Carrier Cheapest Way to Upgrade Every Year ATT

[redsea01]

Hello!

So I need to give you some background. For the past five or so iPhone models, I have always "made" money by upgrading to the new iPhone every year. Essentially, I would buy a new phone everyyear on a signed two year contract, and use an upgrade (we have two people on our plan that never want to upgrade, that's how I upgrade every year). I would then sell me old phone, and make about 50 dollars from eBay.

From how I understand it, ATT has completely ended two year contracts. So now I am not sure what my cheapest option is.

Knowing that I always get the new iPhone, what's the cheapest option for me? Buying outright and selling on eBay every year? I'll just have to pay about 400 every year instead of making 50. lol :/

 

[mr99]

Precisely. Me too

 

[aristobrat]

Depends on what you mean by cheapest.

Cheapest out-of-pocket would probably be AT&T Next (because you wouldn't be dropping $649+ up-front). You'd make 12 monthly payments, then if you want to upgrade, AT&T buys it back from you (for a guaranteed 50% of the original price) and pays off the rest of your Next payments.

If you think you can truly net more than 50% of the original cost by selling on eBay, then you can either buy it outright and do that, although technically you can still do that with AT&T Next ... on month #12, instead of making your regular monthly payment, you pay off the entire balance of what you owe. Then you sell it on eBay, and whatever money you make there goes to cover your cost of paying it off, and anything extra is just "profit".

 

[Spink10]

There is a hidden free (don't know official name) when you have a two year contract that is removed through NEXT. So basically it's the same just different system.

 

[redsea01]

There is a hidden free (don't know official name) when you have a two year contract that is removed through NEXT. So basically it's the same just different system.

Oh I see...but Im confused. I pay $180 a month now, for three iphones, two have a 2gb plan, and one has 300 mb. I see on their website that their shared 3gb of data plan costs $180? So isn't that what I pay now for less data and then I still have the cost of the phone?

 

[Spink10]

I can't remember but what it is called but there is a $15 or $25 per month fee you caring from the 2 year contract. Look at full bill or call AT&T, maybe another user here can tell us.

 

[mr99]

I can't remember but what it is called but there is a $15 or $25 per month fee you caring from the 2 year contract. Look at full bill or call AT&T, maybe another user here can tell us.

I would call it subsidy

 

[Spink10]

I would call it subsidy

Has official name on bill.

 

[lordofthereef]

Oh I see...but Im confused. I pay $180 a month now, for three iphones, two have a 2gb plan, and one has 300 mb. I see on their website that their shared 3gb of data plan costs $180? So isn't that what I pay now for less data and then I still have the cost of the phone?

A shared 3gb plan for three smartphones is $100 unless I am misunderstanding this chart... $40 + $20 x 3

https://m.att.com/shopmobile/wireless/data-plans.html

 

[rockitdog]

Add a line for $20/mo and then just do the NEXT plan and pay it monthly. That is the only way with the termination of 2 year contracts.

 

[HiItsMe]

There is no cheapest way to do it. They all amount to the same thing now unfortunately and that is paying the full retail price of the phone (or at least leasing it at that basis). Also, second hand value has seemingly plummeted. I used to do the same thing as you. Checking resale iPhone values today, it's looking like I can't recoup the 50% price (too much saturation in the market) so the Next or Apple Upgrade Plan would be best.

You should compare your service plan details separately from your phone hardware expenses to see if you can get a better deal on that side by dropping an old subsidy plan.

 

[redsea01]

Thanks everyone for your responses! I think I figured out why I was quoted a higher price...we have two iPhone 6s' still under contract...