man i have 9 lines on a 40GB shared data plan and i called AT&T and told them T-Mobile was offering me 10GB each for less money per month AND including handset protection. I told them I'd stay even if they just doubled my 40GB data plan. They said there's just nothing they can do. So this weekend my lines are all going Team Magenta.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
T-Mobile Adds Apple Music to Music Freedom, Offers Free 'iPhone 6s' Upgrade With iPhone 6 Trade-In
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
man i have 9 lines on a 40GB shared data plan and i called AT&T and told them T-Mobile was offering me 10GB each for less money per month AND including handset protection. I told them I'd stay even if they just doubled my 40GB data plan. They said there's just nothing they can do. So this weekend my lines are all going Team Magenta.
It's nuts. I know that John is outspoken, but he really does have a point. I don't think AT&T and Verizon care. They certainly aren't hurting financially, so they will continue to raise prices and provide less as long as customers keep subscribing.
They probably view T-Mobile as more of a threat to Sprint than themselves.I don't think AT&T and Verizon care. They certainly aren't hurting financially, so they will continue to raise prices and provide less as long as customers keep subscribing.
When I was researching before switching it looked as if you could keep your grandfathered unlimited data, but that you could not do a mobile share plan and thus cannot get the monthly bill credit. My decision to switch was based on the following:
- in September I will not be able to pre-order the iPhone through Apple and do another 2-year contract as all third parties can only sell on AT&T Next now
- there is no guarantee that I would get to keep my unlimited data when switching to AT&T Next
- there is no guarantee that AT&T will keep unlimited data around, especially after the recent FCC fine for throttling
- if you can keep your unlimited data, then you cannot switch to a mobile share plan, and therefore do not qualify for the monthly bill credit
- the iPhone 6s+ 64GB would cost roughly $45.50/mo on AT&T Next, plus plan ($20 unl text/$30 unl data/$40 voice), bringing my bill to $132.50 before tax
- this would increase my monthly bill by nearly $40 over what I am paying today
- if I dropped unlimited data and switched to mobile share (which sucks for single line customers), with the monthly discount my bill would be at $107.50/mo, which is still about $20 more than I pay today
So, for me, if I want the phone on launch day (pre-order through Apple) and want to keep my unlimited data (not guaranteed), I will have to pay about $40 more per month come September. If I switched to mobile share and dropped unlimited data I would still have to pay about $20 more per month come September. Or, I could pre-order through AT&T and keep my 2-year contract and current rates, but risk their pre-order process and only get a new phone every 2 years.
Switching to T-Mobile, I was able to keep my monthly costs right at where they are today and get the latest iPhone every year. I have 3GB of data, most streaming doesn't count and if I exceed that I just drop to regular speeds. For $20/mo I could get unlimited data and still be better off than staying with AT&T. I am also giving my money to a company that appreciates its customers.
As a side note, I had been with AT&T for 13 years and they never really did anything to show their appreciation for my tenure, nor have they done anything to try to get me back. I suppose you could argue that they let me keep my unlimited data this whole time, but with their latest move on adding activation fees to AT&T Next customers and increasing it for regular customers a month before the new iPhone launches just made me even happier with my decision to switch.
Your post has me seriously considering switching to T-Mobile. Been with AT&T for about 13 years as well. I was with them when it was Cingular! My upgrade isn't available till November and I don't know if I want to do NEXT. I have a grandfather unlimited plan and I don't think i'll lose that. I looked on AT&T.com and the 6+ 128GB is $31 a month for 24 months on NEXT. With my plan currently I pay $64. With the NEXT plan I would be paying $95 a month. At this point the unlimited data plan and paying $64 is what's keeping me around. Sadly I don't think this will last forever. Within the next 2 years I suspect AT&T will find a way to do away with all contracts for phones I love the idea of being able to get a 6 Plus now and then being able to still get the 6S Plus with T-Mobile's promotion.
Your post has me seriously considering switching to T-Mobile. Been with AT&T for about 13 years as well. I was with them when it was Cingular! My upgrade isn't available till November and I don't know if I want to do NEXT. I have a grandfather unlimited plan and I don't think i'll lose that. I looked on AT&T.com and the 6+ 128GB is $31 a month for 24 months on NEXT. With my plan currently I pay $64. With the NEXT plan I would be paying $95 a month. At this point the unlimited data plan and paying $64 is what's keeping me around. Sadly I don't think this will last forever. Within the next 2 years I suspect AT&T will find a way to do away with all contracts for phones I love the idea of being able to get a 6 Plus now and then being able to still get the 6S Plus with T-Mobile's promotion.
Yea, I should have mentioned that I was looking at a shorter term Next plan to get me more frequent upgrades, like T-Mobile, so my $45.50 device fee was based on that. I forgot about the longer term plans, but $14 less a month still doesn't make up the difference for me.
Verizon had unlimited data when they got the iPhone and then basically made you pay full price for the next iPhone if you wanted to keep unlimited data, thus forcing the majority people off.
AT&T has since been fined by the FCC for throttling and has basically made it very difficult to stay on current plans and are pushing AT&T Next and Mobile Share plans hardcore. I, too, would be surprised if they let folks stay on unlimited data much longer. Also, as I said before, I feel that the Mobile Share plans are ok for families and multi-lines, but they are way too expensive for single-line customers.
For me, I now work from home, so I was only using 1-2GB a month of my unlimited anyways. So, I was not too concerned about losing it, outside of being grandfathered in and a bit of nostalgia.
If it helps, so far I am pleased. Yes, there have been a few times where I don't have as strong of a signal as I used to or where data is slower at times, but it hasn't been significant enough for me to regret it. PLUS I now have wifi calling enabled and I can use my phone as a hotspot, which is nice having never been able to do that before.
They probably view T-Mobile as more of a threat to Sprint than themselves.
True, but I think John said that in the last quarter AT&T lost over 300k subscribers and T-Mobile gained over 700k. Those are not earth shattering, but also not very small either.
Based on research I have seen that AT&T would most likely not let me upgrade 2 months early. That they would force me into doing the NEXT plan if I want to upgrade sooner. I personally have no desire to do the NEXT plan. I would be paying more on NEXT. I would have to tack on $31+ which would be bring me close $100 if my math is correct. Part of me has wondered if I could threaten to cancel my plan to upgrade sooner, but I don't know if that would work.
I'm now on Next plans... but the last contract upgrade we did on my line was 13 months into a contract and we updated to a 5S. At the time, they had 12-month "early upgrade" rates for iPhones and the 24 month rate. Basically, it was $100 more up front... based on that though, you'd still end up ultimately paying more by not waiting out those extra 2 months, since the $31 savings you're quoting will only have hit you twice... but that's an option I guess if you're willing to part with 40 dollars for instant gratification and the same plan you have today (and if it's still available). My OLAM upgrade status highlighted "early upgrade available" under the line.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.