AT&T early contract exit. Help me figure this out.

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inbedwithhomer

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 2, 2001
Messages
170
I've got a scheme. Let me know if I'm missing anything/what the perceived cons are:

1. AT&T is offering the ability to get out of your contract early by getting Next with their (kinda crappy) unsubsidized plan. I do this and get a new device (G2, note3). (Source: http://consumerist.com/2014/01/21/a...act-if-they-switch-to-att-next/#more-10149488). This is verifiable in my account.
2. I pay off the remaining price of the new device and cancel my AT&T contract outright.
3. I flip the new device and sell my old phone (s3).
4. I buy a Nexus 5 and get Straight Talk.

The only con I can come up with is I lose about $100 flipping the G2. Obviously I'm spending cash to get the N5 but that is an accepted concept being that I'm getting an upgrade. Should be able to offset the cost somewhat with selling my old phone.

Anything I'm missing?
 
What's your ETF and monthly bill like?

Also how rough are you on your phone? Keep in mind StraightTalk doesn't offer any kind of insurance
 
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See that's the thing, with this plan I don't incur an ETF. My bill is about $90.

I'm apparently really gentle with my phones. Carry in pocket with no case and the screen is pristine. I'd say my s3 is probably 9.5/10 overall.

I realize my only insurance option would be Squaretrade (which doesn't cover loss/theft) but as the deductible on AT&T's insurance is $200, I think I can live with paying upwards of $350 for a replacement device in such circumstances.
 
i think lg g2 is $465 on at&t next. nexus 5 is $350-$400+shipping

do you really really want a nexus 5 (over lg g2)?
 
It's $350 for the Nexus 5 and $525 for the G2. For me, being on the nexus device ecosystem outweighs the extra storage (which I won't use) and the better camera. For $175 it seems like an easy choice.
 
Nexus 5 direct from Google is about $380-$390 shipped.

Tax is charged as well as shipping.

You can buy it outright from Best Buy and get them to price match the Play Store and save on shipping but you will still pay tax on the price.
 
inbedwithhomer said:
It's $350 for the Nexus 5 and $525 for the G2. For me, being on the nexus device ecosystem outweighs the extra storage (which I won't use) and the better camera. For $175 it seems like an easy choice.
Click to expand...

http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/devices/lg/g2-black.html

maybe online-only Next price at $465? can you do it online( think at&t will still ding you $30 for a device "upgrade" fee)

and you said you lose $100 when you flip the g2.... so closer to a $75 difference? ($525 - $100 - $350 = $75)
 
Isn't there a little known procedure where you can leave att but if you tell them you're going to straight talk mvno they don't charge you the etf.
 
The Next terms state that if you pay it off you pay the remainder of the value (obviously). However the no-commitment price in my account shows up as $525. So there's that. My statement of losing $100 when flipping the G2 is coming from an average Ebay new price of around $425. Yes, theoretically I can do better.

As far as the little-known procedure to switch to Straight Talk without an ETF I've seen a lot of anecdotal evidence but I'm hesitant with such an unknown.

At some point here I'm going to have a conversation with an AT&T employee one way or the other and see if I can get my account to a BYOD plan with a paid off new device. If that's possible (which it sounds like it is) then I think it'll be a go.
 
Better figure in eBay & PayPal fees of approximately 10% and 3% respectively. Tack on $15 minimum for Priority Mail with Insurance, Tracking and Signature Confirmation (items over $250 require signature confirmation). Your $425 sale will net you about $355. You can save on the eBay fees obviously if you sell elsewhere but sales prices for smartphones typically are highest on eBay. Swappa, and CTO are good alternatives but final sale prices are typically lower.
 
Why not just let T-mobile pay your early termination fee's then use Straight Talk on Tmobile or sell the phone you get and get straight talk.....


idk, just spit balling.
 
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