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Question to those going with AT&T next
- Thread starter Che Castro
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If you buy an iPhone 5s on the ATT next plan all you pay is $650 dollars for the phone, which is the retail price
Going 12. Not that I can't wait 18 months to upgrade, but I started thinking what that does to the following upgrade. If you do 18 now, you can upgrade to the 6S in March 2016. But the 7 will likely be out in Sept 2016. So do you hold off and not trade it in, and wait for the 7 (24 months from now)? Or do you upgrade, then have to wait another 12 or 18 months for the 7? With the 12 month plan, I can upgrade every Sept, and never have to wait.
Um, yes? But you can also just walk into an Apple Store and buy it for the same price.
you're absolutely correct. all i am saying is that that the next program or buying retail save more money than you would on a two year contract. Not everyone has a big lump sum of cash to drop on a retail iPhone so the next program can be helpful. people are just stuck in the mindset that a 2 year subsidized price is better because that is what we are all used to
Buying it outright also has other benefits, like giving you an immediately unlocked phone for traveling with...
12 months is the only option I have ever considered. Spreading your payments out for 18 months saves you about $5/month but after the first 12 months the resell value drops and you end up eventually paying your total of $650 while the phone is not worth that amount anymore. It's difficult because you will always lose a small amount of money but the best way is doing the next plan for 12 months and then trading it back in for the newest phone. Or, you can do like I did and pay the remaining balance to AT&T and now I will sell the phone for more than they are willing to give me in trade value. $649/20 = $32.45/month So after 12 months you still owe them $259.60 and they waive this by you trading in your phone. 12 months keeps you with the newest phone; 18 months you pay about $27/month for a total of about $486. When you trade it in then, they are only giving you $163 for the phone. These are numbers i just played around with so sorry if any of the calculations are wrong. This is the way I've always viewed it though.
You can order your 1st Next phone through Apple.
But then next year, you can only order through Apple if the phone is 100% paid off. If you were planning on trading in your phone to AT&T to offset your remaining balance, you cannot order with Apple.
Just want to make sure I have this right (#s pre-tax), regarding the total cost over 24 months.
Next plan:
Phone $849
Monthly service plan ($65/month for 2 GB) $1560
Total cost over 24 months: $2409
2-year service contract:
Phone $399
Upgrade fee $40
Monthly service plan ($90/month for 2 GB) $2160
Total cost over 24 months: $2599
So I'm saving $150 over the life of the contract with AT&T Next; biggest downside is my monthly bill is higher until I pay off the phone. I'll probably switch to AT&T Next tonight when I preorder.
Next plan:
Phone $849
Monthly service plan ($65/month for 2 GB) $1560
Total cost over 24 months: $2409
2-year service contract:
Phone $399
Upgrade fee $40
Monthly service plan ($90/month for 2 GB) $2160
Total cost over 24 months: $2599
So I'm saving $150 over the life of the contract with AT&T Next; biggest downside is my monthly bill is higher until I pay off the phone. I'll probably switch to AT&T Next tonight when I preorder.
Next is cheaper if you are not upgrading at at&t's specified upgrade 12/18mo cycles. instead stay at a 24 month cycle. At $15/mo line fee + $27.09/mo for 24mo next financing, that equates to $650. The contract price would be $40/mo for 24mo with initial payment of $199 for the phone. What this mean is that going on Next will result in $650 paid for the phone vs $800 paid for the phone on contract. you save $150 over the course of 24mo by using next. Do not trade in your phone at the 18mo mark, you end up in a never ending cycle of upgrading your phone for free. at the end of the 24 mo method, you at least get to keep your phone and sell that at probably $300+ on eBay if you bought the base model iPhone 6.