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Is AT&T Next worth it?

T

tx2005

macrumors regular
Original poster
Sep 20, 2013
133
101
I'm currently on an individual plan on AT&T and I started a new 2 year agreement last year with the iPhone 5s. Here is my current plan and cost. How would the AT&T Next plan compare? I wouldn't mind annual upgrades but not if my plan costs go up significantly.

Nation 450 with rollover (450 anytime, 5000 nights/weekends and unlimited mobile to mobile) $39.99

Unlimited texting $20

3 GB 4G LTE data $30

How would things look on AT&T Next? Worth the upgrade? I hated the pricing when I looked last year but I hear it's better now so I thought I'd ask what you guys think.
 
Is AT&T Next worth it?

tx2005 said:
I'm currently on an individual plan on AT&T and I started a new 2 year agreement last year with the iPhone 5s. Here is my current plan and cost. How would the AT&T Next plan compare? I wouldn't mind annual upgrades but not if my plan costs go up significantly.



Nation 450 with rollover (450 anytime, 5000 nights/weekends and unlimited mobile to mobile) $39.99



Unlimited texting $20



3 GB 4G LTE data $30



How would things look on AT&T Next? Worth the upgrade? I hated the pricing when I looked last year but I hear it's better now so I thought I'd ask what you guys think.
Click to expand...


In your situation, as long as you don't need more minutes, I would stay right where you are. Next is not a better deal for you. Just keep signing those two year contracts whenever you are eligible to take full advantage of the plan.

Hold on to that 450 minute plan for as long as you can. It's a good deal. Consider Next if you are ever forced to move to a Mobile Share plan.
 
afurry13 said:
In your situation, as long as you don't need more minutes, I would stay right where you are. Next is not a better deal for you. Just keep signing those two year contracts whenever you are eligible to take full advantage of the plan.

Hold on to that 450 minute plan for as long as you can. It's a good deal. Consider Next if you are ever forced to move to a Mobile Share plan.
Click to expand...

Forced, or realize it is better for you - especially for family/group deals.
For a single line, you are probably better where you are at.
 
Call AT&T and talk with a rep about your plan and your options. Get all the facts and then do a cost-benefit analysis based on YOUR situation.

For me, with 5 lines (me, wife and 3 kids), it’s cheaper for me to stay where I am. But for many, the Mobile Share plans and NEXT is a better deal.

You just have to do your homework to sort it out. Good luck.
 
AT&T Next is more expensive for you but recently, Verizon has introduced a 2GB $60/mo individual plan. That makes for a $30/mo savings if you're fine switching and don't mind losing the extra GB.
 
tx2005 said:
I'm currently on an individual plan on AT&T and I started a new 2 year agreement last year with the iPhone 5s. Here is my current plan and cost. How would the AT&T Next plan compare? I wouldn't mind annual upgrades but not if my plan costs go up significantly.

Nation 450 with rollover (450 anytime, 5000 nights/weekends and unlimited mobile to mobile) $39.99

Unlimited texting $20

3 GB 4G LTE data $30

How would things look on AT&T Next? Worth the upgrade? I hated the pricing when I looked last year but I hear it's better now so I thought I'd ask what you guys think.
Click to expand...

One thing to keep in mind is that when you do NEXT you are essentially leasing a phone. The who program is predicated on you actually trading your device in and when you do they you lose all of the monthly equity you've been paying on it and starting over. Another thing that sucks is that if you are in a two year contract you aren't stuck paying for a device if it breaks where as on NEXT if you break your device and don't have insurance on it you still have to pay for it (in its entirety). Sure getting a new device every year sounds great but it's much better in theory than when you actually look at the details.

I'd prefer to pay $200 for a new iPhone for 2 years vs $649 over two years personally.
 
rockitdog said:
One thing to keep in mind is that when you do NEXT you are essentially leasing a phone. The who program is predicated on you actually trading your device in and when you do they you lose all of the monthly equity you've been paying on it and starting over. Another thing that sucks is that if you are in a two year contract you aren't stuck paying for a device if it breaks where as on NEXT if you break your device and don't have insurance on it you still have to pay for it (in its entirety). Sure getting a new device every year sounds great but it's much better in theory than when you actually look at the details.

I'd prefer to pay $200 for a new iPhone for 2 years vs $649 over two years personally.
Click to expand...
You know you are paying for the device in your monthly contract payment, not just the $200 up front. So in reality, you're paying on the device for 2 years.
 
It all depends. I'm on the same plan as you except unlimited data for $30 and my contract just finished. But I'm tired of being throttled after 5GB mid month so I'm switching to 15GB mobile shared with my gf. The only reason I would go with ATT next is to offset dumping $650+ on a phone right away. But i would make sure to pay it off within the year and not trade it in to ATT, but sell it and figure out what you want come next year. Using ATT next as a means for upgrading every year is like leasing a car, except a lot dumber lol. Sure youll always have the latest and greatest but youll never own it and you'll always have that "lease payment" every month.
 
I'm struggling with the same decision. With the Next plan, you actually pay a little more than you would buying on 2yr contract. Even with losing my $15 per month discount for not selecting a Next plan.

2yr
$199.99 + tax = $217.00 (rounded)
+$40.00 activation fee
+$15.00/mnth over 2 years (punishment for not choosing Next) = $360.00
Total for 2 yrs = $617.00

Next 18 plan
$55.00 (rounded) tax on device due up front
$27.09/mnth for 24 months = $650.16
Total for 2yrs= $705.16

The cost difference to me is negligible but I do have a problem with the fact that if you lose/destroy your device and did not purchase insurance, you still have to pay the monthly payment AND purchase another device if you do not have a spare. I think this is the biggest problem I have with Next.
 
bliggs said:
I'm struggling with the same decision. With the Next plan, you actually pay a little more than you would buying on 2yr contract. Even with losing my $15 per month discount for not selecting a Next plan.

2yr
$199.99 + tax = $217.00 (rounded)
+$40.00 activation fee
+$15.00/mnth over 2 years (punishment for not choosing Next) = $360.00
Total for 2 yrs = $617.00

Next 18 plan
$55.00 (rounded) tax on device due up front
$27.09/mnth for 24 months = $650.16
Total for 2yrs= $705.16

The cost difference to me is negligible but I do have a problem with the fact that if you lose/destroy your device and did not purchase insurance, you still have to pay the monthly payment AND purchase another device if you do not have a spare. I think this is the biggest problem I have with Next.
Click to expand...

And if you had not converted from the subsidized plan to NEXT and lost/destroyed your device with or without insurance, you are STILL paying the subsidy repayment portion of your bill. And if you remained on the old subsidized plan and did not upgrade the moment you were eligible, you were still repaying the subsidy, even though you didn’t use it.
 
bliggs said:
I'm struggling with the same decision. With the Next plan, you actually pay a little more than you would buying on 2yr contract. Even with losing my $15 per month discount for not selecting a Next plan.

2yr
$199.99 + tax = $217.00 (rounded)
+$40.00 activation fee
+$15.00/mnth over 2 years (punishment for not choosing Next) = $360.00
Total for 2 yrs = $617.00

Next 18 plan
$55.00 (rounded) tax on device due up front
$27.09/mnth for 24 months = $650.16
Total for 2yrs= $705.16

The cost difference to me is negligible but I do have a problem with the fact that if you lose/destroy your device and did not purchase insurance, you still have to pay the monthly payment AND purchase another device if you do not have a spare. I think this is the biggest problem I have with Next.
Click to expand...
If you lose/destroy your device under contract, do they let you stop paying the portion that is repaying the subsidy? No. AND you would have to buy another device. No difference.
 
Is AT&T Next worth it?

Phone Junky said:
They have a hard time grasping the fact that the new phones they have been getting in the past have cost them MORE THAN $200.
Click to expand...


Exactly. They really don't realize that they're paying $25 a month extra in exchange for their $200 phone.

They have no idea that they're really paying $800 (assuming 10GB plan or greater) for that $650 dollar phone.
 
rockitdog said:
.... Another thing that sucks is that if you are in a two year contract you aren't stuck paying for a device if it breaks where as on NEXT if you break your device and don't have insurance on it you still have to pay for it (in its entirety).....
Click to expand...

WRONG.

If you are on contract and your phone breaks, YOU have to replace it. If you have a plan where they replace the phone, let me know. (other than insurance, which would apply to ANY/ALL plans)

BOTTOM LINE:
On NEXT if your phone breaks/gets lost - you pay for it.
On CONTRACT, if your phone breaks/gets lost - you keep paying and have to replace the phone.
OUTRIGHT PURCHASE - phone breaks/gets lost - you have to replace it
 
Last edited:
For me it works out. I was paying 140 bucks a month for two phones and now am down to 96 a month. But of course I am not paying a monthly payment for a phone right now. Even when I do I will still be a little under what I was paying before.

**I get a 26% discount on my phone bill***
 
I did the math recently.
I called ATT and at first was told NEXT WILL save me money!! (she seemed very happy to tell me that)

I told her I did the math and for me it didn't seem that way.


Long story short...over 2 years, I will pay $50 LESS (give or take) for 2-year contract than the NEXT plan.


I have Mobile Share 2GB $40
1 NEXT phone $25
(currently) 1 BYOD phone for $25.

With NEXT everything stays the same except I add in the new phone monthly cost.

with 2-year, you add $15 (total $40) for my phone (the BYOD one) and the $200 plus activation upfront.

IF, IF, IF you have 10GB or more data plans, the price on NEXT phones drops to $15 and that is a DEAL!
 
dfausty said:
And if you had not converted from the subsidized plan to NEXT and lost/destroyed your device with or without insurance, you are STILL paying the subsidy repayment portion of your bill. And if you remained on the old subsidized plan and did not upgrade the moment you were eligible, you were still repaying the subsidy, even though you didn’t use it.
Click to expand...

I agree with you on that point. I will most likely go with a next plan or just buy the phone outright. Thanks for the input.
 
nostresshere said:
WRONG.

If you are on contract and your phone breaks, YOU have to replace it. If you have a plan where they replace the phone, let me know. (other than insurance, which would apply to ANY/ALL plans)

BOTTOM LINE:
On NEXT if your phone breaks/gets lost - you pay for it.
On CONTRACT, if your phone breaks/gets lost - you keep paying and have to replace the phone.
OUTRIGHT PURCHASE - phone breaks/gets lost - you have to replace it
Click to expand...

You're not seeing my point. If you do NEXT and your phone breaks 6 months in, you still owe the remainder of the balance of the device + whatever the cost is to find and buy a replacement. If you by the phone on a 2 year contract your out the subsidized cost that you paid upfront+ whatever it costs you to find a replacement. It's better to have one break on a subsidized contract than on next in the long run.

How do you keep paying if you break a phone on contract? Your contract is for the 2 years of service, not that particular device.
 
rockitdog said:
You're not seeing my point. If you do NEXT and your phone breaks 6 months in, you still owe the remainder of the balance of the device + whatever the cost is to find and buy a replacement. If you by the phone on a 2 year contract your out the subsidized cost that you paid upfront+ whatever it costs you to find a replacement. It's better to have one break on a subsidized contract than on next in the long run.

How do you keep paying if you break a phone on contract? Your contract is for the 2 years of service, not that particular device.
Click to expand...

The monthly service cost on contract with a subsidized phone is more expensive than no contract no subsidized phone. Hence, you are paying more each month so the carrier can recoup the cost of the phone. That's why they MAKE YOU SIGN A CONTRACT. They don't give out $650 phones for $200. They get their money back over the 2 year term of the contract.
 
Phone Junky said:
The monthly service cost on contract with a subsidized phone is more expensive than no contract no subsidized phone. Hence, you are paying more each month so the carrier can recoup the cost of the phone. That's why theyMAKE YOU SIGN A CONTRACT. They don't give out $650 phones for $200. The get their money back.
Click to expand...

Not on my plan with Verizon :) I'm on the single line plan for $60 going month to month. When they iPhone is released I'll sign up for a 2 year deal and my plan won't change. Verizon offers the best deal among the big boy carriers on single line plans.
 
rockitdog said:
Not on my plan with Verizon :) I'm on the single line plan for $60 going month to month. When they iPhone is released I'll sign up for a 2 year deal and my plan won't change. Verizon offers the best deal among the big boy carriers on single line plans.
Click to expand...

And this thread is about AT&T NEXT. WTF
 
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