Quote:
Originally Posted by shilala
I saw that part when I checked my "equipment charges" on my bill online, Greg.
For some reason I'd been thinking someone could "lease" for a lesser amount and turn in the phone without paying it's full cost.
That's not the case.
A person can just choose how many months they want to pay back their phone.
You mentioned 30, I did 24 on my phone.
So I confused myself thinking it was a conventional lease where a person pays 150% or more for the cost of an item, and that's not the case at all.
This has just saved the phone company from paying those subsidies for iphones, which is a great move for them.
Our bills go way up, they buy some more wheelbarrows to push the money around.  |
I know people think that but it's not usually the case. The bill in fact should stay about the same. What I mean by that is this: I will pay about 28 bucks a month for an iPhone 6 Plus. I also have the mobile share value plan that gives me $25.00 discount on the data access fee. So it's pretty much a wash. I have a 10 gig a month (talked them into doubling it it) mobile share value plan that costs $100 per month. I have three phones on the plan that are not on contract because I bought two of them using NEXT. I paid mine off early but am still paying on the wife's. The third line is my dad's and his isn't under contract either. Usually a smart phone comes with a $40.00 per month access fee per phone. But with the discount I only pay $15.00 per month for the access fees on all three phones. My bill is $145 for the phones and data bucket plus the $28 for the next on my wife's phone. If all three phones were under contract (which happens if you upgrade the old way) you would not have the $25 per line discount.
But let's say I only bought one of the phones using the old upgrade method my bill would be $100 for the data, plus $15 x2 for the two phones that aren't under contract, plus $40 for the phone that is under contract. For a total of $170 per month which if you add up my above that I am paying with none of them on contract comes to $173.00 per month.
I have read that tons of people saying it's a ripoff and a scam, but there are also tons of breakdowns that show it's basically the same deal either way. The truth is you are paying retail price for the phone one way or another, you either pay it outright, by using next, or you pay it in monthly access fees for the two years that it's on contract using the old upgrade path. You still with me?
The trick to this is having certain plans though. Mobile share value is what I have.