Switch to Family Share Value, long term effect?

[qtrim]

Bought two new 5S's in December with subsidy and extended contract on both for two years on a Family Talk plan. If I switch to a Mobile Share Value Plan now and save $30 a month, what will be my option in October when the iPhone 6 comes out? I know I'll have to purchase unsubsidized or use Next, but will my 5s be unlocked then so i can sell it, or will I have to trade it in to get the Next deal?

 

[T5BRICK]

This is the part of Next I've never been clear on. I don't intend to use it, so I've never asked about the requirements to sign up.

AT&T would probably be the best place to ask about it. Have you tried calling them?

 

[mantan]

I'd definitely call AT&T on that one.

While it's clear that they are moving contract devices to 'service only' pricing, it's not clear if that includes the ability to sell your device that you would get at the end of a fulfilled NEXT contract or if they treat it like a 12/18 month NEXT upgrade where you have to trade in your device....

 

[Mrbobb]

Switch to Family Share Value, long term effect?

You become an Amish.


(couldn't resist)

 

[qtrim]

In a chat with ATT, they said:

Me: One more question: If I switch to a Mobile Share Value Plan now and save $30 a month, what will be my options in October when the iPhone 6 comes out? I know I'll have to purchase unsubsidized or use Next, but will my 5s be unlocked then so i can sell it, or will I have to trade it in to get the Next deal?

Evan: If you switch to the Next plan from a 2-year plan, you'll get to keep your phone.

Me: Awesome. Thanks.

 

[Nathan21585]

You don't have to trade in the phone and once you upgrade you can have the device unlocked to sell it.

 

[blarivee]

Side note, once you're on the Next plan, you will have to trade in your Next plan phone to upgrade unless you buy unsubsidized.

 

[Deguello]

Side note, once you're on the Next plan, you will have to trade in your Next plan phone to upgrade unless you buy unsubsidized.

No you won't. You can make 8 payments beyond the Next term (20 payments on Next 12, 28 on 20) and you own the phone outright.

 

[rui no onna]

No you won't. You can make 8 payments beyond the Next term (20 payments on Next 12, 28 on 20) and you own the phone outright.

I don't think there's a Next 20. There's a Next 18 which is 26 monthly payments total, upgrade eligible with trade-in at 18 months.

 

[Deguello]

I don't think there's a Next 20. There's a Next 18 which is 26 monthly payments total, upgrade eligible with trade-in at 18 months.

I didn't say there was.

There is a Next 12, which allows you to trade in after 12 months. If you continue to make the installment payments for 8 more months -- 20 total -- you own the phone outright.

There is a Next 18, which allows you to trade in after 18 months. If you continue to make the installment payments for 8 more months -- 26 total -- you own the phone outright.

 

[Deguello]

Actually, I did. That's what I get for trying to post from my iPad. My bad.

 

[Rigby]

I know I'll have to purchase unsubsidized or use Next, but will my 5s be unlocked then so i can sell it

You are still in a 2-year contract, so I doubt they will unlock your phone if you buy a new one at full retail before it runs out. Not sure what happens when you use Next to upgrade (AT&T's unlock policy doesn't mention it explicitly).

 

[Deguello]

You are still in a 2-year contract, so I doubt they will unlock your phone if you buy a new one at full retail before it runs out. Not sure what happens when you use Next to upgrade (AT&T's unlock policy doesn't mention it explicitly).

If you switch, the contracts are over. All four of our phones are within two years of purchase and all four are now off contract.

 

[Rigby]

If you switch, the contracts are over. All four of our phones are within two years of purchase and all four are now off contract.

You mean switch to Next or switch to a Mobile Share plan?

Or to put it another way: I just switched to Mobile Share last week. Will they actually unlock my 5S now, which I got for the subsidized price about 6 months ago? My understanding was that I'm still under contract for the next 18 months (i.e. I cannot just cancel my plan without paying an early termination fee), so I was assuming that they will not unlock the phone either as per the policy I linked above.

 

[blarivee]

I was referring to early upgrade. If you don't upgrade early you don't have to trade it in.

 

[Rigby]

You mean switch to Next or switch to a Mobile Share plan?

Or to put it another way: I just switched to Mobile Share last week. Will they actually unlock my 5S now, which I got for the subsidized price about 6 months ago? My understanding was that I'm still under contract for the next 18 months (i.e. I cannot just cancel my plan without paying an early termination fee), so I was assuming that they will not unlock the phone either as per the policy I linked above.

To answer my own question: I just tried sending an unlock request via AT&T's web page. This is the reply that I got:

"We cannot complete your request for the following reason:

- You have not completed your service agreement. You are under contract and must complete the contract period before your device can be unlocked."

So, while they grant you the off-contract device rate if you switch to a Mobile Share plan now, it does not mean that they release you from your contract or unlock your subsidized phone before the old contract runs out.

 

[rui no onna]

So, while they grant you the off-contract device rate if you switch to a Mobile Share plan now, it does not mean that they release you from your contract or unlock your subsidized phone before the old contract runs out.

Something I am curious about, though, does doing a Next upgrade qualify as contract fulfillment? Guess we'll see come September.

 

[aristobrat]

Or to put it another way: I just switched to Mobile Share last week.

So, while they grant you the off-contract device rate if you switch to a Mobile Share plan now, it does not mean that they release you from your contract or unlock your subsidized phone before the old contract runs out.

You switched last week? Has you had a new billing period start since then?

Everything I've read shows Next plans have no contract, meaning you can cancel without ETF at anytime. Regarding unlocking, right ... even on Next, if you still owe payments on your phone, they won't unlock it.

 

[Rigby]

Something I am curious about, though, does doing a Next upgrade qualify as contract fulfillment? Guess we'll see come September.

Yes, that is a good question.

----------

You switched last week? Has you had a new billing period start since then?

No.

Everything I've read shows Next plans have no contract, meaning you can cancel without ETF at anytime.
Regarding unlocking, right ... even on Next, if you still owe payments on your phone, they won't unlock it.

There are really two different things: Switching from a traditional subsidized plan to an unsubsizided one, and switching to Next. You can do the former without the latter (i.e. for upgrading you buy the phone outright). I just switched from an old individual plan to mobile share, but I'm not on Next.

 

[qtrim]

At the end of the chat, the ATT guy said "Contracts are tied to the lines, not to the phones themselves."