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I am still not sure NEXT is the way to go.

For example, let's say I want iPhone 6+ 64GB. I can get it now for $399 or $42.45/month (Next 12)

Let's say I go with Next, and 12 months from now I want to get iPhone 6S. At at point, I would have paid (12x42.45 = $509.40) for a phone I have to return to AT&T (trade-in) in order to get the new one, and then start paying for the other one, etc.

If I just spend the $399 now, I could sell it in 12 months, and use that money towards the new phone, which will be at full price since I wouldn't be eligible to upgrade but it would probably cover around half the price (~$300).

So if you always upgrade when a new phone is available, it still seems to me NEXT is more money than the 2-yr contract.

Only that you are not required to return/trade-in your phone after 12 months when you want to upgrade. You can pay off the remaining price of the phone and it is yours. They will then even unlock it and you can sell it as an unlocked phone which will yield a better price.
 
If i am grandfathered into the old unlimited data plan and i decide to go for the at&t next installment plan, do i lose the grandfathered status?
 
2 year commitment:
  • + $50 a month for 2 lines service. (you lose the $25/line discount when you do a 2 year upgrade)
  • + $80 activation fee for 2 iPhones
  • + $27.86 (taxes on 2 iPhones)
  • + $398 upfront cost for 2 iPhones (2 year commitment)
Total for 2 years: $1705.86

AT&T Next:
  • Keep $50 a month discount on service.
  • + $90.86 (taxes) upfront cost for 2 iPhones.
  • + $27.03 x 2 iPhones monthly cost.

Total for 2 years: $1388.30

In your case, you save $317.56 for going with AT&T Next.

I'm pretty sure the discount is $25 period - not per line.
 
worth it for 5 lines ?

Currently have 5 lines with 15 GB mobile data sharing plan.

3 iphones and 1 galaxy s4 - 40-25 discount = $15 per month for each line

one basic phone without data - $15 for that line.

Now, the 4 lines are AT&T Next eligible. Only the basic phone line is eligible for 2 year contract upgrade while the other 4 lines are not until next year. I have galaxy s4 and want to upgrade to iphone 6. I can either join the Next plan or upgrade the basic phone line for 2 year contract. If i get the 2 year contract, would I still get the 25 dollar discount on the three lines that I didn't upgrade ? only the 2 year contract line would be $40/per month instead of $15 right ?

Currently paying $205 per month for those 5 lines that includes $28% discount.

Would Next be better option in this case savings wise ? I can't trade in galaxy s4 right ? I have to sell it on craigslist ?
 
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If I'm going from a family shared plan on AT&T Premier to AT&T Next do I have to do it through Premier or can I do that through apple.com?
 
I have a few questions.

1. How does AT&T pick a value for your current phone when upgrading? Say I'm going to a more high-end phone and I'm at 12 months and I make my minimum payments. Do they make you pay some difference between values of the phone?

2. Does it make sense for grandfathered unlimited plans in terms of saving? I have unlimited data, messaging and plenty of minutes for roughly 70 a month with FAN. Are the rewards only reaped with mobile share plans?

3. Is it possible to switch back to a 2 year plan after converting to NEXT? I want to switch to Next this year and pay the phone off within the year. Then I'd like to renew my current 2 year agreement next year with my current plan. Is this possible?

1. Doesn't matter because you are paying the full retail price of the phone over time. Therefore, AT&T is happy to let you have whatever you want.

2. If you want to use AT&T Next, you'll need to switch to mobile share, I believe. The major discounts are only realized by doing so.

3. It seems as though AT&T is shying away from new 2 year activations. If by "renew" you mean you are doing Next and then starting a NEW 2 year agreement, then I think so, but you would lose all Next/Mobile Share discounts.

Are there any sources for this?! Between my phone bill going down 40 dollars a month and the Next program, I'm starting to feel AT&T is playing a sick joke on me!
http://www.droid-life.com/2014/01/20/att-early-upgrade-next/


We have 5 iPhones on a mobile shared plan of 15 GB. I bought the 5S last October.

If i select Next 12, nothing will change in regards to my shared plan right? I don't know this because i was thinking of buying contract free but don't want to risk it not being unlocked.
As long as you already have Mobile Share for your phones, then you are correct.
 
Thank you for the guide. So the main benefit of Next is being able to trade-in your iPhone each year, but you pay a little more than full-subsidized?

Can it be done for someone who is on a grandfathered family plan? My family plan is cheaper than any of the newer MobileShare plans (even when you factor in the Next $25 discount), or would my grandfathered plan also get some type of Next discount?
 
I am still not sure NEXT is the way to go.

For example, let's say I want iPhone 6+ 64GB. I can get it now for $399 or $42.45/month (Next 12)

Let's say I go with Next, and 12 months from now I want to get iPhone 6S. At at point, I would have paid (12x42.45 = $509.40) for a phone I have to return to AT&T (trade-in) in order to get the new one, and then start paying for the other one, etc.

If I just spend the $399 now, I could sell it in 12 months, and use that money towards the new phone, which will be at full price since I wouldn't be eligible to upgrade but it would probably cover around half the price (~$300).

So if you always upgrade when a new phone is available, it still seems to me NEXT is more money than the 2-yr contract.


BUT - if you are on a 2 year contract,you are paying more per month for service. If you move to the data share plan, you pay $25 less per month for he service. Then, NEXT is cheaper.
 
What happened to regular upgrading on ATT?

They forced my cousin on NEXT for both lines, regular upgrade wasn't an option, EVEN THOUGH her main line is upgrade next month and her 2nd line is next Oct.

What gives??
 
At that point is it permissible to unlock it? That is really what I care about - for overseas travel.

Also, will buying through NEXT run a credit check? While I normally wouldn't care, I may be applying for a mortgage in the next six months or so, and would prefer to keep my credit report inquiries to a minimum.

lol sure
 
What happened to regular upgrading on ATT?

They forced my cousin on NEXT for both lines, regular upgrade wasn't an option, EVEN THOUGH her main line is upgrade next month and her 2nd line is next Oct.

What gives??

You just answered the question. Not eligible for an upgrade under the old plan.

Hello?
 
You just answered the question. Not eligible for an upgrade under the old plan.

Hello?

HELLO. someone else already answered this question for me who was knowledgeable. They said AT&T did away with 20 month upgrades. Instead of Snark you could've came with knowledge but you didn't. Goodbye.
 
I have a Next program and want to pay to upgrade. The question is, if I choose to do that, and pay to upgrade, does it show me as being eligible immediately for next? The reason why I'm wondering is can I then go and pre-order on Apple.com or go to the Apple store on launch day? I know I have to send my device into Att within 14 days. I'm just wondering if the Apple store would let me get the phone since I wouldn't be trading it in at the Apple store.

Does that make sense? It sounds confusing, lol.
 
HELLO. someone else already answered this question for me who was knowledgeable. They said AT&T did away with 20 month upgrades. Instead of Snark you could've came with knowledge but you didn't. Goodbye.

Nothing "snarky" about it. You stated each line was not due for an upgrade and wondered why they were directed to the NEXT plan if they wanted a phone now.

That's all.

Goodbye.
 
I have a Next program and want to pay to upgrade. The question is, if I choose to do that, and pay to upgrade, does it show me as being eligible immediately for next? The reason why I'm wondering is can I then go and pre-order on Apple.com or go to the Apple store on launch day? I know I have to send my device into Att within 14 days. I'm just wondering if the Apple store would let me get the phone since I wouldn't be trading it in at the Apple store.

Does that make sense? It sounds confusing, lol.

Can anyone help with the answer above?
 
The info here has been a lot of help but still a little confused because I have older plans.

I currently have a FamilyTalk 700 plan. My bill looks like this:

Line 1

$60 - FamilyTalk 700 minutes
$30 - Family unlimited texts
$30 - unlimited data

Line 2

$9.99 - Add a line for FamilyTalk 700
$30 - 3GB data usage

I get a 20% employee discount so my total bill with all taxes and fees is

$152.98

I see everyone talking about a $40/line access few which I don't see anywhere on my bill. I am assume this a fee found on newer plans. Now, if I am willing to give up the unlimited data would it be cheaper to go with Next? Or should I keep my current plan?

Thanks
 
The info here has been a lot of help but still a little confused because I have older plans.

I currently have a FamilyTalk 700 plan. My bill looks like this:

Line 1

$60 - FamilyTalk 700 minutes
$30 - Family unlimited texts
$30 - unlimited data

Line 2

$9.99 - Add a line for FamilyTalk 700
$30 - 3GB data usage

I get a 20% employee discount so my total bill with all taxes and fees is

$152.98

I see everyone talking about a $40/line access few which I don't see anywhere on my bill. I am assume this a fee found on newer plans. Now, if I am willing to give up the unlimited data would it be cheaper to go with Next? Or should I keep my current plan?

Thanks


Ok, I'll play.

Lets say you choose the 10gb plan. If you bring your own device, or pay for it outright, it would be...

$80 data ($100 minus 20% discount)
$15 phone line 1 ($40 minus $25 discount)
$15 phone line 2 ($40 minus $25 discount)
-------------------
$110

When you want a new phone you can either choose a 2 yr contract price on phone (say $199 on the cheapest iPhone) and give up that $25 discount...

OR you can pay NEXT installments until the phone is paid off (like a 0% loan) and keep the $25 line discount

OR buy a phone outright to keep $25 line discount.

********
If both of you insist on a new phone every 2 years and want to only pay the low subsidized phone price, you're better off on your current plan. (Would cost you $160 for (2) 2 yr contracts)

BUT if you don't have the need to have 2 new phones every two years (Maybe take turns getting a new phone) or if you are willing to buy phones outright, or pay with next, you would come out ahead on the new plan. (stays $110/mo plus cost of new phone)

You know you best.
 
The info here has been a lot of help but still a little confused because I have older plans.

I currently have a FamilyTalk 700 plan. My bill looks like this:

Line 1

$60 - FamilyTalk 700 minutes
$30 - Family unlimited texts
$30 - unlimited data

Line 2

$9.99 - Add a line for FamilyTalk 700
$30 - 3GB data usage

I get a 20% employee discount so my total bill with all taxes and fees is

$152.98

I see everyone talking about a $40/line access few which I don't see anywhere on my bill. I am assume this a fee found on newer plans. Now, if I am willing to give up the unlimited data would it be cheaper to go with Next? Or should I keep my current plan?
Keep your old plan. It's cheaper.

Next is a financing program. You can get it with your current plan but you end up paying 2x for your phone. Mobile Share Value is the name of the new plans. These new plans give you a discount of $15-25/mo per line depending on how large your data bucket is. With the 10GB plan, you'll probably be paying ~$130 after taxes but without the phone cost. If you go with Next financing, each phone will add $27-48/mo to your bill depending on model and you only need to pay tax upfront. If you go with 2-year contract on MSVP, each phone will add $15-25/mo to your bill and you need to pay $199-499 plus taxes depending on model.
 
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