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Apollonian

macrumors 6502a
May 10, 2010
732
158
As others have said, if you have grandfathered unlimited data then subsidy is a no-brainer deal. I'm lucky enough to be one of those people and after my discount I pay only about 24 for the data part of my plan on my line
 

nikhsub1

macrumors 68030
Jun 19, 2007
2,593
2,570
mmmm... jessica.'s beer...
Except I can't do shared data plan since I have a grandfathered unlimited data plan on one of the line's

Hence back to my original statement of "for my situation ATT next is a ripoff" .....
Looks at thread title: "ATT Next is a huge scam!" You should get off the unlimited plan and move to a shared data plan, you will save a bunch of money. Unless you are one of those users that doesn't have home internet and violates ATT's TOS and use your phone as a hotspot for your whole block.
 

pdxmatts

macrumors 68000
Jan 12, 2013
1,876
463
Portland, OR
Well, I am thinking in getting the 2y contract. I use AT&T and for most part have no interest in leaving. Their service has been fair IMO.
My lame math

Getting 3 iPhones for family
(two 6S/16gb and one 6S+/64gb)
2y - $200 each and $400 = $800
24 months family shared plan $ 2832
total: $3632

no upgrade fee for me since I have a corporate account. But that's $45 for 3 phones.

Next 24 (30 installments)
$650 x2= 1300 and $850 = $2150
24 months family shared plan with $25 monthly discount on data = $2232
total: $4382

So a $750 difference. I don't mind to hold my phone for 2 years and keep it after it expires. With Next you must return the phone unless you make all the 30 installments.

Unless I am missing something, it's a no brainer to go with the 2y agreement. Next IMO it is a ripoff for someone like me. Sure I understand if you want to upgrade every year then some folks might want to go the Next route.

You will be paying $40 per line if you subsidize and lose the $25 discount per line.
 

Mr D

macrumors 6502
Oct 11, 2007
349
179
As others have said, if you have grandfathered unlimited data then subsidy is a no-brainer deal. I'm lucky enough to be one of those people and after my discount I pay only about 24 for the data part of my plan on my line
Currently have the same plan, however Unlimited data is actually 5GB and throttle after.

If you do the math and use 5GB a month then it is $75 a month.

The next one up is 10GB for $115.
 

Vertigo50

macrumors 65816
Apr 11, 2007
1,200
132
This will shock a lot of people:

1. The people who say that AT&T Next is ALWAYS a better deal, and those who haven't switched are idiots....are wrong.

2. The people who say that AT&T Next is ALWAYS a scam, and those on a 2-yr. contract can never do better....are wrong.

Some people will save, some people won't. It really depends on your plan.

I had someone spend forever trying to convince me that I was an idiot for not switching to AT&T Next, and that I was just being silly to hang onto my unlimited plan.

I pay $109 a month for two phone lines. One with unlimited, one with 2GB. It's more than enough for what we need. We upgrade one of the phones every year on launch day, since the contracts run out on alternate years. We then sell the old one for the cost of the new one, since it's now unlocked.

So, we pay $109 for two lines, and we upgrade one phone for free every year. Nothing that ANY of the carriers offer can get anywhere close to that! T-Mobile comes close, but AT&T's network is much better. As much as I'd love to support the cool stuff T-Mobile is doing, we will hang onto this plan until they pry it from our hands!
 

gugy

macrumors 68040
Jan 31, 2005
3,891
5,309
La Jolla, CA
You will be paying $40 per line if you subsidize and lose the $25 discount per line.

My understanding the $25 discount is for all 3 lines I have. If it was one would be then $15.
My entire plan bill is $118 for all 3 lines and AT&T said it would not change under the new 2y agreement.
 

nikhsub1

macrumors 68030
Jun 19, 2007
2,593
2,570
mmmm... jessica.'s beer...
This will shock a lot of people:

1. The people who say that AT&T Next is ALWAYS a better deal, and those who haven't switched are idiots....are wrong.

2. The people who say that AT&T Next is ALWAYS a scam, and those on a 2-yr. contract can never do better....are wrong.

Some people will save, some people won't. It really depends on your plan.

I had someone spend forever trying to convince me that I was an idiot for not switching to AT&T Next, and that I was just being silly to hang onto my unlimited plan.

I pay $109 a month for two phone lines. One with unlimited, one with 2GB. It's more than enough for what we need. We upgrade one of the phones every year on launch day, since the contracts run out on alternate years. We then sell the old one for the cost of the new one, since it's now unlocked.

So, we pay $109 for two lines, and we upgrade one phone for free every year. Nothing that ANY of the carriers offer can get anywhere close to that! T-Mobile comes close, but AT&T's network is much better. As much as I'd love to support the cool stuff T-Mobile is doing, we will hang onto this plan until they pry it from our hands!
This is true and if it works for YOU, awesome. The OP's thread title is untrue and misleading though.
 

lsh

macrumors 6502a
Feb 6, 2012
724
189
Cincinnati, OH
I switched to AT&T when the unlimited data plan was already in the past. I went to mobile share and saved a lot of money with our 4 phones. In addition, the data plan has improved - more shared data for same prices.
I'm happy with the plan and glad of the flexibility that NEXT gives me. I hated being tied down two years.

I'm not sure how you can expect the plans to stay the same. When you consider the way data use has changed, as well as the technology to support it, adoption numbers, and the rate of change including devices, carriers had to evolve their plans.

I think AT&T has done a good job of offering us options as the industry evolves and I appreciate their technology. But if you feel you can do better elsewhere, please go!
 
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pdxmatts

macrumors 68000
Jan 12, 2013
1,876
463
Portland, OR
My understanding the $25 discount is for all 3 lines I have. If it was one would be then $15.
My entire plan bill is $118 for all 3 lines and AT&T said it would not change under the new 2y agreement.

Are you on a Mobile Share Value plan now? If so, you pay $15 per line with a plan of 10GB or higher. $25 per line if under 10GB. If you choose to upgrade a line and subsidize on a 2 yr contract, you still have your Value plan, but the price for the line you used to upgrade goes back up to $40. You lose your discount. When you are ordering, it will say, by accepting a 2yr contract, you will no longer receive the discount.
 
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pavelbure

macrumors 6502a
Feb 22, 2007
780
562
Looks at thread title: "ATT Next is a huge scam!" You should get off the unlimited plan and move to a shared data plan, you will save a bunch of money. Unless you are one of those users that doesn't have home internet and violates ATT's TOS and use your phone as a hotspot for your whole block.


Thanks for knowing the situation for everyone. Using att's own calculator if I dumped my unlimited data I would be paying $40 more a month for the usage I use. Btw, stream music for awhile and see how much data you use. Not everybody lives on a campus or has wifi everywhere they go.
 
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gugy

macrumors 68040
Jan 31, 2005
3,891
5,309
La Jolla, CA
Are you on a Mobile Share Value plan? If so you pay $15 per line with a plan of 10GB or higher. $25 per line if under 10GB. If you choose to upgrade a line and subsidize on a 2 yr contract, you still have your Value plan, but the price for the line you used to upgrade goes back up to $40. You lose your discount. When you are ordering, it will say, by accepting a 2yr contract, you will no longer receive the discount.

Yeah, I have the shared value under 10gb for all 3 lines
 

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
1. One is a contract, one is not.

2. 2 year contract has an upgrade fee.

3. If you sell your phone, you can use the proceeds to pay off next and reduce your total Next payments for the phone.

2 year contracts are no good..

1. If you think about it they're both contracts. Some as bad as 30 months long with next payments. Imagine that. Paying on a phone for 2 and a half years.

2. Both now have upgrade fees. I never paid one for years though with att.

3. Same idea you can sell your device and use the money to get a new phone full price.

2 year contracts are good for me. I been with Att since 1998, I don't switch carriers often and it gives me $450 off my iPhone price for signing a 2 year agreement every 20 months.

No matter how u look at it with family plans, unlimited data and subsidies the older plans are way better value than the new mobile share plans and next financing.
 
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Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
Currently have the same plan, however Unlimited data is actually 5GB and throttle after.

If you do the math and use 5GB a month then it is $75 a month.

The next one up is 10GB for $115.

That's false.
Again like many of your false assumptions.
Att hasn't throttied me for months.
They got hit with a lawsuit and can only do it on certain busy towers during peak times.
I been getting 10-12gb with no slow downs at all. Someone like you on mobile share would have paid hundreds $$ in overages. :D
 
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Aibocyrus

macrumors 6502a
May 26, 2015
906
847
Orlando, FL
I did the math for my situation and its completely better to get the 2 year subsidy pricing. I read that you can still do this directly on the ATT website is this true?

You are good to go. AT&T still does offer 2 year contract subsidies for now with a NON-waivable one time $45 upgrade fee.
 

pdxmatts

macrumors 68000
Jan 12, 2013
1,876
463
Portland, OR
Thanks for knowing the situation for everyone. Using att's own calculator if I dumped my unlimited data I would be paying $40 more a month for the usage I use. Btw, stream music for awhile and see how much data you use. Not everybody lives on a campus or has wifi everywhere they go.

If I had an unlimited data plan and used a lot of data without being throttled after 5GBs, I would keep it as well. The only problem you may face is when ATT does away with the 2 yr contracts, you will have to buy the phone outright to keep it. If that is not a problem, then that's great. Apple has come out with their own upgrade installment plan with AppleCare + included and phone unlocked, so I was wondering if you may be able to go that route to keep your unlimited data plan if you can't PIF upfront :D
 

DoofenshmirtzEI

macrumors 6502a
Mar 1, 2011
862
713
Yeah, I have the shared value under 10gb for all 3 lines

Then your discount would be $45 a month (3 x $15) for the three lines. You get the discount on each line depending on whether it is on a subsidized contract or not. Phone on subsidized contract = no discount until the contract expires (2 years). Phone not on subsidized contract (AT&T Next or bought full price or the subsidized contract is ended) = $15 discount for that line if you are on a plan that is less than 10GB shared, or $25 if you are on a 10GB+ shared plan. That is per line, not for the entire account. For instance we have four phones on a 10GB shared plan, so each one gets a $25 discount, for $100/month discount that we wouldn't get if we were subsidized. We have one phone on AT&T Next right now paying $31.25 a month, but there was no $299 up front cost like there would be on a subsidized plan. AT&T Next is just a 0% financing contract with a clause stating you can trade the phone in when six payments remain in order to get a new phone (with new financing contract). You can always pay the remaining balance off early if you want to kick AT&T to the curb.
 

hbenitez09

macrumors regular
Jun 16, 2009
223
30
No one knows how you arrived at this random math first off an iPhone 6 Plus last year was 299.99 on 2 year. Same iPhone on next is 450 at the point of trade in. Simply looking at this sure one would argue that 2 year is better. Account for 45 activation upgrade fee, and then account for 15 dollars or 25 dollars a month discount and 2 year no longer makes sense.



ATT next is a huge ripoff in comparison to the 2 year contract pricing

Let's give one scenario on ATT 2 year vs ATT next 12.

ATT 2 year:
the 2 year contract pricing for a 6+ last year was around 599 and you would own the phone outright.


With ATT next:
you'd still be paying around 599 at the one year mark (at 40 something a month) yet you won't own the phone until you pay off the full amount which is around the same price as a full priced unlocked phone.

Is there any way to still get the ATT 2 year contract pricing?
 

gugy

macrumors 68040
Jan 31, 2005
3,891
5,309
La Jolla, CA
Then your discount would be $45 a month (3 x $15) for the three lines. You get the discount on each line depending on whether it is on a subsidized contract or not. Phone on subsidized contract = no discount until the contract expires (2 years). Phone not on subsidized contract (AT&T Next or bought full price or the subsidized contract is ended) = $15 discount for that line if you are on a plan that is less than 10GB shared, or $25 if you are on a 10GB+ shared plan. That is per line, not for the entire account. For instance we have four phones on a 10GB shared plan, so each one gets a $25 discount, for $100/month discount that we wouldn't get if we were subsidized. We have one phone on AT&T Next right now paying $31.25 a month, but there was no $299 up front cost like there would be on a subsidized plan. AT&T Next is just a 0% financing contract with a clause stating you can trade the phone in when six payments remain in order to get a new phone (with new financing contract). You can always pay the remaining balance off early if you want to kick AT&T to the curb.

Yeah, I just spoke with AT&T and he said basically the same thing. Now I need to make the math and see if for the 3 iPhones I am planning to get which makes the most sense. I will pay the 30 installments because I want to keep the iphones and sell later to recoup part of the investment.

I was curious about the Apple plan. Since it offers the Applecare that could be enticing.
 

pdxmatts

macrumors 68000
Jan 12, 2013
1,876
463
Portland, OR
Yeah, I just spoke with AT&T and he said basically the same thing. Now I need to make the math and see if for the 3 iPhones I am planning to get which makes the most sense. I will pay the 30 installments because I want to keep the iphones and sell later to recoup part of the investment.

I was curious about the Apple plan. Since it offers the Applecare that could be enticing.

I didn't go the Apple route because you had to reserve a phone and then go into the store and apply for the upgrade plan with a CC and a credit check and fight the crowds and possibly pay interest after a year. There just wasn't enough info to go on or a guarantee that I wouldn't lose out on getting our 6S Pluses on launch day. It was so much easier to order it online through Apple and stick with NEXT and have them delivered on launch day, all in my PJ's ;)
 
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b1scu1t

macrumors regular
Mar 17, 2011
208
29
The biggest con is their introduction of the mobile shared value plans. Most people don't use much of their voice minutes to start with and same goes for text messages but they force you to get those plans and make you pay for something that you don't care much to begin with and charge you a ton of $ for data.

Further the new msv plans unfortunately don't make much sense with the subsidies.

Even with inflation our phone bills have gone up a lot. Don't even get me started with cable.
 
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hbenitez09

macrumors regular
Jun 16, 2009
223
30
If you have a mobile share value plan signing a 2 year agreement will 100% change your monthly cost. This is plastered all over the att page when you are doing a preorder and they confirmed with me at least three times during the process to acknowledge id be loosing the monthly out of contract discount


My understanding the $25 discount is for all 3 lines I have. If it was one would be then $15.
My entire plan bill is $118 for all 3 lines and AT&T said it would not change under the new 2y agreement.
 

Oridus

macrumors 65816
Oct 8, 2012
1,286
1,629
1. If you think about it they're both contracts. Some as bad as 30 months long with next payments. Imagine that. Paying on a phone for 2 and a half years.

2. Both now have upgrade fees. I never paid one for years though with att.

3. Same idea you can sell your device and use the money to get a new phone full price.

2 year contracts are good for me. I been with Att since 1998, I don't switch carriers often and it gives me $450 off my iPhone price for signing a 2 year agreement every 20 months.

No matter how u look at it with family plans, unlimited data and subsidies the older plans are way better value than the new mobile share plans and next financing.


You cannot say "No matter how you look at it with family plans, unlimited data... etc" as truth. This is NOT the fact with a ton of plans. There's a great majority of people on the Family talk plans (esp with 3 or more lines), and those with unlimited data that come out ahead with MSV + next plans. There's a high majority of at&t customers that have switched to these options because of the pricing difference.

Also, if you think you're getting $450 in raw $$$ off your phone without returning it to the carrier through your plan, you're sorely mistaken.

If the MSV/Next aren't good for you, fantastic. But don't pass it off as fact that it's some sort of terrible system that makes 0 financial sense for anybody.
 
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