View Full Version : Att wireless new phone policy. No more discounted phone w a contract.
colorider
02-01-2016, 20:49
Went into the local ATT store to upgrade my iPhone 5. Obviously I have had this thing for years. I was expecting the usual we get you a new iPhone, or a generation old for $100-200 and sign a new 2 yr contract. NOPE. New policy. No more discounted phones. Phones are now a monthly fee if you get it from them. iPhone 6 is $25 a month for 30 months. Yea, no way in hell I'm paying that for a phone regardless of the fact it's a monthly fee. However, after the 30 months you own the phone. Or you can restart your payments and get the latest phone. So in 3 yrs you have paid $750 for a phone. Rediculous. The gal was trying to convince me what a deal it was. I kept trying to explain to her that the bottom line fact is that the phone is still costing me $750. I walked out pissed and ready to change my service to Verison, but it looks like they are pulling the same scam. Only one that isn't is Sprint. Well, sprint is not an acceptable provider for my needs. Looks like im sticking with what I have till things change or I get a deal somewhere on a phone. very frustrating and it's absurd people are paying these monthly fees for phones. Gotta see what savings they have with their new plans to see if it offsets the phone payments. Very frustrating
That's pretty standard from all of the carriers these days. Smartphones are expensive pieces of tech. We've been spoiled by the subsidized pricing. You can either buy the phone outright, or you can pay in installments over the term of the contract.
Apple iPhone 6 Plus 128GB Factory Unlocked GSM 4G LTE Cell Phone - Space Gray (http://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPhone-128GB-Factory-Unlocked/dp/B00NQHZ47S)
List Price: $1.169.75
Price: $810.00
You save: $359.75
Wheee!
cfortune
02-01-2016, 21:12
I was able to get my phone for like 350 with a Verizon contract. That was almost a year ago though. The loan thing does suck
It's always been that way. If you pay a phone in full up front, you get a cheaper plan.
mtnrider
02-01-2016, 21:14
Yep, pretty standard with everyone now. AT&T has been that way for at least a year or 2. I just buy my phones off contract now. No way I am paying them. I just get a phone off Amazon or something like that if I need to upgrade.
I personally do not have to have latest phone.
I am with pre-paid carrier and it is working out to be great.
Rooskibar03
02-01-2016, 21:30
T Mobile started that nonsense and the other have followed suit. The upside is they lower your cost of monthly service but raised the price of the phone. End of the day it was a push for what I'd been paying.
Now Apple won't be able to hide the cost of an iPhone, which I think is why for the first time ever they said they won't hit sales expectations.
mtnrider
02-01-2016, 21:47
The upside is they lower your cost of monthly service but raised the price of the phone.
That's not what I saw with AT&T. Price stayed the same on the monthly service and they raised the price of the phones. At this point (with AT&T) it makes no financial sense to get a phone through them.
.
That's not what I saw with AT&T. Price stayed the same on the monthly service and they raised the price of the phones. At this point (with AT&T) it makes no financial sense to get a phone through them.
.
Phones have always been subsidized, but I think you're right about it no longer making sense.
Honey Badger282.8
02-01-2016, 22:48
When I upgraded to my iPhone 6 with ATT I did the old fashioned 2 year plan and discounted price. At that time ATT you either paid $35 per month for the phone or paid an extra $35 per month for the plan.
Fun fact: Thw iPhone is no more expensive than other halo phones like the Samsung Galaxy S6.
You should just get an Obamaphone.
colorider
02-01-2016, 23:19
Well with this new information from you all, I will have to go take a visit to att again. HOWEVER, I will NOT be going to one of their retail outlets again. I will go to their company owned stores like I always have. I have had much better service and experiences with the company owned stores. Thanks for the info and I will see what happens.
Honey Badger282.8
02-01-2016, 23:46
If you want another iPhone look into purchasing direct from Apple. They have a new installment program as well, it may fit your needs better.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/09/10/understanding--new-iphone-pricing/71979064/
When I upgraded to my iPhone 6 with ATT I did the old fashioned 2 year plan and discounted price. At that time ATT you either paid $35 per month for the phone or paid an extra $35 per month for the plan.
Yep, that sounds like the crappy deal I got.
Colorado Fatboy
02-02-2016, 00:16
I've bought my last two phones used from swappa.com (https://www.ar-15.co/swappa.com). I use Straight Talk which is $45 a month unlimited and uses the at&t network (with the right sim card and at&t phone)
I recently upgraded from an iPhone 4 to a 5s. Got a really good deal on eBay. The local AT&T store activated it at no charge (ie: no two year plan BS.). I haven't bought a phone from AT&T in probably eight years and don't plan to ever again.
Honey Badger282.8
02-02-2016, 02:04
Yep, that sounds like the crappy deal I got.
At that time I was still on the grandfathered unlimited data plan. I traded in an INOP iPhone 4 on the 128GB iPhone 6. I paid $99 for my phone.
clublights
02-02-2016, 03:41
this started the same time the 6s iPhone came out .. with the change int he pricing on the phone plan even with the monthly payment for the 64GB 6s+ I got I pay LESS every month then I did before. by about 15 bucks ....
So since I didn't have any layout for the phone ( other then applecare ) when I bought it and pay less then before.. seems like it works for me .
Martinjmpr
02-02-2016, 08:36
That's not what I saw with AT&T. Price stayed the same on the monthly service and they raised the price of the phones. At this point (with AT&T) it makes no financial sense to get a phone through them.
.
Might want to double check Verizon then. Wife and I just upgraded in December and they did the same thing: Something like $25/month per phone for 24 months (not 30) BUT our monthly plan cost dropped significantly compared to the "two year plan" we were on before. Our bottom line was that with two new phones our bill went up by about $8/month and unlike our previous plan - where our bill stayed the same even after our phones were paid off - this one will drop by $50 once the phones are paid for.
In my experience Verizon also has a better network if you go outside the city and away from the I-70 and I-25 corridors.
With the prices or nexus phones and unlocked android phones now days that's the route to go. Get one of those get your plan and if you're ever unhappy switch carriers no contract
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
http://www.1sale.com/products/apple-iphone-6-smartphone-64gb-unlocked-cell-phone-refurbished/?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=M20150106
I have 7 lines on my plan. I pay for my folks and my inlaws. They don't care what phones they have, so my wife and I upgrade and give them our old phones. $270/month for 6 iPhones and a regular phone (grandma) is not too bad
I have 3 phones on my plan with Verizon. Was paying $205/mth. Wife and I upgraded phones to a Note4 and a Turbo2 with the 24 month plan. I now pay $178.
The phones have always been $$$ up front.. and if you think the price wasn't hidden in the monthly fee you are wrong. Now they're slashing their monthly and data cost and just being upfront about the cost of the phone. I'm honestly going away from Iphone with my next phone. I'm tired of the shit reception I get with it on Verizon. Droid phones running side by side mine will pull better reception and speeds.
Scanker19
02-02-2016, 19:28
You do get a $15-20 dollar discount on the line access if you do the new monthly plan. So in a way it's cheaper. I like not have a contract.
sportbikeco
02-02-2016, 19:55
Walk into walmart and buy this samsung for $100.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Samsung-Prime-Smartphone-Unlocked-White/47362911
Pop your sim in it and off you go.
Maybe signup for one of the "discount" carriers like strait talk ($45 a month unlimited with cap on LTE data at like 5gig) instead of ATT. It uses the same towers.
colorider
02-02-2016, 20:39
Walk into walmart and buy this samsung for $100.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Samsung-Prime-Smartphone-Unlocked-White/47362911
Pop your sim in it and off you go.
Maybe signup for one of the "discount" carriers like strait talk ($45 a month unlimited with cap on LTE data at like 5gig) instead of ATT. It uses the same towers.d
i have equipment I use with my iPhone that I don't want to replace. Such as a credit card swiping unit from heartland financial. Don't want to replace that. Also have too much tied to my apple devices to change to another brand phone right now.
i have equipment I use with my iPhone that I don't want to replace. Such as a credit card swiping unit from heartland financial. Don't want to replace that. Also have too much tied to my apple devices to change to another brand phone right now.
This is by design...like shiny fruit-themed handcuffs...with rounded corners.
clublights
02-02-2016, 22:24
This is by design...like shiny fruit-themed handcuffs...with rounded corners.
This is stupid....
He could have bought all android focused products and be in the same boat just reversed ...
Each ecosphere is going to try and keep you in the umbrella...
There is nothing your Droid device can do that my iPhone can't do and there is nothing my iPhone can do that your Droid can not do **
(Model dependent of course )
It's like saying since you bought a .45ACP pistol it sucks because you can't buy 9mm ammo for it ...
There is nothing your Droid device can do that my iPhone can't do and there is nothing my iPhone can do that your Droid can not do **
(Model dependent of course )
Sure there is. Android doesn't limit Bluetooth connectivity. If you want to connect a Bluetooth device to your iPhone (other than a handsfree or speaker type device), the manufacturer has to pay Apple for the privilege. Try and buy a generic Bluetooth OBD2 tool and connect it to your IOS device.
Sure, they each have their own ecosystems, but Apple doesn't even think about being the least bit 'open'.
If you have to have an IOS phone and want to save money, then don't buy the latest gen. There's also an "Upgrade Program (http://www.apple.com/us/shop/iphone/iphone-upgrade-program)", which is essentially a lease and you never own the devices. You could also trade-in (http://www.apple.com/iphone/trade-in/) your old smartphone.
clublights
02-03-2016, 00:09
So you get the generic odb2 ones with wifi on them instead..... either way your getting the same job done.
Or just bitch about everything
Honey Badger282.8
02-03-2016, 02:15
Or a Bluetooth OBDII dongle for the iPhone. There are tons of them.
Or just bitch about everythingI went through a couple of generations of iPhones. WiFi enabled ODB2 scanners weren't available back when I needed one and the Bluetooth models that worked with the iPhone were about $150. It's nice to know that device makers are finding ways around Apple's rules.
I also provided some feedback on options for sticking with Apple. It's not like I just pissed in the communal watering hole and wandered off. Sorry you're taking my comments so personally.
I just buy the latest phone in the 100-150 range at walmart and have a non contract service with them using T-mobile towers.
I am never paying $ 750 for a phone that will likely break, get dropped or get lost before I'm done paying for it.
Madeinhb
02-03-2016, 15:51
This is the case everywhere in world except US. Companies used to subsidize phone and charge higher monthly plans to compensate and make up the money over the 2 years. Now they don't want to deal with people breaking contracts, not paying, etc. They now see it as an electronic device and if people want - they pay for it. I like the Amazon way. With their card, you can get no interest on a phone for 12 months.
Detonics
02-03-2016, 16:53
Was with Verizon since they began offering cell service. First decade they were strong on retention offers and then they slowly moved away from that. After a billing dispute on international service I looked around and went with Cricket for less than half of what I'd been paying. If I need a new phone I stop by Wal-Mart, slap the SIM in and away we go. Cricket was bought out by AT&T and uses their towers. Great service!
THere are also a lists of phone you can carry over from post paid to prepaid.
I am on Boost (prepaid sprint), and our family carried over phones (2 of G2, Note3) to boost after contract exp.
I like the Amazon way. With their card, you can get no interest on a phone for 12 months.
This is good to know. Thanks for the idea.
When I talked to Verizon about upgrading they gave the same spiel. When the numbers came down to it, the plans were pretty much the same price. Gman said it best...we were living on borrowed time with the subsidized phone thing. People just don't want to be locked into contracts anymore, and this is the phone company's way of compensating for that.
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