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Why would you even start down this hideouslly complicated system instead of just getting a T-Mobile or Boost or similar plan, and buying a retail phone. (Prefer

Why would you even start down this hideouslly complicated system instead of just getting a T-Mobile or Boost or similar plan, and buying a retail phone. (Preferably a $200 Anroid , or a uaed iPhone, instead of a $600 iPhone) The "hustle" only shows up when you sign up for the incredibly expensive systems and then try to find a loophole.

intopieces 11y ago
>buying a retail phone 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.
- bbakkd 11y ago
  That doesn't make it any less of a hustle and probably why rent-to-own places still get customers. So yeah if you have to have the most expensive phones but can't afford them you will do this. 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.
  - intopieces 11y ago
    >That doesn't make it any less of a hustle. 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.
    - Evolved 11y ago
      It seems what AT&T are trying to do is stop losing money to subsidizing phones since other carriers (T-mobile, for example) are doing this. If this is the case then why not just discontinue the subsidization of phones at the $199, $299, etc. price points and just allow you to buy it at 0% interest if you agree to a 2-year contract. They still get their customer locked in for 2 years and they recover the full cost of the phone and the customer most likely stays loyal since they aren't feeling ripped off. Otherwise, what is keeping them from jumping ship to another carrier if the waters are muddied enough that the phone and the plan become commodities?
      - intopieces 11y ago
        You've pivoted to another topic. The question I asked is: what part of the AT&T Next plan qualifies as a hustle?
        Evolved 11y ago
        hustle - verb (used without object), hustled, hustling. 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.
        m8urn 11y ago
        Another aspect of this is that they make the regular contract plans cost more than twice what they did before, even with a non-smartphone, essentially pushing you into the Next plan.
        Evolved 11y ago
        Can they really do this if you're just upgrading the phone and signing a new contract since you're not required to choose a new plan? If you were absolutely required to choose a new plan when you upgradethen how can people with unlimited data still be grandfathered in?

intopieces 11y ago

>buying a retail phone 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.

bbakkd 11y ago
That doesn't make it any less of a hustle and probably why rent-to-own places still get customers. So yeah if you have to have the most expensive phones but can't afford them you will do this. 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.
- intopieces 11y ago
  >That doesn't make it any less of a hustle. 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.
  - Evolved 11y ago
    It seems what AT&T are trying to do is stop losing money to subsidizing phones since other carriers (T-mobile, for example) are doing this. If this is the case then why not just discontinue the subsidization of phones at the $199, $299, etc. price points and just allow you to buy it at 0% interest if you agree to a 2-year contract. They still get their customer locked in for 2 years and they recover the full cost of the phone and the customer most likely stays loyal since they aren't feeling ripped off. Otherwise, what is keeping them from jumping ship to another carrier if the waters are muddied enough that the phone and the plan become commodities?
    - intopieces 11y ago
      You've pivoted to another topic. The question I asked is: what part of the AT&T Next plan qualifies as a hustle?
      - Evolved 11y ago
        hustle - verb (used without object), hustled, hustling. 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.
        m8urn 11y ago
        Another aspect of this is that they make the regular contract plans cost more than twice what they did before, even with a non-smartphone, essentially pushing you into the Next plan.
        Evolved 11y ago
        Can they really do this if you're just upgrading the phone and signing a new contract since you're not required to choose a new plan? If you were absolutely required to choose a new plan when you upgradethen how can people with unlimited data still be grandfathered in?