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Carrier Getting out of ATT Next

C

Chevelle

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 9, 2010
142
6
I have an IPhone 6 with ATT Next. I'm eligible soon for an upgrade. Just bought my wife a 6s plus. But I paid for it all up front so she has her own plan and there's no contract. Just month to month.

I want to get the 6s plus too I think now because I like it so much and isn't as awkward to carry in pants as I thought it would be.

Does Next make sense? I pretty much get every model of phone. Sometimes I skip the S. Or, can I pay the 150 bucks I have left to become upgrade eligible, trade in my 6, and then buy another 6s plus straight up and continue with no contract and a lower monthly cost? What makes more sense?

I have a grandfathered unlimited plan if that makes any difference.
 
I see Next as an interest free loan. I get new iPhones every year, so it makes sense fro me.
 
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T5BRICK said:
If you have an unlimited plan why are you using next? Use your subsidy, otherwise you're paying more than you should.
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How are you paying more? If you decide to upgrade yearly, you have to pay an additionally $250 early upgrade fee and sign another new 2 year contract.

So really, 12 months of Next = $450 (64GB) Phone. To do a 2 year contract its: $300 (Phone), then next year its $550 (Phone+Early Upgrade). 1 year of Next is half the price.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
So really, 12 months of Next = $450 (64GB) Phone. To do a 2 year contract its: $300 (Phone), then next year its $550 (Phone+Early Upgrade). 1 year of Next is half the price.
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On the old unlimited plans, you don't get a discount on your bill for using Next, so you're really just looking at the cost of the phones here.

On Next, for the first year you'd pay $450, trade your phone in, and then pay another $450 over the next year for the new phone. That's a total of $900 you spent over 2 years, and you just have the newest phone.

On a subsidized plan, you pay $300 up front for the first year, keep your phone, and pay $550 for the new phone on the second year. You've paid a total of $850 over 2 years, and you have both phones. You could then sell the old phone and recoup a good portion of that $850.
 
T5BRICK said:
On the old unlimited plans, you don't get a discount on your bill for using Next, so you're really just looking at the cost of the phones here.

On Next, for the first year you'd pay $450, trade your phone in, and then pay another $450 over the next year for the new phone. That's a total of $900 you spent over 2 years, and you just have the newest phone.

On a subsidized plan, you pay $300 up front for the first year, keep your phone, and pay $550 for the new phone on the second year. You've paid a total of $850 over 2 years, and you have both phones. You could then sell the old phone and recoup a good portion of that $850.
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I'm aware about the discount for using Next, as I am still on the UDP.

The issue with spending $850 and owning both phones is you are still tied to another 2 year contract. And if you do it year after year. After three years you are out $1400 and again, tied to another 2 year contract.

I completely understand where you are coming from, but I believe there is more hassle involved and less flexibility by signing that 2 year contract.

Even this past year with my iPhone 6, I did AT&T Next, and when the 6s came out, I paid off the balance of my phone for $300 and ended up selling it on eBay for $550. So I only paid $200 for an entire year. If I signed a 2 year contract and paid $300 for the phone, sold it for $550 and then bought a 6s for $550, I would have been out $100 more overall and just started a brand new 2 year contract. So for my personal situation, a subsidy would have cost me $100 more and tied me to AT&T for 2 years.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
I'm aware about the discount for using Next, as I am still on the UDP.

The issue with spending $850 and owning both phones is you are still tied to another 2 year contract. And if you do it year after year. After three years you are out $1400 and again, tied to another 2 year contract.

I completely understand where you are coming from, but I believe there is more hassle involved and less flexibility by signing that 2 year contract.

Even this past year with my iPhone 6, I did AT&T Next, and when the 6s came out, I paid off the balance of my phone for $300 and ended up selling it on eBay for $550. So I only paid $200 for an entire year. If I signed a 2 year contract and paid $300 for the phone, sold it for $550 and then bought a 6s for $550, I would have been out $100 more overall and just started a brand new 2 year contract. So for my personal situation, a subsidy would have cost me $100 more and tied me to AT&T for 2 years.
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What's weird is that your stressing about being tied into a contract but knowingly will not give up your udp which makes no sense
 
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ANTAWNM26 said:
What's weird is that your stressing about being tied into a contract but knowingly will not give up your udp which makes no sense
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Where did I say I will not give up my UDP? I didn't say that at all. If AT&T continues to raise the price, I will jump ship from it, because I only use 2-3GB a month and would prefer to have the ability to tether. Anything above $40 is where I draw my line.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
Even this past year with my iPhone 6, I did AT&T Next, and when the 6s came out, I paid off the balance of my phone for $300 and ended up selling it on eBay for $550. So I only paid $200 for an entire year. If I signed a 2 year contract and paid $300 for the phone, sold it for $550 and then bought a 6s for $550, I would have been out $100 more overall and just started a brand new 2 year contract. So for my personal situation, a subsidy would have cost me $100 more and tied me to AT&T for 2 years.
Click to expand...

You're still paying more.

Next:
Year 1 - you pay $750 for the phone and sell it for $550. You paid $200.
Year 2 - you pay $750 for the phone and sell it for $550. You paid $200.
Year 3 - you pay $750 for the phone and sell it for $550. You paid $200.

Over 3 years, you've spent $600.

Subsidy:
Year 1 - you pay $300 for the phone and sell it for $550. You actually recoup $250.
Year 2 - you pay $550 for the phone and sell it for $550. You break even.
Year 3 - you pay $550 for the phone and sell it for $550. You break even.

Over 3 years, you've actually made $250.

Look, I'm not saying next is always a bad deal, I actually ended up saving a bunch of money by using Family share plans and buying my phones full price. I'm saying that it doesn't make sense to do what you're doing. If you decide to switch from AT&T, sticking with subsidy and paying the ETF is still cheaper.
 
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You guys confused me lol. I don't like the subsidy route because I don't like being locked in to the phone for 2 years. I either do next and get the new one every year or pay for the phone in full and have no contract and go month to month. Bought my wife's phone for 850 and there is no contract or anything.
 
You could divorce yourself entirely from carrier supplying phone. Pay off your current phone and sell at your leisure or keep as a spare. Sign up for Apple yearly upgrade phone program. New phone each year, applecare+ comes with it. Then month to month with AT&T.

You get phone from Apple direct, 14 day exchange/return. No restocking fees. No interest. New phone every year.

Carrier you get best plan to suit your needs. Leave any time. And no confusing stay with us for this phone or that upgrade ****.

It's another option.
 
Until you drop your UDP, you're paying twice for the phone if you upgrade off contract.
 
OP I use Next and I get a new phone every year. I pay it off right before the new phone goes on sale and when I get the new phone I give the old one to a family member.
This is what works for me.
 
Chevelle said:
How so?
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You're paying double (or at least paying significantly more) for your phone using Next on a 2-year contract because you are paying the Next charges (~$25-$30, depending on the storage size) AND paying for the subsidy recovery by AT&T that is built into your monthly contract price - paying back a subsidy that you are not using... which amounts to approximately $20-25/month.
 
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dwfaust said:
You're paying double for your phone using Next on a 2-year contract because you are paying the Next charges (~$25-$30, depending on the storage size) AND paying for the subsidy recovery by AT&T that is built into your monthly contract price - paying back a subsidy that you are not using... which amounts to approximately $20-25/month.
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Thats not paying double for your phone, thats paying double for service. The poster that the OP quoted said you are paying twice for your phone, which isn't true.

But really, the maximum credit you get with mobile Share is $25 a month, more like $15 a month if you are not on a family mobile share. The device cost is between $25-$40 depending on device, so really your not even paying double.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
Thats not paying double for your phone, thats paying double for service. The poster that the OP quoted said you are paying twice for your phone, which isn't true.

But really, the maximum credit you get with mobile Share is $25 a month, more like $15 a month if you are not on a family mobile share. The device cost is between $25-$40 depending on device, so really your not even paying double.
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I use like 30 gigs a month so I think it still makes sense for me to keep unlimited lol. I know the sales people are supposed to try and get you out of it but every time I go there they are like um yea nvm you should keep that after they check my usage.
 
Mlrollin91 said:
Thats not paying double for your phone, thats paying double for service. The poster that the OP quoted said you are paying twice for your phone, which isn't true.

But really, the maximum credit you get with mobile Share is $25 a month, more like $15 a month if you are not on a family mobile share. The device cost is between $25-$40 depending on device, so really your not even paying double.
Click to expand...

You are still paying MORE for your phone if you take this approach.
 
I guess AT&T Next works better for me. $0 down and I pay $42/month for the 6/6S Plus 64GB, then a year later a family member/friend buys the phone ~$300-$400 depending on what's left on the installment then I upgrade to a new phone. My monthly bills stays the same as normal, and family member/friend gets a mint condition phone at a steal price.

With that said, I don't think NEXT is worth if you aren't going to pay off the old phone and give it back to AT&T. If you pay off the old phone, then it's nothing more than interest-free loan which is totally worth it.
 
dwfaust said:
You are still paying MORE for your phone if you take this approach.
Click to expand...
Thank you for clarifying, it is simple math. I'm not sure why everyone in this post is making this that difficult to understand.
 
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