You may not want to upgrade/renew contract if you have the 10GB shared plan

Question

I am on a family plan with my wife's family, and learlier this year, we took advantage of the $25 credit/line for 10GB shared plan. It was a big saving that we were all happy about. Then my contract expired earlier this month, I thought there is no downside on upgrading to a new phone since I am planning to continue to use AT&T, so I sign up for another 2yr contract and got a new HTC one M8 from amazon for $150. I was really happy, for $150 the phone is great.

Until few days ago I got the bill, and it shows upgrade fee of $35, I guess it's kinda expected, they would charge you for anything, no surprise here. Then I see that they have removed the $25 credit off my line.... Then I realized that this saving only applies to existing contract, and now I sign a new contract, it doesn't apply anymore, so this means, I am going to pay $25/month for the next 2years = $600, plus the phone I paid $150, plus upgrade fee of $35. I am basically out of $785 for this upgrade, not $150.

HTC.com sells unlocked/developer M8 for $699... So basically I paid almost $100 more for a phone that's locked (locked for 2years until contract ends), and I also cannot get out of contract for 2yr...... I can't shake the feeling that I got sour end of the deal here. It's has already been 3weeks when I got the bill, so I have missed the 14days remorse period. I am not happy at all.

I guess it's part of my fault that I didn't realized the limitation of this $25 credit until it's too late. But I wish I had been warned before hand. I just want to warn people who has this $25credit on 10GB shared plan, do your math before upgrade.

guangzl1 · Answer

Yea, I understand what you mean. With all these specific information, you really need to know it before hand by yourself. Don't expect employees of att to tell you about everything that's on your advantage because they won't cover everything for you. What's important is that they just want the sales. Afterward services are no longer important to them because your business is pretty much done. Cuz they know they got you.

kdfederer · Answer

That is the reason for the NEXT upgrade. You pay full price for the phone but get to keep your $25 discount monthly discount. One way or the other, you are going to pay for your phone upgrade. AT&T, and most of the other providers, are no longer subsidizing new phone costs. You either pay full price up front, pay by NEXT over 18 - 26 months, or if you get the 'subsidized' phone, you pay more per month for phone line charges.

guangzl1 · Answer

Thats why is always a good idea to do your own research before stopping by a store and ask any service. Have questions ahead of time so you know what you looking for.

BigpimpninKS · Answer

Did you get your upgrade through customer service, or the retention department?

guangzl1 · Answer

I think no matter what's the channel that the customer did the upgrade, they should still be filly inform of what they are signing and what they are agreeing on.

Even if you got a customer to sign an agreement, but if the customer is not fully informed, you might lost more than just this customer. Simply the word of mouth.

21stNow · Answer

@guangzl1 wrote:I think no matter what's the channel that the customer did the upgrade, they should still be filly inform of what they are signing and what they are agreeing on.Even if you got a customer to sign an agreement, but if the customer is not fully informed, you might lost more than just this customer. Simply the word of mouth.peterlee upgraded through Amazon.  He would have to have had a full understanding of the Mobile Share Value program through his own research as there was no 'rep' there to guide him.

guangzl1 · Answer

True

BigpimpninKS · Answer

That is not true if you know what you are doing. If you sign a 2 year contract and say you pay around 100$ a month. After a year you call and get the retention department or cancellation department (whatever you want to call it). You tell them that you have 12 months left on your contract which is 1200$~ that they stand to lose! Yeah they threaten you with the same 200$ cancellation fee (which currently T-Mobile offers to pay for you), but just simple math and some common business sense pointed out in a polite way still gives them a huge profit by giving you a free couple hundred dollar phone and agreeing to another 2 year contract. I've not paid for a phone since the first one I bought in 2003! Yeah I have to pay shipping costs occasionally, but when they took away the upgrade as an upgrade and made it a buy a new phone contract for being a loyal customer, drastic change call for drastic measures! Just throwing it out there, what you choose is up to you. But I personally refuse to continue to be taken advantage of time after time. Oh just an FYI you can't do this with the IPhone as Apple won't allow it as they get a portion of the sales and won't budge. But I personally don't like Apple products myself as they are overrated and over priced!

corey.a.tanner · Answer

I had somewhat of the same problem. Had 10G for $160. Went to Wal-Mart because one of the phones contracts were up. Bought a phone for a dollar. Anticipated the activation fee, but then there was an big difference in my bill. It was $317.
Why AT&T? And no one is willing to do anything. Because I was not once told my bill my be affected. Ive been with AT&T since 2003 and this is how they treat me. I guess I'm the one who walked out in front of the train, but they are the ones who blind folded me first.

kdfederer · Answer

Check you bill. It line items each charge. See where the charges are that add up to $317.
Mobile share plan pricing per line is only for OUT OF CONTRACT pricing. If you get a subsidized upgrade, that line increases to $40 per month.
If you go to a dealer like Walmart, you better know what you are doing as the sales reps there don't have a clue except what you ask for.

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