Are you never on WiFi? I've got it at home, work, and nearly everywhere else I go as well. I basically only use large amounts of data while I'm driving long distances and streaming music.
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Carrier New ATT Plans Feb 2, 2014
- Thread starter Diseal3
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Are you never on WiFi? I've got it at home, work, and nearly everywhere else I go as well. I basically only use large amounts of data while I'm driving long distances and streaming music.
I'm kind of confused on the new AT&T Mobile Share Value Plans. I've decided to opt in my 4 lines with the 15GB plan, $190. I normally pay $240 for 10GB 4 lines, so it's saving me quite a lot. My new plan won't start till tonight. I have a quick question, so if I opt in for this new plan, once my contract for all lines is all over, we will need to opt in AT&T next or pay the phone full price? But if I stick with the current plan, I'll be able to continue a 2 year agreement?
Why is att required to give us a subsidy. Stephenson has made it very clear he doesnt want to why cant they just stop all subsidiZed pricing any time they want is there a requirement that they need to?
Exactly. When I'm home I don't use the iPhone. Work wifi is not for streaming. My first month I used over 10 gig. Second month 7 gig.
Weird. When I log into my account to change my plan it reads:
"Looks like you have the only Mobile Share plan currently available to you. Have questions? Call 800.331.0500"
I have 2 iPhone 5s's w/2GB shared data still under contract opened in September 2013 @ $140/mo + taxes & fees. I wouldn't be saving too much (only $10/mo it seems) under the new plan but would jump from 2GB to 10GB.
Do these new plans include the "personal hot-spot?"
Calling AT&T terrifies me.
"Looks like you have the only Mobile Share plan currently available to you. Have questions? Call 800.331.0500"
I have 2 iPhone 5s's w/2GB shared data still under contract opened in September 2013 @ $140/mo + taxes & fees. I wouldn't be saving too much (only $10/mo it seems) under the new plan but would jump from 2GB to 10GB.
Do these new plans include the "personal hot-spot?"
Calling AT&T terrifies me.
There is no requirement; however, to compete they will have to continue this practice unless all carriers stop subsidizing.
Consumer options are:
(1) pay $700+ upfront
(2) Lease to own the $700+ cost (NEXT), OR
(3) subsidize w/a 2-year commitment to the carrier
What AT&T is doing, is making NEXT more attractive than subsidizing. Consumer can pay $52.50 per line (versus $15 for buying a phone outright) Using NEXT, or pay $299 upfront for the phone and then $40 per line. Mentally, the consumer will say, "I would rather pay $32.50 extra a month than pay $299 right now. Plus I get a new phone each year."
We know that $32.50 x 12 months = $390 ($100 more than subsidizing). So in reality, the consumer is spending $390 every year to have a new phone w/NEXT.
Subsidizing is $299 upfront + $40 per line. The subsidized rate is $25 above the $15 per line. Or $300 ($25 x 12) per year. SO...$299 + $300 = $599 consumer cost to subsidize the 1st year and then $300 the 2nd year.
Can someone give their ideas/experiences with selling and or purchasing iPhones? As I said above, this is a good deal for me with my family's normal usage. I am pretty much the only one that upgrades every 2 years. I usually just sell on Gazelle for 200 and pay 200 for a subsidized phone.
Are their better options to sell? What prices do you normally get for a "good to great" condition iphone?
I'm not really interested in risking Craigslist to buy a "new"phone so I would prob pay full retail to be covered. Is there a better option?
What is the best option if say one of my phones break and I need to replace? eBay, Craigslist? Will ATT allow it to be added?
I know....lots of questions, but I currently still have unlimited and I'm not giving it up unless it will work out in my favor.
Thanks.
Are their better options to sell? What prices do you normally get for a "good to great" condition iphone?
I'm not really interested in risking Craigslist to buy a "new"phone so I would prob pay full retail to be covered. Is there a better option?
What is the best option if say one of my phones break and I need to replace? eBay, Craigslist? Will ATT allow it to be added?
I know....lots of questions, but I currently still have unlimited and I'm not giving it up unless it will work out in my favor.
Thanks.
The question I have is whether or not I can keep my old plan (the old family shared 450 minutes with 3GB), and upgrade for the subsidy without migrating to the mobile share (value) plans.
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If you are asking if you can continue with old plan and get your subsidized phone every two years, the answer is yes, at this point in time. ATT has been good about not forcing people into new plans.
If you are asking if you can continue with old plan and get your subsidized phone every two years, the answer is yes, at this point in time. ATT has been good about not forcing people into new plans.
I see.
Now, in my view, if ATT can continue to do this (as they do for grandfathered unlimited), it must mean they've made up for what the value of my subsidy by making more on those who will subsidize on the new Share plans, which in essence replaced the "2 year contract price for flip phone" higher profit margin customers.
You are a little off here about Next. First if you don't trade in on next and jsut pay the phone off through next, then in actuality all you are doing is paying full price for the phone. So you can go into ATT and pay $650 + $36 activation for an iphone or you can sign up for next and only pay $650 spread across 20 months. A $36 savings.
So now that we agree the phone costs $650 if you do it right. We can look at what a subsidized phone costs. A subsidized phone costs $200+$36 activation. Plus $25 extra/monthx24= $836. Think of the subsidy as a high interest loan on $450 and the Next as a no interest loan on $650. Both from the same company. Finally lets not forget that the high interest loan also forces a contract too.
You do realize that there never was a "subsidy" as such. Your plan was structured so that just under $19 per month was to pay for the phone. In essence it was really a time payment on the phone over a 2 year period.
You will still be required to complete the 2 years of whatever lines are still under contract. My brother just switched over to these new plans.
You can switch back to the subsidy model but the $15 per line you are paying will be adjusted back up to $40/line that you used to subsidy upgrade. (roughly $25 extra each month per subsidy upgrade line).
Sure, which is why I always chose the phone with the highest subsidy--making the best of bad situation. Back then, the less expensive no contract plans didn't exist with ATT.
However, their share plans for a subsidized phone at $40 per is more expensive than the old subsidized model.
So, if we were to rid subsidies, I would make my phone purchase based on price vs. value. In other words, I would actually care about how much I paid for the phone, whereas in the old model, there wasn't much of an option, other than pick the most expensive phone with the highest resale value.
... I wouldn't be saving too much (only $10/mo it seems) under the new plan but would jump from 2GB to 10GB.
Do these new plans include the "personal hot-spot?"
Calling AT&T terrifies me.
1 - As mentioned in a half dozen posts in this thread, one of the nice perks is the personal hotspot. Just switched myself and it works great for ipad and computer.
2 - Yes, you can get 10gb. Way more than we ever use.
3 - You do not need to call. Check again on the website.
We all know the price is built in and are still making our calculations whether it's worth it to switch or not.
This is a very sneaky way ATT has come up to get those on grandfathered plans over to the mobile sharing plans.
Like I said before, it's a backdoor way of INCREASING cost (by lower the subsidy) for many on grandfathered plans.
They did it quietly by gettting rid of 12 month upgrades for some primary lines. Than did it again by making people wait the full 24 months instead of the customary 18-21 months. Those were also price increases (subsidy decreases) as far as I am concerned.
But the MBA whiz kids who work or ATT consults who came up with these plans will get nice hefty bonus checks for saving ATT money.
If only more people thought like me (and others who share our thoughts), than the market would dictate that real cell phone prices in the USA would go down rather than up.
Selling a 1 year old iphone on Craigslist usually gets $450-550. Selling a 2 year old iphone on Craigslist gets about $250-300. The bottom is about $150 on craiglist for an old but working 3G. Gazelle is significantly less than these figures, and there is a risk they can under-evaluate you.
If your phone breaks Apple will usually replace it for about $270. If the phone is older you can then choose to upgrade through Craigslist. Best choice is to have them meet you at your ATT store and verify that it will switch. Also make sure 'Find my iphone' is off, and check all the functions to include wifi. Also look at the water sensors. I prefer Craigslist for this because you can fully inspect before buying. Plan to pay the prices I quoted above, meaning a 2 year old phone on craigslist will cost you as much as a replacement from ATT. HOWEVER. Even your broken phone will sell well. For that put it on Ebay as craigslist is too small of a market.
I'm speaking from a personal standpoint so maybe others may have a different point of view and results may vary based on where you live. However I usually keep an ear out for the release of a new iPhone, typically Apple refreshes their iPhone line once a year, although with the way the smartphone market is moving, who knows we may see a iPhone 6 this summer.
Anyway, upon the announcement/release date of a new iPhone I will post my iPhone for sale via Craigslist in my area. There's a strong demand in my location for I devices. My rule of thumb towards resale value is always measured on the base model price. All models above the base model, 32gb and up, will take a larger hit on what you recoup.
Right now the iPhone 5S is moving considerably fast on CL for 450-525 based on the condition if used (450 ish range and 525 ish new in box). Now when a release date has been set by Apple on the release date of next iPhone, the value of your phone takes a hit, unless of course a unsuspecting buyer isn't aware of the upcoming release of a new iPhone.
If I time it right on a pending Apple event to announce a new iPhone that's when I post my phone on CL and have always successfully received my asking price. Usually if you wait after the release date is set will get less 300 - 400 range. I have a old android phone in my throw away drawer that I will use after I have sold my phone and pre-ordered the new iPhone.
Personally I steer away from EBay because of the fees (marking up your price to recoup eBay fees) and their strong favoritism towards "scam" buyers.
As I mentioned earlier, mileage will vary based on geographical location, but this has been my routine going back to the OG iPhone 3G. I typically only have to come out of pocket to add to the amount of my CL sale the same amount if I were to have plopped down $200 for a 2yr contract with my carrier. The only difference is that now I only pay for the services the carrier provide and not a installment plan spreading the cost of the phone out "x" months and the freedom to move my service if need be.
You guys are silly with your $200 bills and fancy gadgets.
Do what I do, buy a Tracfone for $9.99 and a $10 card. I only activate the card if I need to make a call in an emergency.
If I need to use the internet, I go to the library.(posting this from the library)
Do what I do, buy a Tracfone for $9.99 and a $10 card. I only activate the card if I need to make a call in an emergency.
If I need to use the internet, I go to the library.(posting this from the library)
Old Plan (Assumes 10GB plans just to make it equal)
10 GB - 120/mox24 = $2880
iphone - $30/mox24 = $720
iphone - $30/mox24 = $720
1 time phone cost $199x2 = $398
1 time activation cost $36x2 = $72
Total $4790
New Plan
10GB - $100/mox24 = $2400
iphone $15/mox24 = $360
iphone $15/mox24 = $360
1 time phone cost $650x2 = $1300
Using the next loophole, no activations.
Total $4420
It doesn't matter if you get the iphone 16,32,or 64. The $370 savings works the same. It doesn't matter if you add more phones either. If you do the same math with 4 phones the difference only drops to $360.
Don't get fooled by the high phone price. Its still cheaper to buy full price than to take subsidies, which are essentially a high interest loan on $450.
Your numbers are all accurate.
Except, on my 2 lines, we don't use anywhere near 10GBs per month, and only use about 3GBs, since we have wifi access in our house, friend's homes, offices, and every other corner. Also, we don't need unlimited talk, since we still have about 7K rollover minutes. Between iMessage and whatapps, we don't need to pay for unlimited texting either.
So, in our case, the old shared minutes & 3GB data per phone plan of $100 is still the best value, especially if we were to buy a subsidized iPhone 6 for $199.
However, I agree that for those who need the full 10GBs, unlimited talk & text, then I'd go with the new $130 plan. I just don't see reason to pay for more than I need, which I can always do so if and when a time comes when I do need it.
The part that really sucks is trying to explain this to my wife. She is used to paying $199 every 2 years and her old phones value covering some or all of that.
Now explaining that she will need to pay $650 or can do Next and upgrade every year by paying $30 per month instead of $199 so her phone charge is $15 and doesn't go up to $40... really confuses the issue
The 10GB is something that I really like though. Being able to use the hotspot and for my purposes never having overages helps. Plus being able to add a gophone to the line for $15 is great too.
In the end AT&T will still get too much of my money but they have been doing that for years.
I can enjoy my devices more on a daily basis and I don't have to worry about seeing a $2 charge on the bill for the one time a month that my dad opens a picture text on his dumb phone.
Now explaining that she will need to pay $650 or can do Next and upgrade every year by paying $30 per month instead of $199 so her phone charge is $15 and doesn't go up to $40... really confuses the issue
The 10GB is something that I really like though. Being able to use the hotspot and for my purposes never having overages helps. Plus being able to add a gophone to the line for $15 is great too.
In the end AT&T will still get too much of my money but they have been doing that for years.
I can enjoy my devices more on a daily basis and I don't have to worry about seeing a $2 charge on the bill for the one time a month that my dad opens a picture text on his dumb phone.