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length of AT&T contract?

M

macpluslaptop

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 5, 2007
315
11
Someone mentioned that the fine print of the AT&T iphone contract locks you into 5 years with AT&T; the initial 2-year contract is just the first phase, after which rates can go up.

Would someone who has an iphone confirm this or correct it? I'm considering an iphone in the future, but this gives me pause, especially the possibility of rates rising after 2 years. Thanks.:confused:
 
2 years.

Just like most others.

Not sure what happens after two years , no one does. But they are not going to suddenly gouge you after the contract has expired., they want to keep you as a customer.

What will be interesting is what happens if one buys a 2nd gen iphone 18 months from now. I could see a person have to re-up for two more years. Then again, so far ATT has been much better and even cheaper then tmobile where I was before so not a big problem for me.
 
macpluslaptop said:
Someone mentioned that the fine print of the AT&T iphone contract locks you into 5 years with AT&T; the initial 2-year contract is just the first phase, after which rates can go up.

Would someone who has an iphone confirm this or correct it? I'm considering an iphone in the future, but this gives me pause, especially the possibility of rates rising after 2 years. Thanks.:confused:
Click to expand...


That person had a couple things confused. The five deal is between apple and att. The two contract is between you and att for service. Your rates never go up unless you have to change something. If you never make any changes after your contract expires you will keep the same prices for whatever you paying for. Conversely if att lowers the price of whatever feature you have or make additions to it, it doesn't automatically change for you unless you ask for it. For example if you were on the messaging extreme package for 19.99 with 3000 text messages , you weren't automatically switched over to the messaging unlimited plan when that was introduced, even though they are the same price
 
method525 said:
Your rates never go up unless you have to change something.
Click to expand...

Are you sure about this? I read the 2 years contract and don't remember anything saying they can't up the rates on you. I think its like those credit cards with "fixed" APRs that in the small print say they can up the rate at any time. They can but they normally don't becuase they don't want to make you mad. But contractually they can do what ever they want.
 
Pretty sure. I'm a CSR for the company, so a I see a lot of features or services on accounts that have long since been discounted and these people are out of contract. Also I think PDE has one of our older blue Plan from ATT Wireless that have long since been phased out.
 
method525 said:
Pretty sure. I'm a CSR for the company, so a I see a lot of features or services on accounts that have long since been discounted and these people are out of contract. Also I think PDE has one of our older blue Plan from ATT Wireless that have long since been phased out.
Click to expand...

that doesn't mean the actual rates never go up, does it?
 
The contract lasts 2 years haven't heard about it being 5 before.
 
sananda said:
that doesn't mean the actual rates never go up, does it?
Click to expand...

Rates can go up at any time, but whatever you are currently paying for a feature you will stay at the price unless you change it and then try to go back. an example probably is needed. Let's say that you are paying 4.99 for a feature and we change it a month later to 5.99. Person A has the feature and never changes. They will continue to pay 4.99 per month for that feature. Person B changes that feature to different after that change for awhile and then wants that same feature. They will have to pay 5.99 for that feature.
 
Also note, whenever you buy a new iPhone and replace your current one, the contract is reset to 2 years.
 
Eric Lewis said:
what happens after 2 years? can u get rid of ur plans and phone?
Click to expand...

Plan:
Yes you can get rid of the plan after 2 years...heck you can get rid of the plan before 2 years if you don't mind paying whatever early termination fees ATT has in place.

Phone:
You own the phone from the day of purchase so you can get rid of it whenever you want. you can sell it, gift it, throw it away (pls don't do that) . There are however restrictions on the phone itself that will only allow it to function with ATT service.
 
Never heard of a 5 year plan, don't think that is possible. The two year contract will lock you into 24 payments of say $59.99. If AT&T raise that plan to $65.99, you will keep paying that same $59.99 a month until you plan runs out and you switch over to a month to month plan, then you pay the new rate. On the other hand, if they drop it to $55.99 a month, you still pay that $59.99. It is very similar to a CD account, you lock in an APY for however long, and are not affected by change in the current rate, just what you got when you started. Fortunately, i don't think rates will ever go down, so it is a good thing to lock into an account if you know how their service is.
 
silbeej said:
Never heard of a 5 year plan, don't think that is possible. The two year contract will lock you into 24 payments of say $59.99. If AT&T raise that plan to $65.99, you will keep paying that same $59.99 a month until you plan runs out and you switch over to a month to month plan, then you pay the new rate.
Click to expand...

Did you read the contract you agreed to? It does not say anything about this. You basically agree to be a customer for the next 2 years. It does not "lock" you into a set rate or rate plan. It does NOT lock you into a iPhone plan either. You can toss your iPhone in the trash and purchase a phone off of ebay and change your rate plan for that phone. You just agree to have a rate plan of some kind for the next 2 years or pay 175.00 to leave. Some states require them to pro-rate the 175.00 over the 24 months so the longer your in the contract, the less you will pay to leave. There are 9 states that have laws about this.

On the other side of the coin, you don't have a "locked in" monthly rate for your plan. They can (but normally don't) raise your rate plan at will.
 
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