Buy $99 subsidized iphone 5s than pay ETF?

[aneftp]

See lots of 5S subsidized deals out there.

My current situation is I have 4 lines (2 lines eligible for full subsidy, 1 line will be eligible for full subsidy in Sept 2014 and one other line which is eligible for ATT Next since contract was signed before January 18 2014).

http://about.att.com/newsroom/early_smartphone_upgrades_now_available_for_att_customers.html

I was thinking of just buying a $99 (on contract iphone 5S (or $199 32GB 5s). Pay the $36 activation fee that they may or may not waive this time. Cancel the line and pay the $325. So my total out of pocket expense would be about $450 plus taxes for 16GB iphone 5S (I don't care about losing the phone number since it's a junk line anyways I don't have a data plan on).

So $450 "full price" for a $650 iphone 5S isn't a bad deal.

Than in September I will pay ATT NEXT full price $650 for iphone 6. That will get me out of my contract (which doesn't expire till October 2015) because of the promo ATT is doing I listed above. And also use one of my upgrades to buy subsidized iphone 6 for $199/299 as well.

My other line will expire Sept 2014 as well and I will just upgrade the line and pay the ETF and make small profit selling another iphone 6.

I know this sounds a little strange. But this is how to make money off the carriers. I am on the older 700 min family talk plan that doesn't require data plans on non smartphones. So can do this.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

Why do you feel the need to "make money off of the carriers"?

 

[maximus96]

Why do you feel the need to "make money off of the carriers"?

if you can, why not?

 

[Jalopybox]

Good luck with that. You will end up paying more.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

if you can, why not?

There are a lot of things that people can do, doesn't make them worthwhile.

 

[aneftp]

Good luck with that. You will end up paying more.

No, I won't pay more. You see the beauty of the older family talk plans is it gives you option of just paying $9.99 a line/month with no data. The mobile share plans force data plans on all the lines.

With family talk you can use subsidy and flip the phone and resell it as well.

Plus the ATT NExt January 18th 2014 contract provision allows people to get out of their contract as well. I am just trying to figure out when to use ATT next. I don't think it's a good idea to use NEXT for iphone 5s. Its a better option to use ATT next for iphone 6. Get that line out of contract and cancel the line at the same time (or wait a month).

Remember I don't pay data on those lines since I immediately put a flip phone on those lines. Just pay the 9.99 monthly fee.

 

[aPple nErd]

Why do you feel the need to "make money off of the carriers"?

they make PLENTY of money off of us...

----------

yeah i never understood why one would buy an iPhone completely outright unless they want to keep unlimited data, or don't want to lose their number. makes no sense to me since you save 200 bucks...

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

they make PLENTY of money off of us...

I don't think anyone is disputing that.

 

[aPple nErd]

I don't think anyone is disputing that.

well I'm saying that if they are going to swindle their customers, they deserve to have their customers swindle them.

 

[Dragonmount]

Good luck with that. You will end up paying more.

This always happens with wireless carriers.

You are not their first rodeo.

 

[maflynn]

well I'm saying that if they are going to swindle their customers, they deserve to have their customers swindle them.

But they're not swindling you. You willingly enter a contact with them and agree to their terms. Don't like those terms, don't sign the contract

Here's the webster definition and the carriers are doing of this.

swin·dledswin·dling

Full Definition of SWINDLE

intransitive verb
: to obtain money or property by fraud or deceit

 

[maximus96]

But they're not swindling you. You willingly enter a contact with them and agree to their terms. Don't like those terms, don't sign the contract

Nobody is getting swindled. In this case the contract terms works in OP's favor because the old family plan lets you game the upgrades by allowing us to remove the data plan...

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

well I'm saying that if they are going to swindle their customers, they deserve to have their customers swindle them.

But they're not swindling you. You willingly enter a contact with them and agree to their terms. Don't like those terms, don't sign the contract

Here's the webster definition and the carriers are doing of this.

Maflynn beat me to it. Exactly what I was going to say.

You have a choice to choose any carrier you want, or none at all. You are not a victim here.

If I really need to dumb it down for you we can always go with "two wrongs don't make a right."

 

[aPple nErd]

Maflynn beat me to it. Exactly what I was going to say.

You have a choice to choose any carrier you want, or none at all. You are not a victim here.

If I really need to dumb it down for you we can always go with "two wrongs don't make a right."

im not just going to not have a phone... all carriers swindle users. i'd do anything i could to get back at them. thats like saying you won't ever travel because airlines suck. okay then, stay in your hometown for life...

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

im not just going to not have a phone... all carriers swindle users. i'd do anything i could to get back at them. thats like saying you won't ever travel because airlines suck. okay then, stay in your hometown for life...

Apparently you missed the definition above.

I suppose maybe you are one of those people that thinks everyone is out to get them.

Also, there are ways to travel that do not involve airlines.

 

[aPple nErd]

Apparently you missed the definition above.

I suppose maybe you are one of those people that thinks everyone is out to get them.

Also, there are ways to travel that do not involve airlines.

i read it... i have never seen someone who likes their carrier so much... like seriously... most of us hate our carriers but put up with throttling, and overpriced service.

 

[maflynn]

i read it... i have never seen someone who likes their carrier so much... like seriously... most of us hate our carriers but put up with throttling, and overpriced service.

There's a difference in not being happy with the fee structure and quite another stating that a company is knowingly violating the law and swindling people.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

i read it... i have never seen someone who likes their carrier so much... like seriously... most of us hate our carriers but put up with throttling, and overpriced service.

I'm not defending any carrier, I am just laughing at your victim mentality.

 

[wxman2003]

There is nothing worng with what the OP is doing. He is not swindling, or cheating, or stealing from the company. The OP is following exactly what the contract states. A contract is an agreement between both sides. There is a clause written into the contract on how to legally break the contract. That is the ETF. Now if the carrier wishes to sell a $650 phone for $99 that allows you to get out of contract for $450, then that is the choice of the carrier.

 

[Jalopybox]

If I really need to dumb it down for you we can always go with "two wrongs don't make a right."

Karma's a bitch. Eye for an eye. Don't **** where you eat.

 

[617aircav]

No swindling here. Op is fulfilling his contract with the carrier. End of.

 

[BeeJee]

But they're not swindling you. You willingly enter a contact with them and agree to their terms. Don't like those terms, don't sign the contract

Here's the webster definition and the carriers are doing of this.

How is following the contract guidelines that the carriers put in place swindling? There is nothing wrong with what the OP wants to do, because the carriers leave the option open.

 

[TWO2SEVEN]

Karma's a bitch. Eye for an eye. Don't **** where you eat.

Those too haha

No swindling here. Op is fulfilling his contract with the carrier. End of.

End of...sentence?

How is following the contract guidelines that the carriers put in place swindling? There is nothing wrong with what the OP wants to do, because the carriers leave the option open.

No one is claiming that the OP is swindling anyone. Another poster stated that the carrier swindles customers.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Why do people feel the need to come here and advertise their intent to swindle their carrier? Who the **** cares if you can do it? Do it, you know you will and coming here to post about it is merely advertising that you believe you've out-smarted the carrier. Congrats.

You ask, "Buy $99 subsidized iphone 5s than pay ETF?" Yes. Do it. Do it all day and every day because you sir/ma'am have out-smarted the carrier. You're not asking, you know it.

Previously, and on old similar plans, terminating the contract with a subsidized phone resulted in a bill being sent for the remaining balance of the phone. I can't say that is the case today, but that is what happened to me when I switched carriers and still had to pay an ETF.

 

[Applejuiced]

Nothing illegal about it.
You agree to the terms and you fulfill your part by paying the ETF.
Not sure if after the upgrade fee, sales taxes and other expenses what money is left over by the purchase and flip of the phone is worth going through all the energy and effort to make little profit left over.