Clarification On AT&T Next From An AT&T Employee

[Statusnone88]

(Former employee, left the company a week ago due to finding better opportunities else where)

Hey guys! I responded to someones thread with this, and the more I looked at it the more I thought I should post this in it's own thread. With pre-order day (and launch day) coming up, I want everyone to be 1000% clear on what AT&T Next is about. I want to clear something up before I start... I am NOT bashing AT&T Next. This program is fantastic, especially for us that have been paying full price for their phones for years. But it's very much that.. you pay full price. You no longer get the subsidy on the equipment, but a discount on the service as long as you are on Mobile Share Value. AT&T will still let you sign a two-year (the employees will fight you on it, and not because they make anything on AT&T Next, because they don't but because it is usually a better value for us as customer) if you choose. So... either get your discount up front on the equipment with a 2-year, or get a discount on your service over time with Next. Here's my original post from another thread:

Former AT&T Employee here:

AT&T Next is pretty much 20 or 24 month interest-free financing. You walk out of the store with the phone for your states/county's sales tax %, and can pay off the phone literally anytime. NOTE: people on old school "combined billing" will NOT be able to pay the phone off early. (I just left the company recently, checked back with a friend and she said this still holds true. Had this issue a few weeks ago with a customer trying to pay their Next off and they couldn't because of combined billing. So until they change this, keep it in mind.) Combined billing is where you have your U-verse or other AT&T home services (Old school phone, DSL) bundled together on one bill. It has a completely different account number than your regular wireless account.

Next does NOT affect your plan at ALL! But if you are on Mobile Share Value, you retain your $15 credit (300mb - 6GB plans) and $25 credit (10GB+ plans) if you pay "full price" for your phone(AKA AT&T Next). You do NOT need to trade it in to upgrade again. Once the phone is paid in full, you can do another Next. Keep in mind, if you do want to trade in, and upgrade at 12 or 18 payments you can do so ANY time. You just have to give AT&T 12 or 18 months payments UPFRONT + your phone and boom, you can start another Next. Or just wait the 12 or 18 months. Whenever AT&T gets their money pretty much. Though, to do this, you start a new installment all over again.

EDIT: As of right now, you can only do 4 installments of Next on your BAN (billing account number). This means if you have a family of 5, 1 person won't be able to do Next. This counts for any tablets you are paying off on Next as well.

AT&T will also let ANYONE who has 18 months or less (YES, one and a half years) left on their existing two year contract start doing Next as long as you have't missed any payments or owe them money recently. (Check with your local store on this one, but the company is letting people out of their 2 years VERY early). This will let you out of your contract with out a termination fee and then you'll be on Next.

Hope this helps. Feel free to post this in other threads talking about AT&T Next. I always hated seeing people confused about Next because it's so much different than what we're used to, and you get a different answer out of every rep you speak with.

Also PM me if you have any other questions. Again, I am not currently on AT&T's payroll, but I am not bitter about the company at all and have no problems clearing up confusion for fellow MacRumors users and fellow customers

 

[Blueline29]

Thanks so much for posting this info!

 

[kmpoboy2]

(Former employee, left the company a week ago due to finding better opportunities else where)

Hey guys! I responded to someones thread with this, and the more I looked at it the more I thought I should post this in it's own thread. With pre-order day (and launch day) coming up, I want everyone to be 1000% clear on what AT&T Next is about. I want to clear something up before I start... I am NOT bashing AT&T Next. This program is fantastic, especially for us that have been paying full price for their phones for years. But it's very much that.. you pay full price. You no longer get the subsidy on the equipment, but a discount on the service as long as you are on Mobile Share Value. AT&T will still let you sign a two-year (the employees will fight you on it, and not because they make anything on AT&T Next, because they don't but because it is usually a better value for us as customer) if you choose. So... either get your discount up front on the equipment with a 2-year, or get a discount on your service over time with Next. Here's my original post from another thread:

Former AT&T Employee here:

AT&T Next is pretty much 20 or 24 month interest-free financing. You walk out of the store with the phone for your states/county's sales tax %, and can pay off the phone literally anytime. NOTE: people on old school "combined billing" will NOT be able to pay the phone off early. (I just left the company recently, checked back with a friend and she said this still holds true. Had this issue a few weeks ago with a customer trying to pay their Next off and they couldn't because of combined billing. So until they change this, keep it in mind.) Combined billing is where you have your U-verse or other AT&T home services (Old school phone, DSL) bundled together on one bill. It has a completely different account number than your regular wireless account.

Next does NOT affect your plan at ALL! But if you are on Mobile Share Value, you retain your $15 credit (300mb - 6GB plans) and $25 credit (10GB+ plans) if you pay "full price" for your phone(AKA AT&T Next). You do NOT need to trade it in to upgrade again. Once the phone is paid in full, you can do another Next. Keep in mind, if you do want to trade in, and upgrade at 12 or 18 payments you can do so ANY time. You just have to give AT&T 12 or 18 months payments UPFRONT + your phone and boom, you can start another Next. Or just wait the 12 or 18 months. Whenever AT&T gets their money pretty much. Though, to do this, you start a new installment all over again.

EDIT: As of right now, you can only do 4 installments of Next on your BAN (billing account number). This means if you have a family of 5, 1 person won't be able to do Next. This counts for any tablets you are paying off on Next as well.

AT&T will also let ANYONE who has 18 months or less (YES, one and a half years) left on their existing two year contract start doing Next as long as you have't missed any payments or owe them money recently. (Check with your local store on this one, but the company is letting people out of their 2 years VERY early). This will let you out of your contract with out a termination fee and then you'll be on Next.

Hope this helps. Feel free to post this in other threads talking about AT&T Next. I always hated seeing people confused about Next because it's so much different than what we're used to, and you get a different answer out of every rep you speak with.

Also PM me if you have any other questions. Again, I am not currently on AT&T's payroll, but I am not bitter about the company at all and have no problems clearing up confusion for fellow MacRumors users and fellow customers

Thanks for posting this!

Could you elaborate more on the discount on the service with mobile share and using next?

 

[AngelasAshes]

Question regarding NEXT - if I'm eligible for a NEXT upgrade, can I preorder at 3:01 AM on Friday via the Apple website and set-up a NEXT 2-year contract? Or do I have to pre-order on att.com?

Follow-up to that is AT&T offering pre-orders from their website and what are the advantages?

 

[jlake02]

I FINALLY gave up my unlimited on AT&T for NEXT. It's simply a better deal for me. Unlimited is NOT unlimited if you get throttled to death after 5 gigs (and have no hotspot! @@#%@#).

0% financing rather than paying in full up front? Yes, please.

 

[conan-kun]

Your post says you can pay off the phone literally any time, but others have posted saying you have to wait two billing cycles before you can pay it off. Do you know if it's possible to pay it off earlier?

Thanks for your post!

 

[duaneu]

Question regarding NEXT - if I'm eligible for a NEXT upgrade, can I preorder at 3:01 AM on Friday via the Apple website and set-up a NEXT 2-year contract? Or do I have to pre-order on att.com?

It appears that you can set up NEXT on apple.com.

 

[Tabby]

Thanks for the info. I do have a question about activation/upgrading fees. Is Next the only way to avoid paying one or both of these fees? Are any fees added if you pay full price up front? I know that Next is interest free financing, but I don't like making payments if it isn't necessary.

 

[AngelasAshes]

It appears that you can set up NEXT on apple.com.

It's mentioned - but it doesn't outright say you can.

 

[Scarpad]

Your post says you can pay off the phone literally any time, but others have posted saying you have to wait two billing cycles before you can pay it off. Do you know if it's possible to pay it off earlier?

Thanks for your post!

yu do have to wait two billing cycles.

 

[jpbeck76]

AT&T Next is pretty much 20 or 24 month interest-free financing. You walk out of the store with the phone for your states/county's sales tax %, and can pay off the phone literally anytime. NOTE: people on old school "combined billing" will NOT be able to pay the phone off early. (I just left the company recently, checked back with a friend and she said this still holds true. Had this issue a few weeks ago with a customer trying to pay their Next off and they couldn't because of combined billing. So until they change this, keep it in mind.) Combined billing is where you have your U-verse or other AT&T home services (Old school phone, DSL) bundled together on one bill. It has a completely different account number than your regular wireless account.

Then how come when I log on to my ATT account (which is setup for combined billing) and check the eligibility for the phone upgrade on my line, which is Next, I'm giving 3 options:

1. Pay off remaining balance of the 12 monthly installments (before I am originally eligible for an upgrade) but turn in my phone.
   
2. Pay off entire balance and keep the phone
   
3. Share an upgrade option.

 

[duaneu]

It's mentioned - but it doesn't outright say you can.

Try the Apple Store app. It lets you go through the steps, although you can't actually submit an order until Friday.

 

[roland.g]

My guess is that AT&T Next means you must go on a MobileShare plan and that by choosing Next you give up your Grandfathered Unlimited data plan. Not certain but I would guess that they might force that.

My problem with Next is that yes you can get a new handset every year of release by paying full price divided out over that time period and that you do get free financing to speak of, but you also pay in full.

I got an iPhone 5 64GB in Sept 2012 for $399 as the high end storage option. 2 years later I can sell that phone for $250-400 because people want iPhones out of contract or unlocked/unlockable. I can then turn around and get a new iPhone 6 64GB for $299 or a 6 Plus 64GB for $399. At the end of the day, my cost is really my activation fee.

If I have Next, I believe I own the handset in 12 months if I choose that plan, but essentially pay $649 for a $199 model up to $949 for a $499 model spread out over 12 months. Then I can do that all over again and still sell my phone. Seems like an expensive way to go to have a new phone every year.

In my opinion most people are better off going with either the 4 -> 5 -> 6 upgrade path or the 4S -> 5S -> 6S upgrade path every two years, selling their old phone, and getting the subsidized price.

 

[Statusnone88]

Thanks for posting this!

Could you elaborate more on the discount on the service with mobile share and using next?

Mobile Share Value works like this: $100 for 10GB of data, or whatever data price you have, and then you get a line cost. It STARTS at $40, then it discounts. If you signed a two year contract before a 2/1/14 (for 10GB, it's a later date in March for 6GB and lower plans) you get a $15 or $25 line discount. You get that same discount if you remain off contract, or upgrade using AT&T Next.

Plain and simple, you will pay much higher cost for your line on Mobile Share Value if you resign a two year contract. Compare the two for yourself here: http://attcalc.com/next/#overview

Question regarding NEXT - if I'm eligible for a NEXT upgrade, can I preorder at 3:01 AM on Friday via the Apple website and set-up a NEXT 2-year contract? Or do I have to pre-order on att.com?

Follow-up to that is AT&T offering pre-orders from their website and what are the advantages?

Apple just received their training on AT&T Next. Should be able to do it from apple.com (thats how I'm doing it Friday)

AT&T is offering preorders and there is no advantage that I can see from doing it directly from them.

 

[Steviejobz]

So in 12 months when the iPhone 6S comes out, you can't just trade in your phone and go to the next version? You have to also pay off the remaining 8-10 months of payments? (assuming you got a 20 or 24 month plan initially)?

I see on Apple.com I can get the 64GB 6+ for $42.75/mo. On a 20-month plan that's $855.

 

[cymolia]

cliffs pls

 

[jpbeck76]

After 12 monthly installments (if under ATT Next 12), you have the ability to "trade in" your phone for a new one. The outstanding balance for your old phone is waived and you basically start a new ATT Next 12 (or 18) plan, making another 12 monthly payments until you are eligible again.

 

[noobinator]

Here's my situation and I need some clarification on.

I had an unlimited plan and my wife had some other data plan on a family plan. 2 months ago we switched to NEXT on a 10gb shared Mobile share plan. It saved us some money.

I want to preorder the iphone tomorrow at midnight.

I bought an iphone 5s last year on launch for the slightly discounted early upgrade (like 549 or something).

1. I don't need to turn in the phone I bought last year do i since I paid 549 and wasn't on next?

2. The apple app is showing the phone i want will add 37.xx to my bill for 20 months and i can get a new phone yearly. This is confusing. So next year when I get a new phone after 12 months i still have 8 months left to pay on THAT phone so when I get the new phone I will have 2 Next charges overlap for 8 months or??

3. How would I pay off the phone and how much would it cost me? 37.xx x 20 months?

4. Am i at all at risk of losing my credits for the mobile share plan by doing the above plan of getting a new phone ordered tomorrow on Next?

 

[tgi]

This program is fantastic, especially for us that have been paying full price for their phones for years.

AT&T next is great. A lot of people bashing it don't have their facts straight.

 

[Statusnone88]

yu do have to wait two billing cycles.

Unless they changed it, in the store I was able to pay off peoples installments the next day in some cases. There's literally a button on their iPad's that say "Pay off remaining balance" and it gets pushed to the shopping cart for them to take your money. But again, I don't work for the company anymore so I could possibly be wrong!!

Then how come when I log on to my ATT account (which is setup for combined billing) and check the eligibility for the phone upgrade on my line, which is Next, I'm giving 3 options:

1. Pay off remaining balance of the 12 monthly installments (before I am originally eligible for an upgrade) but turn in my phone.
   
2. Pay off entire balance and keep the phone
   
3. Share an upgrade option.

They may have changed this! I tried to do this maybe a month ago? It was a huge headache cause I promised these people they could pay their phone off but the error was literally "Unable to process, customer is enrolled in combined billing."

Again, keep in mind I don't work for the company any more, and they change things so fast that some of the things I am saying could be wrong. But the way I look at it, I'd rather share my knowledge and you know theres a risk of not being able to pay it off, then you think you can and be screwed in 6 months. That's all.

----------

So in 12 months when the iPhone 6S comes out, you can't just trade in your phone and go to the next version? You have to also pay off the remaining 8-10 months of payments? (assuming you got a 20 or 24 month plan initially)?

I see on Apple.com I can get the 64GB 6+ for $42.75/mo. On a 20-month plan that's $855.

You can! If you do Next 12 (20 total payment), you can trade the phone in, start a new installment, and get a brand new phone. The only people that would need to pay the full balance are the ones that don't want to trade in.

 

[Nikefn2]

I FINALLY gave up my unlimited on AT&T for NEXT. It's simply a better deal for me. Unlimited is NOT unlimited if you get throttled to death after 5 gigs (and have no hotspot! @@#%@#).

0% financing rather than paying in full up front? Yes, please.

From my knowledge, you don't have to change your plan (aka give up unlimited data) to do the Next program. At least that's what they told me. Did they make you give it up?

 

[bbeagle]

I FINALLY gave up my unlimited on AT&T for NEXT. It's simply a better deal for me......

0% financing rather than paying in full up front? Yes, please.
:

If you have a 6gb or less plan, you are paying $85 more for AT&T NEXT.
If you have a 10gb or more plan, you are paying $205 less for AT&T NEXT.

6gb or less plan with next -> $650 cost of phone + (~$35 more in tax)
6gb or less plan w/2 year -> $360 more ($15/month) + $200 subsidized cost + $40 = $600

10gb or more plan with next -> $650 cost of phone + (~$35 more in tax)
10gb or more plan w/2 year -> $600 more ($25/month) + $200 subsidized cost + $40 = $840

There is no $40 'activation fee' with AT&T next. Additionally, you need to pay tax on either the $200 subsidized or $650 cost of phone. Assuming 10% tax, you need to pay about $35 more in tax using the AT&T next plan.

If you go with a 2-year contract, you must pay $15/month or $25/month MORE for your plan than going with AT&T next

 

[conan-kun]

Thank you very much for all your responses!

Another question... I currently am on a locked AT&T 5S and my contract has another year before it is finished. If I upgrade using AT&T Next, can I request my 5S be unlocked after the 14 day return window ends?

Thank you!

 

[Statusnone88]

Here's my situation and I need some clarification on.

I had an unlimited plan and my wife had some other data plan on a family plan. 2 months ago we switched to NEXT on a 10gb shared Mobile share plan. It saved us some money.

I want to preorder the iphone tomorrow at midnight.

I bought an iphone 5s last year on launch for the slightly discounted early upgrade (like 549 or something).

1. I don't need to turn in the phone I bought last year do i since I paid 549 and wasn't on next?

2. The apple app is showing the phone i want will add 37.xx to my bill for 20 months and i can get a new phone yearly. This is confusing. So next year when I get a new phone after 12 months i still have 8 months left to pay on THAT phone so when I get the new phone I will have 2 Next charges overlap for 8 months or??

3. How would I pay off the phone and how much would it cost me? 37.xx x 20 months?

4. Am i at all at risk of losing my credits for the mobile share plan by doing the above plan of getting a new phone ordered tomorrow on Next?

1. Nope. Don't need to turn your phone in, that is yours to keep.

2. When you trade your old phone in, AT&T wipes the 8 month balance you have and you start fresh for a new phone.

3. You pay full price for the phone. A $650 phone is $32.50 a month for 2 months. You can pay it off in store (not sure about over the phone)

4. You will NOT lose those credits as long as you don't sign a 2-year contract. AT&T Next is NOT a 2-year, so you will be fine and retain your credits.

 

[Nikefn2]

My guess is that AT&T Next means you must go on a MobileShare plan and that by choosing Next you give up your Grandfathered Unlimited data plan. Not certain but I would guess that they might force that.

My problem with Next is that yes you can get a new handset every year of release by paying full price divided out over that time period and that you do get free financing to speak of, but you also pay in full.

I got an iPhone 5 64GB in Sept 2012 for $399 as the high end storage option. 2 years later I can sell that phone for $250-400 because people want iPhones out of contract or unlocked/unlockable. I can then turn around and get a new iPhone 6 64GB for $299 or a 6 Plus 64GB for $399. At the end of the day, my cost is really my activation fee.

If I have Next, I believe I own the handset in 12 months if I choose that plan, but essentially pay $649 for a $199 model up to $949 for a $499 model spread out over 12 months. Then I can do that all over again and still sell my phone. Seems like an expensive way to go to have a new phone every year.

In my opinion most people are better off going with either the 4 -> 5 -> 6 upgrade path or the 4S -> 5S -> 6S upgrade path every two years, selling their old phone, and getting the subsidized price.

When I chatted with multiple AT&T reps about this, they informed me that i would not have to give up my Unlimited data to do the next option. They also didn't mention anything about a mobile share plan. They all told me that that based off which Next option I select (12 or 18), the monthly price will just be tacked on to my current bill and I will not be required to make any plan changes.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but at least 3 AT&T reps told me this and I plan on going to the store to talk to one during my lunch break.