Most have fan discounts.
The savings are minimal. Better just to suck it up and pay full price. Avoid the adding a line. Avoid the "early $250 plus subsidized $199/299 plus $36" pricing.
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Before you pay for an "early upgrade" on an ATT family plan.....(Dont do it).
- Thread starter SeanZy
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Most have fan discounts.
The savings are minimal. Better just to suck it up and pay full price. Avoid the adding a line. Avoid the "early $250 plus subsidized $199/299 plus $36" pricing.
I thought the discount was on the plan not the data. Well at least that's the case for me I believe.
I just tried it and the apple website is trying to put me on a mobile share plan, not create a family plan.
You could just go to the ATT site. It tells you how to set up a family plan. Easy stuff.
I spoke to Att today. The biggest issue is getting a new sim card. I have the 4s with a microsim. And the new phone comes with a nanosim. I was told that I would have to go to a store when I get the iphone 5 and get a new sim card for the new phone. I asked cant they just change the imei numbers and sim number over the phone to bring my current # over to the new phone and the rep told me "I dont know".
Still a little cheaper, you pay the extra costs over time (dollar cost averaging), and you're guaranteeing yourself the new iPhone on launch day (lest they restrict purchasing a contract-free/unsubsidized iPhone at release).
That's not the biggest issue. If you have an iphone 5, just go in and get a sim card.
The situational price discrimination always bothered me:
a) $199 -- the sweet spot (contracts suck, but if you're staying with them for the foreseeable future go for it, why wouldn't you do this)
b) $199+249 early -- meh, but still better than the beast of full price for iPhone (but really, almost there, and another 2 year term with it?!?)
...I think I did this with 3GS from 3G because that's when it was $199+$199 early upgrade fee, they changed it to $249 at some point). I got 3G because I was instantly eligible for an upgrade from original generation since $599/and consequent $399 with price drop 2-year price wasn't really a subsidy price. It was just the price and you had to do it with a contract. LOL. Effectively, full unsubsidized price+ you got no choice unless you hacktivate 2 year agreement.
c) Somewhere in between second hand -- snagged a great deal for a 4S back in January. Traded a guy my 4 32GB+$100 for his white 4S 32GB. He "needed" jailbreak and couldnt hold out any longer. Apparently, jailbreak surfaced not even but a week or two after. I was not going use my upgrade on 4S (especially considering I wasn't eligible then, until March, too late in the game and didn't want to do the early upgrade for some of the reasons mentioned in this thread, but this deal came along and I couldn't turn it down especially while not touching the contract)
d) $649 -- obviously a huge hit up front, but if you really are going to be going international, or aren't tied to any one carrier for any length of time, the only option. I don't mind buying a phone contract free, but only if it's reasonable. $349 for an unlocked Nexus new, straight from Google is still a steal as far as I'm concerned.
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But, I am considering going this route for my dad since he upgraded to 4S back in February (thinking we'd get another subsidy in 12 months spending >$99/month). That way, and to re-emphasize, the main draw of this isn't have something amortized over time, I mean it's nice versus getting whacked up front especially when at&t already always adds these extraneous fees, there's no fighting it off completely unless you go Straight Talk or another great prepaid option; it's to be eligible for an upgrade next year so he can get 5S/6 at the subsidy price and then use that added line as a 2014 upgrade (and finally reap some full-time benefits of signing that filthy contract, since his 4S 2-year terms extends eligibility until 9/2013).
Thank goodness AT&T is keeping unlimited with subsidy. 5GB+throttle for $30 LTE is a steal these days for US.
Plus you'd always have a second phone line, just in case you want to be that person carrying around a Sony Ericsson or something while surfing the web on your iPhone on the other line as a "free perk" to the $10/month amortization
1) Has any one ever done this before as mentioned before in this thread? Is it something you think we can pull off with the preorder (gonna weigh in today to see if my dad wants me to get him a preorder, and others in the family -- the other 3 lines, are all eligible for upgrades).
2) Can you do this "make an individual line, then merge it to family plan" thing work out over the phone without going into an AT&T retail store? I have unpleasant experiences there with things just being more of a hassle than they need to be (when getting a replacement SIM, guy told me he had to have the IMEI of my 3GS, blatantly not true, I trade+cashed a 4S from Craigslist and never gave the IMEI to AT&T still with full functionality just by micro SIM swapping the phones, I even got my 4S bought second hand unlocked through at&t and resold my 32 for $550 back in July!
3) Would it be worth it for me to do this, even with an upgrade available to preserve it for next year?
a) $199 -- the sweet spot (contracts suck, but if you're staying with them for the foreseeable future go for it, why wouldn't you do this)
b) $199+249 early -- meh, but still better than the beast of full price for iPhone (but really, almost there, and another 2 year term with it?!?)
...I think I did this with 3GS from 3G because that's when it was $199+$199 early upgrade fee, they changed it to $249 at some point). I got 3G because I was instantly eligible for an upgrade from original generation since $599/and consequent $399 with price drop 2-year price wasn't really a subsidy price. It was just the price and you had to do it with a contract. LOL. Effectively, full unsubsidized price+ you got no choice unless you hacktivate 2 year agreement.
c) Somewhere in between second hand -- snagged a great deal for a 4S back in January. Traded a guy my 4 32GB+$100 for his white 4S 32GB. He "needed" jailbreak and couldnt hold out any longer. Apparently, jailbreak surfaced not even but a week or two after. I was not going use my upgrade on 4S (especially considering I wasn't eligible then, until March, too late in the game and didn't want to do the early upgrade for some of the reasons mentioned in this thread, but this deal came along and I couldn't turn it down especially while not touching the contract)
d) $649 -- obviously a huge hit up front, but if you really are going to be going international, or aren't tied to any one carrier for any length of time, the only option. I don't mind buying a phone contract free, but only if it's reasonable. $349 for an unlocked Nexus new, straight from Google is still a steal as far as I'm concerned.
------------
But, I am considering going this route for my dad since he upgraded to 4S back in February (thinking we'd get another subsidy in 12 months spending >$99/month). That way, and to re-emphasize, the main draw of this isn't have something amortized over time, I mean it's nice versus getting whacked up front especially when at&t already always adds these extraneous fees, there's no fighting it off completely unless you go Straight Talk or another great prepaid option; it's to be eligible for an upgrade next year so he can get 5S/6 at the subsidy price and then use that added line as a 2014 upgrade (and finally reap some full-time benefits of signing that filthy contract, since his 4S 2-year terms extends eligibility until 9/2013).
Thank goodness AT&T is keeping unlimited with subsidy. 5GB+throttle for $30 LTE is a steal these days for US.
Plus you'd always have a second phone line, just in case you want to be that person carrying around a Sony Ericsson or something while surfing the web on your iPhone on the other line as a "free perk" to the $10/month amortization
1) Has any one ever done this before as mentioned before in this thread? Is it something you think we can pull off with the preorder (gonna weigh in today to see if my dad wants me to get him a preorder, and others in the family -- the other 3 lines, are all eligible for upgrades).
2) Can you do this "make an individual line, then merge it to family plan" thing work out over the phone without going into an AT&T retail store? I have unpleasant experiences there with things just being more of a hassle than they need to be (when getting a replacement SIM, guy told me he had to have the IMEI of my 3GS, blatantly not true, I trade+cashed a 4S from Craigslist and never gave the IMEI to AT&T still with full functionality just by micro SIM swapping the phones, I even got my 4S bought second hand unlocked through at&t and resold my 32 for $550 back in July!
3) Would it be worth it for me to do this, even with an upgrade available to preserve it for next year?
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Yes, the method in the OP has been done many times for several years. It's nothing new.
Yes, they can easily merge an individual line to a family plan over the phone; however, it's still better to go to a physical at&t store to do the device swap as it's less problematic that way.
Doh, must have skipped over the fact that OP has done it in the past. Thanks.
Why would you need to "back then" though? If you spent over $99/month, unless you weren't account holder and just an added line, you got the subsidy every 12 months anyways so it wasn't something that you needed to sweat much since it coincided with iPhone releases more-or-less. Must have missed out on that part too (tangled in the posts of people not understanding the core benefit to doing this)
Why would you need to "back then" though? If you spent over $99/month, unless you weren't account holder and just an added line, you got the subsidy every 12 months anyways so it wasn't something that you needed to sweat much since it coincided with iPhone releases more-or-less. Must have missed out on that part too (tangled in the posts of people not understanding the core benefit to doing this)
They've eliminated the automatic 12 month upgrade for the primary line if the bill is over $99/mo.
Right but back when it used to be 12 months for account holders (up until February or March cutoff in policy I believe is what the At&t rep told me over the phone), you didn't have to do this at all. So did the person who did this/OP do this between Feb or March til now?
Because I don't see when else, up until this iPhone 5 launch, it would have been relevant.
Also, opening up a new line with a pre-order, and later merging it to a family plan account and dropping the data, does that have to be same SSN as the account holder on the FamilyPlan or can it be from someone else on that FamilyPlan but still with good credit?
Opening a whole new line seems like a pain. But I think this would be worth it in the end for my dad. And you're probably right, at&t store would be best to get that nano sim.
Because I don't see when else, up until this iPhone 5 launch, it would have been relevant.
Also, opening up a new line with a pre-order, and later merging it to a family plan account and dropping the data, does that have to be same SSN as the account holder on the FamilyPlan or can it be from someone else on that FamilyPlan but still with good credit?
Opening a whole new line seems like a pain. But I think this would be worth it in the end for my dad. And you're probably right, at&t store would be best to get that nano sim.
People did it for the non-primary lines in a family plan. For example, you have 5 lines and only the primary line is eligible for the automatic 12 month upgrade. If someone on one of the other lines wanted the yearly upgrade, they'd alternate between device swapping as mentioned in the OP and purchasing the iPhone for their own line for $199 every other year.
Here's my situation and Guys I'm looking for Suggestions what to do.
I have two phones I currantly pay for on my AT&T Family plan
My 4s that the contract expires on 5/13
My GF's 3GS that expires on 10/12
I was planning on discontinuing my GF's phone as she was going to another phone and paying for it herself. I would like to send my Phone to Gazelle, in fact I've already locked in a quote of $326 for it, good for 30 days. So I could upgrade the 3GS to a 32gb Iphone 5 for the full subsidized price of $299 in october, but if I do that, do they will extend that contract for 2 years and my 4s contract would'nt run out till May on a phone I need to send back to Gazelle (true I still will have the Sim, the Account is on the Sim) so should I just do the early upgrade on my 4s, I'm so confused...
I have two phones I currantly pay for on my AT&T Family plan
My 4s that the contract expires on 5/13
My GF's 3GS that expires on 10/12
I was planning on discontinuing my GF's phone as she was going to another phone and paying for it herself. I would like to send my Phone to Gazelle, in fact I've already locked in a quote of $326 for it, good for 30 days. So I could upgrade the 3GS to a 32gb Iphone 5 for the full subsidized price of $299 in october, but if I do that, do they will extend that contract for 2 years and my 4s contract would'nt run out till May on a phone I need to send back to Gazelle (true I still will have the Sim, the Account is on the Sim) so should I just do the early upgrade on my 4s, I'm so confused...
Yeah but that was with other lines already in place. OP is talking about adding a new line, individual, and then merging it to an existing family plan.
The process is a bit different.
So I'm wondering if anyone has actually done the "add an individual and merge thing" as opposed to "take a family members upgrade" and SIM swap? Because they sound different to me, though there is overlap in the concept.
Family plan has ONE account holder. One credit line. As far as ATT is concerned it is the same if one person had 3 phones for one person. It is one account.
If you pay full price now, you will be eligible for next year so you pay $649 now and $199 next year, which comes out to $848.
Or pay for early upgrade at $449, but next year you may not get the early upgrade so worst case scenario, you pay $649 and that comes out to $1098.
I'm going to start doing the full price option every other year.
The alternative to this: Upgrade Swap.
Or pay for early upgrade at $449, but next year you may not get the early upgrade so worst case scenario, you pay $649 and that comes out to $1098.
I'm going to start doing the full price option every other year.
The alternative to this: Upgrade Swap.
It's the same "workaround" though and yes, people have added a new line for the sole purpose of being able to upgrade yearly. It's the same in at&t's eyes as far as device swapping is concerned.
Right, I got that. But that doesn't answer my question.
If I am going to preorder iPhone 5 for my dad, starting a new individual plan all together and then later adding it to his family plan, do I have to provide my SSN to open that new, unrelated-at-the-time of pre-ordering iPhone 5 with an individual service plan, or for consistency purposes of later merging it with his family plan, have him provide his SSN, or does it matter at all?
I see. Thanks.
Also, I just went on Apple Store, snagged a $99 4S 16GB with 2 year just to see the options it gave me, it let me add a line to my existing FamilyPlan 2100 min and select an individual tiered, non-family datashare plan ($30/3GB). Why would I have to add a whole new individual voice+data plan and later merge it with FamilyPlan for it to work? Seems like unnecessary extra work.
I'm hoping you can just add a line to existing Family minutes + tiered data individual and SIM swap and call it a day.
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If adding to an existing family plan, all you have to do is add a data plan, and this is because you need a data plan for an iphone. Regardless of your intentions, ATT needs that data plan to activate the line.
You then go into ATT, transfer your current line to that iPhone 5, and put a dumb phone on the new line so you can take the data plan off, and pay the 10 dollars per month for that extra line.
This is from the last part of the first post...
I am doing this exact this by adding a line, switching new 5 to original number, etc...
Can anyone confirm that att will switch sim cards so you can use the 5 on your original number (which is a 4S)...especially with it being the new nano sims?
Assuming that ATT has the nano sim cards in stock, then they will definitely do it for you....I have confirmed with 4 ATT reps (have called to see if answers are consistent) and everything is good to go.
You are missing out on one alternative!!!
Adding a new dummy line - $9.99 per month for .. 24 months ** But you are guaranteed an upgrade every year - one of your two lines will become eligible every year.
So that comes out to $199 + (~$240) + $36.
$475 over two years. Granted if it came down to one year - its $355ish. ($199 + $120 + $36) And you wont have to pay activation again.