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AT&T Rolls Out New 'AT&T Next' Smartphone and Tablet Upgrade Program

AT&T needs to go to the next step and lower the monthly fees. Hell, even a data allotment increase of what we're paying now would help out more than it's helping now in addition to voice and text plan rate decrease. Something around $80-90 with the Next program, 450 minutes, unlimited text, and 3GB data and subscribers won't cry bloody murder. That sounds pretty reasonable considering what we are getting now. Of course, AT&T surely won't go the extra mile and eliminate contracts for new customers and upgrades altogether. No, that would simply be too much...
 
''Because there is no activation or upgrade fee, customers save $36 on activating a new line''.

This doesn't make sense at all? There is no new line so why the activation cost?
 
If the plan price does not change, aren't you basically paying for the phone twice?

You pay for phone with unsubsidized pricing bundled into the plan, and you pay again with the additional monthly phone installment price. Correct?

What if I choose to pay $100 down a iPhone 5S rather than zero. Do I get my upgrade 2-3 months earlier? Does the monthly price go down?

There are way too many questions left unanswered with these plans, and I wager it's because they are still figuring things out leading up to the go live date...

...Or they are waiting to see what Verizon does first...
 
Well, this is clearly a program and cannot be remotely called a deal, which it is not. And they are not calling it a deal.

I'd rather save the money myself. At least I could get a minimal amount of interest and if necessary use the money for something else if needed. Why let AT&T be my bank but collect all the interest?
 
rowensiv said:
I don't really see how this is such a bad deal... Like in the example for a 16GB iPhone 5 you would end up paying $390. Provided the phone wasn't destroyed you'd get back $260 - Which equals $130 for the phone. Yeah, AT&T has their flaws but I don't think this is such a bad deal.
Click to expand...

You pay $130 to rent a phone, vs. $200 to keep one. If you keep it in good condition you could sell/trade it and probably do better than $130.

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cambox said:
''Because there is no activation or upgrade fee, customers save $36 on activating a new line''.

This doesn't make sense at all? There is no new line so why the activation cost?
Click to expand...

EXACTLY! Plus if you complain enough, you can usually get that waived.

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Squid7085 said:
What a joke, You end up paying MORE over the course of 12 months then you would have upfront, and then you have to give the device back. You'd be better off opening up another line for a "12 month upgrade cycle" and paying the extra $10 a month. Thats what I have been doing for years, I just bought the AT&T Home Phone Connect thing to throw my other line on, gives me a phone on the wall which is nice and it would STILL be cheaper then doing this. And I get to keep the phones and sell them on my own terms, if I were in to that kind of thing.

The question i would like to ask AT&T, if you are doing this, and I am paying for more of the phone then I would have under the subsidy model, where is the money I am paying in to a subsidy going? This wouldn't be a complete sham if monthly service were cheaper.
Click to expand...

This is brilliant.
 
Bad news for AT&T.....

According to the Wall Street Journal, T-Mobile is now stealing AT&T customers with their "un-carrier" strategy

T-Mobile_Simple_Choice_Plans-630x206.jpg


Line 1: $50 -------------(unlimited talk, unlimited text, 500MB of 4G speed, unlimited 2G)
Line 2: +$30 --------------(unlimited talk, unlimited text, 500MB of 4G speed, unlimited 2G)
Line 3: +$10---------------(unlimited talk, unlimited text, 500MB of 4G speed, unlimited 2G)
Line 4: +$10---------------(unlimited talk, unlimited text, 500MB of 4G speed, unlimited 2G)
Line 5: + $10--------------(unlimited talk, unlimited text, 500MB of 4G speed, unlimited 2G)

$100 for 4 lines = $25 per line

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324348504578608663708960382.html

AT&T Next—to be available July 26—echoes moves made by No. 4 carrier T-Mobile US Inc., TMUS +1.60% which has been targeting AT&T customers in its marketing and last week said it was successful at stealing customers in some markets.
Click to expand...
 
Frank Gore said:
What a sham
Click to expand...

It's a lease. It offers convenience or "affordability" at a price just like any other lease. It's not for everyone, but non of the CellCos are doing away with traditional contracts or pay-go service. It's just one more option for consumers.
 
** Requires 20-month 0% APR installment agreement & qualifying credit. Wireless service req. (voice & data for smartphones/data for tablets). If you cancel wireless service, remaining balance on device becomes due. Sales tax due at sale. Qualifying devices only. Upgrade after 1 yr.: Req. min. 12 installment payments, acct. in good standing, plus trade-in of current device in good & functional condition & purchase of new device/wireless agreement & service plan. After upgrade remaining unbilled installment payments are waived. AT&T Next available only at AT&T owned retail stores & att.com. If device is returned, restocking fee up to $35 for smartphones or 10% of tablet sales price may apply. Terms subject to change.
Click to expand...

This is their terms. Seems like you pay $360 and you get a new phone the next yr. Pay the same $360 and keep swapping phones. Seems like crap though. You can add a line to your account. Get a second hand crappy phone to put on that line. Have the latest new phone. Put the new phone on the line you want. And when you are ready to upgrade again, sell that new phone to put towards another phone, plus still have money left over to either keep paying the $10 per month, or cancellation fee. (Sounds complicated, but believe me it would be cheaper to add a line than this plan)

It says if you cancel service remaining balance on device is due? You can't just give them back their phone and be even? So if i decide to have ATT and six months down the line i cancel my service, they are going to bill me for the remaining balance of the phone. What is incentive of returning the phone if you cancel your service with them?
 
Nothing like raising your rates by $17.85 per month (avg subsidy for flagship phones* on a 2 yr contract) with this plan without actually coming out and saying it.

*Flagship phones = iPhone 5, Lumia 1020, Galaxy S4

GL
 
iapplelove said:
I'm already sick of all these new "deals" to get you to upgrade quicker.
Click to expand...

Under a traditional contract plan CellCos do not want you to upgrade your phone quicker b/c that costs them $. The longer you keep your phone the longer they can amortize the subsidize cost which makes them more $

But if you've been around MR for any amount of time you know some people voraciously bitch and moan each time a new iPhone is announced and they aren't subsidize eligible. So this new plan is for these people. If they are serial upgrades but don't have deep pockets to pay full boat immediately or can't tie up their credit card.
 
Depending on the customer's needs, this may be a better option than the old AT&T upgrade system, which requires customers wait 24 months between fully subsidized upgrades.
Click to expand...

I've never experienced this, it's always been a year and a half or 18 months for me. Perhaps that will change the next time I upgrade (come on 5S).
 
scam

what a rip off the plan pricing already includes the cost of an iPhone as a 20.00 per month charge built in to the plan cost over 24 months. now they want to charge on top of that and more than double lol suckers will fall for this
 
This is such a scam its not even funny.

First of all, if I own my phone outright, I should be paying less per month. Plan prices have a built in subsidy price already (T-Mobile proved that), so this additional 20-30 dollars you pay per month, is in ADDITION to it.

Think about it... Before these new options came out, you paid roughly 90+ tax for 450, 5 gb, unlimited text. You probably got your phone for 199, or possibly even less, but paid the exact same monthly bill as someone who purchased their phone outright.

The new prices should be the SAME as they were, however, if you OWN your phone, the prices should be 20-30 dollars LOWER per month since they are subsidizing NOTHING. T-Mobile is leading the way... but they need better coverage. I cant jump ship until the rural areas are covered with at least 3G.
 
ugahairydawgs said:
HAHA.....this program and vehicle leases.....from one insane rip off to another.
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I have been leasing vehicles for a while now, and I probably always will. I get a new car every 2 years and with good credit and a lease history you can usually get zero due at signing. Usually by time people pay off a car they are ready to buy a new one...not to mention with interest they usually pay about $36,000+ for a $30,000 car that they sell for $15,000
 
Too Good... To Be True

ATT's never offered anything that benefits anyone but themselves. That's all you need to know.
 
Squid7085 said:
What a joke, You end up paying MORE over the course of 12 months then you would have upfront, and then you have to give the device back. You'd be better off opening up another line for a "12 month upgrade cycle" and paying the extra $10 a month. Thats what I have been doing for years, I just bought the AT&T Home Phone Connect thing to throw my other line on, gives me a phone on the wall which is nice and it would STILL be cheaper then doing this. And I get to keep the phones and sell them on my own terms, if I were in to that kind of thing.

The question i would like to ask AT&T, if you are doing this, and I am paying for more of the phone then I would have under the subsidy model, where is the money I am paying in to a subsidy going? This wouldn't be a complete sham if monthly service were cheaper.
Click to expand...

No one is forcing anyone to upgrade their phone every twelve months. Therefore, it is just an option for those who would want a new device and don't care if they are getting shafted.
 
musser said:
ATT's never offered anything that benefits anyone but themselves. That's all you need to know.
Click to expand...

Yet, there's the paradox.
AT&T offers what its customer base wants, thus as self serving as it appears, the end user wins with additional options/benefits as you see fit.
 
The deal isn't good for those that normally wait long enough or don't have the bug to upgrade every 12 months (like myself).

But if you love having the latest and greatest phone every 12 months - yes you pay more - but it's all above board - no having to do 2nd line switcheroos, etc. It's "avoiding" an ETF and being able to immediately get a new phone.

I would never do this plan - but if I HAD to HAD to HAD to have the newest phone every 12 months - the increase (say $199 vs $300) could be worth it

People are thinking resale value. Instead look at it like a lease agreement or that you're paying for usage of a new phone and the ability to change up.

Given the amount above - $199 subsidized vs $300 over 12 months (as an example) - that's about the same as T-Mobile (or was it verizon) that charges $10 a month to be in the upgrade program.
 
T.Smith4 said:
Garbage program. If they do this they need to lower their rateplans. I hope people don't fall for this crap otherwise this will become the new standard for stealing peoples money.
Click to expand...

I agree. I already pay $150/month between two iPhone's. I'm not adding an additional $32.50 to that bill to "rent" the phone. I'll stick to upgrading every two years or just buy the phone outright and sell my old iPhone on eBay.

I guess for those customers who want to upgrade to the latest and greatest smartphone each year, this is worth it. But for me, I'd rather "buy" the phone than simply "rent" it.
 
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