ATT next

10,426 Views | 104 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by agracer
Madmarttigan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
What in the hell are they doing now where you are forced into ATT Next to tack on 20+ dollars a month to your bill?

My bill for one phone with crap data would go from 70 to 90+.

What happened to the plain 2 year contract upgrade? That is an insane bill for 1 phone.
khkman22
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
You can still get a 2 year contract, but you have to go through AT&T to do it. I don't think any 3rd parties have that option now.
lobwedgephil
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Basically they don't subsidize phones anymore, you pay for them with that 20/month or next plan. Buy phone outright to not raise your bill.
ZooGuy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
1. Buy a phone outright on EBay, etc.
2. Get a cricket acct for $45/month no contract 5 gigs data up unlimited everything else.
3. Profit?

Seriously, major wireless companies are not the way to go any longer IMHO.
Rule Number 32
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
they are basically deciding to give the middle finger to their existing customers and dare them to go to somewhere like Cricket. I am currently on a 2 year contract with my family, but we are looking into switching as soon as we are off contract.
texsn95
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
1. Buy a phone outright on EBay, etc.
2. Get a cricket acct for $45/month no contract 5 gigs data up unlimited everything else.
3. Profit?

Seriously, major wireless companies are not the way to go any longer IMHO.
Can you keep the same phone # with cricket?
Madmarttigan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yeah except none of those solve the problem of wanting to get a new phone.

ATT no longer offers the 2 year contract period. We went to them about it.
ZooGuy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
quote:
1. Buy a phone outright on EBay, etc.
2. Get a cricket acct for $45/month no contract 5 gigs data up unlimited everything else.
3. Profit?

Seriously, major wireless companies are not the way to go any longer IMHO.
Can you keep the same phone # with cricket?
Yes, I have the same #. No problem.
Bryan98
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
Yeah except none of those solve the problem of wanting to get a new phone.

ATT no longer offers the 2 year contract period. We went to them about it.


What? They were still offering the old system earlier this month. They're just pushing AT&T Next.
akaggie05
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Yeah, they still have two year contracts. Unfortunately you have to be an ass with them about it because they are pushing Next heavily (almost to the point of lying and saying it's the only option). I wouldn't be surprised if the sales people are compensated monetarily for each person they get to sign up for Next (in much the same way they are for getting people to drop their grandfathered unlimited data plans).
torrr
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I know that with the family plan you can still get the two year contracts for phones. However they charge you $40 a month for each phone line fee versus $15 if you do AT&T next, so you end up paying more with the contract. I'm not sure how the other plans work.
khkman22
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
Yeah except none of those solve the problem of wanting to get a new phone.

ATT no longer offers the 2 year contract period. We went to them about it.
Go to ATT.com and click on a phone. It'll give you the price for NEXT but you can click the button for a 2 year contract. If they allow a new customer to sign a 2 year contract, they'll let a current customer. If they told you in store they don't do it, it's because they're pushing NEXT so much they don't know any better or just plain lying to you.
khkman22
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
I know that with the family plan you can still get the two year contracts for phones. However they charge you $40 a month for each phone line fee versus $15 if you do AT&T next, so you end up paying more with the contract. I'm not sure how the other plans work.
That's only if you're on the shared data plan. If you're on an old family plan like I am, where it's still individual data per phone, there is no extra cost for not doing NEXT.
bearamedic99
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
How is the service and data speed off a major carrier? Is there a difference or roaming fees? Or are those ancient?
lobwedgephil
How long do you want to ignore this user?
quote:
quote:
I know that with the family plan you can still get the two year contracts for phones. However they charge you $40 a month for each phone line fee versus $15 if you do AT&T next, so you end up paying more with the contract. I'm not sure how the other plans work.
That's only if you're on the shared data plan. If you're on an old family plan like I am, where it's still individual data per phone, there is no extra cost for not doing NEXT.
There is if you do a new two year contract.
bmc13
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
still have unlimited with a 5S. debating ditching it and doing next at next upgrade for tethering but haven't decided.
Fuzzbutt
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
In general you save almost nothing by dropping one of the old unlimited plans at this point. The new plans just change to more small fees.
Bryan98
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
In general you save almost nothing by dropping one of the old unlimited plans at this point. The new plans just change to more small fees.


My wife and I seriously considered Next, but once you get enough data to where I'm comfortable getting off of Unlimited, Next is significantly more expensive. Yes, doing all the math with the cost of phones either way.
BQ92
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
still have unlimited with a 5S. debating ditching it and doing next at next upgrade for tethering but haven't decided.
I dropped my unlimited for a shared data plan. I was surprised how much of a speed improvement I experienced. Sure seems like unlimited was throttled.
Madmarttigan
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
They do still offer the ATT 2 year contract on the website I don't know why the ****s at the store both said they only offer next now.
Kate Beckett
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
They tried that with me but I told them I had just went to the phone store a week before and they had that option and that it was online. Just give me the damn phone.
AgEng06
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
I know that with the family plan you can still get the two year contracts for phones. However they charge you $40 a month for each phone line fee versus $15 if you do AT&T next, so you end up paying more with the contract. I'm not sure how the other plans work.
That's only if you're on the shared data plan. If you're on an old family plan like I am, where it's still individual data per phone, there is no extra cost for not doing NEXT.
There is if you do a new two year contract.
Yep. Just went to NEXT from a 2-yr contract for this reason. We were going to lose the $25 credit, so it is now cheaper for us on our share plan to go to NEXT over the contract.
AgEng06
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
quote:
still have unlimited with a 5S. debating ditching it and doing next at next upgrade for tethering but haven't decided.
I dropped my unlimited for a shared data plan. I was surprised how much of a speed improvement I experienced. Sure seems like unlimited was throttled.

Yes, the unlimited data plans are throttled once you get over a certain threshold (2 or 3 GB, if I recall).
khkman22
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
I know that with the family plan you can still get the two year contracts for phones. However they charge you $40 a month for each phone line fee versus $15 if you do AT&T next, so you end up paying more with the contract. I'm not sure how the other plans work.
That's only if you're on the shared data plan. If you're on an old family plan like I am, where it's still individual data per phone, there is no extra cost for not doing NEXT.
There is if you do a new two year contract.
But any new contract is a shared data plan, thus my statement that it's only on a shared data plan. I am on a plan from 2004 so there is no extra fee associated with my two year contract.
trueaggie2782
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
We switched from my unlimited to a share plan when they were promoting double the data. Was able to switch to next, get 2 upgrade phones, and put my parents on the plan (with 2 new phones) for almost the same amount we were paying before. I don't think I could ever use all 40 gigs of shared data, especially now with roll over data.
wcb
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I couldn't make sense of why they're pushing Next so hard until I took a look at the subsidy:

iPhone 6 (64G) cost: $750
If I buy it: $300, they subsidize $450
If I do Next: I pay $25 x 24 months = $600, they subsidize $150

I was convinced I was getting taken by going with Next seeing how they were pushing it so hard. I went with a contract and in the end I think I lost. The reason they're pushing it so hard is because it's cutting their subsidies by 1/3.

If they would just tell the customer up front that the Next is benefiting them AND the customer it would be a much easier sell.
AgDev01
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
In both options, Contract and Next, you are paying the full price for the phone. With a two year contract it is hidden in the price of the plan. The next rates are cheaper and the price of the phone in installments are added on top of that. essentially the difference is there is a line item for the phone cost on one plan versus being hidden in the other.

The good thing about the next plan is if you buy your device outright or get it from somewhere else you don't have to pay the hidden subsidy that was formerly in all rate plans.
AgEng06
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
In both options, Contract and Next, you are paying the full price for the phone. With a two year contract it is hidden in the price of the plan. The next rates are cheaper and the price of the phone in installments are added on top of that. essentially the difference is there is a line item for the phone cost on one plan versus being hidden in the other.

The good thing about the next plan is if you buy your device outright or get it from somewhere else you don't have to pay the hidden subsidy that was formerly in all rate plans.
This is how I understand it as well.
khkman22
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
I couldn't make sense of why they're pushing Next so hard until I took a look at the subsidy:

iPhone 6 (64G) cost: $750
If I buy it: $300, they subsidize $450
If I do Next: I pay $25 x 24 months = $600, they subsidize $150

I was convinced I was getting taken by going with Next seeing how they were pushing it so hard. I went with a contract and in the end I think I lost. The reason they're pushing it so hard is because it's cutting their subsidies by 1/3.

If they would just tell the customer up front that the Next is benefiting them AND the customer it would be a much easier sell.
You are not looking at it correctly. $25/month is paid for 30 months if you are on the Next 24 plan. If you choose Next 18, you pay for the phone over 24 months at $31.25/month. Next 12 is 20 months at $37.50/month. The standard for all Next plans is to make payments longer than the time they allow you to upgrade in. So when you come due for your upgrade you have not fully paid for the phone and your options are to give it to them so they basically resell it, or you pay off the balance and then you can do whatever you want with it, which includes likely selling it for more than they are giving you for the unpaid payments.

Are you on a mobile share plan or still on an old grandfathered rate plan with a data and text packaging added on? By switching away from my old rate plan, the mobile share plans would be quite a bit more expensive than my current plan, but part of the reason is I do not have a family texting plan. If I had that, then it might be about even, but we don't text enough (outside of iMessages) to justify needing that.
AgEng06
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
If you return it ahead of time (i.e. in 12 months rather than 18 on NEXT 12), they credit you the 6 remaining payments toward the next phone.
khkman22
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
If you return it ahead of time (i.e. in 12 months rather than 18 on NEXT 12), they credit you the 6 remaining payments toward the next phone.
Right, but the 8 remaining payments are nowhere near what you could sell it for. A 64 GB phone one year old would likely sell for $400-450+ on ebay (assuming you bought when the new model came out and not 6-12 months later) and they are giving you about $300 for it. That's why they are allowing the trade-ins, because they know they can resell to someone else for more.
AgEng06
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Oh yeah, I agree with that. I was just making that clarification. I might even be better to pay the balance on the phone, get a new NEXT phone, then sell the other one yourself. You might be able to make some money on the exchange.
khkman22
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
Oh yeah, I agree with that. I was just making that clarification. I might even be better to pay the balance on the phone, get a new NEXT phone, then sell the other one yourself. You might be able to make some money on the exchange.
Yeah, I think that's the best if you're willing to go through the hassle of selling on ebay or Craigslist. Although I think once you are on Next, there is no reason to upgrade every two years because you are not paying for a subsidy you are no longer receiving like what happens with the two year contracts.
zurcaled11
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
quote:
quote:
quote:
still have unlimited with a 5S. debating ditching it and doing next at next upgrade for tethering but haven't decided.
I dropped my unlimited for a shared data plan. I was surprised how much of a speed improvement I experienced. Sure seems like unlimited was throttled.

Yes, the unlimited data plans are throttled once you get over a certain threshold (2 or 3 GB, if I recall).


It's 5GB. But they "only do it when networks are congested" i.e. whenever the hell they want to. And they just got hit with a $100 million fine for it.

[Url] http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/07/att-loosens-unlimited-lte-throttling/[/URL]
http://www.engadget.com/2015/06/17/att-faces-100-million-fine-for-quietly-throttling/

KW02
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I still have unlimited data on ATT but have an iPhone4. Dont want to do the Next but done want to buy a new phone either. Screw ATT.
Last Page
Page 1 of 4
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.