they're all coming back together. I'm usually not one for lots of government intervention, but perhaps another breakup is warranted?
In 1982 AT&T was broken up into the baby bells. Now AT&T has acquired many of them, and Verizon, which was Bell Atlantic, ended up acquiring many of the rest. And yet somehow they're all coming back together. I'm usually not one for lots of government intervention, but perhaps another breakup is warranted?
Somebody must be feeling a little revenue hit; small no doubt, but enough to nudge them into offering a little incentive.
If Sprint goes thru with their planned acquisition of T-Mob, and such a deal is approved by the FCC and DoJ, I would certainly hope they would eventually integrate both business units, and convert all of their networks to GSM. Sprint and T-Mob combined would have more resources to improve their networks, with wider LTE coverage, and this would make them a realistic alternative for those who are currently only sticking with AT&T and Verizon because of their better coverage.
Gotta love competition; a consumer's best 'friend'.
If Sprint goes thru with their planned acquisition of T-Mob, and such a deal is approved by the FCC and DoJ, I would certainly hope they would eventually integrate both business units, and convert all of their networks to GSM. Sprint and T-Mob combined would have more resources to improve their networks, with wider LTE coverage, and this would make them a realistic alternative for those who are currently only sticking with AT&T and Verizon because of their better coverage.
Gotta love competition; a consumer's best 'friend'.
If T-Mobile has coverage in your area, you'd be crazy to use AT&T.
I say that as an AT&T customer.
I say that as an AT&T customer.
After Soft Bank bought Sprint I would think they would slow down their acquisitions since they just increased their own debt with Sprint's debt. I'm not sure they want to take on even more debt from T-mobile
LOL, shared plans saved me a ton and I have several friends who have also saved quite a bit so do you care to disclose whether you work for Verizon or T-Mobile?
Still doesn't make a difference.
So then unless you have a device that is 2 years old or older (qualifying you for an upgrade anyway) You are basically being given next to nothing for a device that is worth more. This is being labeled as a credit however, it's just a different way of setting the same price points of the 2 year contract accounts, for everyone else. The numbers add up to it all. There is plenty of evidence of this, and none that you are actually saving anything at all with this deal. More like being stolen from.
So then unless you have a device that is 2 years old or older (qualifying you for an upgrade anyway) You are basically being given next to nothing for a device that is worth more. This is being labeled as a credit however, it's just a different way of setting the same price points of the 2 year contract accounts, for everyone else. The numbers add up to it all. There is plenty of evidence of this, and none that you are actually saving anything at all with this deal. More like being stolen from.
Line costs go down with AT&T also. With T-Mobile, you get the T-Mobile network. No thanks!
Here's a real world example buddy:
My sister and family have a 5 line family plan with AT&T. 4 lines are iPhones (two of which have 2gb of data and the other two have the mandatory 300mb). They have unlimited texting and I believe 700 minutes which translates to unlimited since they have a ton of rollover. Their bill is roughly $210 a month all-in with tax.
Now your turn. Show me the math where switching to a shared data plan "saves them a ton."