ETA fee or cancel data?

[teamjaycub]

EDIT: TYPO on title I meant ETF, not "ETA fee", lol.

Hello, I have calculated that my ETF for all my lines right now would be $260.
My contract ends 12/20/2011. I currently am on AT&T.

I currently have 2 iPhone 3G (2008 model) and 2 Samsung Solstice.
Could I buy like 4 $10 phones at like Wal-Mart or somewhere, and stop paying for data for those phones? Would it be cheaper to pay the bare minimum for 4 lines for 2 more months, than to pay the $260?

I plan on getting 4 iPhone 4S on either Sprint or Verizon.

Here's a picture of my current plan

 

[vitzr]

There are several variables, I'm sure you can do the math.

As someone whos currently with AT&T and Verizon, I say remember the old adage... The grass is not always greener. And

Buyer beware.

 

[wordoflife]

Could I buy like 4 $10 phones at like Wal-Mart or somewhere, and stop paying for data for those phones?

Yep.
I don't know if it will be cheaper (bare minimum bill + price of cheap phones) but you can figure that out when you look at the plans. I can't remember what they are charging these days. But yeah, you can remove the data plan.

In fact, you can probably accomplish this with 1 phone. Just insert SIM from line 1 into dumb phone, cancel data. Then, Put SIM from line 2 into dumbphone, and remove data. Continue the process.

 

[brand]

Could I buy like 4 $10 phones at like Wal-Mart or somewhere, and stop paying for data for those phones?

AT&T requires that you have a data plan if you have a smart phone.

 

[teamjaycub]

AT&T requires that you have a data plan if you have a smart phone.

But, what if my phone "broke", and I bought a new cheap phone?

 

[Mlrollin91]

But, what if my phone "broke", and I bought a new cheap phone?

Even "dumb" phones can cost a lot without contract. There is no way they will be like 10 dollars.

 

[teamjaycub]

Even "dumb" phones can cost a lot without contract. There is no way they will be like 10 dollars.

Actually you can get a 12$ AT&T phone at Walmart.