ACE - Expert
•
16.4K Messages
$5 Rate increase for grandfathered unlimited smartphone data plan
So like last year AT&T is raising the rate for legacy unlimited smartphone data plans by $5.
As you can't get phones subsidized on your plan any more and this plan is still the same price as when it would subsidize your smartphone $18.75 a month, it's getting pricier this March.
One benefit is you can get out of your ETF is you are in a contract.
Should you decide to cancel your wireless service because of the $5/mo. increase, we will waive the early termination fees (ETFs) for the lines impacted by the price increase, so long as you cancel within 60 days after the price increase first appears on your bill.
As the last time you could get a subsidized phone under contract at AT&T was a year ago, the most you're benefiting from this is $325-$10 times the number of months you have been in the contract. When March arrives you'll have been in a contract around 14 months ($185-ish) or more (which means you'd owe less). Not a huge savings but if you were looking to get out, this would be a good time to do so.
You cannot just void the contract and get a Mobile Share plan, you'd have to leave AT&T.
Read for ALL the details at https://www.att.com/esupport/article.html#!/wireless/KM1147952
If you have four grandfathered unlimited lines,
I wonder if it's cheaper now to get DirecTV PLUS four unlimited smartphone lines for $180... https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/unlimited-plan.html
- Rember the Golden Rule: Treat others how you would like to be treated.
- Just because my answer does not solve your issue (or agree with you), it may still be correct information...
- Stating a fact about how something works, is NOT taking sides, it's just stating a fact...
- Information provided might not be for "you" only, it might be clarification for other community members.
- This is the public AT&T Community Forum (not AT&T support), please do not post personal info.
- When provided an answer, please click "Accept solution" which helps other people to find an answer more quickly.
The (very) fine print - This footer is at the bottom of all my posts, its particulars may, or may not, apply to you & your post.
Award for Community Excellence Achiever*
*I am not an AT&T employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
*I am not an AT&T employee, and the views and opinions expressed on this forum are purely my own. Any product claim, statistic, quote, or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider, or party.
Gary L
ACE - Expert
•
16.4K Messages
7 years ago
REMEMBER!
AT&T does NOT prorate your last month's bill.
Your phone will be locked to AT&T compatible networks until you pay off that last bill which takes time until that bill is generated. So if you plan on using your current phone, you might want to port it somewhere that it will work locked (like Cricket) until you get it paid off and unlocked.
Installment agreements do not have an ETF, you owe that amount in full if you cancel that line.
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
110.9K Messages
7 years ago
More tips based on last year....
ATT will only waive ETF if you leave, NOT if you change plans with ATT.
ATT does not unlock phones until all financial obligations are complete, including final bill.
If you want to leave ATT for another carrier and unlock your current phone and use it....
1. Port your numbers to Cricket.
2. Pay off all ETF and final bills.
3. Unlock your phones.
4. Then port to a new carrier.
ATT will NOT waive ETF on tablets, smart watches or any Next installments. So if you have 2 lines on contract and 2 on Next, only the 2 on contract can be waived.
0
0
sandblaster
ACE - Expert
•
64.6K Messages
7 years ago
There is no ETF if you change plans but I think the point here is that if you change plans and then cancel, you will pay an ETF.
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
110.9K Messages
7 years ago
@sandblaster If you recall, we had a few customers who did not understand the concept of an "early termination fee" or just " termination". And apparently failed reading comprehension too. I recall one who insisted he should be able to move to a tiered plan with no ETF.
I will look up some of the more, um, interesting, posts from last year.
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
110.9K Messages
7 years ago
Here is that particular reading impaired person....
https://forums.att.com/t5/Wireless-Account/Grandfathered-unlimited-data-plan-bait-and-switch/td-p/4761074
In case we forgot...
https://forums.att.com/t5/Wireless-Account/Unlimited-Data-price-increase/m-p/4731354#M224502
https://forums.att.com/t5/Wireless-Billing/Grandfathered-Unlimited-Plans-5-Increase/td-p/4349972
0
0
Gary L
ACE - Expert
•
16.4K Messages
7 years ago
Also, last time all my lines were on contract but all my lines were NOT on unlimited so they all would not have the ETF escape offer. The main line was, so I thought it was worth asking then but I wasn't willing to consider breaking up the family plan...
Only Cricket? or other carriers too?
0
0
formerlyknownas
ACE - Sage
•
110.9K Messages
7 years ago
@Gary L Yes, I missed that one. Good catch. We had customers with that complaint last year.
There is a good chance a number on a family plan upgraded with Next, and others have a full year on a contract as of now. (9 months in March). So a new complaint we might expect to see is a few who don't know Next is not a contract and will not be waived. I expect those to be the most angered as they "stayed with ATT last year ".
One difference this year, we won't have any complaint from those who upgraded on contract after the notification.
Cricket is the one prepaid that is all ATT. ATT locked phones will work on Cricket.
But Cricket is a separate carrier. This gives the customer the use of the phones and generates the ETF and final bill. Both must be paid to get the phones unlocked.
0
0
Gary L
ACE - Expert
•
16.4K Messages
7 years ago
I don't understand what you're saying with this part.
0
0
sandblaster
ACE - Expert
•
64.6K Messages
7 years ago
I believe she means customers that started their 2 year contract with the purchase of a new phone after the fee increase notice went out did not qualify for getting the ETF waived. I do seem to remember several complaints about that.
0
Gary L
ACE - Expert
•
16.4K Messages
7 years ago
Got it! It's a case that won't exist (which is the whole point!) but I couldn't get my head around it (since it won't/can't exist). Had to read it a few times...
0
0