https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 02:16:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692991 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:52:41 +0000 hotchildinthecity 1692991@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: yeah just call at &amp;t and see when your contract is up. In the meantime can you just back your phone up on a hard drive to free some space? I would definitely take advantage of the reduced price for the upgrade and get the newest phone possible since you're stuck with it for two years.</p> <p>I dont have any interest in the at&amp;t next plan either </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692988 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:50:58 +0000 meganmp 1692988@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I bought mine off of Amazon, and was able to activate and all of that for free! I'm Verizon, though, which I don't recommend from a customer service standpoint, only from a coverage standpoint. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692979 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:49:04 +0000 photojane 1692979@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: I just got a new 5s for free when I traded in my old 4 at Verizon. I prefer Verizon anyway, so that's something to look into! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692916 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:27:12 +0000 Adira 1692916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BeatlesFan629: Can you just buy a phone from somewhere else and then transfer your sim card or something? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692893 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:16:23 +0000 BSB 1692893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sorrycharlie: @hotchildinthecity: Ah, yeah, maybe. I forget when I got my phone. I think I'm close to my 2 year mark. </p> <p>@BeatlesFan629: Oh, so, maybe if I go get it straight from the Apple store, I can by pass the Next plan. </p> <p>Maybe I'll check out the AT&amp;T store before going to the Apple store to check things out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692890 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 10:14:04 +0000 BSB 1692890@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: Yeah, I know the new ones are coming out and I don't really care for the new ones. The features sound great, but I just need more room on my iphone. I need more space- like yesterday...</p> <p>My work can pay for part of it and *if* I get pregnant soon, it's better to get a phone soon. If I wait til September, I might be pregnant and I don't know if my boss will approve a cell phone expense a few months before I go out on maternity leave. So now is the best time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692763 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 09:36:33 +0000 BeatlesFan629 1692763@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went to AT&amp;T and they explained all this to me. So instead I just went to Target, got the Iphone5s for $99 (while they had a sale), and just upgraded my plan 2 years. I didn't have to get involved with the Next plan at all </p> <p>Like PP said, are you not due for an upgrade? Even at AT&amp;T when I went in there, if I didn't do the Next plan, the Iphone5s was only $200. I just went to Target because they were having a sale. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692755 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 09:33:40 +0000 Bookish 1692755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: I'm having the same problem! Our contract has been up for a few months now with T-mobile, and I'd love to upgrade my phone, but I either have to pay 4-500$ a freaking phone up front, or pay it in installment plans?! </p> <p>What the heck happened to the days of free phones with a 2 year contract! I will happily sign a contract if it means I save 800$ between our two phones!</p> <p>Ridiculous. I actually asked the T-mobile guy about it last time I was in there, and he just shrugged and said people didn't want contracts, so they are changing things up. UGH! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692747 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 09:31:11 +0000 hotchildinthecity 1692747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: yes because your two years are probably not up yet. When did you get your last phone? I got mine september 2012 and i'm not eligible for a reduced price upgrade until this september.</p> <p>Pp is right. You can "upgrade" whenever you want. But then you end up paying full price for the phone. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692712 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 09:23:35 +0000 ShootingStar 1692712@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Whatever you do, don't buy an iPhone yet. New ones are coming out in September (probably). So you can either get the latest one, or get a better deal on an older model. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692619 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 08:53:44 +0000 Cole 1692619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have run into this with TMobile too. I wanted the Nexus 5 and it cost more through TMobile, instead I bought it unlocked straight from Google for less. Can you just buy it outright? Is it possible to just buy it straight from Apple? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692587 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 08:45:41 +0000 LuLu Mom 1692587@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hate phone contracts, and am seriously considering giving mine up to only use my work provided cell phone. I have an iPhone 5 for work and personal, seems like overkill when I can save 100 bucks a month! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692571 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 08:41:35 +0000 snowjewelz 1692571@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ugh these places seriously try to rip you off and they just spin things in a new way every year or so to confuse you!! :shocked: </p> <p>I'm due to renew or upgrade in Oct and I still can't figure out what to do or what's the cheapest option! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692455 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 08:10:41 +0000 spaniellove 1692455@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Aww, I also made the mistake of getting a 16gb iphone 5 and desperately need something just for photos because I'm tired of deciding what to keep or delete. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692454 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 08:10:18 +0000 Meow 1692454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hotchildinthecity @Mamaof2: I read about this in a news article a few months about how cell phone companies were starting to shift from their current practice of subsidizing part of the cost of the phone to passing that cost on to the consumer entirely. To make the deal more "attractive," they'd offer a somewhat lower monthly bill in exchange for the higher upfront cost of the phone. The article was saying that if you did the math, this new practice would still cost way more than the traditional pay a small amount to upgrade every 2 yrs and have regular monthly fees. Some companies like Verizon are still offering both plans but I think others are starting to eliminate the old plans altogether maybe like the OP described. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692453 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 08:10:11 +0000 sorrycharlie 1692453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: you can technically upgrade at any time for full price. which is what they are telling you. you probably aren't eligible yet for a reduced price upgrade. I can upgrade with verizon whenever I want, but it won't be the cheap price listed unless I wait til Nov when my contract is almost up. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692426 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 08:00:25 +0000 kjpugs 1692426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Did you actually talk to someone at ATT? When we were up to upgrade I got a 16gb iPhone 5C for $99 and DH spent over $200 ($280 maybe?) on the Samsung Note. I think we had like a $20 upgrade charge.</p> <p>If you are doing the new data share plan (we switched to it) it's in the fine print that you do not get upgrade phone prices. So maybe that's your issue. When we found that out we complained and had them switch us back to the "regular" plan (not Next, ugh, and not that plan that shares 10gigs of data- the lines on that are $15 each but if you upgrade your phone it's increased to $40 a line) When we got back on a "normal" plan (unlimited talk/text, and 2gb data, 2 lines) we got the upgrade prices for phones when we were eligible and it was fairly easy. I priced them and verizon (the only services worth a crap in my area) and verizon ended up being way more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692406 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 07:53:06 +0000 Mamaof2 1692406@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>" 2 year commitment price (without AT&amp;T next)- $599" never heard of this - the whole point of a 2 yr plan is that they cut the price of the phone</p> <p>I would go to Verizon and see what they have - they do not charge that much for just the phone </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692393 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 07:43:22 +0000 BSB 1692393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hotchildinthecity: When I log into my account, it says I can upgrade and these are the options I have. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692384 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 07:39:28 +0000 hotchildinthecity 1692384@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That does seem high. I got the iphone 5 literally the week it came out and it was only $399 (32gb). Maybe even $299? That does seem oddly expensive.</p> <p>Except are you not eligible for an upgrade yet? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692379 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 07:34:39 +0000 BSB 1692379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@septca: Oh, that's cool. That just reminded me. Maybe I should call and ask. Maybe I need to wait a few months and that 2 year price will drop. </p> <p>I found some good deals for the iPhone 5 with more space on CL. Definitely more in my range that I'm willing to spend. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692251 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 05:25:54 +0000 septca 1692251@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You can buy a new iPhone at Verizon for $199 or $299 with a two year contract. They also have those looney deals you describe, but I prefer an "old fashioned" contract. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/thought-i-would-upgrade-my-cell-phone#post-1692202 Wed, 11 Jun 2014 03:16:50 +0000 BSB 1692202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Then I saw the prices!</p> <p>Stupid AT&amp;T Next plan!</p> <p>On Apple's website it says an iPhone 5S (32 gb) is $299.</p> <p>Go to see how much it is under my plan... I got 3 options...</p> <p>1) AT&amp;T Next plan (new phone every 12 months)- pay $37.50 for 20 installments! Total: $750 for just the phone. Tack on whatever your cell phone charges are.</p> <p>2) AT&amp;T Next plan (new phone every 18 months)- pay $31.09 for 24 installments! Total: $750</p> <p>3) 2 year commitment price (without AT&amp;T next)- $599</p> <p>WTF! I was fine with paying the $299 price with $36 upgrade fee.</p> <p>Maybe I won't be upgrading my phone... Like ever!</p> <p>I don't need a new phone every 2 years and I definitely don't want to be stuck in a plan that makes me pay extra to have that feature. </p> <p>Sadly, I think Verizon and T-Mobile have similar plans. So I can't even threaten to leave AT&amp;T because I'll have to enroll in a similar plan somewhere else.</p> <p>Stupid cell phone companies!</p> <p>Maybe I can see if I can buy a newer (or older) iPhone on Craigslist. I want an iPhone with more space. I don't really want the new features. (Though the speed of the new phones is nice.)</p> <p>This is just nuts.</p> <p>ETA: I have an iPhone 5 with just 16 gb.<br /> My work gives me some money towards a new phone and with all the pics I take for work, I need more space and thought I could just upgrade. </p>