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

[kilcher]

So then when you go to upgrade your phone, and everyone does, you'll end up paying more?

Sounds like a bait and switch to me.

They take a short term hit then make it up and more over the next 2 yr cycle.

Do you really think ATT hasn't had an army of analysts and lawyers working this to their advantage?

The very fact that no one can follow their website is proof of that...

Agreed. They typically don't release new plans that cost them money. It seems as though you have to have quite a few lines to make this work in your advantage and the more lines you have the less data you have per line.

We have 2 smartphones (one with unlimited data and one with 3GB) and a regular talk/text phone on our plan. I've tried to run the numbers and it looks like we'd be paying about the same, even though I'd be giving up my unlimited data and we'd now be paying full price for our phones.

Our current plan...

Family talk 550: $50
My phone (unlimited): $30
Wife's phone (3GB): $40
My mom's phone (talk/text only): $10
Unlimited texting: $30

Total: $160

New plan...

10GB shared data, unlimted talk/text: $100
My phone: $15
Wife's phone: $15
Mom's phone: $15

Total: $145

So I guess we'd be saving $15 a month but would then need to buy 2 iPhones at full price.

 

[tennisproha]

A ten year AT&T customer, that's very happy with their service, I recently called and pleasantly asked what they could do for me. My existing plan consisted of three lines, two with ETF's of over $245 each.

They volunteered to switch me to the latest mobile share plan, including paying off both ETF's for me, as they thanked me for my loyalty. I was also upgraded from 6GB of data to 10 GB. Along with unlimited talk and text, they reduced my monthly bill below $110.

I had no idea they'd be so accommodating.

Were you under contract on any of your lines? Or did you have upgrades elligible?

I have a similar situation. Ive been a 12+ year customer with 3 lines currently. All 3 lines are upgrade elligible and are wanting to upgrade phones since they are 3-4 years old. I would love to upgrade our archaic plan but i dont wanna end up paying for all the phone upgrades out of pocket. Any advice on my best approach here? Thanks!

 

[GadgetGeek407]

Were you under contract on any of your lines? Or did you have upgrades elligible?



I have a similar situation. Ive been a 12+ year customer with 3 lines currently. All 3 lines are upgrade elligible and are wanting to upgrade phones since they are 3-4 years old. I would love to upgrade our archaic plan but i dont wanna end up paying for all the phone upgrades out of pocket. Any advice on my best approach here? Thanks!

If you want to use the subsidy on your new plan than your net cost of add a line goes up to $40 from the discounted $15. Which if you do the math it's cheaper to buy outright factory unlocked for resale value purposes.

 

[zhenya]

If you want to use the subsidy on your new plan than your net cost of add a line goes up to $40 from the discounted $15. Which if you do the math it's cheaper to buy outright factory unlocked for resale value purposes.

It all depends on how much data they need per month. Most people aren't currently using 10GB and likely won't for the foreseeable future. Do you want to pay for data you aren't using?

Look at you bill online where you can see your usage history. Then buy a plan that puts you slightly below the highest usage. It's better to pay overages when you need them than to pay for data you won't use every month.

An example.

Let's say in the last couple of years you are generally around the 2GB per month mark for your 3 lines. Let's even say you go over to near 3GB 5 months per year. Choosing the 2GB plan rather than the 10GB plan could save you a lot of money.

It is

$55/month for the 2Gb bucket.
$40/month per line
$200/phone every 2 years
$36/phone activation every 2 years

The total is

$175x24= $4200 for the bucket and lines
$600 for phones
$108 in activations
That is $4908 or $204.50/month for two years
Overages are $15/GB or $150 for 10 months of 1Gb which brings you to $5058 or $210.75/month

Going with the 10GB plan and buying your own phones is:

$100 for the 10GB bucket
$15/line
$650/phone

The total is
$145x24= $3480 for the bucket and lines
$650x3= $1950 for the phones
Which is $5430 for two years or $226.25/month

That's an extra $372 every two years for data you wouldn't be using.

The short answer is do the research and do the math. AT&T is banking on lots of people signing up for a 10GB plan they will hardly use.

 

[sixrom]

Were you under contract on any of your lines? Or did you have upgrades elligible?

I have a similar situation. Ive been a 12+ year customer with 3 lines currently. All 3 lines are upgrade elligible and are wanting to upgrade phones since they are 3-4 years old. I would love to upgrade our archaic plan but i dont wanna end up paying for all the phone upgrades out of pocket. Any advice on my best approach here? Thanks!

You'll note I explained I have three lines 2 of which were in contract. AT&T paid the ETF's saving me $540, and increased my data plan at no charge as well. Now contract free on all three lines, I didn't spend anything, just called & asked for what I wanted, they took care of my requests while reducing my monthly bill.

 

[bgib2610]

No discount for pre 2/3 2 year contact

I got my bill and was deceived by AT&T. I changed from a 6 GB plan to the 10 GB plan. There is no $25 discount per line to make it $15 each. I called an talked to two agents and did a chat and confirmed it was $130 with two phones. I even have confirmation when I did the plan change on the website.

The FAN discount is applied to the $100 as expected though.

Here is a snapshot from my bill. It also drives me nuts that they bill you one day of the old plan even though you select start on new billing cycle. They gave me a credit, but do I have to do this each month now? Regretting this too good to be true change...

 

[GadgetGeek407]

I got my bill and was deceived by AT&T. I changed from a 6 GB plan to the 10 GB plan. There is no $25 discount per line to make it $15 each. I called an talked to two agents and did a chat and confirmed it was $130 with two phones. I even have confirmation when I did the plan change on the website.

The FAN discount is applied to the $100 as expected though.

Here is a snapshot from my bill. It also drives me nuts that they bill you one day of the old plan even though you select start on new billing cycle. They gave me a credit, but do I have to do this each month now? Regretting this too good to be true change...

View attachment 461145

Wait isn't is suppose to be $15 a month.

----------

I just checked my Att app after looking at the above post and sure enough my lines all show $40 a month. WTF. This is after I myself saw 15 when I changed it myself. ATT is in for CS and PR NIGHTMARE if they screw this up. What the hell happened and where's the $15 a month per line.

 

[GadgetGeek407]

Called Att just now. She said line is $40 but bill will reflect $25 a line discount.

 

[Caliweatha]

5 lines
4 lines with 2.5gb
1 line with 500mb
free mobile hotspot on all lines regardless of data tier
3 lines with phone protection
15% discount
free WiFi calling
6 phones on EIP(Electronic Installment Plan)
Nexus 4/5
Sammy S4
BBz10
HTC One
LG L9. Next or Edge as nothing on EIP. I can upgrade when ever I want how many phones I want while on EIP.

I can pay how much i want on my phones reducing the monthly installments or just them off in full individually or altogether.
Although its an agreement for 24months I have the options to pay them off at and giving time.
Not restricted to just monthly payments like Next don't get me started on Edge plan lol.

Yea my 2.5 GB may throttle if I go over but no caps or overage. So that mean no surprises on my bill.
But the $20 unlimited 4g with 2.5gb hotspot would take care of that.
And Not to mention can switch data plans from low to high or high to low even no data and still have unlimited web.

current monthly bill $252 taxes included
after EIP paid off new bill $135/month taxes included
6 phones out the deal lol.

Make not work for Everyone but don't go bash T-Mobile
like At&t $145 / 10gb and Next plan killing it dead I bet handset protection
and taxes not included.

5 lines $134 2.5gb on 4 lines
if I chose tho drop the 2.5gb I still get 500mb free on each line with reduce speed/free WiFi calling and Mobile Hotspot period!!!.

$134-$40=$94 tax included for 5lines unlimited text+talk+ data
But if I want I can add $20 unlimited everything 2.5gb free hotspot on each line $100+94= 194 tax included

Pure Unlimited No Caps, Overage, Reduced Or Throttled Data. I'll be a fool to leave T-Mobile for anything At&t offering, keep your $100 bill credit. Well $64 bill credit seeing that its an $36 activation fee upfront, nice try though back to the drawing board.

 

[bgib2610]

Called Att just now. She said line is $40 but bill will reflect $25 a line discount.

My bill doesn't show the $25 discount. CS confirmed the bill is correct on the new plan. There are going to be a lot of pissed of customers like me.

 

[ZipZap]

I got my bill and was deceived by AT&T. I changed from a 6 GB plan to the 10 GB plan. There is no $25 discount per line to make it $15 each. I called an talked to two agents and did a chat and confirmed it was $130 with two phones. I even have confirmation when I did the plan change on the website.

The FAN discount is applied to the $100 as expected though.

Here is a snapshot from my bill. It also drives me nuts that they bill you one day of the old plan even though you select start on new billing cycle. They gave me a credit, but do I have to do this each month now? Regretting this too good to be true change...

View attachment 461145

Your bill is a bit wrong. The $100 is right, and then there should have been a $30 not $40 charge to cover 2 phones.

For 2 phones its $130 until you upgrade the phones. Then a $15 jumps to $40

 

[bgib2610]

No the bill is correct. It is $40 - $25 discount. The $25 per line discount isn't showing.

I would love for others to post their bills once they generate.

 

[bohbot16]

I got my bill and it showed $40 - $25 discount for each line, although the values were slightly different due to the prorating calculations. I have 4 lines on contract and 2 lines off contract and they were all billed the same.

 

[Wicked1]

att is just a money hungry company...

Basically any carrier is, AT&T is cheaper then Verizon, nearly same as T-Mob and much better than Sprint

 

[echo2011]

I wish Verizon would bring something to the table, I just paid this months bill and would love to see lower numbers next to that $ sign. Has anyone talked with Verizon or have any good rumors about them matching these new pricing structures being offered by other carriers?

 

[robotphood]

Our current plan...

Family talk 550: $50
My phone (unlimited): $30
Wife's phone (3GB): $40
My mom's phone (talk/text only): $10
Unlimited texting: $30

Total: $160

New plan...

10GB shared data, unlimted talk/text: $100
My phone: $15
Wife's phone: $15
Mom's phone: $15

Total: $145

So I guess we'd be saving $15 a month but would then need to buy 2 iPhones at full price.

But you also have to add in how much it costs for a subsidized phone into your current plan. It adds up to a lot more but not the price of 2 iphones. Definitely doesn't save you in the long run if you plan to upgrade every 2 years. But then again, family talk plans are no longer available.

 

[txa1265]

I wish Verizon would bring something to the table, I just paid this months bill and would love to see lower numbers next to that $ sign. Has anyone talked with Verizon or have any good rumors about them matching these new pricing structures being offered by other carriers?

You mean aside from the new plans they announced last week?

 

[echo2011]

You mean aside from the new plans they announced last week?

I was unaware of that announcement, do you have any links?

 

[txa1265]

I was unaware of that announcement, do you have any links?

We haven't looked into it yet for our family ... but it is bound to save us over what we have now.

http://www.theverge.com/2014/2/13/5407804/verizons-more-everything-data-share-plans-edge

 

[echo2011]

I just spoke to a Verizon employee and she advised me there are no plans in the works right now about changing family plans, I mentioned the AT&T plans and with four lines I can save $100 a month plus get an additional 4 gigs of data, as I'm on the share everything now with 6 gigs. They (Verizon) seem to think they are to high and mighty to change anything.

 

[GadgetGeek407]

I like what's going on in the industry right now it can only benefit most consumers

 

[sddabrow]

So I just heard about this and I think I am going to save some money.. but wanted to verify with the smart guys if I was right.

My mother and I recently joined my brothers plan... which was a Mobile Share Value plan 10GB (Previous Version). We were paying standard $210 (before discounts, etc.) and got 2 new phones in October 2013 and my brother has had his phone since October 2012.

When I called, they said they could switch us all to $15 per line so my bill is now standard $145 before discounts.

Sounds like a deal to me! It was my understanding when my brother goes to upgrade his phone, his line will jump from $15 to $40... so the bill will go to $170 before discounts. This is still better than what we were paying!!

Sound right to every one?

 

[GadgetGeek407]

So I just heard about this and I think I am going to save some money.. but wanted to verify with the smart guys if I was right.



My mother and I recently joined my brothers plan... which was a Mobile Share Value plan 10GB (Previous Version). We were paying standard $210 (before discounts, etc.) and got 2 new phones in October 2013 and my brother has had his phone since October 2012.



When I called, they said they could switch us all to $15 per line so my bill is now standard $145 before discounts.



Sounds like a deal to me! It was my understanding when my brother goes to upgrade his phone, his line will jump from $15 to $40... so the bill will go to $170 before discounts. This is still better than what we were paying!!



Sound right to every one?

Yup

 

[T5BRICK]

Sounds like a deal to me! It was my understanding when my brother goes to upgrade his phone, his line will jump from $15 to $40... so the bill will go to $170 before discounts. This is still better than what we were paying!!

Sound right to every one?

Everything you just said is correct, but if your brother upgrades his phone that way, he'll be getting ripped off. It will save him about $150 over two years if he just buys the phone outright, or chooses one of the Next plans.

 

[Gjwilly]

So I just heard about this and I think I am going to save some money.. but wanted to verify with the smart guys if I was right.

My mother and I recently joined my brothers plan... which was a Mobile Share Value plan 10GB (Previous Version). We were paying standard $210 (before discounts, etc.) and got 2 new phones in October 2013 and my brother has had his phone since October 2012.

When I called, they said they could switch us all to $15 per line so my bill is now standard $145 before discounts.

Sounds like a deal to me! It was my understanding when my brother goes to upgrade his phone, his line will jump from $15 to $40... so the bill will go to $170 before discounts. This is still better than what we were paying!!

Sound right to every one?

Your brother's will only jump to $40 if he upgrades using a subsidized phone cost and a 2-year contract.
If he upgrades using NEXT then it stays at $15.