AT&T new plan is out

[aprilchem]

DH and I looked into this, and changing plans ends up costing us exactly the same when you figure in the cost of new phones. I believe the phones run about $600, so if you split that by however often you replace your phone (for us, it's every 2 years or so) you can see if you'll save money or not.

 

[DawnM]

Different plans make sense to different people.

Your daughter's plan would never work for me. I talk a LOT .....I would need the $55 plus tax plan.

But that is just for ONE person.

We have 5. If all 5 of us get the ATT plan.......$175 regular price ($35 per person.)

However, Dh's work gives us a 25% discount AND pays his portion of the plan, so for us, having 5 smart phones will be $100 out of our pockets per month, or $20 per person.

Dawn

PS: Never mind that Virgin Mobile is Sprint and we can't even get anything but 3g speeds here, if we are lucky.

My daughter has unlimited text and data for $32.85 per month from Virgin Mobile. I guess I don't understand how paying hundreds of dollars every month is a good deal? So what if we had to pay the full cost of her IPhone? I just wish T-Mobile would finally kill all of the subsidized plans once and for all. I understand that they are offering to pay all of the early termination fees from people on contract plans.

 

[DawnM]

Yes, this is the kicker.

We are joining the plan since we have a discount AND Dh's work pays his portion. We don't mind last year's phones and I have been able to get a Galaxy S3 for my son and an iphone 5 for me second hand but through friends or friends of friends, so I trust them.

I paid under $500 for both of the above, but since ATT is going to give me $100 per new line, I really paid $300 for both.

I will be adding an iPad too as soon as I buy it. I have a $500 gift card for Apple that was given to me at Christmas that I haven't yet spent.

Dawn

DH and I looked into this, and changing plans ends up costing us exactly the same when you figure in the cost of new phones. I believe the phones run about $600, so if you split that by however often you replace your phone (for us, it's every 2 years or so) you can see if you'll save money or not.

 

[sk!mom]

That is fine, but when you do want new phones, you will need to pay full price for them. There are no more $200 or under iPhones if you are on this plan.

Just be aware.

Dawn

If you value savings over the newest phone then this could be a great deal. Even better is Virgin mobile. We switched from AT&T to Virgin. We bought three iphone 4's and pay $100 a month for unlimited everything on one phone and unlimited data and texts on the other 2 with 300 talk minutes. When DD leaves for college in the Fall we may need to upgrade to the unlimited talk on all three for a monthly bill of $120. This is a huge savings over what we were paying before. Plus since it's a no contract phone all the crazy taxes and fees aren't added.

We have no need for the latest and greatest phones. We'll probably finally have 5's about the time the 8 comes out.

 

[DawnM]

Well, not really.

As I stated in my earlier post......Virgin Mobile is Sprint based.....Sprint is horrible around here.

Also, that "unlimited data" is throttled on VM after 2.5gb.

Also, for US, we will pay $100 for FIVE smart phones on ATT due to discounts and DH's work subsidies.

I am glad you have what you like, but to say your plan is better than X or Y simply isn't so.

I don't claim ATT is better than whatever either. EVERYTHING is dependent on your own usage, needs, budget, etc....

However, MY point in stating what I said was to point out that if you want to upgrade, you will either need to find a 2nd hand phone on ebay or buy your phone outright. MANY people didn't quite understand that when they switched to the new ATT plan from the old.

If you value savings over the newest phone then this could be a great deal. Even better is Virgin mobile. We switched from AT&T to Virgin. We bought three iphone 4's and pay $100 a month for unlimited everything on one phone and unlimited data and texts on the other 2 with 300 talk minutes. When DD leaves for college in the Fall we may need to upgrade to the unlimited talk on all three for a monthly bill of $120. This is a huge savings over what we were paying before. Plus since it's a no contract phone all the crazy taxes and fees aren't added.

We have no need for the latest and greatest phones. We'll probably finally have 5's about the time the 8 comes out.

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

Thank you for this. My husband and I switched our plan and are saving over $50 a month!

 

[Phlip]

We don't use a lot of data most days as wifes work has wifi, home has wifi so it jumps over to that when the phones are there.


My DD who's 15 biggest useage is texting. 500-600 text a month is a normal bill. During the summer I think she hit near 900 texts in a month. There is a reason I insist on unlimited texts.

Most months we hit the 200 mark on all phones. Figure the jump in data allowed was enough to take the jump.

My DD, 17--just short of 5000 texts. Shoot I had 600. We have sprint, unlimited everything 2iphone 5's 1 iPhone 5s. 230.00 incl. their insurance.

 

[sk!mom]

Well, not really.

As I stated in my earlier post......Virgin Mobile is Sprint based.....Sprint is horrible around here.

Also, that "unlimited data" is throttled on VM after 2.5gb.

Also, for US, we will pay $100 for FIVE smart phones on ATT due to discounts and DH's work subsidies.

I am glad you have what you like, but to say your plan is better than X or Y simply isn't so.

I don't claim ATT is better than whatever either. EVERYTHING is dependent on your own usage, needs, budget, etc....

However, MY point in stating what I said was to point out that if you want to upgrade, you will either need to find a 2nd hand phone on ebay or buy your phone outright. MANY people didn't quite understand that when they switched to the new ATT plan from the old.

I was simply pointing out another potential way to save. Is bolding and all caps really necessary in your response?

 

[DawnM]

It wasn't meant to offend, merely to emphasize.

You said yours was even better.....for you, it is. Great, go with it. It isn't for everyone. Neither is this ATT plan.

I was simply pointing out another potential way to save. Is bolding and all caps really necessary in your response?

 

[wannabee]

I made the switch to the new family share 10 gb plan but until I read thus thread didn't realize I wouldn't be able to upgrade like we used to. Are you saying we will have to pay full price if we want a new phone ?

 

[aprilchem]

I made the switch to the new family share 10 gb plan but until I read thus thread didn't realize I wouldn't be able to upgrade like we used to. Are you saying we will have to pay full price if we want a new phone ?

Yes, that's how the new plan works. I believe a new phone for us is $600 (iPhone) so it did not work out that this deal saved us any money overall.

 

[DawnM]

Right. That is the caveat.

I made the switch to the new family share 10 gb plan but until I read thus thread didn't realize I wouldn't be able to upgrade like we used to. Are you saying we will have to pay full price if we want a new phone ?

 

[Shadeaux]

I made the switch to the new family share 10 gb plan but until I read thus thread didn't realize I wouldn't be able to upgrade like we used to. Are you saying we will have to pay full price if we want a new phone ?

Before switching to the new plan, I called and asked if anything would change other than our monthly rate going down. I mentioned probably getting new phones soon; the representative never said we'd have to pay full price when we decide to upgrade. We would have upgraded our phones first, then changed plans had I known this. I'm not very happy with AT&T right now.

 

[Aryn]

I am upset about this as well. I had 2 upgrades waiting, that I would have used before I changed plans had I known I would have to pay full price for the phones. I wonder if I called and complained if they would let me use them.

 

[wiigirl]

I am upset about this as well. I had 2 upgrades waiting, that I would have used before I changed plans had I known I would have to pay full price for the phones. I wonder if I called and complained if they would let me use them.

You never know....calling and complaining does a lot.

 

[Autumnslight]

I am upset about this as well. I had 2 upgrades waiting, that I would have used before I changed plans had I known I would have to pay full price for the phones. I wonder if I called and complained if they would let me use them.

I don't know, it can't hurt to try. But just be aware, if you upgrade, you'll be locked into another two year contract and can't upgrade before then.

With the new plan, you can choose to get a subsidized phone, pay an extra $25 a month, and also sign a new two year contract. OR, you can have no contract, and buy your phone outright or through AT&T and have the purchase price split up over either 20 or 26 months, with the ability to upgrade after 12 or 18 months. You have to figure out what makes more sense for you.

 

[DawnM]

The cut off date was Feb. 2nd.

If you hadn't upgraded by Feb. 2nd, you either needed to keep the subsidized plan or go to the new plan with no subsidies.

Dawn

I am upset about this as well. I had 2 upgrades waiting, that I would have used before I changed plans had I known I would have to pay full price for the phones. I wonder if I called and complained if they would let me use them.

 

[Autumnslight]

The cut off date was Feb. 2nd.

If you hadn't upgraded by Feb. 2nd, you either needed to keep the subsidized plan or go to the new plan with no subsidies.

Dawn

I'm not sure I understand exactly what you're saying. I'm on the old plan right now, and my two year contract end & subsidized upgrade eligibility date is in April 2014. I can see in my online account that I'm eligible to switch to the new plan, and can either upgrade now at full price, or just keep the subsidized phone I already have, without paying the additional $25 a month.

What I was going to possibly do was wait until April, upgrade, then switch, assuming I still wouldn't have to pay the $25 extra per month. But is that not the case then?

 

[Lewisc]

What I was going to possibly do was wait until April, upgrade, then switch, assuming I still wouldn't have to pay the $25 extra per month. But is that not the case then?

You can buy a phone, full price, and save $25 per month. Youll be able to get a subsidized phone and pay $25 per month. You don't get a phone without paying for it. You can pay now or pay over time.

 

[Sephora]

So if I switch but perhaps want a new phone could I just get a newer phone off Ebay or Craigslist?