Using too much data affects upgrade eligibility?

[seremela06]

My husband and I were having a conversation today about unlimited data (we were grandfathered in) with AT&T. Our current usage is 3.6GB for him and 4.4GB for me with 3 days left in the cycle. I have a long commute and often listen to YouTube videos (with the screen off) on the way to class. He says I need to stop and this is why:

According to him, using "a lot" of data (which, to him, is 5GB) will affect early upgrade eligibility. He says using as much data as I do will cause us to not be able to upgrade early at one year. I rarely hit 5 gigs a month, but I'm curious about how true this is. I know they're supposed to cap LTE speed at 5GB (or something like that).

So is this true? Will using too much of my unlimited data plan affect my upgrades?

 

[oVerboost]

What provider is this with?! I've never heard of this before as surely if you do use extra data you'll be giving them more money anyway one way or another! But no, the only thing that in theory would effect your upgrade eligibility would be not paying bills on time, that's about it.

 

[seremela06]

What provider is this with?! I've never heard of this before as surely if you do use extra data you'll be giving them more money anyway one way or another! But no, the only thing that in theory would effect your upgrade eligibility would be not paying bills on time, that's about it.

Oh, I'm sorry! We're with AT&T.

 

[zorinlynx]

Oh, I'm sorry! We're with AT&T.

Trust me, they don't care.

If anything they want you to go over, because an additional GB of data costs them almost nothing to deliver, yet they get another $15 out of you for each one.

 

[Jessica Lares]

No, the only thing that affects your eligibility will be if you're late on a payment.

If you're bad business for them, they'll simply terminate your service. But simply using your data as you're supposed to, isn't anything to do so.

 

[seremela06]

Trust me, they don't care.

If anything they want you to go over, because an additional GB of data costs them almost nothing to deliver, yet they get another $15 out of you for each one.

So if you go over 5GB with unlimited data you get charged more? How is that unlimited?

 

[Tyler23]

So if you go over 5GB with unlimited data you get charged more? How is that unlimited?

No, if you go over 5GB with unlimited data, they throttle your data speeds.

I'm assuming he missed the part where you mentioned having unlimited data. The costs he posted are for those without unlimited data that go over their limit.

 

[seremela06]

No, if you go over 5GB with unlimited data, they throttle your data speeds.

Okay, that's what I thought. So just to be clear, going over 5GB will not 1) Cost an additional fee or 2) affect early upgrade. Correct?

EDIT: I mentioned unlimited data in the OP

 

[Tyler23]

Okay, that's what I thought. So just to be clear, going over 5GB will not 1) Cost an additional fee or 2) affect early upgrade. Correct?

If you have unlimited data, then you have unlimited data. You could use 100GB and nothing will be effected, other than your data speeds which will be throttled.

 

[T5BRICK]

going over 5GB will not 1) Cost an additional fee or

Correct, you won't be charged extra if you go over 5GB on unlimited data plans. You simply get throttled speeds after 5GB(normally).

2) affect early upgrade. Correct?

From what I understand AT&T isn't going to offer early upgrade pricing anymore. I could be wrong, but I've read something to that effect in several places.

 

[seremela06]

Correct, you won't be charged extra if you go over 5GB on unlimited data plans. You simply get throttled speeds after 5GB(normally).



From what I understand AT&T isn't going to offer early upgrade pricing anymore. I could be wrong, but I've read something to that effect in several places.

Do you have a source for this so I can show it to my husband and get him to stop worrying about my data usage?

 

[barkomatic]

Where did your husband get this information? As other posters have mentioned, it will not affect your upgrade eligibility.

 

[seremela06]

Where did your husband get this information? As other posters have mentioned, it will not affect your upgrade eligibility.

I honestly have no idea. I wouldn't doubt that he heard it from someone who heard it from someone.

 

[T5BRICK]

Do you have a source for this so I can show it to my husband and get him to stop worrying about my data usage?

http://blogs.att.net/consumerblog/story/a7790084

Right from the horses mouth.

 

[seremela06]

http://blogs.att.net/consumerblog/story/a7790084

Right from the horses mouth.

AT&T will continue to offer a variety of options to best suit customers’ individual needs:

Early upgrades. Once you’ve completed six months or more of your Service Commitment, you qualify for partial discount off the full retail price when you sign a new two-year wireless agreement.

What do you make of this?

 

[Mlrollin91]

What do you make of this?

That means, that once you are six months into your new contract, you can get a new phone for the subsidy price + $250.

For example. Last Feb. (2013) I purchased an iPhone 5. In Sept. (2013), so 7 months later, I upgraded to the 5S. I got the 32GB version which is $299. I had to pay $299 + $250 to upgrade, so $549.

 

[T5BRICK]

What do you make of this?

I can confirm what Mlrollin91 is saying. AT&T offers a PARTIAL discount after 6 months of the contract has lapsed.

I was quoted $649 for a 64GB 5s when I purchased mine in October. Unfortunately I would have had to wait until mid November for my 6 months and I needed a phone ASAP, so I just bought an off contract AT&T model directly from Apple.

That means, that once you are six months into your new contract, you can get a new phone for the subsidy price + $250.

For example. Last Feb. (2013) I purchased an iPhone 5. In Sept. (2013), so 7 months later, I upgraded to the 5S. I got the 32GB version which is $299. I had to pay $299 + $250 to upgrade, so $549.

 

[KUguardgrl13]

Wonder if he's (the husband) getting things confused with Verizon. You lose your grandfathered unlimited data when you upgrade or add a device. Happened to us when my mom decided she wanted a cellular iPad.

Really it sounds like you could get the new 10gb family plan and be fine.

 

[seremela06]

That means, that once you are six months into your new contract, you can get a new phone for the subsidy price + $250.

For example. Last Feb. (2013) I purchased an iPhone 5. In Sept. (2013), so 7 months later, I upgraded to the 5S. I got the 32GB version which is $299. I had to pay $299 + $250 to upgrade, so $549.

Oh, that's what he actually means by early upgrade (I think). That's what we did when we upgraded to the 5S from the 5.

 

[takeshi74]

According to him, using "a lot" of data (which, to him, is 5GB) will affect early upgrade eligibility.

Have him cite his sources. One has nothing to do with the other.

 

[617aircav]

Sorry but your husband made that up.

 

[rui no onna]

For example. Last Feb. (2013) I purchased an iPhone 5. In Sept. (2013), so 7 months later, I upgraded to the 5S. I got the 32GB version which is $299. I had to pay $299 + $250 to upgrade, so $549.

Huh. When did AT&T increase pricing for early upgrades? I remember it being just $399 for 16GB before.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Huh. When did AT&T increase pricing for early upgrades? I remember it being just $399 for 16GB before.

Early pricing is 200 off retail on iPhones. Apple increased the iPhone cost with the 4S (I believe) from 599, 699, 799 to 649, 749, 849. Therefore, 16GB now would be 449 for early upgrade.

Edit: With the introduction of the iPhone 4, the prices increased $50.

 

[lordofthereef]

I had unlimited data up until a few weeks ago. We got rid of it in favor of the 10GB plan because it was simply cheaper.

Long story short, I did early upgrades every year. It didn't effect us at all. I consistently used about what you do (3+ GB a month).

The amount of data you are using, you would save money going the 10GB share plan route AND still not go over. You can also sell each of your current lines for about $200, maybe more if you waited. On top of that, AT&T is offering $100 credit for each additional line you add after 45 days of activation and good account standing.

 

[rui no onna]

Early pricing is 200 off retail on iPhones. Apple increased the iPhone cost with the 4S (I believe) from 599, 699, 799 to 649, 749, 849. Therefore, 16GB now would be 449 for early upgrade.

Edit: With the introduction of the iPhone 4, the prices increased $50.

Pretty sure it wasn't with the introduction with the iPhone 4 since I remember checking early upgrade pricing during that time and it was still $499/32GB. Besides, I don't think Apple released full MSRP for the iPhone back in those days. The first iPhone released factory unlocked in the US was the iPhone 4S so I think your first statement is correct.