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AT&T to Stop Offering Two-Year Phone Contracts Starting January 8

GeeDuhb said:
To everyone saying it is "the same cost either way" or "the cost is hidden in the contract," yes, this may be true for the past few years, but it wasn't before.

We have a family of 4 on an old 700 minute plan (we don't use many minutes with free mobile to mobile.) This of course was before they introduced these joke new plans. We pay $59.99 for the base plan, $9.99 x3 for the 3 additional phones and 3x $30 for unlimited data. So we pay a little over $200 a month. Even with their Next Family plan scam, we might be able to break even on the monthly plan (albeit without unlimited data) but there goes the $450 savings every 2 years off new phones. So yeah, it makes sense for newer customers. These changes are targeting older customers.

Bottom line is, they save money by not having to subsidize the phone for $450 up front. Period. This helps them MUCH more than it could ever help the customer. Even if you do save on service in the end, it is service that is run on pre built infrastructure which costs these cell phone providers next to nothing. Yet another example of a company screwing the customer while trying to spin it as better.
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I have almost exactly the same as yours. My numbers comes up like yours so I could never understand why these guys here keeps spitting out that it's the same. Uh NO it's not. Not even close.
 
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Ron21 said:
So according to the last bullet point, if you have a FAN account (IRU, CRU), you can still keep upgrading with a two year contract? Am I understand that correctly?
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CRU yes.

IRU unknown. it just says "custom IRU"
 
I'm deaf and imagine I use FaceTime as much as you guys talk over the phone because when I talk to my family and/or friends, we converse in sign language. This really blows and I feel it is unfair, especially for the deaf community who relies more on data than cellular service. Also, I use the GPS on my phone a lot. AT&T really should keep the unlimited plan accessible.
 
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kagharaht said:
I have almost exactly the same as yours. My numbers comes up like yours so I could never understand why these guys here keeps spitting out that it's the same. Uh NO it's not. Not even close.
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The thing to remember is that the carriers had engaged in a 2-year "price war" initiated by T-Mobile. Now that that's over, they are using the opportunity T-Mobile opened up to eliminate subsidies, which were a peculiarity of the US market. With cash outlays for 5G coming in a few years, they are using an opportunity to raise prices and cash in while they can. It's unfortunate, but the writing was on the wall.
 
Anyone know if this applies to FAN accounts (the picture is cut off on the FAQ)

Ron21 said:
Any idea what custom IRU means? I thought there was only CRU and IRU.
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IRU = individual responsibility user (you pay the bill, etc)
CRU = corporate responsibility user (your company pays the bill, etc)

I believe custom IRUs are a hybrid (i.e you maintain account but firm pays?). AT&T's official statement is "This does not apply to business customers under a qualified wireless service agreement.”

The memo is cut off as to whether or not custom / regular IRUs are impacted (CRUs are still good)
 
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kelauben said:
At least Verizon has their customer service.
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You haven't ever dealt with Verizon, have you? :p All cell phone providers suck in their own special ways.

kelauben said:
I call for a total boycott of AT&T. Either by means of changing providers or through a class action suit. They are breaking a contract and potentially the law by eliminating the 2 year contract except for "some corporate" customers.

This is just another example of corporate greed run amuck. AT&T, you can KMA!!!!
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You mean like what Verizon did to their customers when they dropped all unlimited contracts? Somehow it wasn't against the law then...
 
Ron21 said:
Any idea what custom IRU means? I thought there was only CRU and IRU.
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Business/corporate accounts where the users have individual financial responsibility. Granted, I don't know if that means all corporate discount accounts with individual responsibility, or just where the employer has negotiated a special feature.
 
Applejuiced said:
Same here.
There's no point on staying with them any longer.
Here I come T Mobile as soon as my contracts are up.
$30 a month unlimited everything per line.
See ya later AT&T...
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Where do you see unlimited everything per line for $30 a month? That might be where i'm heading soon too. I do see the $30 a month for 4 lines with 6gb data.
 
kagharaht said:
I have almost exactly the same as yours. My numbers comes up like yours so I could never understand why these guys here keeps spitting out that it's the same. Uh NO it's not. Not even close.
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For some of us, it is the same. After the contract is up for me, I still pay $135 a month (yes, I'm still paying for a phone in that structure). Under a mobile share, I'm at $180 a month. Under both prices, I bring the phone to the show. I'm still ahead on the UDP plan.

That's not true for everyone, though. YMMV.
 
macintologist said:
I feel sorry for these people since they are way overpaying for their plan.
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Actually they aren't. I just did the math with the plan I have with 4 lines, 3 of them on unlimited data. Even with the $5 hike per line for unlimited plans that AT&T is offering, and all of the phones on 2 year contracts, it's still cheaper than moving to the next plan with shared data. The only way I save money is by going to sprint, which isn't going to happen.
 
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KPOM said:
Business/corporate accounts where the users have individual financial responsibility. Granted, I don't know if that means all corporate discount accounts with individual responsibility, or just where the employer has negotiated a special feature.
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AT&T vaguely says "This does not apply to business customers under a qualified wireless service agreement.”
 
mateen110 said:
IRU = individual responsibility user (you pay the bill, etc)
CRU = corporate responsibility user (your company pays the bill, etc)

I believe custom IRUs are a hybrid (i.e you maintain account but firm pays?). AT&T's official statement is "This does not apply to business customers under a qualified wireless service agreement.”

The memo is cut off as to whether or not custom / regular IRUs are impacted (CRUs are still good)
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I'm contemplating whether I should upgrade one of my lines that is eligible to the 6S right now before this change. I was saving this upgrade for the 7....
 
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Ron21 said:
I'm contemplating whether I should upgrade one of my lines that is eligible to the 6S right now before this change. I was saving this upgrade for the 7....
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Same here. But if my FAN account still has 2-year upgrades after Jan 8 then I don't want to waste an upgrade
 
Ron21 said:
I'm contemplating whether I should upgrade one of my lines that is eligible to the 6S right now before this change. I was saving this upgrade for the 7....
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I'd go for it. After Jan 8th, you'll have to buy the 7 for full price when it gets released.
 
mateen110 said:
AT&T vaguely says "This does not apply to business customers under a qualified wireless service agreement.”
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Many large corporations negotiate multi year contracts wth the carriers. I believe the above is meaning they aren't ending the 2 year contracts for corporate paid/owned contracts.

Not 100% sure what this means if you pay for your own personal service but utilize your companies FAN.
 
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Im gonna miss my subsidised upgrade every 2 year but thats still not enough to make me give up my wonderful unlimited data. I laugh everytime i see someone posting that at&t is about to end unlimited data. Theyve been so called ending it for the past 5 years. Sorry haters!
 
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braindead5400 said:
Yes, you can continue to pay your current rate and buy the phone from another source. Just keep in mind that your current rate includes the subsidy you were able to get every year and AT&T won't reduce your bill just because your contract is over and the phone is paid for. Technically, your plan will be increasing, over a two year period, by whatever you pay for a phone that is over the normal subsidy price.



Contracts and subsidies existed well before smartphones and data plans. Cell phones have always been expensive and it was a way to lower the upfront entry costs. Even old school Nokias could cost hundreds of dollars off contract, especially for the "higher end" models that were small and had internal antennas.
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Currently I pay about $130 per month for 2 unlimited data lines w700 shared call minutes.
 
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