Other Who else misses subsidies

[x-evil-x]

i miss paying 300$ for a new phone with a phone plan I was never planning on getting rid of. It wasn’t 300$ and 20$ each month it was one small amount and just keep your service for two years and the phone is yours. Sell it and pays for your new subsidy.
I miss these days. People seem happy to be paying 55$ a month for their phone with the phone plan they where always planning on keeping nowadays it seems.

 

[eyoungren]

Well, I can tell you I wasn't happy to find out during the years of subsidies I paid twice or 3x the amount of the phone because my bill continued to be the same when the contract ended.

Subsidies were fine if you upgraded at exactly the two year mark. For people doing that and selling their phones it was great. For people such as myself that upgrade every 2.5 to 3.5 years and never sell their phones it wasn't so great.

 

[Deguello]

I don’t.

It compelled upgrades for the sake of upgrades, otherwise you’re paying a higher phone bill for no reason.

I much prefer to see how much my phone costs and how much my coverage costs without muddying things up by combining them. And if I want to hold on to a phone, I can and it’s to my advantage rather than disadvantage.

 

[x-evil-x]

I don’t.

It compelled upgrades for the sake of upgrades, otherwise you’re paying a higher phone bill for no reason.

I much prefer to see how much my phone costs and how much my coverage costs without muddying things up by combining them. And if I want to hold on to a phone, I can and it’s to my advantage rather than disadvantage.

My bill was never higher. I’ve always paid 80$ for the grandfathered att plan.
How is that a higher single line bill?
I never really paid for a phone since 08 until they dropped doing it upgrading every two years.

 

[JohnApples]

You were always paying the $20 per month or whatever as it was “baked in” to your cellphone bill. It never explicitly stated “phone cost”, but you *were* paying for it in full over those 2 years.

The difference is that back then, you continued to “pay for” the phone, even after it was actually paid off unless you upgraded.

Some people still prefer the subsidized way, but as others mentioned, you were losing money if you didn’t upgrade every 2 years- whether you wanted to or not.

 

[Cashmonee]

I don’t.

It compelled upgrades for the sake of upgrades, otherwise you’re paying a higher phone bill for no reason.

I much prefer to see how much my phone costs and how much my coverage costs without muddying things up by combining them. And if I want to hold on to a phone, I can and it’s to my advantage rather than disadvantage.

I think the current payment plan system compels upgrades further. Look at all the people here upgrading simply because, why not? The carriers have pulled off an ingenious move. Keep your bill the same as the subsidy days and get you to pay the full price of the phone. I never liked the subsidy model, but I think for most consumers, they are paying far more now than they were under the old system.

 

[Deguello]

I think the current payment plan system compels upgrades further. Look at all the people here upgrading simply because, why not? The carriers have pulled off an ingenious move. Keep your bill the same as the subsidy days and get you to pay the full price of the phone. I never liked the subsidy model, but I think for most consumers, they are paying far more now than they were under the old system.

The difference is the subsidy model literally meant you were paying for a new phone even if you didn’t get a new phone.

Payment plans don’t compel, they incentivize. “You’re going to pay for a new phone whether you get one or not” is much closer to compulsion.

 

[eyoungren]

I think the current payment plan system compels upgrades further. Look at all the people here upgrading simply because, why not? The carriers have pulled off an ingenious move. Keep your bill the same as the subsidy days and get you to pay the full price of the phone. I never liked the subsidy model, but I think for most consumers, they are paying far more now than they were under the old system.

IDK. My phones were paid off a year ago and I really have no interest in adding more to my bill. I'm already carrying $60 additional bucks to my bill for payments on my son's phone and two iPads.

If I can afford to pay outright this year I am going to.

 

[itsmilo]

I am missing 1€ down payment on a 55€ plan. Now it’s 550 down on a 79€ plan

 

[gurase]

I don’t miss paying the same expensive bill whether I upgraded or not. Phone and plan prices have gone up in general though.

 

[cornerexit]

Yes I miss the same thing as OP. I go my first iPhone for free. 2 year cycle, upgrade at no cost once I sold the old one. I always used cases to keep my phones mint so selling them was easy. 2 years, unlock, order new, switch, sell. First iPhone I had to pay for was my 7. But ATT offered a trade in program so I got $600-650 for my trade in. Upgrade cost me $150-179 something like that, which was fine. Now that would be $850 to upgrade, no thanks. I’m not a heavy phone user. I’d rather use my pad at home, and I have a full pc at work so the phone gets used as a phone primarily. I use some other things but I’m not one who is addicted to it, using it hours and hours a day and I’m not on social media apps. All the new ones are larger than my 7 and I’d prefer slightly smaller than my 7. So I guess the right one for me would be the X or Xs in the SE size, which is not offered. I don’t want a phablet.

 

[Cashmonee]

The difference is the subsidy model literally meant you were paying for a new phone even if you didn’t get a new phone.

Payment plans don’t compel, they incentivize. “You’re going to pay for a new phone whether you get one or not” is much closer to compulsion.

Yeah. I guess what I am saying is that the bills have not gone down. So my bill has not gone down now that the subsidies have gone away. Maybe I am wrong though and it has.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

I don’t.

 

[Ortiz83]

i miss paying 300$ for a new phone with a phone plan I was never planning on getting rid of. It wasn’t 300$ and 20$ each month it was one small amount and just keep your service for two years and the phone is yours. Sell it and pays for your new subsidy.
I miss these days. People seem happy to be paying 55$ a month for their phone with the phone plan they where always planning on keeping nowadays it seems.

Little did you know you paid for the phone either way and then some if you kept it longer than 2 years. Even if there were subsidies still, plans would be more due to time changes.

 

[Macalway]

I'm going to go out on a limb here and speak for all human kind, and say yes.

 

[Cashmonee]

Little did you know you paid for the phone either way and then some if you kept it longer than 2 years. Even if there were subsidies still, plans would be more due to time changes.

It does not seem like the plans actually got any cheaper when subsidies went away.

 

[ftaok]

For most people, the end of the subsidy model meant that their plans got cheaper. For those whose plans did not get cheaper, I'd bet that most of them have grandfathered unlimited data plans on Verizon (and perhaps AT&T).

Verizon (and perhaps AT&T) did not drop the monthly charge on the unlimited plans by the $15-20/mo per line because they wanted people to switch to a different type of plan. The were dis-incentivising people on the unlimited plans.

 

[DougFNJ]

Put me in as missing subsidies. I would make money every year my contract was up, $200 for the phone, sell the previous phone for $400-500. The following year, pay full price for the phone, sell the other phone and it cost me the same as the subsidy. By the way, I’ve had an iPhone and iPad on my unlimited plan and never paid more than $120/month including now. Difference is, now I pay a lot more for the phone upgrades.

 

[ftaok]

Put me in as missing subsidies. I would make money every year my contract was up, $200 for the phone, sell the previous phone for $400-500. The following year, pay full price for the phone, sell the other phone and it cost me the same as the subsidy. By the way, I’ve had an iPhone and iPad on my unlimited plan and never paid more than $120/month including now. Difference is, now I pay a lot more for the phone upgrades.

Let me guess. Grandfathered Unlimited plan on Verizon?

 

[x-evil-x]

It does not seem like the plans actually got any cheaper when subsidies went away.

Plans didn’t get cheaper. My grandfathered unlimited plan has been creeping up year after year. I was paying 80$ with my phone subsidy. It’s 95$ now. Same plan and I have to pay monthly for a phone now.
[doublepost=1537147456][/doublepost]

You were always paying the $20 per month or whatever as it was “baked in” to your cellphone bill. It never explicitly stated “phone cost”, but you *were* paying for it in full over those 2 years.

The difference is that back then, you continued to “pay for” the phone, even after it was actually paid off unless you upgraded.

Some people still prefer the subsidized way, but as others mentioned, you were losing money if you didn’t upgrade every 2 years- whether you wanted to or not.

No I really wasn’t. My plan was “cheaper” than it is now.
I was paying 80$ total with att unlimited data plan and text. Same plan today is 95$ which I still pay and have to pay for a phone monthly now.

How was 20$ baked into my deal back then? My plan wasn’t 60$. It was 80. I just paid the subsidy of 3-400$ and that was it. No charges. Plan stayed at 80.

I really don’t understand where people see it was more. Are you thinking a family plan? Plans aren’t cheaper nowadays unless you are on a family plan. Unlimited plans are about the same as my grandfathered unlimited plan now too but you still have to 30-60$ a month on top of that for then phone.

 

[ftaok]

Plans didn’t get cheaper. My grandfathered unlimited plan has been creeping up year after year. I was paying 80$ with my phone subsidy. It’s 95$ now. Same plan and I have to pay monthly for a phone now.
[doublepost=1537147456][/doublepost]
No I really wasn’t. My plan was “cheaper” than it is now.
I was paying 80$ total with att unlimited data plan and text. Same plan today is 95$ which I still pay and have to pay for a phone monthly now.

How was 20$ baked into my deal back then? My plan wasn’t 60$. It was 80. I just paid the subsidy of 3-400$ and that was it. No charges. Plan stayed at 80.

I really don’t understand where people see it was more. Are you thinking a family plan? Plans aren’t cheaper nowadays unless you are on a family plan. Unlimited plans are about the same as my grandfathered unlimited plan now too but you still have to 30-60$ a month on top of that for then phone.

Bingo. You have to realize that folks like you on the old unlimited plans are getting screwed by Verizon and AT&T. Technically, they should have reduced the monthly by $20, but they didn't to force you off the plan.

For everyone else, the non-subsidy model saves you money if you don't upgrade every two years. Otherwise, is a wash.

 

[danilko1]

The plans were the same price before and after the iPhone... The subsidy was an excellent deal - $400 savings up front.
I really miss them.

iPhone 8 = $199
iPhone XR = $349
iPhone XS = $599... and so on.

 

[chrisforpm]

I’m in Canada and the carriers still offer the subsidy programs (no iPhone upgrade program here yet). I actually would love the iUP program if it were offered. $0 down and just pay a monthly fee. Makes it a little easier to upgrade once a year.

Right now, an iPhone XS Max 64GB on a 2 year subsidy here is $790 upfront. I get the exchange rate, but still it’s a lot to come up with at once. Luckily, I’m getting about $800 for my one year old X so that will cover it. But if you are coming from an old phone, it’s a lot to come up with.

 

[aneftp]

In the USA most people are on family plans.

It’s the “average cost” per line that matters most.

Saying that. Subsidies were excellent for families plans because u could add a line for $10/month and get what amounted to a $400 subsidies on lines 2-5 for the $199/299 iPhone.

So a typical att 5 line plan with the $59.99 family talk minutes plus $10/add a line plus (5 x 30 unlimited data ) plus $20 (retention’s unlimited texts) plus fan (corporate discounts). So after taxes. And discounts. That typical bill for 5 lines was $250/month

Not a bad deal $50/line PLUS U GET THE $400/line subsidies.

So adjusted for subsidies. The typical USA 2018 plan without subsidies would need to be around $34/line.

Verizon offered the feb 2017 unlimited plan throttled after 22gb (without subsidies) for $100 plus $20/line u limited. So that plan matches the old subsidies model. It was a good plan. So good that verizon canned if in August 2017 as they realize it was TOO GOOD. They changed it to $200/4 lines plus a whopping $50/line after 4 lines.

All carriers want to maintain $50/line or more revenue. WITHOUT SUBSIDIES.

So someone on older plans actually had better deals with subsidies.

 

[Oridus]

Plans didn’t get cheaper. My grandfathered unlimited plan has been creeping up year after year. I was paying 80$ with my phone subsidy. It’s 95$ now. Same plan and I have to pay monthly for a phone now.
[doublepost=1537147456][/doublepost]
No I really wasn’t. My plan was “cheaper” than it is now.
I was paying 80$ total with att unlimited data plan and text. Same plan today is 95$ which I still pay and have to pay for a phone monthly now.

How was 20$ baked into my deal back then? My plan wasn’t 60$. It was 80. I just paid the subsidy of 3-400$ and that was it. No charges. Plan stayed at 80.

I really don’t understand where people see it was more. Are you thinking a family plan? Plans aren’t cheaper nowadays unless you are on a family plan. Unlimited plans are about the same as my grandfathered unlimited plan now too but you still have to 30-60$ a month on top of that for then phone.

You with AT&T? Why wouldn't you go to the new unlimited plan? $80/mo (plus tax) Unl Talk / TXT / Data (Assuming Auto Pay/Paperless), 15gb hotspot, plus free premium movie channel and 30+ free channels of live tv to watch on phone. Also a $15/mo credit if you're a DTV or UVERSE (tv) user.