Individual plan today, what about family plan in the future?

[Ann P]

I am looking to switch over to the iPhone 4 today as a new AT&T costumer. Just a few concerns about a future family plan upgrade are holding me back. When the time comes, we are looking to add 3 additional lines. Come February, when our T-Mobile contract ends, my mother would also like to purchase an iPhone 4 but my father and brother would like to use their unlocked iPhones.

How would this work out? Am I able to just purchase one additional phone in February while adding on 3 extra lines? This will total 4 lines.

Thank you in advance for any help!

 

[RetiredInFl]

If you use protection you won't need the family plan.

Yes, you can change to family plan (or ANY plan) any time you want. Each line could get a phone (or you could use an existing one).

 

[dave420]

How would this work out? Am I able to just purchase one additional phone in February while adding on 3 extra lines? This will total 4 lines.

Thank you in advance for any help!

It should be no problem. From my personal experience they may require a contract on the lines even though you are bringing your own phone (Could be 11 months, 1 year, or 2 years). You may get off with no contract either. You may be ineligible for an upgrade on those lines before the contract is up, even though you never got a discount. You may be inelgible for an upgrade for two years on the line regardless of the contract. (This really happened to me. Added a line with my own phone and was forced to pick 11 month contract (they tried to get me at 24 months). 18 months later the line was still inelgible for upgrade so I just canceled it and had to add a new line.)
They seem to flip flop on this issue a lot, so other people may have different experiences. I am just saying what happened to me.

 

[milk242]

Yes you can bring your own phones over. In my case they allowed one of my family members to retain her upgrade eligibility by not putting them under contract but on a month to month while under my family plan. They did charge an activation fee though and if you do decide to upgrade later, they'll charge you another activation fee plus an upgrade fee.