The AT&T Next Hustle
don.citarella.net
don.citarella.net
This is new/used car dealer tactics.
Next is effectively 0% installment loan for buying a new device with the (admittedly terrible) option of terminating the contract and returning the device for a new Next contract.
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If you make the final payment, and then choose to upgrade, do you get to keep the phone you've been paying for (i.e. an installment loan), or must you return it (aka, a lease)?
It's most likely a terrible idea to return the device instead of paying off and selling it, and AT&T probably makes free money from that, but the rest of the plan is pretty reasonable.
You are better off buying it somewhere else--even on a credit card--and staying on the old $15/mo contract.
Edit: Also note that you are only eligible for upgrading after 24 months if your phone is in good condition--no cracks, chips, etc. If your phone breaks not only do you have to buy a new one, but you have to keep paying for the old one for 30 months!
My friend's T-Mobile phone broke halfway through her installment plan. She had to buy a new one and still pay for her old, broken one for the next year.
Again, though, that's the same thing that happens if you break your phone on T-Mobile before 24 months if you don't have Jump, which not everyone has.
What I did was simply call and threaten to leave. They offered me over $400 in credits. During that call I found out I can get my normal line price by simply paying off my phones early. Note I had the 2 year contract when I upgraded. The plan was to pay them off once I went through my credit after 3 months and switch to cricket. When the time came I paid off my phones (2 phones at about $350 a piece + tax). When I called to pay them off the lady had to get a manager approval because she didn't know how to do it. Long story short I am not yet with cricket, because I can't find a cheap tablet only option (I travel a lot). This and other billing practices really put piss me off about att (combined billing)
It's six of us who share 20gigs a month. Each of us pays $50 a month for the data and unlimited text/talk. Further, we can upgrade annually by returning our phones in good condition (have an otter box so it's solid) and pay an upgrade fee.
I use about 6 gigs a month while the others about 2 gigs.
The "hustle" only shows up when you sign up for the incredibly expensive systems and then try to find a loophole.
For the same reason people very rarely pay cash for a house. They can't afford it.
The AT&T Next Plan is a reasonable compromise for people who want a new smartphone and cannot afford to pay 200-500$ up front.
The thing is they are pretty much forcing everyone into these plans by almost doubling the old plan prices. Plus the old family plans are no longer cheaper if you don't have a smartphone and don't use data--you pay the same price for all phones.
Still not quite understanding your use of this word. How can the deal be a fraud or swindle if the terms are given up front? Let's set aside the argument about whether you think it's a good deal or not, as that is not the meaning of the word "hustle".
They're not intentionally selling you a defective product masked as a new one.
They're not signing you up for something and then changing the terms.
As far as I can tell, the word hustle is being used here to mean "trying to convince people that a product is a better deal than it is." But again, this is a matter of opinion and situation. What is a good deal for you may not be available to others because of the up front cost
And here again, the math behind the swindle claim doesn't add up. You are still paying the retail price of the phone whether you sign up for two years contract or with Next. AT&T does not lose money on either contract.
3. to be aggressive, especially in business or other financial dealings.
4. Slang. to earn one's living by illicit or unethical means.
The hustle part of what I said has to do with the pushyness of the salespeople at AT&T and the unethical part of lying about the pricing (to me when this deal was not better for me even though perhaps it may be better for someone else).
I think this meets the prima facie definition of hustle. Hustle doesn't have to mean fraudulent but it can mean shady, unscrupulous or sneaky.
signing you up for something and then changing the terms. - fraud
And here again, the math behind the swindle claim doesn't add up. You are still paying the retail price of the phone whether you sign up for two years contract or with Next. AT&T does not lose money on either contract. - hustle
I've paid $175/month for 3 lines (2 are unlimited data and 1 is 2gb) for over 8 years now and I've always bought the $199 iPhone (with upgrade). A comparable plan with high-capped data (closest you can get to unlimited) runs only a little bit more ($185-190) for 3 lines. When I recently went to upgrade I was offered Next and the monthly cost wouldn't have been any cheaper for the lines yet I'd have had to pay an extra $2X.XX/month for the phone. Trying to persuade me that this is a better deal when it is not qualifies as a hustle. It isn't fraud since there's no bait and switch. They're just bullshitting.
There are different terms and benefits. They're not exactly alike. What you're saying is, essentially, "The salesman tried to sell me something I don't want and that's dishonest." Well, no, not really. Lots of people find value in the ability to upgrade their phone without having to pay the entire ETF, choosing instead to give back their phone. That you don't find this valuable does not make it dishonest.
You would have a case if the two deals (2 year contract or Next) were precisely the same. They are not. In fact, you summarily ignore the main feature of the offer to make your point!
Lots of people find value in the ability to upgrade their phone without having to pay the entire ETF, choosing instead to give back their phone. That you don't find this valuable does not make it dishonest.You would have a case if the two deals (2 year contract or Next) were precisely the same. They are not. In fact, you summarily ignore the main feature of the offer to make your point! My point is that the deals are as close as they can and they were trying to A. persuade me to pay more money, B. persuade me to give up my unlimited data and C. persuade me to pay full price for my phone when I normally don't.
In addition, I've never paid an ETF as ETF means Early Termination Fee and since I clearly stated I complete the full contract then there would not be any ETF.
Summary: AT&T Next is a hustle for most of their customers.
Now we've gotten to the real hustle -- you think that when you buy your phone from AT&T on contract, that you don't pay the full price of the phone. You do, actually. Remember the fee they waive if you do AT&T Next? That's the part that pays for the phone.
http://m.att.com/shopmobile/wireless/next-calculate-the-valu...
>B. persuade me to give up my unlimited data Here's where we get to your real complaint. This whole time, you've been hiding this beef behind the AT&T Next Plan. Your actual issue is that they don't offer unlimited Data anymore -- fair enough, but that's not what we're talking about here.
: money that is paid usually by a government to keep the price of a product or service low or to help a business or organization to continue to function
: a grant or gift of money: as a : a sum of money formerly granted by the British Parliament to the crown and raised by special taxation b : money granted by one state to another c : a grant by a government to a private person or company to assist an enterprise deemed advantageous to the public
Remember the fee they waive if you do AT&T Next? That's the part that pays for the phone. What about before AT&T Next? I think what you're missing is the contract price doesn't magically drop after you "pay off" the phone if it is subsidized. Therefore if it doesn't drop then it was never really increased seeing as the plan prices are the same whether you buy a phone or not (at least they are/were every time I've upgraded). That is the subsidized part that I'm talking about.
In closing, the subsidized cost of my phone was not paid back by me to AT&T as evidenced by the fact that my bill is the same whether I signed a 2 year agreement and bought a phone or not.
This whole time, you've been hiding this beef behind the AT&T Next Plan. Your actual issue is that they don't offer unlimited Data anymore -- fair enough, but that's not what we're talking about here. I haven't been hiding any beef with AT&T about unlimited data since they still grandfather both of my unlimited data lines. My beef is with them trying to hustle me into a worse plan at a higher cost. Why would I care if they offer unlimited data any more if I already have it? Unlimited data or any amount of data for that matter, Next still, in the most literal sense, costs me more money.