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

[bpeeps]

The difference is that with the old system you (a) kept paying a higher monthly price even if you didn't get a new phone at the end of the two-year period and (b) you had to buy the high monthly price even if you bought your own phone.

I a) buy a phone every two years and b) don't buy it outright. Like most of the people on contracts do. Still cheaper.

While that may be, they are still more expensive than any prepaid plan with the same services

Not true. If I switch to mobile share, I'm paying a $20 increase monthly for the comparable amount of data I use (5gb) with a data cap. My plan goes from $70 a month to $90. Currently I pay $62 a month for my plan with a Fan discount. Your blanket statements, while true for some, are not true for every individual case.

 

[duaneu]

So if you're on the old unlimited plan, this essentially raises the price of your plan by $450 every two years. If you didn't like the $5 a month increase, this tacks another $18.75 on top of that.

 

[natallica]

So my question is this. When I upgrade our phones to the 7 in 2016 and pay full price, will the phone come unlocked or will it still be locked to AT&T unless I wait until Apple starts selling the unlocked phones weeks after launch?

 

[suerte66]

The "subsidy" was baked into the cost of the data plan. You were paying AT&T back, and then some. If you were on an MVNO you'd easily pay half of the monthly cost and save yourself hundreds of $$ over a two-year period.

This is what I initially assumed as well, but when I looked at the other plans available, none were actually cheaper than what I am currently paying, and did not include any subsidized phone.

 

[Tapdawg]

That wasn't evident from your post now was it?

Additionally, I was on the udp long ago and I don't remember them offering unlimited. I recall having set of amount of minutes (i.e. 1500 min, etc), some set amount of texts, etc.

Additionally, I remember hotspot being a feature to try and get people off udp.

Sorry if I am a skeptic of your claims from what I understand from the history associated with udp

AT&T switched UDP plans to unlimited calling this year, it had to do with the wifi calling upgrade in iOS9. As far as hotspots, I use an app I got from the Apple App store - AT&T technically says this isn't allowed unless your on a capped plan, but data is data.

 

[dukebound85]

I a) buy a phone every two years and b) don't buy it outright. Like most of the people on contracts do. Still cheaper.

Not true. If I switch to mobile share, I'm paying a $20 increase monthly for the comparable amount of data I use (5gb) with a data cap. My plan goes from $70 a month to $90. Currently I pay $62 a month for my plan with a Fan discount. Your blanket statements, while true for some, are not true for every individual case.

I am not making a blanket statement. I am referring to plans such as Straighttalk that give you unlimited data with the first 5GB at LTE and unlimited everything else for 45 a month running on ATT/Tmobile or Verizon's network. I have yet to see cheaper solutions for the features given

 

[dukebound85]

AT&T switched UDP plans to unlimited calling this year, it had to do with the wifi calling upgrade in iOS9. As far as hotspots, I use an app I got from the Apple App store - AT&T technically says this isn't allowed unless your on a capped plan, but data is data.

Ah thanks
Care to share the name of the app for hotspots?

 

[toneloco2881]

I feel sorry for these people since they are way overpaying for their plan.

I pay $243 after tax for 5 lines with unlimited messaging, minutes and data. Each one has an iPhone attached. To switch to an equivalent plan it would cost me nearly $600 per month given our data usage. Even t-mobile's prices can't compete. Factor in selling the subsidized devices every 2 years to purchase a new subsidized device and the numbers are even more striking. This will surely result in an increase for my cell phone service with AT&T.

 

[Tapdawg]

I wonder if Apple will reduce the full prices of their iPhones to look better at the iPhone 7 introduction. They can no longer use the $199, 299 and 399 "bait" pricing and I think the $649, 749 and 849 pricing won't look that great in comparison. Sure, they could list all of the carrier installment plans, but that would look somewhat convoluted.

No, they'll do what they did earlier this year and just show the installment pricing of starting at $21/mo.

 

[Tapdawg]

Ah thanks
Care to share the name of the app for hotspots?

I got it 4 years ago, it was on the app store for a few days.

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/11/2...et-tethering-on-your-iphone-for-one-time-fee/

 

[LouieTheLug]

I've stayed on 2-yr contracts because they have been cheaper for me than buying the iPhone for full-price.

The iPhone costs $650 retail (plus tax).
I could always sell the iPhone for about $200 at the end of the 2 year contact.
Subsidy was $450.

So doing the math, I was always breaking even after 2 years. In other words I have been getting free iPhone upgrades for the last 6 years. Coupled with Unlimited data and it was a sweet deal.

If the 2 year contracts were soo overpriced, AT&T would be making a huge profit from it and would keep them. The fact that they are getting rid of them shows that they were actually too good a value for the consumer.

So True So True..!!!! I myself was doing the same thing you've been doing.. Pretty sweet deal. So Now All we have to do is Buy the phone outright from Apple and keep our Unlimited Plan...

 

[bpeeps]

I am not making a blanket statement. I am referring to plans such as Straighttalk that give you unlimited data with the first 5GB at LTE and unlimited everything else for 45 a month running on ATT/Tmobile or Verizon's network. I have yet to see cheaper solutions for the features given

So you're comparing two different wireless service models to each other and exclaiming one is cheaper. Prepaid and post-paid, apples and oranges.

 

[dukebound85]

So you're comparing two different wireless service models to each other and exclaiming one is cheaper. Prepaid and post-paid, apples and oranges.

Should have clarified that there are prepaid plans that offer cheaper solutions for the same features when compared to contract plans, and can be significantly cheaper

 

[suerte66]

So my question is this. When I upgrade our phones to the 7 in 2016 and pay full price, will the phone come unlocked or will it still be locked to AT&T unless I wait until Apple starts selling the unlocked phones weeks after launch?

I believe they will be locked to ATT, irritating i know

 

[dukebound85]

I got it 4 years ago, it was on the app store for a few days.

https://www.macrumors.com/2011/11/2...et-tethering-on-your-iphone-for-one-time-fee/

Ha, ironically enough I got that same app while it was up. I am surprised it still works after all these OS upgrades

 

[ToroidalZeus]

So True So True..!!!! I myself was doing the same thing you've been doing.. Pretty sweet deal. So Now All we have to do is Buy the phone outright from Apple and keep our Unlimited Plan...

No point for me. I pay 260 a month on AT&T. I would play 200 a month for the exact same plan on T-Mobile.

 

[garylapointe]

I've stayed on 2-yr contracts because they have been cheaper for me than buying the iPhone for full-price.

The iPhone costs $650 retail (plus tax).
I could always sell the iPhone for about $200 at the end of the 2 year contact.
Subsidy was $450.

So doing the math, I was always breaking even after 2 years. In other words I have been getting free iPhone upgrades for the last 6 years. Coupled with Unlimited data and it was a sweet deal.

I agree! Every two years it's time to upgrade and my buddy is on my plan and always says "Do I need to upgrade now?" and the answer is aways the same, it's "free" to upgrade (his 2 year old iPhone $199 has generally had Gazelle buybacks of $200-ish, 6 months later that price would be lower) so tax (plus Applecare) gets him a new faster iPhone with new features and a new battery with a new warranty.

I usually get the iPhone with more storage so it's not as good as a deal to sell back (I do better on eBay).

Also, I see people give their two year old iPhone to their kids to use, it makes more sense to sell it and give them a new one!

Gary

 

[lordofthereef]

Knew this was coming just didn't think it would take this long.

 

[ipodlover77]

Wait so is this for ALL customers? Cause it says some corporate customers (Im assuming who are on Premier) could still do contract pricing.

 

[Apple.Fanatic]

Expect VZWs announcement any day now.

I really hope not. I have a $45 plan with 2-year contract. If I didn't have contract I'd still have to pay $45 + $22 a month for my iPhone. I just trade in or sell my iPhone every two years and get new iPhone with no additional cost.

 

[iOSFangirl6001]

"Pricing simplification" just means "Pricing increase"

Not nescerrily

I wonder if this is also going to result in the death of unlimited data.

Eventually it will almost have to especially when 5G LTE Is a thing

I've wondered if I'm actually doing that. But ... how do I calculate it? How do I check my data usage? :/ This feels like a pretty simple thing to figure out

Log into your online AT&T Account
Or use the "MyATT App"

Or Dial *DATA# ( *3282# ) then send as if making a call you'll get a free text with usage info note it may list MB used not GB

 

[suerte66]

But the price you are paying for that unlimited plan has included interest amounts for subsidizing a phone. Your plan hides the cost. It doesn't matter if you pay outright or 'finance' the phone. Your getting stung and don't even know it. You think it's in the cost of the phone but it's the plan.

I understand this is technically how it works, but for many people with grandfathered unlimited plans (maybe just family plans), the new plans being offered to switch to, are not actually cheaper than their old plan, and do not include subsidized phones. So this isn't always true

 

[Shasta McNasty]

Not sure if this has been asked yet, but if I currently have an upgrade waiting (bought 6S outright to save upgrade for iPhone 7) should I go ahead and use my upgrade before they get rid of it? I'm on an unlimited data plan.

 

[dklcheng]

Here's what I got from an online chat with AT&T.

AT&T: Welcome to AT&T Chat. How may we help you today?
Me: I have 2 phones on Unlimited Data plans and am concerned that AT&T is killing off 2 year plans and that we would lose that option
Daniel: Thank you for visiting AT&T! I would be happy to assist you with your questions. My name is Daniel may I ask who I have the pleasure of chatting with?
Daniel: Don't worry there will be the Next program option available and AT&T will show on the page the upgrade options that will be available
Me: So the Next plan will still allow for Unlimited Data?
Daniel: Yes, because is an upgrade program, the plans will not be affected
Me: Is there any documentation on this?
Daniel: There is not an specific link about this specific because upgrade programs are different to current plans. The existing plans will not change.
Daniel: When they change notifies months before on the monthly bill.
Daniel: Unlimited data will continue available with all the upgrade programs​

I'm totally not sure if he's correct, because of the broken English. Or rather, I'm not confident he's correct.

Has anyone ever moved to Next and still was able to get the Unlimited Data Plan?

 

[rgarjr]

damn, so no more $199 iPhones, either pay a big pile of money or monthly payments.