How to really compare the New ATT plan to the old plans

[phr0ze]

Ok. I've broken it down every which way. Basically the max subsidy I've ever seen from ATT is $450. Subsidies require 24 months of service. 450/24 = $18.75. This means that $18.75 of your rate repays the $450 and the rest is profit for ATT.

So to compare the plans:
Add the Data charge + $15 x number of phones + $18.75 x number of phones you MUST upgrade every 24 months.

Then compare that total to what you are paying.

Example:
Old Plan
6GB Mobile Share with 2 smart phones = $160/month
And I upgrade both every 2 years

New Plan
10GB Mobile Share Value plan with 2 smart phones
Data Charge = $100
Number of phones = 2
15*2 = $30
18.75 x 2 = $37.5

New bill evaluated cost = $167.50

The question to ask is if its worth it, in this case for an extra $7.50/mo, for the new plan and extra 4GB of data.

There are 2 last figures to consider.
1. There is a trick to saving $36 per phone upgrade or $72 every 2 years.
2. From now until your contract is up you are saving the $18.75 per phone since AT&T is letting on contract members switch.

 

[easy-peasy]

Ok. I've broken it down every which way. Basically the max subsidy I've ever seen from ATT is $450. Subsidies require 24 months of service. 450/24 = $18.75. This means that $18.75 of your rate repays the $450 and the rest is profit for ATT.

So to compare the plans:
Add the Data charge + $15 x number of phones + $18.75 x number of phones you MUST upgrade every 24 months.

Then compare that total to what you are paying.

Example:
Old Plan
6GB Mobile Share with 2 smart phones = $160/month
And I upgrade both every 2 years

New Plan
10GB Mobile Share Value plan with 2 smart phones
Data Charge = $100
Number of phones = 2
15*2 = $30
18.75 x 2 = $37.5

New bill evaluated cost = $167.50

The question to ask is if its worth it, in this case for an extra $7.50/mo, for the new plan and extra 4GB of data.

There are 2 last figures to consider.
1. There is a trick to saving $36 per phone upgrade or $72 every 2 years.
2. From now until your contract is up you are saving the $18.75 per phone since AT&T is letting on contract members switch.

Nice math breakdown

$100 (for data) + $33.75 per line is the best way to look at it as people pay $15 per line and lose $18.75 per month in subsidy.

Makes it not look as amazing as it does when advertised as "$130/mo for two lines!"

 

[aneftp]

The new mobile share plans are a good value compare to the old mobile share plans.

But for those with older voice plans. The math gets complicated especially if you like to mix and match flip phone lines with smartphone lines.

 

[phr0ze]

Nice math breakdown

$100 (for data) + $33.75 per line is the best way to look at it as people pay $15 per line and lose $18.75 per month in subsidy.

Makes it not look as amazing as it does when advertised as "$130/mo for two lines!"

The $18.75 is just for comparison purposes and don't actually relate to any real costs.

The $18.75 is just a representation of the value of the subsidy AT&T gets you.

Its very easy to stay on the $130 plan and never pay more than that.

 

[T5BRICK]

Example:
Old Plan
6GB Mobile Share with 2 smart phones = $160/month
And I upgrade both every 2 years

You're leaving out the part on the old plan where you have to pay money up front when you upgrade your phone. For example, the 16GB 5c is $99 and the 16GB 5s is $199.

 

[easy-peasy]

You're leaving out the part on the old plan where you have to pay money up front when you upgrade your phone. For example, the 16GB 5c is $99 and the 16GB 5s is $199.

Are you saying someone on the new $100 + $15 per line plan doesn't have to pay any upfront price when upgrading to a new phone? (besides their monthly rate on that line jumping from $15/mo to $40/mo)

 

[phr0ze]

The new mobile share plans are a good value compare to the old mobile share plans.

But for those with older voice plans. The math gets complicated especially if you like to mix and match flip phone lines with smartphone lines.

Math works the same.

Old Family Talk Plan
700 Minutes, 2 smart phones which are updated every 24 months, 1 flip phone which don't update. 3GB on each smart phone. Messaging Unlimited add on. Total $169.98

New Plan
10GB Mobile Share Value plan with 2 smart phones and 1 flip phone
Data Charge = $100
Number of phones = 3
15*3 = $45
Number of phones updated every 2 years = 2
18.75 x 2 = $37.5

New bill evaluated cost = $182.50

Is the shared 10GB, and tethering worth the extra $12.52/mo?

----------

You're leaving out the part on the old plan where you have to pay money up front when you upgrade your phone. For example, the 16GB 5c is $99 and the 16GB 5s is $199.

For plan comparison purposes it doesn't matter.

The plan is only going to subsidize up to $450. Doesn't matter how much the phone costs.

New phone full price $650

Subsidize $450
Upfront cost = $200
Total = $650

 

[Prise]

Is the shared 10GB, and tethering worth the extra $12.52/mo?

Which equates to $300.48 over 2 years.

Yes, it is absolutely worth it, if one will use the 10GB allocation at or near its limits. Conversely, it absolutely isn't, for a person who requires less data.

Personally, if I have constant WiFi access, I'd much rather opt for lower priced tiered plans.

 

[aneftp]

Math works the same.

Old Family Talk Plan
700 Minutes, 2 smart phones which are updated every 24 months, 1 flip phone which don't update. 3GB on each smart phone. Messaging Unlimited add on. Total $169.98

New Plan
10GB Mobile Share Value plan with 2 smart phones and 1 flip phone
Data Charge = $100
Number of phones = 3
15*3 = $45
Number of phones updated every 2 years = 2
18.75 x 2 = $37.5

New bill evaluated cost = $182.50

Is the shared 10GB, and tethering worth the extra $12.52/mo?

----------



For plan comparison purposes it doesn't matter.

The plan is only going to subsidize up to $450. Doesn't matter how much the phone costs.

New phone full price $650

Subsidize $450
Upfront cost = $200
Total = $650

The flip does get updated with iPhone and either immediately resold or used on the other 2 lines and no data plan is ever attached to flip line.

 

[phr0ze]

Which equates to $300.48 over 2 years.

Yes, it is absolutely worth it, if one will use the 10GB allocation at or near its limits. Conversely, it absolutely isn't, for a person who requires less data.

Personally, if I have constant WiFi access, I'd much rather opt for lower priced tiered plans.

Yes, So the question is something each individual must ask themselves after they go through the excersize. I probably would not pay the extra $300 if I didn't need the data.

----------

The flip does get updated with iPhone and either immediately resold or used on the other 2 lines and no data plan is ever attached to flip line.

Ok, if thats your case, then number of phones upgraded is 3. Just multiply by 3.

What I'm saying is the math comparison scheme I posted works to help you evaluate your plans to the new plan no matter how old or complex they are.

 

[aneftp]

Yes, So the question is something each individual must ask themselves after they go through the excersize. I probably would not pay the extra $300 if I didn't need the data.

----------



Ok, if thats your case, then number of phones upgraded is 3. Just multiply by 3.

What I'm saying is the math comparison scheme I posted works to help you evaluate your plans to the new plan no matter how old or complex they are.

Than it's not a good deal for those with 1-2 flip lines out of 5 lines to move to mobile share.

It costs $10/flip line x24 month AND GET up to $450 to buy a high end smartphone.

You see you can flip the iPhone. Use the money to pay for the flip line for 2 years (u can get any cheap flip phone for $20 these days that work very well).

So that's where carriers are in a bind. Those flip lines on the older voice plans aren't generating money. In fact they are probably losing money the way subsidies work. It's the carriers own fault. They just are afraid to admit it to the public.

They are trying ever maneuver to increase profits. First was forcing all smartphone users onto data plans regardless if phone was purchased full price or not. Remember not long ago they said all smartphones needed unlimited data because it was simple choice for consumers.

We all know what a crap lie that is now with tiered data.

Than the add a lines for $10/month. They promoted family lines. That was to trick investors into believing new subscriber growth. When in fact those new subscribers were really $10/add a line "growth".

Now it's the final money grub to try to get people away from non revenue making secondary lines that use flip phones.

 

[Prise]

It costs $10/flip line x24 month AND GET up to $450 to buy a high end smartphone.

Right, subsidy value maximization 101 here.

Add a token flip phone line for 9.99, which is never used by the way, and use it for annual $199 iPhone upgrades. Sell prior iPhones on ebay or CL, and make enough to pay for all upgrades. Always worked in the past, given the incredibly high iPhone resale values.

Rinse & repeat with $19.99 flip phones from amzn, best buy, or wherever.

 

[easy-peasy]

Right, subsidy value maximization 101 here.

Add a token flip phone line for 9.99, which is never used by the way, and use it for annual $199 iPhone upgrades. Sell prior iPhones on ebay or CL, and make enough to pay for all upgrades. Always worked in the past, given the incredibly high iPhone resale values.

Rinse & repeat with $19.99 flip phones from amzn, best buy, or wherever.

Yep, I will be sad when this eventually gets shut down by the carriers.

 

[aneftp]

Yep, I will be sad when this eventually gets shut down by the carriers.

Again the carriers are there own worst enemy.

Between 2000-2010 it was a race to how many subscribers each carrier had. Little did the public know most of the growth was through family lines.

And it was ok for a while to brag about more post paid "subs" before the iPhone subsidy game. But than carriers were stuck. Which one would blink on the $199 price for lines 2-5.

To date. No carrier has blinked. This move away from subsidy is still their refusal to admit to their shareholders their sub growth was through family lines. Which are the real reason for their pain with the subsidies for secondary lines.

 

[GadgetGeek407]

I will bring this thread back from the dead lol

I have 8 lines all on mobile share, before I had mobile share 15gb 160 a month minus 25% fan plus $30 per line total was $435 a month more or less.

We upgrade pretty much every year using contract subsidy.

Now I should be paying around $250 a month for all the lines on the new 15gb plan. The difference is I will shell out $650 a phone up front per phone the upside being already factory unlocked which gives better resale value.

Maybe I won't end up upgrading everyone's phone, I am the gadget nerd, they all could care less lol I do it to be nice for everyone lol

 

[Technarchy]

Just got my first bill after hopping on the 10gb value plan from the old 6gb share plan.

Leaving out total break downs and my corp. discount, my bill dropped down from $161 to $106 a month. That's huge savings.

When I upgrade to iPhone 6 on NEXT, my plan will go up $32 a month, for a total of $138 which is still less than what I paid on the old plan.

My wife will get my old 5S.

Next year is where it gets interesting. On NEXT 12, you don't keep the phone during an upgrade. There will be no hand me down, so if I put my wife and I on an iPhone 6S, what will put my bill at $170, which is a slight increase.

Either way, the value plan is a great plan for me for at least the next 19 months. Saving a bundle.

 

[Deguello]

We went from $289 a month to $158 a month.

There are two differences:

1. We have a smaller total data pool, but we won't come close to using it all in the overwhelming majority of months. Even though the pool is smaller, it is more efficient for us because one user gets close to her data cap every month, now she won't.

2. I gave up my "unlimited" data plan, but I very rarely went over 5GB and when I did, it was too slow, anyway. Plus, $130 buys a lot of overage data, if need be.

The way I compare them, it would be about a wash if all four of us upgraded every two years. Since two of us won't, not having the pay the subsidized service cost after the phone is really paid off will be the real savings.

 

[co.ag.2005]

Next year is where it gets interesting. On NEXT 12, you don't keep the phone during an upgrade. There will be no hand me down, so if I put my wife and I on an iPhone 6S, what will put my bill at $170, which is a slight increase.

Either way, the value plan is a great plan for me for at least the next 19 months. Saving a bundle.

you can pay off the remaining balance of the phone and then give it to your wife. You don't have to trade it in when you upgrade... since you've already paid $390 for the phone (assuming the standard $650 phone price), just pay the remaining $260 and hand it down, sell it, etc.