Subsidies, contracts and how the upgrade plans of T-Mobile JUMP!, AT&T Next and Verizon Edge add up

2. ajac09 (Posts: 1482; Member since: 30 Sep 2009)

if you want a s**tty phone sure

3. wendygarett (unregistered)

Enjoy your beast phone in a carrier's cage...
http://www.phonearena.com/news/No-Root-for-you-as-the-newest-update-for-the-Verizon-Samsung-Galaxy-S4-kills-it_id45422

51. networkdood (Posts: 6330; Member since: 31 Mar 2010)

Wendytroll, this is very temporary and only on one carrier.

4. Alantef (Posts: 288; Member since: 14 Sep 2011)

lol i was gonna say the same thing lol

6. wendygarett (unregistered)

They are carriers, what do you expect? Confusion everywhere...

7. VTEChump (Posts: 12; Member since: 19 Jul 2013)

Sorry, I guess it is illustrated in the first two tables on page 4. Still confusing.

11. Maxwell.R (Posts: 218; Member since: 20 Sep 2012)

That number gets thrown around everywhere with no validation. It was likely drawn from the time when T-Mobile offered two tiers of plans, one to accommodate subsidized equipment, the other if you bought at full retail. However, a flat rate makes no sense in the other carrier's models (especially AT&T's whose plans are arguably built on a previous generation model). Subsidies, like other customer facing price points, are a moving target. They change like the weather and that is where the argument about subsidies lose some ground.

27. aliam223 (Posts: 2; Member since: 19 Jul 2013)

what is SPRINT doing about this??? SMH

54. miles16852 (Posts: 241; Member since: 20 Oct 2011)

what is that stupid SMH ???

10. VTEChump (Posts: 12; Member since: 19 Jul 2013)

That is exactly what the carriers want:). Basically, an argument can be made for T-mobile deal if you need to upgrade phones. But IMHO, the ATT and Verizon deals are a ripoff. You would be better off signing two-year contract's and selling phone on craigslist if you need to upgrade.

12. Maxwell.R (Posts: 218; Member since: 20 Sep 2012)

That is the best way to go across the board, buy a phone or two at/near retail and fund your own upgrades through selling your old gear. The second hand market for smartphones is very active.

14. VTEChump (Posts: 12; Member since: 19 Jul 2013)

Agree, but the problem with that on ATT and Verizon (once again if you believe in the $20/month subsidy) is you are paying that subsidy, even though you paid full price for the phone. So they are charging you for a phone you have already paid for.

19. lolrus (Posts: 29; Member since: 18 May 2013)

Coming from someone who sells ATT, VZW and T-Mobile at my job, and thus have a pretty comprehensive knowledge of all the plans, ATT Next and VZW Edge seem like a rip off.

T-Mobile Jump is reasonable, but you can still get subsidized phones on two year contracts through them at third party retailers (check out my long ish post further down) and they have a pretty low ETF which makes the value plans in general not great if you want to get a phone through them anyway.

As much as my employers would hate for me to say this, the best deal is always going to be a Nexus 4 unlocked and putting it on T-Mobile's insane $30 prepaid plan. But if you don't like paying $300 up front, there are some decent options on two year contracts still.

Long story short, I wouldn't consider any of these early upgrade plans, they seem awful compared to the previous two structures of subsidies and unlocked/prepaid.

40. Droid_X_Doug (Posts: 5993; Member since: 22 Dec 2010)

What $30 prepaid plan? Link please. Seriously, I am not being snarky. I went to T-Mo and couldn't find a $30 prepaid plan. The best I found was a $50/month prepaid plan, but it was limited to like 250 Mb/month data on 4G/LTE.

43. _PHug_ (Posts: 463; Member since: 11 Oct 2011)

Can't find it on T-mo's web site easily but the plan is a partnership with Walmart.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30-Wireless-Airtime-Card/15443357

49. lolrus (Posts: 29; Member since: 18 May 2013)

Yeah, that's what I'm referring to. You only get 5GB of 4g speeds and 100 minutes of talk. But you can just VoIP and 5GB is plenty for someone like me.

If I wasn't on a Verizon dealer plan it would be that one for me.

55. miles16852 (Posts: 241; Member since: 20 Oct 2011)

or google tmobile prepaid and you easily get,,,
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/prepaid-plans

30. Maxwell.R (Posts: 218; Member since: 20 Sep 2012)

The subsidy as it gets thrown around is a misnomer and not accurate.

13. wendygarett (unregistered)

Confusion is the greatest definition to define them.

We pay their confused plan, with confused money you paid till you lost count...

and what do we get? No unlocked bootloader... Jailed and fined us for secretly switched the unlocked Sims... Software update? help mercy what the hell is that?

Call me a troll or whatever, I'm telling this just to alert some blind customers who pay extra for nothing, and end up financial crisis these day...

52. networkdood (Posts: 6330; Member since: 31 Mar 2010)

You are trolling and doing so incoherently.

16. Maxwell.R (Posts: 218; Member since: 20 Sep 2012)

I'm going to be tweaking some things to give the article some more breathing room. Hopefully that will help.

18. Whateverman (Posts: 3284; Member since: 17 May 2009)

Lmao! I hope so, cause I'm confused as hell! But the way I see it, since I've already opted for equipment coverage on my Note2, I may as well go to a Jump! Plan. It gives me the equipment protection I'm already paying for and the opportunity to upgrade early. Kinda looks like a win-win, but I'm not sure. If I choose to skip my upgrade and keep the phone the full 2 years, is it mine? Or do I still have to turn it in when I upgrade? If I pay the $20 for the whole 20 months, I assume it's mine!

23. lolrus (Posts: 29; Member since: 18 May 2013)

If I understand it correctly, you have the option (whenever you want to upgrade) of either paying off the phone or turning it in.

Could be wrong, but that makes sense to me.

26. Whateverman (Posts: 3284; Member since: 17 May 2009)

I hope you're right. That just makes sense. Thanks!

41. Droid_X_Doug (Posts: 5993; Member since: 22 Dec 2010)

Link? I saw AT&T offering a $60/month prepaid with unlimited talk and text and 3 Gb/month data. Is there a better option?

44. _PHug_ (Posts: 463; Member since: 11 Oct 2011)

He said Straight Talk.

http://www.straighttalk.com