The phone threads are getting littered with questions about plans. The good news is that there are more options than ever. The bad news is that the landscape is more confusing than ever. In this thread - we navigate the forest that is plan options.
Cell Phone Plan Thread
- Thread starter Traut
- Start date
Good idea setting this up, I'm going to move my most recent question over here:
Tell me if this is too good to be true.
I have an iPhone 5c which has a huge web like crack that makes the phone barely usable, so I need to do something to get a new phone or get it repaired for like $100
I currently have Verizon and pay $160 a month for 2 smart phones with 2GB of data, 700 minutes and 1,000 text messages plus 1 antique cellphone that just makes phone calls. One smart phone is eligible for an upgrade in March of 2015 and the other is eligible in Nov of 2015. I have to check on my early termination fee but I think its $350 a line - $10 a month you were with them, so I think it would be ~$420 for the 2 lines.
If I go to AT&T, I could get 2GB of data, unlimited talk and text and do the 'Next' thing and get 2 iPhone 6's (each would be ~$35 a month for 18 months) for a total of roughly $160 a month for 18 months, then it would drop to $90 a month. I do have to find out how much adding that antique phone will be though. I'd get a $200 credit for bringing the lines over. I could trade in my wife's iPhone 4 for $200 minus $40 in a repair for the back of the phone because there is a crack, netting me $160. The $360 would be a AT&T credit but I'd just use it on the monthly bill.
At the end of the day, I have to pay Verizon the $420 up front but after 3 months (when I use the AT&T credit) I'd be paying just $60 out of pocket. After 18 months my bill drops to $90 a month saving me like $70 a month over what I am paying now. And I get 2 new iPhones now (once they come in of course) instead of waiting 6 months for 1 line and then 14 months for the other with Verizon.
I feel like this is way too good to be true and I am missing something.
Tell me if this is too good to be true.
I have an iPhone 5c which has a huge web like crack that makes the phone barely usable, so I need to do something to get a new phone or get it repaired for like $100
I currently have Verizon and pay $160 a month for 2 smart phones with 2GB of data, 700 minutes and 1,000 text messages plus 1 antique cellphone that just makes phone calls. One smart phone is eligible for an upgrade in March of 2015 and the other is eligible in Nov of 2015. I have to check on my early termination fee but I think its $350 a line - $10 a month you were with them, so I think it would be ~$420 for the 2 lines.
If I go to AT&T, I could get 2GB of data, unlimited talk and text and do the 'Next' thing and get 2 iPhone 6's (each would be ~$35 a month for 18 months) for a total of roughly $160 a month for 18 months, then it would drop to $90 a month. I do have to find out how much adding that antique phone will be though. I'd get a $200 credit for bringing the lines over. I could trade in my wife's iPhone 4 for $200 minus $40 in a repair for the back of the phone because there is a crack, netting me $160. The $360 would be a AT&T credit but I'd just use it on the monthly bill.
At the end of the day, I have to pay Verizon the $420 up front but after 3 months (when I use the AT&T credit) I'd be paying just $60 out of pocket. After 18 months my bill drops to $90 a month saving me like $70 a month over what I am paying now. And I get 2 new iPhones now (once they come in of course) instead of waiting 6 months for 1 line and then 14 months for the other with Verizon.
I feel like this is way too good to be true and I am missing something.
This is a great idea. I'm horrible with math and the minutiae of AT&T plans. Here is our current deal:
Two iPhone 5s, I have unlimited data and 200 text plan, my wife has 200mb data (and goes over every few months) and pays per text. I upgrade every two years, she doesn't care as much and is fine w/ every 3-4 years.
Our latest bill breakdown:
If we went to the 10GB mobile share NEXT plan, it seems it's $130/mo before the FAN discount. What I can't tell is if that factors in the phone charges or anything.
Anyone better at figuring this crap out?
Two iPhone 5s, I have unlimited data and 200 text plan, my wife has 200mb data (and goes over every few months) and pays per text. I upgrade every two years, she doesn't care as much and is fine w/ every 3-4 years.
Our latest bill breakdown:
If we went to the 10GB mobile share NEXT plan, it seems it's $130/mo before the FAN discount. What I can't tell is if that factors in the phone charges or anything.
Anyone better at figuring this crap out?
Thank you for that link. Makes me feel much better about the move I made on Friday going from AT&T to Sprint. The plan I chose is the number one suggested plan based on my particulars.mt8thsw9th said:
5 lines (all iPhone 6)
20GB shared data (30GB until 1/16 with free 2GB per line upgrade)
unlimited talk
unlimited text
$100/month + taxes and fees
Curious because I remember seeing someone mention this before.
I have my own unlocked GSM phone (Sony Xperia Z2) on AT&T. I have their MobileShare Value 2GB which seems to be "officially" priced at $65 (I have a corp discount and then taxes are added so it winds up around $61, but that's not really relevant). It looks like I could get the service on the same network with Straight Talk for $45 sticker price.
Has anyone had luck getting them to match or come closer with that information in hand? I don't plan on needing more data. I don't plan on doing subsidized/shackled phone again after the last one screwed me over.
note: That site shows a bunch of Sprint-based plans, which are not ok in my book as their network is only slightly above "black hole" levels at my house, and is totally "black hole" in places were I go regularly.
I have my own unlocked GSM phone (Sony Xperia Z2) on AT&T. I have their MobileShare Value 2GB which seems to be "officially" priced at $65 (I have a corp discount and then taxes are added so it winds up around $61, but that's not really relevant). It looks like I could get the service on the same network with Straight Talk for $45 sticker price.
Has anyone had luck getting them to match or come closer with that information in hand? I don't plan on needing more data. I don't plan on doing subsidized/shackled phone again after the last one screwed me over.
note: That site shows a bunch of Sprint-based plans, which are not ok in my book as their network is only slightly above "black hole" levels at my house, and is totally "black hole" in places were I go regularly.
I switched from T-Mobile to Net10 (because of the awful T-Mobile signal) with my unlocked Nexus 4 and 5. I get a discount because I have 2 phones, but with just one I believe it is only $50. I'm now on the AT&T network which is much better and faster, with unlimited everything (data throttled after 2.5 gigs, but you still have it). Just make sure you get an AT&T sim card. It has been 2 months now and I'm very happy with it.
I called and explained the deal I was going to get from AT&T: for 18 months the same service as Verizon for the same price + 2 new iPhones 6's, then $70 less than Verizon after 18 months. They put me on hold for a bit to see what they could do and then came back and said it was nice having you as a customer
Wutang, so Verizon told you to pound sand? Wow.
Carmine, no strings, no nothing? How much were you paying for month? Was it the $90 2 GB Share Everything plan?
Carmine, no strings, no nothing? How much were you paying for month? Was it the $90 2 GB Share Everything plan?
I spent three days talking to Verizon earlier this year attempting to early upgrade to the edge plan (as was offered every time I logged into my account) and actually pay them slightly more a month and they refused because I had a cracked screen on my current phone. Even when I threatened to switch to T-Mobile, they offered nothing. From what I read, Verizon rarely offers you anything extra to stay with them.
I would be on T-Mobile now, if they had sales people who spoke English over the phone.
I would be on T-Mobile now, if they had sales people who spoke English over the phone.
Yaz4Ever said:
I was tempted to switch to this but I don't think the numbers work out. I pay $130 per month (before taxes/fees) reduced by a $24 corporate discount for unlimited everything except anytime minutes are limited to 1500 (we never come close to using all of them since mobile to mobile is free). But the problem is that I got a subsidized phone that I'd have to start paying back if I switched, and my wife needs a new phone that we'd also have to pay for. So I figure I'd need to add at least another $50 per month for the phones for the next two years instead of getting both phones for $300-$400 total. So for the moment we're keeping the unlimited data, paying a little more per month, but getting the subsidized phones.
Carmine said:
Is this for 2 lines? I know Verizon is running a promo offering 1gb free data per line with new contracts. I'm planning to cut our shared 4gb plan down to 2gb (+2gb free) so we would essentially be paying less for the same amount of data.
Fratboy said:
Yup, they were nice about it but thats exactly what they said. I mean on one hand they have the $430 early termination fee that I'm sure they wouldnt mind collecting, but they are also smart enough to know that they will probably make that money back off me if I stick with them for 4-5 more months.
What I found really odd was that my wife's line is due for an upgrade in March, so literally 6 months from now. And I didnt ask because it wasnt going to be enough for me to stay there, but I was surprised that they didnt at least offer to upgrade that line now with a new 2 year agreement. I figured they would at least offer something to at least try to tempt me to stay. I found that really odd.
Anyone have any luck extracting more value out of their current provider? I'm on AT+T and am perfectly happy with the service. I'd be willing to sign a 2 year contract with them if they upped me to unlimited data. think that's possible?
Yaz4Ever said:
There's a $15 per line per month access fee that will kick in on January 1, 2016, but that's a good deal for now if their coverage isn't terrible for you.
This is true, and they were very upfront about this. I'll go from $100 to $175 on 1/2016.Max Power said:
To balance this out a little, I got them to waive the activation fees on each line - so that's basically two more months without the access fees.
The coverage map looks VERY good for us (T-Mobile's did not). That said, I'll find out for sure when we activate them later tonight.