Is the iPhone 6 really $199?

[zamudiovsky]

I currently have the iPhone 5 with AT&T, I had an old family plan with 3GB per phone up until last year that I switched the AT&T Family Shared Plan.

My question is, are the prices for the current plans still in place if I just upgrade my phone? Because if you buy a new plan with a new phone now you get charged an extra $40 per smartphone apart from the $100 of the plan base cost.

This is what i mean:

I currently pay $175 for all my 5 iP5 and I don't have that extra $40 dollars a month which I think its ridiculous.

If I just upgrade to the iPhone 6 will my bill increase or the current plan keeps going?

 

[toddsimon]

to keep your plan pricing from going up you'll want to do AT&T next.

 

[zamudiovsky]

to keep your plan pricing from going up you'll want to do AT&T next.

But AT&T Next you pay extra monthly for the phone right?
I have always payed the $199 and signed a 2 year contract and loved it because I've been with AT&T a for about 10 years so it was a bargain for me

 

[toddsimon]

But AT&T Next you pay extra monthly for the phone right?
I have always payed the $199 and signed a 2 year contract and loved it because I've been with AT&T a for about 10 years so it was a bargain for me

You pay interest free monthly payments

 

[DeftwillP]

Your plan will increase form the $175 by $25 for each line that gets a new 2 year agreement. If it's just you, then you'll be paying $200/mo for your new phone and everybody else keeping there 5's.

edit: and that's with you paying $200 upfront as well

 

[accountforit]

Just leave ATT. They are becoming the new Verizon with their prices. Verizon used to be the most expensive and now the tables are turning.

EVERYONE should comparison shop all carriers every new upgrade....period.

 

[iamMacPerson]

But AT&T Next you pay extra monthly for the phone right?
I have always payed the $199 and signed a 2 year contract and loved it because I've been with AT&T a for about 10 years so it was a bargain for me

You must be receiving a discount for being out of contract or something. I remember reading about this on AT&Ts website because we almost switch to them because they were a heck of a lot cheaper then Verizon.

Depending on your plan, for being off contract or on the NEXT plan, you receive $15 (IIRC) off each line of service. However, if you ever decide to go back to a standard two year contract, you loose that $15 discount on that line.

To answer your question, no phone has ever been what you've paid upfront. Why? Because you eventually pay for the full retail of the phone in your monthly service fee. You may pay $199 up front, however locking you into that 2 year contract in exchange for picking up the tab on the rest of the price of the phone (in this case, $450) turns into a moneymaker for your carrier. That Free (on a two year contract) phone was never "free". Even when your done paying off the subsidy, you still continue to pay the same amount for the remainder of the two years.

This is also the area where programs like Next and Edge kick in to make the carrier even more money, but that is not the point of this thread so I won't discuss it here.

 

[zamudiovsky]

I just checked my bill and yeah, I'm getting a $25 dollar discount per line...apparently AT&T Next is a better option since you pay a little over $25 a month but you don't have to give any down payment.

 

[iamMacPerson]

I just checked my bill and yeah, I'm getting a $25 dollar discount per line...apparently AT&T Next is a better option since you pay a little over $25 a month but you don't have to give any down payment.

Yeah with that big of a discount it would be worth it in your case to use Next. With those early upgrade plans they could go either way, you just have to be smart how and when you upgrade.

 

[zamudiovsky]

Yeah with that big of a discount it would be worth it in your case to use Next. With those early upgrade plans they could go either way, you just have to be smart how and when you upgrade.

and do you know if I have AT&T Business Premiere and want to switch to Next, do I have to do it through Premiere or can I do it through Apple?

And also, we are only upgrading 3 iPhones, not all 5...it would stay like this:

$175 + $27.09 x3 = $256.27 monthly

the other two lines are not affected if they don't upgrade?

 

[iamMacPerson]

and do you know if I have AT&T Business Premiere and want to switch to Next, do I have to do it through Premiere or can I do it through Apple?

And also, we are only upgrading 3 iPhones, not all 5...it would stay like this:

$175 + $27.09 x3 = $256.27 monthly

the other two lines are not affected if they don't upgrade?

I honestly have no idea sorry. I only know the basics. I'm actually a Verizon customer.