Mobile Share Value Plans Questions and Discussion

---

@timbuk2okc wrote:

I was told you do not pay taxes on the new Next phones.

---

you do pay sales tax

I recently came back to att after switching my line of family talk to verizon. ported back to att on same family plan that has been active since 2008. Talked with reps about new mobile share plan and pricing. told was going to be $15 per line. After i made the switch, and look at bill 16 days later. I see the newly ported line as well as another line with recent upgrade getting charged $40 per month, instead of $15 i was told. Talked to customer service 3 different times and i i get is an apology for getting the wrong answer. No offer to fix it, just get told that's how it is. Now there is no way for me to cancel my line and move back to verizon without paying $325 early termination fee.

All I want is to get what i was promised.

If I don't get help soon I may just fork over the ETFs and move all 9 lines to verizon, and pay what they tell me it will be

It would still be $15 per line IF you didn't upgrade a line.  Thing is you upgraded a line and now that line is $40.  I recently upgrade one of my lines, and hence, that line is now $40.  Originally, I was paying $30 per line for 5 lines, then AT&T changed the price plan and made it much cheaper, basically half price, resulting in $95 per month savings for me.  But I had to upgrade my phone, so my main phone is now $40 per month.  The rest of my lines aren't due for upgrade this year, so I still come out ahead.  

The thing is, when I upgrade the other 4 lines next year, I will be paying $50 more than I originally started with (from $30 per line to $40).  Then it will become expensive.  

The issue at hand is that i was told by a rep when i asked about upgrading, that it would be $15. I asked about my upgrade and they told me i could upgrade at any time. Never once did they tell me if i upgraded, it would change to $40

Did you read the fine print?  I don't trust commissoned sales people.  And why would you upgrade.  Just pay full retail its cheaper.  Or buy a nexus.  Att mad these plans for next or BYOD people.  I love them but then again I get a new nexus each year.  I found unlocked moto g for 69 bucks new.  Just slap the kids Sim cards in then there good for awhile 

---

@rowell65 wrote:

It would still be $15 per line IF you didn't upgrade a line.  Thing is you upgraded a line and now that line is $40.  I recently upgrade one of my lines, and hence, that line is now $40.  Originally, I was paying $30 per line for 5 lines, then AT&T changed the price plan and made it much cheaper, basically half price, resulting in $95 per month savings for me.  But I had to upgrade my phone, so my main phone is now $40 per month.  The rest of my lines aren't due for upgrade this year, so I still come out ahead.  

 

The thing is, when I upgrade the other 4 lines next year, I will be paying $50 more than I originally started with (from $30 per line to $40).  Then it will become expensive.  

---

Bingo, we have a winner,  get you to switch and then upgrade and the bill is higher.  So let me ask you, wouldn't you be better off on your old plan and getting substidized phones and keeping the same bill??

I have 3 phones on my account. My bill is lower now but will be about the same when I need one new phone and then more when I need the second. I do get extra data but we only used less than 1G less month.

Not a bad plan but the information on the roll out was terrible and it will not save you money in the long run as advertized.

What it will do is get me to let all 3 lines run out of contract and then look for a better deal.

---

@rowell65 wrote:

It would still be $15 per line IF you didn't upgrade a line.  Thing is you upgraded a line and now that line is $40.  I recently upgrade one of my lines, and hence, that line is now $40.  Originally, I was paying $30 per line for 5 lines, then AT&T changed the price plan and made it much cheaper, basically half price, resulting in $95 per month savings for me.  But I had to upgrade my phone, so my main phone is now $40 per month.  The rest of my lines aren't due for upgrade this year, so I still come out ahead.  

 

The thing is, when I upgrade the other 4 lines next year, I will be paying $50 more than I originally started with (from $30 per line to $40).  Then it will become expensive.  

---

Here is where folks on the new plans considering an upgrade really need to do the math because that "discounted" phone may end up costing you more than paying full price. You will be paying $25 more per month on that line for 2 years. That is $600 over those 2 years. Add to that whatever you paid upfront for the phone plus the upgrade fee and you get the total cost of that discounted phone. So, say you get a new iPhone at $199. The total cost is really $199 + $36 + $600 = $835. Full price for that same phone is much less plus if you use the Next program there is no upgrade fee. 

---

@sandblaster wrote:

---

@rowell65 wrote:

It would still be $15 per line IF you didn't upgrade a line.  Thing is you upgraded a line and now that line is $40.  I recently upgrade one of my lines, and hence, that line is now $40.  Originally, I was paying $30 per line for 5 lines, then AT&T changed the price plan and made it much cheaper, basically half price, resulting in $95 per month savings for me.  But I had to upgrade my phone, so my main phone is now $40 per month.  The rest of my lines aren't due for upgrade this year, so I still come out ahead.  

 

The thing is, when I upgrade the other 4 lines next year, I will be paying $50 more than I originally started with (from $30 per line to $40).  Then it will become expensive.  

---

Here is where folks on the new plans considering an upgrade really need to do the math because that "discounted" phone may end up costing you more than paying full price. You will be paying $25 more per month on that line for 2 years. That is $600 over those 2 years. Add to that whatever you paid upfront for the phone plus the upgrade fee and you get the total cost of that discounted phone. So, say you get a new iPhone at $199. The total cost is really $199 + $36 + $600 = $835. Full price for that same phone is much less plus if you use the Next program there is no upgrade fee. 

---

Or maybe if you stayed on the old plan you pay $199 plus $36 upgrade fee for a 5s and don't pay $650 for a phone. There goes most of the saving you think you got with the MSV plan. This plan is not saving anyone very much.

On the old plans, the extra ~$15+ was budgeted in, theoretically, so if you didn't buy the pay at the end of the contract, if you didn't upgrade right away, the extra  would just towards network improvements..

The contract pricing for the new plans, is fairly similar to the rates of the old plans, (1400 min + unlim txting + 3 x 3gb data plans ~ $220, vs MSV 10gb $220). Little more flexibility on data, little less on minutes,

Given that, most of this will end up with people getting temporary discounts, until they get new contract, the bill revert back to the typical rates. The discounts/plans should strongly encourage people to start getting AT&T Next upgrades instead of contracts, which I suspect is AT&T's long play.

With the Next program, I'm hoping, people stop treating the phones like $50 pieces of junk. Anyone will be able to upgrade early or unlock their phone early by paying it off. Overall,  I'm hoping for just less griping about upgrades and more appreciation/care for the phones.

Somehow I suspect people will still keep giving 12 years olds iPhones, but now they'll be more cognizant that it's a $600 device.

-Alex