Sprint Family Plan = Smoke & Mirrors - Sprint Samsung Galaxy S III

Here is the text of the email that I just sent to Dan Hesse. The Framily Plan doesn't save you money at all.
I recently jumped on the Framily plan bandwagon for my 6 lines of service to take advantage of the savings that are advertised all over Sprint.com. I actually started to convince my friends and relatives that they should move to Sprint for this fantastic deal.
Then when I inquired about adding a new line to the Framily plan and found out that there are no discounts on equipment I slammed on the brakes and reversed my feelings. Then I additionally found out that my existing lines would no longer be eligible for discounted equipment. Now I am feeling really deceived.
So the end result of the Framily plan hoax is that the monthly savings you supposedly get are the direct result of losing the discount on new line/renewal equipment. I am so angry about this that I will most certainly move back to the plan I was on previously and since 5 of my 6 lines all expire in the next 6 months I will probably take them elsewhere.
To be the number three carrier and do this to your devoted customers and expect them to help you get new customers shocks and amazes me.
I brought my family's lines to Sprint because they were the best deal for me. I can say that you are now following along the path of money sucking that your competitors have been on for years.
I hope that you get many more of these letters as I will be spreading the word to have everyone I can to contact you about this horrible plan.

This could bring up a long debate about phone costs/hidden costs with various carriers. Additionally, with that many phones, you're looking at a pretty high overall cost as they break, age and need replacement. At least when you buy a phone with a carrier like T-Mobile, they are up front about the $20.00 a month extra fee to finance a new phone.
Sprint does not even have the courtesy to discount your plan if you purchase the $700 Note 3 outright or purchase a used phone to save money.
I ended up jumping ship to an unlimited prepaid plan.
Right now my Boost S3 gets the same exact service as Sprint for as little as $45 a month for unlimited everything (the plan reduces every 6 months, dropping $5 from $55 to $45).
I know all the other providers are trying to compete but you're right.
Buyer beware!

Switching to Framily saves me about $900 per year on 2 lines, more than enough to upgrade every 2 years like before. Or I can buy used phones, Nexus phones, or keep phones longer and save even more.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk

rocket321 said:
Switching to Framily saves me about $900 per year on 2 lines, more than enough to upgrade every 2 years like before. Or I can buy used phones, Nexus phones, or keep phones longer and save even more.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
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I agree with you ... i have the s3 and been rooting and customizing my phones and when I do that it's like a new phone , and these phones nowadays are good enough to last and stay up to date even just a stock s3
I have 4 lines I have upgrades in april , may and 2 in july , im using the first two and saving the other two for the following year so in all reality by saving 2 I will be eligible for 2 upgrades every year...

Related

Moved upgrade date?

To make a medium story short, I dropped my phone onto the concrete w/ no cover and it popped front bezel halfway off and ever so slightly chipped a corner of the screen. Using a case that I had holds the phone together. Phone works fine but I figured this was a good enough excuse to buy a new phone, problem was that my upgrade is up Dec 28. So I gave Verizon a call and asked about the free 4g smartphone regional promotion for long time customers that was on the news blog sites. I asked if I had qualified but she said that people that qualified got the email and that my upgrade was too far off to move. After being put on hold, she came back and asked what phone I was considering and said that she was able to move my upgrade date to today! This took me by surprise and she told me that I would have to order right now while I was on the phone with her so I ordered the Nexus over the Maxx.
I just wanted to share my experience and wondered if anyone else had a similar story.
FYI, when they do this your contract extends two years from when it was supposed to end. So if it ended Dec. 28 2012 than your next contract will end Dec. 28, 2014 not from the day you bought the GNex.
I'v had them do this for me before except mine was somewhere in the 2-3 month range not 10. I'm wondering if you were grandfathered into the previous program they had for family plans. They used to allow the primary account holder on family plans to upgrade after 18 months, not the 22-24 month time frame of normal lines.
I thought about seeing if I could pull this off when they were running the 100 off promotion this past wednesday but honestly after seeing the One series phones I really want to see if one of them ends up at Verizon. I was not blown away enough when I tried ICS to instantly jump for a Gnex.
My extension was moved to 2 years after I bought the phone, March 2 2014. I'm not on a family plan, just me. I'm on the 450 min, unlimited text/data plan.
That's a pretty sweet deal then. Kudos for pulling it off.
So much is pure luck when dealing with Verizon - just who you happen to get on the phone. I've had reps outright refuse to budge a single dollar on a network extender (we're in the middle of a black hole in their network), and on another occasion I got a rep to give us one totally free. I had reps refuse to replace my Fascinate with anything but another despite all the known problems that phone had, and then one readily offered to replace both mine and my wife's with Inc2s.
Makes you wonder what policies the reps really need to adhere to.
Good job getting a good one. Like the other poster, the HTC One series looks pretty interesting, and they should come (or not come) to verizon by the time my contract is up.
IronFox said:
My extension was moved to 2 years after I bought the phone, March 2 2014. I'm not on a family plan, just me. I'm on the 450 min, unlimited text/data plan.
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Same plan as you there.. grandfathered in with the 450 and unlimited. Wife wanted to change and saw we were unlimited and changed her mind. Especially since I haven't used less than 6 gigs a month recently
Sent from my Incredible 2 using xda premium
I'm kinda surprised that I was able to keep the promotional plan. I think it was Jan 2011 Verizon was running a promo to include unlimited texting if you had unlimited data. I was able to to jump on that bandwagon but was told it would only last one year, then my plan would revert to the one I had before it and paid the regular amount for texts. Two months after it should have changed, I'm still on that plan. Even asked the rep about it.
I've heard tale of reps being phone nazis and scrooges but I've been with them since 2004 and have never had a single issue with either my phones or billing go unresolved and not in my best interest.
Ive had this plan for over 3 years now.. coming in my new contract in June.. I just stay with the same one.. do not want to lose my data... I still have half a month left this billing cycle and I'm already over 4 gigs
Sent from my Incredible 2 using xda premium
As long as you're not changing anything specific with the plan (minutes, txt, data, etc) they wont require you to change the plan. It's only when you go to adjust something with the plan will they say "We can only do X if we change Y".

Why do people prefer to buy off contract rather than with 2yr?

You initially save ~$350 upon signing a 2yr agreement, then pay $200 for the device. But, when you pay for it off contract, you pay $550+ and still pay for a phone plan, you're just not locked in.
Now think about it, if you cancel the plan with a contract phone, you pretty much just pay the $350, which in the end adds up to the off contract price (the ETF gets lower, the longer you're in the plan, which in the end is even cheaper). But with an off-contract phone, you can just cancel without an ETF.
So if my logic is correct (please correct me if I'm wrong), why are so many people against signing a 2yr contract with Sprint or another wireless carrier?
I too wonder the same thing. You end up paying an extra $200-250 over the life of the contract.
Cause their stupid ?
Sometimes people just aren't any good with their money, and unwilling to have the patience required to wait it out. They would rather pay a premium for "freedom".
I had the original sero for over 5 years. Just recently imho phones are at the point (sg2) where it is worth the extra $20 to me to own one. Otherwise I kept renewing my contract so they couldn't surprise sex my bill.
hakcenter said:
Cause their stupid ?
Sometimes people just aren't any good with their money, and unwilling to have the patience required to wait it out. They would rather pay a premium for "freedom".
I had the original sero for over 5 years. Just recently imho phones are at the point (sg2) where it is worth the extra $20 to me to own one. Otherwise I kept renewing my contract so they couldn't surprise sex my bill.
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Off contract, terms of service can change and you go with them. Under contract you are locked in at least for the life of the deal.
I buy all my phones off ebay or craigslist for around $200 - $250 within a month or so after they come out. I have no contract, and paid the same price as someone who signs a contract to get a discount. I get a new phone every 3 - 6 months, which beats having to wait 2 years, and I have a lot of leverage with Sprint because I have been with them for 12 years, and anytime Im not happy, I just tell them to cancel my contract. Its funny how the problem gets resolved when I threaten to leave.
Here is a list of some of the phones I have bought on craigslist: Epic 4g ($175 2 months after released), nexus S 4g ($220 the month it released), Evo 3D ($175 2-3 months after release), Epic Touch ($225 a month after release), 32G iPhone 4S ($225, yes 225 the month it was released)
Before the E4GT I had rarely owned any phone longer than a year and even that was stretching it. I'm a gadget freak, I love new toys and I live my life in a manner that allows me to enjoy them from time to time without putting myself in a financial pinch. I guess the trade off is that I'll keep a car until it's falling apart rather than buy a new one every few years like most people I know. Tech devices, unlike cars, are really sort of over the hill after 2years and I don't like being stuck with old technology.
Also, for me it isn't about not wanting to sign a new contract with Sprint, I've been with them so long and will likely continue with them into the foreseeable future that it isn't an issue. It really is just the wait between upgrades. I dislike having limitations on the ability to stay current therefore I remove them by ensuring I have the money to get what I want, when I want .. within means of course. lol
And for the record, I really wish we could leave off with the comments like "their stupid" (please make note of correct spelling before calling other people stupid, it's they're, not their). That never lends itself to mature discussion and really just reflects poorly on the person using it. Surely you can pull something more agreeable from your vocabulary but if not, there's always an online thesaurus just a click away.
shiftr182 said:
I buy all my phones off ebay or craigslist for around $200 - $250 within a month or so after they come out. I have no contract, and paid the same price as someone who signs a contract to get a discount. I get a new phone every 3 - 6 months, which beats having to wait 2 years, and I have a lot of leverage with Sprint because I have been with them for 12 years, and anytime Im not happy, I just tell them to cancel my contract. Its funny how the problem gets resolved when I threaten to leave.
Here is a list of some of the phones I have bought on craigslist: Epic 4g ($175 2 months after released), nexus S 4g ($220 the month it released), Evo 3D ($175 2-3 months after release), Epic Touch ($225 a month after release), 32G iPhone 4S ($225, yes 225 the month it was released)
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Epic Touch a month after release, $225? How?
Sent from my EPIC TOUCH!
I call BS on the iPhone @ $225. Prove it!
Those phones will go for $500+ with good ESNs.
The best phone that my service provider offers is still the CDMA Hero... Unless you want to go with iPhone (whew no lightening from the sky). So i bought E4GT from ebay for cheaper than they would offer with a contract anyway.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA
I don't get the premise or math the first two posters are using. Assuming a $550 off-contract price vs. a $200 + $350 ETF combo for doing a 2-yr stint, where does the "stoopid peeple pay $250" come from. Service rates don't change whether you did a contract or not so what gives?
I came to Sprint in June 2009 for the Palm Pre, switching to an OG EVO in June 2010. Fed up with how Gingerbread totally swallowed up memory on the EVO (causing it to refuse to do anything if it dropped below 10% free space) and after banging my head against the wall for 4 months trying to resolve the issue, I threw down the full $500 for an E4GT in October 2011 and never looked back.
I may've been able to finagle an upgrade price due to the TOS shens Sprint was pulling at the time, but that would've required me to recommit until October 2013 to a phone already 6 months old internationally on a carrier that had been charging my a $10 premium for 4G that I've never used with a tech that was being abandoned in favor of a flavor that may take years to arrive. FTS!
I'm now off contract and am free to go where I want NOW. Too bad all the other carriers are so expensive, but at least they have decent speeds and coverage. It's just not worth the extra $300+ per year they'd cost. Sigh.
DirkBelig said:
I don't get the premise or math the first two posters are using. Assuming a $550 off-contract price vs. a $200 + $350 ETF combo for doing a 2-yr stint, where does the "stoopid peeple pay $250" come from. Service rates don't change whether you did a contract or not so what gives?
I came to Sprint in June 2009 for the Palm Pre, switching to an OG EVO in June 2010. Fed up with how Gingerbread totally swallowed up memory on the EVO (causing it to refuse to do anything if it dropped below 10% free space) and after banging my head against the wall for 4 months trying to resolve the issue, I threw down the full $500 for an E4GT in October 2011 and never looked back.
I may've been able to finagle an upgrade price due to the TOS shens Sprint was pulling at the time, but that would've required me to recommit until October 2013 to a phone already 6 months old internationally on a carrier that had been charging my a $10 premium for 4G that I've never used with a tech that was being abandoned in favor of a flavor that may take years to arrive. FTS!
I'm now off contract and am free to go where I want NOW. Too bad all the other carriers are so expensive, but at least they have decent speeds and coverage. It's just not worth the extra $300+ per year they'd cost. Sigh.
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Cost would be the same if you pay $350 ETF, but how many people do? Why on earth would you sign a contract factoring the $350 termination fee in?
Let's not forget that using an upgrade triggers the $36 activation fee as well. Conversely, tax is significantly higher when buying off contract (just about identical to the activation fee, so i guess its a wash lol).
quick99si said:
Let's not forget that using an upgrade triggers the $36 activation fee as well. Conversely, tax is significantly higher when buying off contract (just about identical to the activation fee, so i guess its a wash lol).
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They have always waved that fee for me when I upgrade. Been with Sprint for 11 years.
If you do your timing right as far as early upgrades, etfs, etc, you can easily game the system and save money staying on contract. Even the ceo of TMobile has actually admitted contract subsidies are a loss for the companies, but no carrier wants to be the first to get rid of them.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
tgruendler said:
They have always waved that fee for me when I upgrade. Been with Sprint for 11 years.
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Waive the fee just for asking. For four phones.
Ohhhh noes my phone is out of date and...... STILL WORKS. But i continue to pay premiums and stay out of contract so when fees go up as they inevitably do you pay even more.
Cause 200pts in a benchmark or 30 minutes of theoretical battery life is total worth it /sigh
I got an e4gt cause it simply is the best phone, has been the best phone for years and will survive its many years of life in my hands. Had a rumor2 for 2 years, was it super fresh awesome ? No but it's a phone not a status icon.
Moving phones every 3-6 months just shows lack of knowledge and poor habits. Rates will never lower they will only increase, going month to month is a stupid idea unless you plan on leaving the carrier.
My whole family got 4 e4gts for 0.01 on the Amazon deal and we split a family plan that is reasonable to the sero500 we had.
tgruendler said:
They have always waved that fee for me when I upgrade. Been with Sprint for 11 years.
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When was the last time they did this for you? Sprint has taken a hard line on this matter and has been shown to be completely unwilling to waive activation fees as part of the recent "nickel and dime" movement. It has basically become a $36 surcharge to every discounted phone you buy.
My plan (SERO 500) has automatically waived activation fees as a plan feature. I was hit with it when I bought an iPhone last year, and no arguing, premier status, or escalating helped.
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/393749
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/388870
quick99si said:
When was the last time they did this for you? Sprint has taken a hard line on this matter and has been shown to be completely unwilling to waive activation fees as part of the recent "nickel and dime" movement. It has basically become a $36 surcharge to every discounted phone you buy.
My plan (SERO 500) has automatically waived activation fees as a plan feature. I was hit with it when I bought an iPhone last year, and no arguing, premier status, or escalating helped.
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/393749
http://community.sprint.com/baw/message/388870
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Waived 3 months ago on a family 1500 plan. Respect, responsibility, patience comes to mind. 0.01 for 4 phones then they waived the activation, unimaginable deal.
shiftr182 said:
I buy all my phones off ebay or craigslist for around $200 - $250 within a month or so after they come out. I have no contract, and paid the same price as someone who signs a contract to get a discount. I get a new phone every 3 - 6 months, which beats having to wait 2 years, and I have a lot of leverage with Sprint because I have been with them for 12 years, and anytime Im not happy, I just tell them to cancel my contract. Its funny how the problem gets resolved when I threaten to leave.
Here is a list of some of the phones I have bought on craigslist: Epic 4g ($175 2 months after released), nexus S 4g ($220 the month it released), Evo 3D ($175 2-3 months after release), Epic Touch ($225 a month after release), 32G iPhone 4S ($225, yes 225 the month it was released)
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This guy gets it. And he beautifully shattered the argument of contract= money saved. Think outside the box a little and you'll see why not everyone prefers to commit to a contract.
Sent from my Galaxy S II SGH-T989 using xda premium
My E4GT is on Boost.
New E4GT w/ bad esn from ebay: $250
Flash to Boost: $30 (didn't want to mess it up myself)
Boost 3G Data at $0.35/day: $10.50/month
Calls at $0.10/minute: $10/month, if that (I don't need to talk much on my personal phone)
Google Voice for unlimited texting: $0/month
So I pay roughly $20 a month for a great phone, with 3G data and texting. I can change phones whenever I want, moved from a Evo 4G, same Boost set up to E4GT, a while ago. Sold the Evo to subsidize the E4GT. This method has worked well for me the last few years and I can live with the 3G data. Now that Boost will have 4G, hopefully our resourceful community will figure out a way to get the E4GT on it. I just don't see the need to be locked into a contract and pay $60+ a month for talk plus data fees, but to each their own.
shiftr182 said:
I buy all my phones off ebay or craigslist for around $200 - $250 within a month or so after they come out. I have no contract, and paid the same price as someone who signs a contract to get a discount. I get a new phone every 3 - 6 months, which beats having to wait 2 years, and I have a lot of leverage with Sprint because I have been with them for 12 years, and anytime Im not happy, I just tell them to cancel my contract. Its funny how the problem gets resolved when I threaten to leave.
Here is a list of some of the phones I have bought on craigslist: Epic 4g ($175 2 months after released), nexus S 4g ($220 the month it released), Evo 3D ($175 2-3 months after release), Epic Touch ($225 a month after release), 32G iPhone 4S ($225, yes 225 the month it was released)
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What he said.
But I don't buy that often and I don't do quite that well. I take good care of my phones so when I sell it its clean and like new meaning I will sell if for only a bit less (or sometimes more) than I paid for it. I get to change phones when I want.

T-Mobile Will End Phone Subsidies Next Year

Well guess i should start saving for my Galaxy Note 3 now huh,this sucks but if this will keep them in business,I'm kinda fine with it. http://www.businessinsider.com/t-mobile-to-end-phone-subsidies-2012-12
Updated Info: http://m.intomobile.com/2012/12/11/...ed&utm_campaign=Feed:+IntoMobile+(IntoMobile)
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Rom: Xquizt N2 v6+Kitchen Aroma v6
Kernel: Perseus-alpha26.1(Clocked @1.1ghz & UV @-50mV 200ghz-1.1ghz)
This is fine with me except, T-Mo will still expect their customers to sign a two year contract just like they do with the current Value plans.
That is the problem!!
atomclock said:
This is fine with me except, T-Mo will still expect their customers to sign a two year contract just like they do with the current Value plans.
That is the problem!!
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Wow,that kinda sucks...
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Kernel: Perseus-alpha26.1(Clocked @1.1ghz & UV @-50mV 200ghz-1.1ghz)
atomclock said:
This is fine with me except, T-Mo will still expect their customers to sign a two year contract just like they do with the current Value plans.
That is the problem!!
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What do you propose, that they turn their whole business to prepaid? They'll be bankrupted in less than a year.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
Theres no way they can charge full retail for a device and expect you to sign a two year agreement as well. Im positive the phones will be discounted.
Most the GSM world doesn't subsidize their phones, and they have much more competitive prepaid plans. The average American is so used to phone costing $99 or even free, they don't realize that the provider is making a killing on their contract.
And if this drives down the value of t-mobile enough for Google to buy them, I am all for it!
fix-this! said:
Theres no way they can charge full retail for a device and expect you to sign a two year agreement as well. Im positive the phones will be discounted.
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Maybe they wont charge for cancellation if the customer decide to cancel before the end of the contract. And if the customer decide to cancel his contract he is going to pay the rest of his phone before canceling.
fix-this! said:
Theres no way they can charge full retail for a device and expect you to sign a two year agreement as well. Im positive the phones will be discounted.
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They already do that. You must sign a two year contract to get their plan pricing.
This is fine by me as i usualy switch phones every 4-6 months. Craigslist is where i usually shop.
mdt73 said:
They already do that. You must sign a two year contract to get their plan pricing.
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Yeah, we've been doing it since August of last year, the value plan is nothing new, and it ends up being the same price monthly or even less depending on the phone you get. And you pay less up front for the phone.
I don't know about you guys freaking out, but they're simply getting rid of the Classic Plans and moving everyone onto the Value Plans...
Since I always buy my phone off contract, this is better since I save more month to month
achusaysblessyou said:
I don't know about you guys freaking out, but they're simply getting rid of the Classic Plans and moving everyone onto the Value Plans...
Since I always buy my phone off contract, this is better since I save more month to month
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For me, this isn't great news depending on the details. If they're going to do away with grandfathered plans, then my phone bill would go up even with the value plan. If they allow grandfathered plans to stay, then it's not that big of a deal.
Value plan phones are less money up front than the subsidy ones and the plans are still cheaper month to month with the EIP. Not sure about "upgrades" before two years is up though.
nmw407 said:
For me, this isn't great news depending on the details. If they're going to do away with grandfathered plans, then my phone bill would go up even with the value plan. If they allow grandfathered plans to stay, then it's not that big of a deal.
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I think once you upgrade your phone through some sort of subsidy (i.e. EIP on value plan) they will make you change your plan. So as long as you bring you own phone (which means paying full price without any subsidy) you will be able to keep your grandfathered plan.
with the new plans you would be saving $20-$30 a month on your bill and you can choose to buy the phone in full price right there or choose to buy the month in full price but through monthly installments which will still save you money over a 2 yr contract compared to todays model
GMAN1722 said:
I think once you upgrade your phone through some sort of subsidy (i.e. EIP on value plan) they will make you change your plan. So as long as you bring you own phone (which means paying full price without any subsidy) you will be able to keep your grandfathered plan.
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Right now T-Mobile is not forcing you to change your plan when you upgrade your phone(s), but who knows what that may look like next year. I'm just glad we upgraded phones this year and I'll be all set for at least 2 years.
whatsitsnamenow said:
What do you propose, that they turn their whole business to prepaid? They'll be bankrupted in less than a year.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
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I believe T-Mobile is going to turn into contract only service. And Metro PCS is going to be the prepaid service. This is what I believe is the plan with the merge of T-Mobile and Metro PCS.
I guess just different naming product services under what will be the same roof.
I also wonder if Metro PCS will keep the $10.00 per month international calling plan after this merge? My wife has that service because she calls Peru so much.
All this makes me wonder if this merge is worth it for us customers or not?
GMAN1722 said:
I think once you upgrade your phone through some sort of subsidy (i.e. EIP on value plan) they will make you change your plan. So as long as you bring you own phone (which means paying full price without any subsidy) you will be able to keep your grandfathered plan.
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They made me change my plan when I got my now 140.00 note 2 after 100 rebate . It cost the same. I got now unlimited text / before 300 unlimited internet / before none at all 1000 mins / before 750 :good::highfive::victory:
Classic plans are the same if not more then value plan, America refuses to see the true value of devices they still expect a phone to be free or really low cost. I think what tmobile is doing is great but I can also see the main reason is so they can carry the iPhone without paying the hefty fee other carriers have been paying to subsidize it. Everybody complains about buying the note 2 on classic and how tmobiles subsidized prices are too high compared to other carriers yet they don't also charge you the price other carriers do for the service. Value as I see it is the best thing you can have if you love changing your phone buy and sell at the right times and you can get yourself a new phone very often spending much less then doing it on contract, granted you will always pay some sort of out of pocket but that's the cost we paying for the love of our tech. I think if you put the note on eip you owe 400 make ten payments which is just ten months you will owe 200 in ten months, I'm sure the note can still go for 300 or more so you sell pay it off and buy your new device. Value plans with eip tend to be a bit less then classic and a good amount less then other carriers so yes the contract portion is hard to swallow but in the end tmobile is financing you a phone without regards to your credit with no interest and giving you a lower monthly rate. Value is a good system for the smart buyer and I'd be ok with the contract the way I see it tmobile still took a risk financing you for the contract and hopefully they continue there trends with good phone sales people who bought the note on the recent sale after rebate got the note for 500 which is a steal on this device at full cost.
Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk 2
After watching the video I understand what they are planning with the service plans packages. Classic Plan no more. Value Plan is it. You can buy the device full price from T-Mobile or somewhere else then go for the Value Plan. Or you can go for the Value Plan and make payments toward your device, which would add to the cost of what is now the Classic Plan. I feel that this is good long term for the customer's pocket and to educate the customer of the truth of subsidies plan packages from other carriers.
When it comes to the merger: I would not of went to T-Mobile without having the knowledge that they merging with Metro PCS. I had a good feeling that this merger is a good thing, just didn't know how it would play out.
I am also curious on how the branding, especially the company names, is going to play out. The way they are talking it looks like they may have changed plans on the name banding plans.

AT&T Next to Offer Option to Forgo Wireless Contra

ATT will begin offering wireless customers the option to forgo contracts and get more frequent upgrades if they pay full price for their smartphones, allowing the carrier to cut back on the profit-sapping cost of subsidizing devices like the iPhone.
ATT is beginning a program later this month for subscribers to buy their phones using a monthly financing plan that will add payments to their monthly bills. After a year, they will be allowed to trade in the device for a new one. Under the new option, called AT&T Next, there are no service contracts other than the financing commitment. It is available for tablets as well.
So for a $650/20 months we get almost $35 per month added to your bill. what do you guys think: is it worth it?
BTW unlimited data plans are still allowed on Next.
privatewarrior1 said:
ATT will begin offering wireless customers the option to forgo contracts and get more frequent upgrades if they pay full price for their smartphones, allowing the carrier to cut back on the profit-sapping cost of subsidizing devices like the iPhone.
ATT is beginning a program later this month for subscribers to buy their phones using a monthly financing plan that will add payments to their monthly bills. After a year, they will be allowed to trade in the device for a new one. Under the new option, called AT&T Next, there are no service contracts other than the financing commitment. It is available for tablets as well.
So for a $650/20 months we get almost $35 per month added to your bill. what do you guys think: is it worth it?
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Hmm. I think I'd go for it.
I don't particularly care to wait two years for a new phone. I get tired of phones after 8 months.
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I've never had to wait 2 years for a phone upgrade; usually, after about 12 months, I have been able to call and ask nicely for an upgrade, so, I would NEVER go for this...ATT gets more than enough of our hard earned cash, why give them more???
So when you first buy a phone...you are paying a subsidized price, and that amount is "hidden" in your monthly fee...now they want you to pay another fee...then get a phone...then pay more on top of that?? Makes no sense to me. I'd rather buy a new phone outright on a no-interest credit card or something..shoot maybe even just save up for it. I've even wheeled and dealed my phones on Craigslist...Is business really that bad that carriers are trying to nickel and dime people for everything? 20 months was fine. Gave you time to make a choice on what you wanted instead of paying an arm and a leg when you get that itch to change. Oh well, to each their own. I definitely won't be taking advantage of this new option.
I guess ATT (and eventually Verizon) feel the need to come up with some new razzle dazzle to make people think they are getting something similar to what t-mobile is offering. You are correct, when you do the math, this new "special" program is nothing more than another way for ATT to take money out of your pocket.
Carriers ALWAYS try and nickle and dime the public out of every possible dollar they can, and most of these new "special" deals, aren't special for anyone except ATT executives, and stock holders...
privatewarrior1 said:
ATT will begin offering wireless customers the option to forgo contracts and get more frequent upgrades if they pay full price for their smartphones, allowing the carrier to cut back on the profit-sapping cost of subsidizing devices like the iPhone.
ATT is beginning a program later this month for subscribers to buy their phones using a monthly financing plan that will add payments to their monthly bills. After a year, they will be allowed to trade in the device for a new one. Under the new option, called AT&T Next, there are no service contracts other than the financing commitment. It is available for tablets as well.
So for a $650/20 months we get almost $35 per month added to your bill. what do you guys think: is it worth it?
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you paid $199 for note 2, one year later you sell the phone for $300 (min). then you spend $350 on another phone. total is 199+350=550
with new plan. one year you pay 650/20*12=390, second year you pay 390. total 780.
you know what you should do.
This is a bit tricky.
Say for the Note 2 you paid 199 + locked into a contract. The price isn't actually subsidized into the cost of your monthly contract, rather the cost is the ASSURANCE that you'll be locked into a contract for 2 years. The amount of your monthly bill can go up/down obviously, and you won't find a line on your bill stating "monthly phone subsidized fee".
My take on this new program is that there will be a line listing the cost of your phone bundled into your monthly fee, without a contract locking you in for 2 years.
Difference is that if you're insane, you can get a different phone 12 months down the line, and split that new cost into your existing monthly bill. This allows you to theoretically have the cost of the new phone added onto the bill in addition to the cost of the old phone.
This isn't much of a deal if you're getting a high end smartphone at 6-700 bucks, but a pretty good deal if it's a lower end or less expensive phone.
vista1984 said:
you paid $199 for note 2, one year later you sell the phone for $300 (min). then you spend $350 on another phone. total is 199+350=550
with new plan. one year you pay 650/20*12=390, second year you pay 390. total 780.
you know what you should do.
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This here^^^^^^^
This is what AT&T stated:
The monthly installments will run between $15 and $50, depending on the phone, and are a function of evenly dividing the full retail price of the phone by 20 months.
By way of example, AT&T says, a Samsung Galaxy S4 in Next will cost $32 a month on top of your monthly service plan. You'll be able to trade it in and upgrade after 12 payments, or pay it off in full after 20 months. That's based on the full $639 purchase price of a 16GB model.
Just my 2¢®
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vista1984 said:
you paid $199 for note 2, one year later you sell the phone for $300 (min). then you spend $350 on another phone. total is 199+350=550
with new plan. one year you pay 650/20*12=390, second year you pay 390. total 780.
you know what you should do.
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Slight correction. Second year you'd be paying 260, not 390. The split is over 20 months remember.
apallohadas said:
Slight correction. Second year you'd be paying 260, not 390. The split is over 20 months remember.
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if you get a new phone, the 20 months term will start over again. my calculation is based on the assumption that we buy new phone every year.
vista1984 said:
if you get a new phone, the 20 months term will start over again. my calculation is based on the assumption that we buy new phone every year.
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I'm just guessing here, but I think that if you buy another phone right at the first 12 month point, they'll stack that with (on top of) the existing cost of the old phone. So you'll be paying monthly + old phone + new phone, instead of month + new phone.
If they give you a buyout amount to totally pay off the old phone, that might work better.
Another thing that we haven't really considered are the extra fee (if any) revolving around the extended cost of the phone. Is there a service fee for this 'loan'? I mean, that's what it is after all. It's like a mortgage for your phone.
apallohadas said:
I'm just guessing here, but I think that if you buy another phone right at the first 12 month point, they'll stack that with (on top of) the existing cost of the old phone. So you'll be paying monthly + old phone + new phone, instead of month + new phone.
If they give you a buyout amount to totally pay off the old phone, that might work better.
Another thing that we haven't really considered are the extra fee (if any) revolving around the extended cost of the phone. Is there a service fee for this 'loan'? I mean, that's what it is after all. It's like a mortgage for your phone.
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the new plan, my understanding is that when we have a new phone with this plan, we only need to pay for monthly phone payment, after one year, we can choose either keep the phone and pay for the remaining 8 months (after that the phone is yours), or, upgrade to a new phone and pay for the new phone's monthly payment again (20 months term reset).
so basically every 12 months you can upgrade with no cost, by keeping paying 650/20 each months. convenient for lazy people i think.
monthly service bill won't be affected (call+text+data).
yeah, there might be service fee for every upgrade too.
vista1984 said:
the new plan, my understanding is that when we have a new phone with this plan, we only need to pay for monthly phone payment, after one year, we can choose either keep the phone and pay for the remaining 8 months (after that the phone is yours), or, upgrade to a new phone and pay for the new phone's monthly payment again (20 months term reset).
so basically every 12 months you can upgrade with no cost, by keeping paying 650/20 each months. convenient for lazy people i think.
monthly service bill won't be affected (call+text+data).
yeah, there might be service fee for every upgrade too.
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I thought they said no upgrade fee.
Sent from the TermiNOTEr 2!
Bsmith0731 said:
I get tired of phones after 8 months.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using xda app-developers app
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Who doesn't man?
wase4711 said:
I've never had to wait 2 years for a phone upgrade; usually, after about 12 months, I have been able to call and ask nicely for an upgrade, so, I would NEVER go for this...ATT gets more than enough of our hard earned cash, why give them more???
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which department do you ask? and do you get any discounts on top of that?
privatewarrior1 said:
Who doesn't man?
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I'll say.
I was getting tired of my note but I switched over to an aosp based rom and my excitement has been renewed, for how long, who knows.
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vista1984 said:
the new plan, my understanding is that when we have a new phone with this plan, we only need to pay for monthly phone payment, after one year, we can choose either keep the phone and pay for the remaining 8 months (after that the phone is yours), or, upgrade to a new phone and pay for the new phone's monthly payment again (20 months term reset).
so basically every 12 months you can upgrade with no cost, by keeping paying 650/20 each months. convenient for lazy people i think.
monthly service bill won't be affected (call+text+data).
yeah, there might be service fee for every upgrade too.
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Click to collapse
Well when you upgrade your line you have to do one of two things: either you trade in your old phone (I am assuming it should be in good condition otherwise they will charge you for it) or you can keep your phone and pay the balance left to pay it off.
ATT is marketing the deal like its doing us a favor saying they got rid of the $35 upgrade fee, yet they will charge us the same amount each month for the next 20.
I wonder how many will fall for this?
privatewarrior1 said:
which department do you ask? and do you get any discounts on top of that?
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I ask for retention, since they can make decisions no other department can...
the last 2 early upgrades I got were for 2 Gnote2's; one was about 4 months ago, and then the other one was about 1 month ago; I was less than 12 months in on both of these phone contracts when I called.
The first one I got for 299, less 6 months of unlimited texting credit(180 dollars, so the net was 119. They waived the activation fee on that one...
The most recent one,was 199, about a month ago, and they did charge me activation, but I called when the bill came and asked them to waive it, and they did!
The only take away from this is that you need to ask for an early upgrade, and if you are a good customer,(I have 3 lines,) ALWAYS pay your bill on time, and dont ask for all sorts of crazy stuff, there is a very good chance you can get an upgrade after 8-12 months...the "sales" department, usually cant do these kinds of things, thats why you have to get to retention....
apallohadas said:
I'm just guessing here, but I think that if you buy another phone right at the first 12 month point, they'll stack that with (on top of) the existing cost of the old phone. So you'll be paying monthly + old phone + new phone, instead of month + new phone.
If they give you a buyout amount to totally pay off the old phone, that might work better.
Another thing that we haven't really considered are the extra fee (if any) revolving around the extended cost of the phone. Is there a service fee for this 'loan'? I mean, that's what it is after all. It's like a mortgage for your phone.
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Correction: when you get a new phone after 12 months, you trade in old phone buy new phone and start over. The old phone bill is canceled. With Att Next, you no longer own the phone, it's a "lease phone". The tricky part is now rooting and unlocked bootloader will be difficult decisions because the phone must be in good satisfactory condition on all levels
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T-Mobile Rebate?

Anybody else taking advantage of the $325 T-Mobile rebate? With new phone deals as rare as they are these days, I jumped on that ****! After 18 years with AT&T (well, it was Pacific Bell then Cingular THEN AT&T), I'm moving to T-Mobile and saving $100 across 5 lines, plus everyone has unlimited voice/text/data, PLUS free Netflix, AND a $325 rebate on the Pixel 2 XL.
I'm going to switch from Verizon to T-Mobile and get this deal. I would not have been able to justify the cost of a Pixel 2 XL 128 GB otherwise.
T-Mobile Promotion: Google Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL
You mean this one? OMG, that deal is so sweet, makes me so envy on your guys in US...
It really isn't a deal for existing customers. Every new promotion T-MOBILE implements, it ignores existing customers.
so the terms do not say if or how long you have to stay with them. as they have no contracts can you switch a couple months later??? also does their senior discount plan qualify for this promotion?? i am on fi averaging less than $40 a month,on the senior plan it would be $50 by myself but unlimited everything.​
kid1da said:
It really isn't a deal for existing customers. Every new promotion T-MOBILE implements, it ignores existing customers.
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That’s not true. If you’re an existing customer and your port over the phone on a new line you get the deal. As I’m just swapping out my old phone and replacing it with the pixel 2XL I will not. If I added a line I would have
AndreaCristiano said:
That’s not true. If you’re an existing customer and your port over the phone on a new line you get the deal. As I’m just swapping out my old phone and replacing it with the pixel 2XL I will not. If I added a line I would have
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This statement is sort of contradicting. If I'm an existing customer with 2 lines on a family plan, why would I want to create a new line? I have to create and pay for a new line, just to get a deal? That doesn't help me in any way. T-MOBILE isn't allowing people to do what they did last year. Some were able to use the promotion with a current line, but if I have to create a new line this isn't a deal.
kid1da said:
This statement is sort of contradicting. If I'm an existing customer with 2 lines on a family plan, why would I want to create a new line? I have to create and pay for a new line, just to get a deal? That doesn't help me in any way. T-MOBILE isn't allowing people to do what they did last year. Some were able to use the promotion with a current line, but if I have to create a new line this isn't a deal.
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its not contradicting at all. he said it wasn't available to existing customers. I explained it is and this is what you have to do. You not wanting to do it is your prerogative.
AndreaCristiano said:
its not contradicting at all. he said it wasn't available to existing customers. I explained it is and this is what you have to do. You not wanting to do it is your prerogative.
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At the end of the day, the average existing TMobile customer isn't going to take this deal. It holds minimal value. It's only used to sway Verizon customers to T-MOBILE.
kid1da said:
At the end of the day, the average existing TMobile customer isn't going to take this deal. It holds minimal value. It's only used to sway Verizon customers to T-MOBILE.
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true but it is still available and some may take advantage of it depending on their needs etc
I'm considering this deal as well. Looks like it's effectively a $169 rebate. My take on what I've read you have to keep your TMO line for 2 months, the cheapest plan is SC unlimited at $65/mo, plus there is a $25 fee for a SIM card. After 2 months you get a prepaid debit card with $324 on it. So $324 - $65 - $65 - $25 = $169. A hassle, but maybe worth $169.
It's not worth it to me, since I currently pay $40 per month, unlimited everything, with MetroPCS. If I switch to Tmobile, that bill goes up to $70 per month, so after the 10th month, it's no longer a good deal for me.
if you do the math, a new line will cost 40-50$ on a family plan depending on which t-mo family plan you're already on.
Do the math and over time you're paying for the phone all over again just to add a new line
AndreaCristiano said:
its not contradicting at all. he said it wasn't available to existing customers. I explained it is and this is what you have to do. You not wanting to do it is your prerogative.
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He didn't say that at all. He said "It really isn't a deal for existing customers" as in it's not something an existing customer would want to do. Everyone can take advantage of the deal, but it wasn't designed for current customers. Anyways, it likely has the same terms and conditions as when they had the BOGO LG G6 deal... You must add a new line, but you're ineligible if you had cancelled a line X amount of months prior and you cannot cancel a line for X amount of months after. Any other previous deals that they've made for existing customers required that they change their plans to the new T-Mobile ONE plan. Those of us who are grandfathered in pay less for unlimited than those on the ONE plan and they often do deals to try to entice their grandfathered customers to switch to the new plan.
I am doing this deal, I already have a family plan with 5 lines, so adding a new line will only cost $10 a month with kickback credit. After I get the rebate I will cancel the line.
Im on cricket now and I am going to take advantage of this offer. Some "free" money and i get to see the true speed of the phone, signal wise. Has anyone initiated this deal yet or do we need the phone in hand? I believe it only asks for proof of purchase?
I think its only for the one unlimited plan which is 70$ a month.. what if i dont want the sim card..lol company pays for my phone but saving a buck im good with... They only pay for srrvice
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---------- Post added at 10:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 PM ----------
Just went online.. 75$ a month and 100$ at checkout with no credit check
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If you enable autopay it brings it down to $70, and if you use less than 2 GB, they give you a $10 "kickback" credit. If you are a Costco member they don't charge for sim cards
I am going to add a line to get this deal. I really don't need the new line so once I get the master card I am going to cancel it
If on a family plan, adding a line is only $10-$20 a month. If you have it for 1 month for the gift card to ship, it's not much. Once it shows shipped online, you can cancel. Customer service usually will waive sim card fees as well. Not bad to get $325 back.

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