Carrier For those with Grandfathered Data (at&t)

[FredV]

Okay, here's the deal

The att next plan isn't much different from the two year contracts in terms of what you pay. You can STILL keep your unlimited data plan if you have that already.. THAT is what's not going away.

You have an extra payment with your monthly service plan but you're not paying anything out of pocket to get the phone, (except the tax) AND activation fee was lowered to $15 on NEXT..

It's only more expensive if you want a phone every year instead of every two years, but if you're wanting a two year contract anyway, it's not going to make any difference.

The thing is that Next is, obviously, not good for everybody such as myself. So it is quite different, especially in cost. Sure with either Next or 2yr contract I can keep my unlimited data, thats fine.
It's the roughly $370 I pay for the phone out of pocket when I sign a new 2 year that makes the difference. With Next, what I would end up paying after 12 months for the phone to upgrade again, is more than $400, and I don't get to keep the phone. At least with the two year I can sell it and essentially make that money back if I wanted to. I have 2 lines, which have staggered upgrade years, so every year I can get the newest iPhone at subsidy, keeping unlimited data on my line while keeping the phone. It makes sense for me and it's unfortunate that my only option to keep it this way is through a corporate store or ATT's website only.

 

[bushman4]

Why would you do a next plan if you have a subsidy?
All these payments plants all they do is spread the money over 20-24 or 30 months installments.
If you're on old unlimited data and family plans with subsidies the next and mobile share plans will cost you way more.
Dont get sucked into their game, AT&T its doing its best to get everyone off those old plans and off the unlimited iphone data plans and not allowing you to upgrade via apple and other retailers is one of their plans to get you to switch. Making it harder and more limited till many will just give up and say oh well, just switch me then.
You think Apples system cannot handle 2 year upgrades via carrier all of a sudden and only allows for next purchases? Its all a trick, Im not falling for it.
I'm getting it via AT&T and still using my upgrade and not changing my family plan or losing my unlimited data or making monthly payments on a phone.

Fear not . If ATT discontinues unlimited plans they would be up against the FCC because people would say they were discontinuing the plans instead of throttling the customers over 5gb.
For the next 2 years your safe. And even if ATT drops the plans you would have the option to leave or go to a different plan since they changed the contract.

 

[Applejuiced]

Fear not . If ATT discontinues unlimited plans they would be up against the FCC because people would say they were discontinuing the plans instead of throttling the customers over 5gb.
For the next 2 years your safe. And even if ATT drops the plans you would have the option to leave or go to a different plan since they changed the contract.

Not really a fear or worry for me.
They drop my unlimited plan or subsidy and I'll just drop them.
Not just me but millions of other subscribers could do the same.

 

[TheKDub]

Not really a fear or worry for me.
They drop my unlimited plan or subsidy and I'll just drop them.
Not just me but millions of other subscribers could do the same.

After doing a lot of research and math (and looking into everything from access fees, upgrade fees, FAN discounts, discover it + apple pay 20% cb - i have the double cb bonus) both the 5GB mobile share plan and my unlimited data plan comes out to be within $100 over a 24 month period. I've averaged around 3GB of data, and have only hit 5GB for the first time this month funny enough.

This prob means that I'll just stick to the grandfathered unlimited data plan. I'm hoping to get the $45 activation fee waived, so that's another point towards the UDP.

The only thing I find really annoying with the 2-year contract is that AT&T refuses to unlock your phone for international travel, which happens for me about once a year. Also, i've always stuck with a phone for 2 years, but there could be a chance that I might be really tempted with the iPhone 7 if they come out with a massive camera upgrade...

 

[Wise87]

What AT&T will most likely do is prevent certain features from working like Wi-Fi calling. Rumor has it you need unlimited voice to use this feature. As we know most 2 year contracts are unlimited data and a minute voice plan. Granted there is a Unlimited Voice option under the old Family Share Plan but that is like $70. As New features are added to smart phones that take away profit from the carriers like iMessage, you will see them become more creative. Granted Unlimited users finally got FaceTime over cellular but they still don't have tethering. Watch tomorrow and see how many Unlimited user with minute plans can't enable Wifi calling.

 

[ray737]

Okay, here's the deal

The att next plan isn't much different from the two year contracts in terms of what you pay. You can STILL keep your unlimited data plan if you have that already.. THAT is what's not going away.

You have an extra payment with your monthly service plan but you're not paying anything out of pocket to get the phone, (except the tax) AND activation fee was lowered to $15 on NEXT..

It's only more expensive if you want a phone every year instead of every two years, but if you're wanting a two year contract anyway, it's not going to make any difference.

I disagree. Of course it's more expensive. If you were getting the cheapest phone 6S 16G paying $199 Att subsidized the remaining $450. With the NEXT program or buying it outright you're paying the full cost of $649 and your monthly ATT bill for wireless and unlimited data is still staying the same.

 

[Applejuiced]

After doing a lot of research and math (and looking into everything from access fees, upgrade fees, FAN discounts, discover it + apple pay 20% cb - i have the double cb bonus) both the 5GB mobile share plan and my unlimited data plan comes out to be within $100 over a 24 month period. I've averaged around 3GB of data, and have only hit 5GB for the first time this month funny enough.

This prob means that I'll just stick to the grandfathered unlimited data plan. I'm hoping to get the $45 activation fee waived, so that's another point towards the UDP.

The only thing I find really annoying with the 2-year contract is that AT&T refuses to unlock your phone for international travel, which happens for me about once a year. Also, i've always stuck with a phone for 2 years, but there could be a chance that I might be really tempted with the iPhone 7 if they come out with a massive camera upgrade...

I requested an unlock via their online iphone portal and after a few tries I got 3 of my 6Plus devices unlocked while still under contract.
Worth a shot.

 

[powerbook911]

I requested an unlock via their online iphone portal and after a few tries I got 3 of my 6Plus devices unlocked while still under contract.
Worth a shot.

How long ago? I think they may have updated their systems. If I request an unlock on a truly qualified device (I have some really old iPhones I never requested it on yet like original iPhone, 3G, etc) and those went through after a few hours.

However, on a 6 and 5S we have still under contract, I got almost instantaneous denials. It seems the denials might be automatic now while the approvals are still manual?

 

[Applejuiced]

How long ago? I think they may have updated their systems. If I request an unlock on a truly qualified device (I have some really old iPhones I never requested it on yet like original iPhone, 3G, etc) and those went through after a few hours.

However, on a 6 and 5S we have still under contract, I got almost instantaneous denials. It seems the denials might be automatic now while the approvals are still manual?

Same here.
I have 1 more 6 Plus that I been trying to get unlocked and I get denied almost within minutes lately.
I'll try again later. Only takes 1 time to get lucky

 

[T0MMYBOY4]

You guys see the new updated throttling policy hot off the press? http://www.att.com/esupport/datausa...are&siteId=je6NUbpObpQ-1WnFgyKu6sX2VSeCH0_4KQ

 

[Applejuiced]

You guys see the new updated throttling policy hot off the press? http://www.att.com/esupport/datausa...are&siteId=je6NUbpObpQ-1WnFgyKu6sX2VSeCH0_4KQ

That is awesome news.
Glad me and many others stuck with our unlimited data plans.

 

[erayser]

That is awesome news.
Glad me and many others stuck with our unlimited data plans.

Maybe we should be glad that many others didn't stick with their unlimited data plans. Maybe the reason for the radical changes.

There might be more that dropped their UDP to go to other carriers or signed up for tiered share plans than we think. When the news broke on raising the 5 to 22gb limit, you would think the UDP people would flood the thread. But I see a lot of posts on justifying why they went to a different carrier or why a shared plan is better for them. You think there would be more traffic in that thread... but I think it's great news.

 

[mhdena]

Maybe we should be glad that many others didn't stick with their unlimited data plans. Maybe the reason for the radical changes.

There might be more that dropped their UDP to go to other carriers or signed up for tiered share plans than we think. When the news broke on raising the 5 to 22gb limit, you would think the UDP people would flood the thread. But I see a lot of posts on justifying why they went to a different carrier or why a shared plan is better for them. You think there would be more traffic in that thread... but I think it's great news.

Ever since the Next plan came out those who switched gleefully proclaimed their decision.

Those of us who stuck it out knew better.

Long live UDP!!

 

[bueller1]

UDP makes sense for single lines. My gf and I were both paying $115 separately on family talk rollover plans...totaling $230. Now we pay $125 combined for 20GB mobile share with our discount. No brainer.

 

[aesc80]

UDP makes sense for single lines. My gf and I were both paying $115 separately on family talk rollover plans...totaling $230. Now we pay $125 combined for 20GB mobile share with our discount. No brainer.

I think the biggest problem there is that you were also paying for separate minutes, too. Our account has always been about $125 for the Family Talk 400 (shared) and individual unlimited text and data. About a year about we moved up to FT1400, paying $160. A bit high, but now that it's unlimited talk, data, and text, it's probably very well worth it.

 

[JayLenochiniMac]

What AT&T will most likely do is prevent certain features from working like Wi-Fi calling. Rumor has it you need unlimited voice to use this feature. As we know most 2 year contracts are unlimited data and a minute voice plan. Granted there is a Unlimited Voice option under the old Family Share Plan but that is like $70. As New features are added to smart phones that take away profit from the carriers like iMessage, you will see them become more creative. Granted Unlimited users finally got FaceTime over cellular but they still don't have tethering. Watch tomorrow and see how many Unlimited user with minute plans can't enable Wifi calling.

So is that why at&t recently switched many of the legacy plans to unlimited minutes?

 

[Newtons Apple]

Ever since the Next plan came out those who switched gleefully proclaimed their decision.

Those of us who stuck it out knew better.

Long live UDP!!

Agree 100%. Now I can do FaceTime out in the field on cellular and not even worry about it. One of my customers was thrilled to have us walk a site with him in another state and see progress on his project.

I am glad that we stuck it out!

 

[macher]

Maybe we should be glad that many others didn't stick with their unlimited data plans. Maybe the reason for the radical changes.

There might be more that dropped their UDP to go to other carriers or signed up for tiered share plans than we think. When the news broke on raising the 5 to 22gb limit, you would think the UDP people would flood the thread. But I see a lot of posts on justifying why they went to a different carrier or why a shared plan is better for them. You think there would be more traffic in that thread... but I think it's great news.

My guess and that a huge % switched to MSV. Everyone I know who had UDP switched to MSV. And from talking to corporate store reps they say the same. Reps are 'surprised' that we still have UDP.

 

[macher]

I think the biggest problem there is that you were also paying for separate minutes, too. Our account has always been about $125 for the Family Talk 400 (shared) and individual unlimited text and data. About a year about we moved up to FT1400, paying $160. A bit high, but now that it's unlimited talk, data, and text, it's probably very well worth it.

We have 700 minute plan(4 lines each with UDP) and mobile to ANY mobile and unlimited family text. With mobile to ANY mobile we never ever have gotten close to going over. In fact right now we have 5000 roll over minutes.

Plus you can use Google Hangouts to make calls to landlines over data.

Currently I'm comfortable with our monthly bill of $213 which includes employee discount.