950 - AT&T or unlocked, what's the difference

[Skyway]

True, but with the added monthly phone payment added to it, it ends up being around that same amount anyway. Besides, AT&T likes to "price adjust" in their favor to offset the costs that you "think" you're saving, so you probably end up getting screwed either way. I'm sure most everyone on here would agree that AT&T (or any other phone company), couldn't give two sh!ts whether the consumer is getting a good deal or not. All they want is their money, and they're not real worried about hiding that notion from us anymore. I just don't trust those NEXT plans, but I did see that you said you were going to be getting the 950 on the NEXT plan when they came out. I'd definitely be interested to see how that goes for you, and what actual fees they tack on to your bill. I want to get one too, and I definitely don't want to pay $550 for one (especially this close to Xmas), but from my research, it seems like the best way to go....for me at least. Please keep us posted after you get it.

I am currently using an HTC M8 (android) that I got through ATT Next. Personally I think it is a lot better than 2 year contracts (buying outright saves you money, it's just too much for me upfront).

The way they used to do it was you would pay somewhere around $150-200 for a flagship phone with a 2 year contract. If it was a $600 phone, they don't sell it to you for 200 and then eat the cost, the rest is subsidized into your monthly bill. The problem was that when you finally did pay off the phone, your monthly bill WOULDN'T go down. They also buried the phone payments so you had no idea that you were even paying that (a lot of my friends and family didn't understand or believe this is how it was).

The Next contract works a lot better imo. You don't have a contract on your service plan, just on your phone. You pay taxes up front, nothing else. No activation fee, nothing. If you want to pay it off early, you can, and then you own your phone outright and can do whatever you want with it. When you pay off the phone, your phone contract is done and your monthly bill is now $25(or whatever your phone payment was) cheaper. The installment plan is also interest free.

 

[smf98aggie]

Hmm....I may have to give that another thought then. My only problem is that my wife pays our phone bill, so she may get pissed if I add another $25-30/month onto the bill. lol ;D

I am currently using an HTC M8 (android) that I got through ATT Next. Personally I think it is a lot better than 2 year contracts (buying outright saves you money, it's just too much for me upfront).

The way they used to do it was you would pay somewhere around $150-200 for a flagship phone with a 2 year contract. If it was a $600 phone, they don't sell it to you for 200 and then eat the cost, the rest is subsidized into your monthly bill. The problem was that when you finally did pay off the phone, your monthly bill WOULDN'T go down. They also buried the phone payments so you had no idea that you were even paying that (a lot of my friends and family didn't understand or believe this is how it was).

The Next contract works a lot better imo. You don't have a contract on your service plan, just on your phone. You pay taxes up front, nothing else. No activation fee, nothing. If you want to pay it off early, you can, and then you own your phone outright and can do whatever you want with it. When you pay off the phone, your phone contract is done and your monthly bill is now $25(or whatever your phone payment was) cheaper. The installment plan is also interest free.

 

[Skyway]

Hmm....I may have to give that another thought then. My only problem is that my wife pays our phone bill, so she may get pissed if I add another $25-30/month onto the bill. lol ;D

Yea, she might not be too happy about that lol.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[pankaj981]

Well Next may be better than the traditional 2 year contract but how would you justify AT&T not pushing an update after 2 years for a flagship device whereas all other variants of the same phone are getting updates around the globe (before you say Insider I would like to clarify that firmware DOES make a huge difference)? And this is true for other carrier-Android-variants too (including flagships). The only difference between other manufactures and MS is MS is dedicated to push OS/firmware updates even after 3 years which most other manufacturers don't provide to even 1 year old phones. The ONLY manufacturer that wins here is Apple. If I would pay 600+ for a flagship I would rather buy it unlocked so I own it and not some carrier. Besides there are plenty of ways to buy the phone for a payment plan (sort of) on 0% interest but one has to explore such options. I really hope as MS starts exploring with high-end products they do tie up with financing companies to come up with affordable payment options, similar to how Apple does with Barclays.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Well Next may be better than the traditional 2 year contract but how would you justify AT&T not pushing an update after 2 years for a flagship device whereas all other variants of the same phone are getting updates around the globe (before you say Insider I would like to clarify that firmware DOES make a huge difference)? And this is true for other carrier-Android-variants too (including flagships). The only difference between other manufactures and MS is MS is dedicated to push OS/firmware updates even after 3 years which most other manufacturers don't provide to even 1 year old phones. The ONLY manufacturer that wins here is Apple. If I would pay 600+ for a flagship I would rather buy it unlocked so I own it and not some carrier. Besides there are plenty of ways to buy the phone for a payment plan (sort of) on 0% interest but one has to explore such options. I really hope as MS starts exploring with high-end products they do tie up with financing companies to come up with affordable payment options, similar to how Apple does with Barclays.

Not to mention, Next seems to require a commitment to use AT&T for a long time (varies by Next plan but always a LONG time). Next vs. unlocked is like: Judge says "30 dollars fine or 30 days in jail." Next customer says: "I'll take the 30 days for sure"!

WAKE UP people.

 

[Skyway]

Not to mention, Next seems to require a commitment to use AT&T for a long time (varies by Next plan but always a LONG time). Next vs. unlocked is like: Judge says "30 dollars fine or 30 days in jail." Next customer says: "I'll take the 30 days for sure"!

WAKE UP people.

No, Next would be like this: judge says you have a fine. You can pay it upfront or you can make payments. If you pay upfront, it only costs you $30, if you make payments, it's going to cost $35.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[PepperdotNet]

No, Next would be like this: judge says you have a fine. You can pay it upfront or you can make payments. If you pay upfront, it only costs you $30, if you make payments, it's going to cost $35.

No, it would be a fine (full price) or a fine (initial down payment + fees) AND time in jail (length of time you can't switch carriers).

 

[Skyway]

No, it would be a fine (full price) or a fine (initial down payment + fees) AND time in jail (length of time you can't switch carriers).

I can switch carriers any time I want by paying off my devices. We're talking about Next, not a 2 year contract. There is no down payment on Next. The payments are also interest free.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[HoosierDaddy]

No, Next would be like this: judge says you have a fine. You can pay it upfront or you can make payments. If you pay upfront, it only costs you $30, if you make payments, it's going to cost $35.

No its like that EXCEPT you stay in jail while you make the payments! LoL

 

[Skyway]

No its like that EXCEPT you stay in jail while you make the payments! LoL

Ok, that sounds a little better. But honestly if you have no intention of switching carriers (like me), then it isn't really a jail. It's only holding you back if you want to/have to switch carriers.

 

[RumoredNow]

No its like that EXCEPT you stay in jail while you make the payments! LoL

Ok, that sounds a little better.

Not to me. :winktongue:


If this were sent from my phone it would have been sent from a purchased outright phone on an mvno not beholden to anyone for anything in terms of phone or service.

 

[Skyway]

Not to me. :winktongue:


If this were sent from my phone it would have been sent from a purchased outright phone on an mvno not beholden to anyone for anything in terms of phone or service.

But you payed more for your phone than I will for mine

I am gonna trade my M8 in for the 950, and I still owe like $200 on it. So I didn't even pay full price for the phone and I got to use it for a year and half. Sure I have to trade it in, but with a shiny new 950, who cares?

 

[RumoredNow]

But you payed more for your phone than I will for mine

Did I? How?

I got my 1520.3 outright for $485.

And I never paid ATT rates so I saved every month.

But just on the phone - they (ATT) are getting all the msrp out of you, just over time. If you trade in before all payments on NEXT, maybe you save. But you are stuck on the Hampster Wheel of being tied to a carrier on their terms... It is not indentured servitude, but indentured servicetude. And as for your Next trade in value. I can sell my phone anytime I want and cash out that way.

Please provide me with some math to show where I paid more.

 

[RumoredNow]

I got my 1520.3 outright for $485.

FWIW, I also got more phone. My 1520 has 32GB internal storage, most ATT 1520s have 16. My 1520 has Qi wireless charging. ATT 1520s need an expensive, hard to find add on case to charge wirelessly. My 1520 had an extra frequency enabled on the 3G radio in addition to the all the same frequencies on all radios that ATT 1520s got. My 1520 was ready for any SIM at moment one and I never had to ask anyone can I please use my phone...

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Ok, that sounds a little better. But honestly if you have no intention of switching carriers (like me), then it isn't really a jail. It's only holding you back if you want to/have to switch carriers.

Ever date someone you thought you'd stay with for at least x months? Did it always turn out that way?

In the long run its the ones who avoid more miscalculations or unnecessary risks who come out ahead. You may be as unlikely to switch carriers in the next x months as you are to die in a car crash. Doesn't mean you shouldn't wear a seat belt or should commit to payments you don't need to. But I'll defend your right to do either.

 

[Skyway]

Did I? How?
Please provide me with some math to show where I paid more.

If you trade in before all payments on NEXT, maybe you save.

Let's say you bought an unlocked phone for $600. You are paying full price right off the bat. If I use next on the same phone, I pay nothing up front and make payments over time, but the payments equate to about $50 more, so $650. Let's say I trade in my phone with $250 still left on the contract.

You paid: $600

I paid:
$650-250=$400

Now like I said, you still get your phone and can now sell it to put towards the purchase of your next phone, but who says it's worth very much when you do decide to sell and upgrade? You have to sell it (which takes up your time and what happens if you can't sell it for 6 months?) and hope that you got enough out of it. Then when you upgrade, you still have buy an unlocked phone and pay full price. I just have to trade in my device and pick my next one, nothing up front but taxes.

Each has it's own merits, I'm not saying anyone is better. Everyone is going to have to decide what option is best for them. It's just ignorant to say things like 'wake up people' to those of us who choose Next.

Not trying to argue, so no need to get hostile. This is just the way I look at it. I'm sure some of you are going to come back with all sorts of reasons why the option you chose is better. Next works great for me and many others, unlocked works for you and many others. To each their own.

 

[RumoredNow]

You forgot what I saved on service that whole time.

I didn't think I was being hostile so much as making my point.

If you read any hostility into it, that would just be my evangelical conviction. Sorry if the tone seemed hostile.

 

[MiloTheOne]

Let's say you bought an unlocked phone for $600. You are paying full price right off the bat. If I use next on the same phone, I pay nothing up front and make payments over time, but the payments equate to about $50 more, so $650. Let's say I trade in my phone with $250 still left on the contract.

You paid: $600

I paid:
$650-250=$400

Now like I said, you still get your phone and can now sell it to put towards the purchase of your next phone, but who says it's worth very much when you do decide to sell and upgrade? You have to sell it (which takes up your time and what happens if you can't sell it for 6 months?) and hope that you got enough out of it. Then when you upgrade, you still have buy an unlocked phone and pay full price. I just have to trade in my device and pick my next one, nothing up front but taxes.

Each has it's own merits, I'm not saying anyone is better. Everyone is going to have to decide what option is best for them. It's just ignorant to say things like 'wake up people' to those of us who choose Next.

Not trying to argue, so no need to get hostile. This is just the way I look at it. I'm sure some of you are going to come back with all sorts of reasons why the option you chose is better. Next works great for me and many others, unlocked works for you and many others. To each their own.

On the Next 12 at 29.95 it's roughly $600.00 if you complete the full 20 month cycle. I'm sticking to Next and eliminating the bloatware, on windows phones it's easier than others to remove.

 

[Skyway]

You forgot what I saved on service that whole time.

I didn't think I was being hostile so much as making my point.

If you read any hostility into it, that would just be my evangelical conviction. Sorry if the tone seemed hostile.

What service did you save on? Do you not have a service plan with an unlocked phone?

I didn't read any hostility in your post, I just wanted to make sure my post wasn't read as hostile lol. All good, no worries here!

 

[Skyway]

On the Next 12 at 29.95 it's roughly $600.00 if you complete the full 20 month cycle. I'm sticking to Next and eliminating the bloatware, on windows phones it's easier than others to remove.

I was just using that number hypothetically. I wasn't referring to the 950.