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New Member

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25.7K Messages

Wednesday, August 1st, 2018 1:00 AM

Consequences of Paying off AT&T Next BOGO Early - New Customers

My wife and I came onto AT&T from Verizon under the BOGO plan late in 2017. All has proceeded as advertised. Regular credits appear on the account.

 

We are likely traveling to Europe in a few months and would love to be able to use our iPhone 8 Pluses, but with localized SIMs for best rate, rather than AT&T's International Passport @ $10 PD, per device. However, to do that demands we unlock the iPhones - which requires paying off the balance on the (otherwise) 30-month long AT&T Next program. 

 

If we pay off the phones early, do we lose the remaining months of BOGO credits, or do those continue to apply (up to the end of the 30 month period) as long as account is otherwise in good standing?

New Member

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25.7K Messages

6 years ago

Thanks for your reply.

 

Whether the Day Pass or Passport is used as the basis for comparison, the incurred costs for a practical traveler remain unreasonable and a localized SIM is preferable. It is, in the end, all about the data costs, which are high using either AT&T option relative to the RoW.  (Skype is the best-cost work-around for international calls).

 

But, otherwise, thanks for all the hints on apps and such-like, that should come in very handy.

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

6 years ago


@Anonymous wrote:

Whether the Day Pass or Passport is used as the basis for comparison, the incurred costs for a practical traveler remain unreasonable and a localized SIM is preferable.

Yes, but depending on your need for 30 days, $60 is a LOT cheaper than $300...

 

You didn't say how long you are going for, but losing the credits on a BOGO for the next 15-21 months is significant. 

 

(Skype is the best-cost work-around for international calls).


That's what I use, why pay 35 cents a minute.  

 

I forward incoming calls to my Google Voice and just call them back on Skype, even using cellular data it's a pretty small amount.

 

 

New Member

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25.7K Messages

6 years ago

Yes, but depending on your need for 30 days, $60 is a LOT cheaper than $300... 

Depend on this, $300 won't be incurred - because neither the $10 Per Diem option, nor the BOGO pay-off will happen (not on the Get One phone which is getting the credits) from earlier ...

 

As the wife's phone number was not cited before the credit, hers is the BO phone.

Guess that means wife gets to keep the iPhone8 plus with her on our travels, and I slum it with an unlocked Samsung 'Droid.

 I pay off then unlock her phone, retaining the continuing BOGO credits on my iPhone 8 Plus. Then procure Euro SIMS for her phone, and for my old (and already unlocked) 'Droid. The SIMS will likely run (in total) less than $60 combined for both phones - and have higher data ceilings, lower per minute costs than any other US-based option.

Like I said before ...

It is, in the end, all about the data costs

Again, thanks for all your help and suggestions! 

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

6 years ago


@Anonymous wrote:

 I pay off then unlock her phone, retaining the continuing BOGO credits on my iPhone 8 Plus. Then procure Euro SIMS for her phone, and for my old (and already unlocked) 'Droid. The SIMS will likely run (in total) less than $60 combined for both phones - and have higher data ceilings, lower per minute costs than any other US-based option.

Of course, it's cheaper, you're getting a local number. People coming to the US often do the same thing.

 

It is, in the end, all about the data costs

Not to me, it's all about the convenience.  

 

Everyone has my phone number, those texts would go into the void if you don't check them and if you don't forward your calls somewhere else, you won't know you have voicemails.

My current phone is configured and updated for the way I use it now, my old phone isn't.

 

I've done 3 weeks out of the country when the passport used to be 800MB and did skype calls over cellular, a few short facetime video calls, checked my mail. posted photos to twitter/ facebook/foursquare and texted/emails some photos too and came under the limit. (I did more back at the hotel's wifi, but when I wanted to do stuff I did it).

 

I don't know if I used it much more than that last time I was down and I did the international day pass so I used it as much as I wanted, but I was on vacation so it really wasn't much more than that.

 

$35 extra isn't really that much compared to the cost of a trip (realistically if I'm going to spend $25 on a local SIM, it's only $35 extra for the $60 "passport").

With the passport, I'm ready to go when I hit the ground, I'm not wasting vacation time running to a store for a plan, sometimes I land at midnight and I'm on a bus at  7am, so it's not even an option to get one until the next afternoon.

 

 

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

@Anonymous

Since you have a long trip planned, I’m going to throw in a caution about your US plan.  It has to remain active and paid on time each month to get those credits.  You can’t suspend without losing credits, and it’s not a big reduction in your bill anyway.  You might want to bring your phone as the WiFi calling only device to contact the US.  

 

New Member

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25.7K Messages

6 years ago

I don't believe there was ever any mention made - anywhere - that my AT&T plan would be left unpaid, suspended or falling into abeyance. How do you leap to such an unwarranted conclusion?

ACE - Expert

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16.5K Messages

6 years ago


@Anonymous wrote:

I don't believe there was ever any mention made - anywhere - that my AT&T plan would be left unpaid, suspended or falling into abeyance. How do you leap to such an unwarranted conclusion?


CHILL. There is NO conclusion. 

 

They literally said, "Since you have a long trip planned, I’m going to throw in a caution...

 

ALSO - You need to keep in mind that this isn't a private chat, you're not the only one that is going to read that comment.

That post is going to be read by hundreds of other people over the next few years (decade?) and they will get that information, not just you.

 

 

Contributor

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2 Messages

6 years ago

I would like to finance BIGI i phone plus

Contributor

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2 Messages

6 years ago

Hi

ACE - Sage

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116.6K Messages

6 years ago

@HomeSoon

This is is a customer populated forum , not chat, not ATT, and not where you order service. 

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