Dedicated Customers

No carrier can afford to give all current customers discount or free phones anymore.

ATT has 143 million customers.  Between 1-2% switch in or out of ATT each year.  Promotions to bring in new business is a small advertising expense compared to providing all customers with a discount on phones.  

The wholesale price on phones is no longer half the retail price.  ATT makes very little profit, IF all phones sell at full price, which they do not.  

And why should they have a different business practice as every other carrier?

So where is the line on "loyal long term customers".  10 years?  15?   What if you are on an old plan that costs ATT more to keep you than they earn off you?   Perhaps that is the perk customers should be grateful for?   Should they add a demerit system for those who complain?    

LOL

@Anonymous.  Is right.   This is not ATT.  This is a community forum.  It's unlikely ATT will see your post.   

If you want discounts on phones, you won't get them on Apple iPhone.  Apple sets its prices like a boss.

Now android is another story.   Black Friday discounts from Best Buy offer discounts on new phones. 

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@texting123 wrote:

Why don't you offer your dedicated platinum customers better deals on upgrading their Iphones?  Customers switching over are getting free Iphone 7's. Customers that have been paying their bills for over 30 years are walking around with old phones since our bill is high enough with, landlines, internet, Uverse and 4 wireless phones. We don't want deals on concerts etc. We want better phones. 

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Any discount offered to all customers would be passed onto the customers and raise their bills BACK up. 

Just like the old plans with subsidized phones, we paid for those phones with hidden costs.

The newer (generally) cheaper plans are so you can buy your own phone, this way if you don't want a new phone every 2 years, you actually save money.

When solved / helped, please mark your question as solved by clicking "Accept solution".

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If ATT offered you a free or cheap phone, they would also have to charge you $40 (or more) a month for your line, like they used to do. Paying $20 for your line and another 20-25 for a phone will accomplish the same thing for you. Since I am happy with my two phones and not looking to upgrade, I prefer the $40 (on two lines) savings per month I am receiving.