I don't get iPhone 5

[Paperlantern]

AT&T is $30/mo (or $360/year) for 3GB (Each GB over that is $10 mo. I believe).

I seemingly use a butt-load of data and rarely go over 2GB a month.

I still do not see how the math works out for paying full price for a phone, especially for those who do it and use Verizon or AT&T or just to keep "unlimited" data.

MotionMan

That's data only though is it not? Your voice is another charge monthly, no? The third party carriers are $50/mo for unlimited talk, text and data. The $199 price of the phone from ATT/Verizon is contingent on signing for a service plan for all of those things for 24 months. Totaling at least $70 a month. Even in your situation you could break even at saving $20 a month and saving $480 over the course of the 24 months.

Honestly it doesn't make sense to do stay with a major carrier (unless someone is hard pressed to keep their unlimited data plan, and I can only see this if they really do use more than 2 or 3GB a month), because you're right, the cost does NOT offset, as I said previously, the appeal comes from moving to a carrier that can get you a price for everything that is $45 or $50 a month. Saving you at least as much, if not more than the cost of the phone, and giving you the freedom of no contract.

 

[MotionMan]

That's data only though is it not? Your voice is another charge monthly, no? The third party carriers are $50/mo for unlimited talk, text and data. The $199 price of the phone from ATT/Verizon is contingent on signing for a service plan for all of those things for 24 months. Totaling at least $70 a month. Even in your situation you could break even at saving $20 a month and saving $480 over the course of the 24 months.

Honestly it doesn't make sense to do stay with a major carrier (unless someone is hard pressed to keep their unlimited data plan, and I can only see this if they really do use more than 2 or 3GB a month), because you're right, the cost does NOT offset, as I said previously, the appeal comes from moving to a carrier that can get you a price for everything that is $45 or $50 a month. Saving you at least as much, if not more than the cost of the phone, and giving you the freedom of no contract.

Maybe I dont get it because I don't plan on leaving AT&T in the foreseeable future.

If I pay $200 for a phone and $60/mo over 24 months, that means my cost is $1,640.

If someone pays $650 for a phone, he would have to get a plan for $41/mo to break even with my plan. Is that what people are getting? Where do you get your voice/text/data for <$41/mo?

MotionMan

 

[kjknight]

Maybe I dont get it because I don't plan on leaving AT&T in the foreseeable future.

If I pay $200 for a phone and $60/mo over 24 months, that means my cost is $1,640.

If someone pays $650 for a phone, he would have to get a plan for $41/mo to break even with my plan. Is that what people are getting? Where do you get your voice/text/data for <$41/mo?

MotionMan

It depends on what people need. You are satisfied with att and you're plan. A subsidized phone works for your plan since you incur no costs. Some people are grandfathered in unlimited data plans and using an upgrade removed them from unlimited data. Obviously, if they don't use enough data, it is kind of pointless. There are others who prefer to be contract free because they can switch carriers without an etf.

I fall in the 3rd category. I use TMobile's prepaid service. I pay $30 a month for unlimited text and data with 100 minutes. I don't use voice that often so it is the perfect plan for me. TMobile also has good coverage in St. Louis. Changing to att, Verizon, TMobile, or sprint postpaid for a subsidized phone nets me less money since they don't offer a plan at a similar price.

 

[TheStu]

Maybe I dont get it because I don't plan on leaving AT&T in the foreseeable future.

If I pay $200 for a phone and $60/mo over 24 months, that means my cost is $1,640.

If someone pays $650 for a phone, he would have to get a plan for $41/mo to break even with my plan. Is that what people are getting? Where do you get your voice/text/data for <$41/mo?

MotionMan

How are you only paying $60/mo for your service? Family Plan + Corporate Discount? Of so, then you are right, the system is working for you. I pay something like $80/mo for my service, and that is after my discount. So I can save $35-40/mo by switching to pre-paid. I'll save $420-480 in just the first year. I can get a used previous generation smart phone for less than that once my iPhone 4 gets too long in the tooth.

A couple years ago, when pre-paid was highly limited, if you wanted the latest and greatest devices, your only options were to stick with the bigs. But now you can get good pre-paid service, with good devices, with more options... for a lot of people (myself included) it makes a lot of sense (and cents... get it? I'm punny that way)

 

[Oyeve]

Waiting to upgrade. I want Apple to address the 'purple haze' camera issue and the scratching on the anodized aluminum.

Then a long wait you have. There is nothing to be done.

 

[Tegeril]

How are you only paying $60/mo for your service? Family Plan + Corporate Discount? Of so, then you are right, the system is working for you. I pay something like $80/mo for my service, and that is after my discount. So I can save $35-40/mo by switching to pre-paid. I'll save $420-480 in just the first year. I can get a used previous generation smart phone for less than that once my iPhone 4 gets too long in the tooth.

A couple years ago, when pre-paid was highly limited, if you wanted the latest and greatest devices, your only options were to stick with the bigs. But now you can get good pre-paid service, with good devices, with more options... for a lot of people (myself included) it makes a lot of sense (and cents... get it? I'm punny that way)

I'm in the same situation as he is. My monthly is $59.xx + a few incidental text message fees. I have 450 mins/mo, 'unlimited' data plan, no texts, 15% corp discount. AT&T not forcing unlimited texting on me has been a great money savings thanks to iMessage.

 

[TheStu]

I'm in the same situation as he is. My monthly is $59.9x + a few incidental text message fees. I have 450 mins/mo, 'unlimited' data plan, no texts, 15% corp discount. AT&T not forcing unlimited texting on me has been a great money savings thanks to iMessage.

I am on AT&T, have 1000 text ($10), 450 min ($40) and 2GB data ($25) and I think insurance ($8). I have a 15% discount, and then there are taxes. How is your bill $25 less than mine if the only differences are the texts and the insurance?

 

[Oyeve]

I am on AT&T, have 1000 text ($10), 450 min ($40) and 2GB data ($25) and I think insurance ($8). I have a 15% discount, and then there are taxes. How is your bill $25 less than mine if the only differences are the texts and the insurance?

You guys are getting ripped. I'm on T-Mobile with two lines 1000 mins unlimited text and data (both phones get 5gb each then throttled ) and I pay 110.

 

[Tegeril]

My mistake, I was not including taxes, here's the complete breakdown:

Nation 450 with Rollover:      39.99
Data Unlimited for iPhone 4S:  30.00
National Account Discount:    -10.50
Fed. Universal Svc Charge:      1.61
Regulator Cost Recovery:        0.61
9-1-1 Service Fee:              0.75
MA State Telecom Tax:           2.53

Total:                         64.99

Then add a couple random texts for a dollar or two per month. Everything else is iMessage.

Oyeve: I don't consider this getting ripped. This same plan will carry over to the iPhone 5 where I will have LTE (Oct 8!). It also costs only a bit more than half of your plan and I get a provider with better nationwide coverage for HSPA+ and LTE. I have 4510 rollover minutes currently and wouldn't ever use that many minutes.

 

[AzNKiD]

Maybe I dont get it because I don't plan on leaving AT&T in the foreseeable future.

If I pay $200 for a phone and $60/mo over 24 months, that means my cost is $1,640.

If someone pays $650 for a phone, he would have to get a plan for $41/mo to break even with my plan. Is that what people are getting? Where do you get your voice/text/data for <$41/mo?

MotionMan

can you give us more detail on how you were able to reduce your price to $60 per month because most people are paying closer to $80 per month on contract plans.

anyways, contract plans also have taxes while prepaid doesnt. In your example, $60 + taxes equal around 65 per month. 65 * 24 = 1560 + 200 = $1760 2years. I paid 650 for my gnex tax free since import, and I got the $30 tmobile plan. 30 * 24 = 720 + 650 = $1370 for 2 years. Now if you do the math for the aveage consumer that pays for $80 per month you get 80 * 24 = 1920 + 200 = $2120 for two years.

 

[TheStu]

You guys are getting ripped. I'm on T-Mobile with two lines 1000 mins unlimited text and data (both phones get 5gb each then throttled ) and I pay 110.

T-Mobile doesn't support the devices I want, AT&T (which means Straight Talk) does. I have an iPhone 4, and don't want to be stuck on EDGE when I can pay $10 LESS than you (now who's getting ripped ) on Straight Talk.

My mistake, I was not including taxes, here's the complete breakdown:

Nation 450 with Rollover:      39.99
Data Unlimited for iPhone 4S:  30.00
National Account Discount:    -10.50
Fed. Universal Svc Charge:      1.61
Regulator Cost Recovery:        0.61
9-1-1 Service Fee:              0.75
MA State Telecom Tax:           2.53

Total:                         64.99

Then add a couple random texts for a dollar or two per month. Everything else is iMessage.

Oyeve: I don't consider this getting ripped. This same plan will carry over to the iPhone 5 where I will have LTE (Oct 8!). It also costs only a bit more than half of your plan and I get a provider with better nationwide coverage for HSPA+ and LTE. I have 4510 rollover minutes currently and wouldn't ever use that many minutes.

What's the per msg charge for txts? $0.20? Most of the people that I text are on iPhones but I still think I used 90 something texts last month.

Which, now that I think about it, seems really high.

Edit: Realized why, my bank texts me alerts and the like, and any number of other random things.

 

[Red Storm]

Maybe I dont get it because I don't plan on leaving AT&T in the foreseeable future.

If I pay $200 for a phone and $60/mo over 24 months, that means my cost is $1,640.

If someone pays $650 for a phone, he would have to get a plan for $41/mo to break even with my plan. Is that what people are getting? Where do you get your voice/text/data for <$41/mo?

I use more data per month than any current plan out there for Verizon, so my unlimited data plan (and it is truly unlimited, not AT&T's 5GB throttle cap) is worth a whole lot to me, because there's nothing else that can compete with it.

I don't care if someone else offers 1GB/2GB/3GB/4GB for less, the low cap is already a deal breaker.

 

[Naeeldar]

I use more data per month than any current plan out there for Verizon, so my unlimited data plan (and it is truly unlimited, not AT&T's 5GB throttle cap) is worth a whole lot to me, because there's nothing else that can compete with it.

I don't care if someone else offers 1GB/2GB/3GB/4GB for less, the low cap is already a deal breaker.

How do you use that much data on a phone?

 

[Oyeve]

T-Mobile doesn't support the devices I want, AT&T (which means Straight Talk) does. I have an iPhone 4, and don't want to be stuck on EDGE when I can pay $10 LESS than you (now who's getting ripped ) on Straight Talk.
.

My cost is for two phones tho.

 

[Tegeril]

TheStu, yeah it's $0.20. I think I had $4 in texts from the last bill. It's never even approached $10 and the only plan available to 4S and newer devices is unlimited for $20/mo. Prior to dropping my text plan I had the 200 for $5 plan.

 

[Tegeril]

My cost is for two phones tho.

He factored that in. StraightTalk plans are unlimited everything for $45/mo (110/2 - 10). You can have greater savings if you pre-pay in larger blocks too.

 

[TheStu]

TheStu, yeah it's $0.20. I think I had $4 in texts from the last bill. It's never even approached $10 and the only plan available to 4S and newer devices is unlimited for $20/mo. Prior to dropping my text plan I had the 200 for $5 plan.

Well, you grandfathered your unlimited data, I grandfathered 1000 txt. So there. But honestly, I am coming ahead on the text issue, it used to be hundreds every month, but then iMessage happened.

He factored that in. StraightTalk plans are unlimited everything for $45/mo (110/2 - 10). You can have greater savings if you pre-pay in larger blocks too.

You don't start seeing any real savings unless you pre-pay for the whole year.

 

[Tegeril]

I tried to carry my text plan forward but they said no :'(

If you get a 4S or 5, I think you're gonna lose it.

 

[ColdFusion718]

I don't get the math of buying a phone for full price.

If you buy a phone for $199 with a 2 year contract, paying $X a month for service, you pay $Y over 24 months.

If you buy a phone for $600-$800 without a 2 year contract, paying $X a month for service, don't you pay more than $Y over 24 months?

MotionMan

MotionMan, I had to pay full price for the phone in order to keep my unlimited data plan. I use over 5GB a month on 3G. I'm up to 4GB now and I'm only 12 days into my billing cycle; extrapolating from that works out to be about 12GB per month. This is not including my wife's data usage, which is about 6GB a month on 3G (she's still on the iPhone 4 so no LTE for her).

Had I upgraded with the subsidized price on 10/06, I would have been moved to the share everything plan with 1GB for $20 more than price of my plan right now.

So let's say that we got the 10GB shared plan, it would cost $180+taxes/fees per month. They charge $15 per 1GB over. So let's say we collectively use 18GB per month. That's $180+taxes+fees + 8x$15 = $300 per month.

My bill works out to be about $116/month (taxes/fees included). Does it make sense now?

 

[Printer Bandit]

why do you use so much data per month? are you downloading torrents from your phone?

 

[Printer Bandit]

i was able to carry over the 200 txts for $5 and unlimited data on AT&T when i got my iphone 5.

 

[Tegeril]

i was able to carry over the 200 txts for $5 and unlimited data on AT&T when i got my iphone 5.

Maybe it was just a 4S thing --> http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/ne...iphone-4s-upgraders-into-new-messaging-plans/

AT&T is that awesome I wouldn't be surprised /s

 

[kyrax12]

Why don't you guys just use google voice or imessage to save money from texting plans?

 

[Tegeril]

I use Google Voice and iMessage. There are still people who can't be bothered to keep track of "oh that's his number for texting" that aren't on iOS devices.

 

[kyrax12]

I use Google Voice and iMessage. There are still people who can't be bothered to keep track of "oh that's his number for texting" that aren't on iOS devices.

Why don"t you just adopt google voice as a permanent number then?