How many plan "off contract" vs "on contract"?

[Astropin]

Just curious.

Looks like a lot of people buy off contract. I have never done it. What are the top reasons for doing so and what is the cost difference (over time)?

I'm on a "share everything" plan with 4 lines. I'm assuming it's a lot cheaper to remain on this plan vs going "no contract"?

 

[worldspy99]

Need more details.... I am on T-Mo and have always bought my phones outright after the first two that I got in 2004 and my contract has run out since 2005....

 

[palaudawg]

I buy off contract so as to not lose my unlimited data plan.

 

[jeffro02]

I buy on contract. I cant use T-mobile (reception issues) and At&t's no contract option are not any better than their contract options.

 

[mjrtoo]

I've bought on contract with ATT for the last 15 years or so, maybe more. And have never lost my unlimited data, I don't get why people say they do, because you don't.

 

[IdemanEric]

Just curious.

Looks like a lot of people buy off contract. I have never done it. What are the top reasons for doing so and what is the cost difference (over time)?

I'm on a "share everything" plan with 4 lines. I'm assuming it's a lot cheaper to remain on this plan vs going "no contract"?

I almost always buy off contract. Don't like to be a slave to the carrier and I want what I want - when I want it.

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[cj-m]

I travel a lot, so I prefer to be able to use various carriers/pay as you go plans in the countries where I stay the longest. I made the mistake of buying a "no contract" AT&T L900 and never again. Off contract phones, while more expensive in the short term, offer more flexibility.

 

[fonefan]

Just curious.

Looks like a lot of people buy off contract. I have never done it. What are the top reasons for doing so and what is the cost difference (over time)?

I'm on a "share everything" plan with 4 lines. I'm assuming it's a lot cheaper to remain on this plan vs going "no contract"?

This will be the first year I will be buying off-contract because I don't want to lose my unlimited data.

If you are with Verizon, you don't save any money buying off-contract because you'll be paying full price of the phone plus $40 line access fee plus the $ amount for how much data you choose.

Buying on-contract, you save the difference between full price of phone and the 2yr contract discount price. You still have to pay $40 monthly access fee plus $ amount of the data you choose.

A lot of Verizon customers who still have unlimited data are buying off-contract so they won't loose their unlimited data. The only time people buying off-contract save money is if they were to get more than 2gb of data on a 2yr contract.

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[neolp123]

Just curious.

Looks like a lot of people buy off contract. I have never done it. What are the top reasons for doing so and what is the cost difference (over time)?

I'm on a "share everything" plan with 4 lines. I'm assuming it's a lot cheaper to remain on this plan vs going "no contract"?

you can do the math... so lets consider you wanna buy iPhone 5s 16GB from Apple ... now that phone costs 650$ plus Tax... so lets say 700$. and you want data plan and calling, so that will cost you 50$ minimum.. so for 2 years you pay : 50 X 24 + 700 = 1900 $

Now lets consider you buy on Contract from AT&T... so you get the phone for 200$.. and you pay 60$ per month for 2 years ... which comes to : 60 X 24 + 200 = 1440 + 200 = 1640

so its not much of a difference over a period of 2 years span... now there are various various variables involved.. like which phone you wanna buy (expensive or cheap) , do you want a family plan , etc.

Pro's for Contract:
You know where to go when phone is damaged
Family plans are good to save money if you have friends/families on same network
One time payment of Phone is cheaper. As you get subsidized price

Cons:
You get stuck with same carrier for 2 or more years
Carriers update android phones very late

Thats all i can think of...

 

[Astropin]

T
A lot of Verizon customers who still have unlimited data are buying off-contract so they won't loose their unlimited data. The only time people buying off-contract save money is if they were to get more than 2gb of data on a 2yr contract.

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Yeah I let my "unlimited data plan" go. It was cheaper for me (& my family) to switch to the share everything plan with limited data. I was going over on voice minutes with the unlimited data plan I had and more often than not we use our data from a wi-fi connection so our actual usage is quite low. I actually use my phone to make and receive phone calls......unlike my kids :smile:

 

[Scorpio5x0]

I usually use an available upgrade from one of my other lines on the account, but I am currently out of upgrades till November. And since I can't use the upgrade on my line so that I dont lose my unlimited data, if I decide to get the Lumia Icon, I will have to pay off contract this time around.

 

[qwank]

so is Verizon not renewing unlimited data plans this time around? 20 months ago I was afraid i'd lose it but they told me as long as I keep renewing my contract I would never lose it.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

so is Verizon not renewing unlimited data plans this time around? 20 months ago I was afraid i'd lose it but they told me as long as I keep renewing my contract I would never lose it.

There is loophole available to keep it, but it requires more than one line on your account. And you can not use the available upgrade on the line with the unlimited data. Once you use it, you will lose unlimited and be automatically switched to a tiered data plan.

 

[mrlugo88]

I have 4 lines on my account. 2 are eligible for upgrade and don't have unlimited data so I'll be renewing the contract on one of them and get the Icon at the discounted price and switching it to my line. I don't plan on leaving Verizon any time soon so I don't mind signing a new two year contract and I get to keep my unlimited data. That's my plan.

 

[zekerrific]

There is loophole available to keep it, but it requires more than one line on your account. And you can not use the available upgrade on the line with the unlimited data. Once you use it, you will lose unlimited and be automatically switched to a tiered data plan.

Can you tell me how this "loophole" works?

 

[mtalinm]

Full price baby! Never giving up unlimited data. And, assuming that the Icon has AWS, we will be burning through much, much data...

 

[palandri]

I buy off off contract and I have stuck with unbranded and unlocked phones. My wife is French so we go to France a couple of times every year. I don't want to be in a situation where my phone can't be unlocked for 6 months and I don't like a lot of the garbage carriers load on your phone. I've used AT&T and T-Mobile over the years. I am currently back with T-Mobile.

 

[AV2RY]

As somebody mentioned above, I hate being slave on contract. And buying phone off contract have many benefits I think) I got my 928 from MS (before it was available in Verizon stores) and next day flew to Russia. And it worked great over there. I didn't not have LTE (its very limited there) but txt msg was working great. And now I'm on Tmobile. Everything works fine (no LTE &MMS - I don't need them)

I would love to buy 929 for its camera, but not for now, maybe later))

 

[worldspy99]

Can you tell me how this "loophole" works?

Get a smartphone on a dumb phone, then activate that smartphone on the smartphone line and reactivate your old dumb phone on the dumb phone line....works on VZW as far as I can tell, my colleague uses this and loves this option. I don't care about VZW and their atrocious prices!!

 

[fonefan]

Full price baby! Never giving up unlimited data. And, assuming that the Icon has AWS, we will be burning through much, much data...

They'll get rid of unlimited data eventually. They can pull it away from people off contract very easily. It's just a matter of time.

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