Help with ATT plans

[mr99]

I'm currently on a family plan with my immediate family and we have a total of 5 lines with the following plan:

1400 Mins, data on every line, unlimited texting and we are averaging about 8-10 gigs of data every month total. I have a FAN discount and we pay $260/month after taxes and fees. Some of the lines are on 2 year contracts ending within the year and some of the lines are contract complete.

I'm debating making the switch to a different plan if there are better/cheaper options available; perhaps a mobile share plan so I can use my hotspot since my line uses 4-6gb of data per month and get throttled by ATT. I looked/read/researched the options on ATT's website and am just more confused than when I started. We like getting phones for $200 or $300 bucks on contract, I don't think my parents would be all for paying full price for a device, but i'm not sure what my options truly are.

Can a subject matter expert on the boards help me out if you know the system and have experience? I hate calling ATT and don't want to fall into a sales pitch. Thanks in advance.

 

[jnappleseed]

Hi there. If you switch to the mobile share plan with a 2 year contract, you'd be paying about the same. The 10 GB shared data plan is $100. For each like to be added, it's an additional $40/line. So, $40/line x 5 lines = $200 + $100 (data) = $300. That's your base price, no taxes and fees. So that's 10 GB to be shared between the 10 lines and unlimited talk and text.

The second option that att is probably wanting you to try is the mobile share value plan with NEXT. So this is the installment plan option. They don't subsidize your phone. You pay it off in 20 or 24 monthly installments but the access fee of $40 will go done to $15 per line (for plans with 6 GB and up). So you're looking at $65 + $100(the data is still $100) = 165 NOW, depending how your credit looks, you'll have a monthly payment for your phone if you all get a new phone. But if you all wait until your out of contract and are okay with using the same phones, then you're gonna be paying $165. That's it. Good deal. But then say you do want new phones, a conservative number I usually see as I work in Best Buy mobile, is a $20-$30 monthly payment per phone. Then say you're credit isn't too good and they go with the $30 per line monthly installment per phone. So that's an additional $150. So monthly $315

 

[mr99]

Hi there. If you switch to the mobile share plan with a 2 year contract, you'd be paying about the same. The 10 GB shared data plan is $100. For each like to be added, it's an additional $40/line. So, $40/line x 5 lines = $200 + $100 (data) = $300. That's your base price, no taxes and fees. So that's 10 GB to be shared between the 10 lines and unlimited talk and text.

The second option that att is probably wanting you to try is the mobile share value plan with NEXT. So this is the installment plan option. They don't subsidize your phone. You pay it off in 20 or 24 monthly installments but the access fee of $40 will go done to $15 per line (for plans with 6 GB and up). So you're looking at $65 + $100(the data is still $100) = 165 NOW, depending how your credit looks, you'll have a monthly payment for your phone if you all get a new phone. But if you all wait until your out of contract and are okay with using the same phones, then you're gonna be paying $165. That's it. Good deal. But then say you do want new phones, a conservative number I usually see as I work in Best Buy mobile, is a $20-$30 monthly payment per phone. Then say you're credit isn't too good and they go with the $30 per line monthly installment per phone. So that's an additional $150. So monthly $315

I don't see much of a savings, especially with NEXT. Currently, if I switched to a mobile share plan 10GB, i'd have a $100 base price plus $15/line with a 25% discount to the base price so i'm looking at $150 before taxes and fees, that is a great deal. However, some of my lines will be upgrading when the new iPhone comes out, probably 3 lines, bringing my total up to $225 before taxes and fees which is about what I pay right now. I can't really see an advantage to switching, unless i'm missing something? If my last 2 lines upgrade then i'm over what i'm paying currently. Is there an advantage with Mobile Share?

I don't see any advantage with using NEXT either as the payment would negate the savings i'd get on the line i.e. it would be a $15 line but around a $25+ installment plan = no reason?