why now is NOT the time to upgrade IPhone or IPad

[freshstart]

I am now getting almost daily emails from ATandT reminding me that I am "due" for a new phone. It's been maybe 18 months and since I'm still learning about my 5s, I feel no need to get my "free" iPhone 6 (free meaning $0 down, $600 added to your bill in a payment plan over 12 months, yeah, that's a special kind of "free" I can confidently walk away from.).

then I read this today and yup, now is not the time:

http://dealnews.com/features/Now-is-a-Terrible-Time-to-Upgrade-Your-iPhone-or-iPad/1394415.html

[lessisbest]

I've been using cell/mobile phones for just over 20-years and have somehow avoided the attractive and addictive "dark side" of the industry. From my personal observations, it's one of the biggest rip-off industries going. I spend $100 a YEAR for my Tracfone and refuse to be sucked into the phone abyss.

[JaneV2.0]

I finally got an HTC smartphone (large screen, reliable, performs all the operations I'll ever need) for which I pay $35 a month, and I never use it. I love my small, basic AT&T Go Phone, which also runs me $100 a year. There are a lot of alternatives out there--including porting your cell to pay-as-you-go--that don't involve upgrading to the newest, priciest model.

Trial and error taught me that what works best for me is a small phone + a medium-sized tablet (Kindle). I'll probably let my smart phone go eventually.

[freshstart]

with a tracphone what do you get for $100 a year or do you pay as you go according to usage?

had I realized how small and useful an iPad mini is, I would've got the one with 3Gs instead of just wi-fi. And then have a small, very cheap phone for calls and texts. I like the iPhone for some apps, but maybe it's me, I find it too small to try to read an article on it without enlarging it and using sliders just to read a few sentences at a shot. Maybe I'm using it wrong, my brother, in the tech field, can do actual work on it. So yeah, it's probably me. When my mini dies, I think I will try the 3Gs one and give up a smart phone

[Alan]

had I realized how small and useful an iPad mini is, I would've got the one with 3Gs instead of just wi-fi. And then have a small, very cheap phone for calls and texts.
You know, you can achieve a fair amount of phone functionality on an iPad with a free Google Voice number and one of several apps. I use Hangouts (http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/).

[freshstart]

thanks. This only works if you have the the 3Gs, iPad, right? Unless you are on a wi fi connection? sorry, I find this all confusing sometimes

[oldhat]

I finally broke down and bought a smartphone. I bought an unlocked Moto G, which has all the features I need and then some, and I'll contract with a provider for service on a month-to-month basis.

I think I will use it. For one thing, I'm going to declare FI in a couple of months and I expect to be doing some traveling, so I'll need good connectivity. I'll want mobile internet access, for example, so I can scout out the best lodging options while I'm on the road.

Something that always annoys me is the way the phone companies are allowed to advertise the cost of phones on their plans as being $300, or $200, or free. The phone doesn't cost that, because you have to sign up for a two-year contract to get an iPhone for $300 that retails for $650 or more unlocked. The cost of the contract is usually in the $2500 range, since most mobile phone and data plans cost around $100 a month. So the truth is that that new iPhone costs $2800, which includes two years of service. It really bugs me that tech websites like CNet let them get away with this subterfuge.

[freshstart]

I finally broke down and bought a smartphone. I bought an unlocked Moto G, which has all the features I need and then some, and I'll contract with a provider for service on a month-to-month basis.
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I pay $60 a month for unlimited talk/text, 3gbs of data that rollover if I don't use it all (I rarely do) and the phone (iPhone 5s) was free, it's been long enough that I am now on a month to month basis, no contract. I am not sure, but I would assume if I take advantage of a free phone again, I'd be back under contract. I have a 24% employee discount that they will honor even though I no longer work there as long as I stay a customer, if I leave and come back, no 24% discount. So I'm kind of afraid to leave, lol

Where do you buy unlocked iPhones and do you think I can get one next time cheap enough and with a month-to-month service plan, to beat what I have now?

I periodically check Consumer Reports or a site like CNET, a phone and a plan should be like comparing apples to apples, instead it is ridiculously difficult (at least to me) to truly find the best value. I keep looking for a website where you enter the phone you want and how much service you need and it collates the options in a logical way. No luck

[Alan]

thanks. This only works if you have the the 3Gs, iPad, right? Unless you are on a wi fi connection? sorry, I find this all confusing sometimes
Yes, you must have a working data connection, either 3G/4G or Wi Fi. A non 3G iPad will work as long as you have access to a wi fi connection. For that matter, you could also use a newer iPod.

[freshstart]

did not know that at all, especially the iPod. thanks!

I signed up for Apple One to One when I got this laptop, figured if I used it as much as possible to get an hour alone with an Apple person, I would learn a lot. And I have. The guy I go to is the most patient man on the planet, he said, "bring in all your Apple products next time, we'll get everything communicating with each other." Apparently, I have the world's oldest iPod, 160 gb or whatever, I have not filled it yet, it stays in the car, I do not want my music or audiobooks on my phone. He was laughing, could not believe it still works and was showing it to the other employees. This guy is at least 20 yrs older than me, I totally felt like his demented grandmother!

[SteveinMN]

I pay $60 a month for unlimited talk/text, 3gbs of data that rollover if I don't use it all (I rarely do) and the phone (iPhone 5s) was free, it's been long enough that I am now on a month to month basis, no contract. [snip]

Where do you buy unlocked iPhones and do you think I can get one next time cheap enough and with a month-to-month service plan, to beat what I have now?
freshstart, if you're purchasing a new iPhone 6/6+, the "T-Mobile" model is unlocked from the get-go. You can buy it at a T-Mobile store/their Web site or Apple Store/their Web site. The other models all can be unlocked by you, as the purchaser, after a set amount of time.

I bought my iPhone 6 as a refurb, directly from AT&T's Web site, and use it on GoPhone. After six months of service, I can request that it be unlocked (I think I'm past that; this reminds me to submit the request even though I have no plans to leave GoPhone or AT&T).

My GoPhone plan provides 1.5 GB of LTE data (faster than 3G or 4G) and unlimited talk and text. After 1.5 GB the data throttles down to (not sure) 128 MB. That's enough to handle things like Maps and Web browsing that does not involve lots of video/rendering. I do not believe I've ever come close to the 1.5 GB since I'm often around WiFi for data. GoPhone just implemented rollover data, but it's more a marketing gimmick than a feature which will induce people to change their plans. I pay just under $50 a month with taxes and mandated fees, but AT&T offers a $5 monthly rebate for my being a good customer, so it's more like $45 a month out of my pocket.

It is possible to get the same package (or maybe "better", depending on your needs) for less money. For $35 a month (pre-pay), Cricket Wireless (affiliated with AT&T) offers unlimited talk and text and 2.5 GB of LTE data (throttled to 128 MB afterwards). Cricket does route all data traffic through its own servers, so it will be slower than GoPhone or postpaid AT&T, but, depending on your use, you may never notice that. Cricket also does not officially endorse "tethering" (essentially using your phone and data as a hotspot; I want that, so I stuck with GoPhone). Cricket support is outsourced to wherever is cheapest, though they do have brick-and-mortar stores. Cricket offers probably the best deal in prepaid AT&T service for non-power users.

Consumer Cellular isn't bad, either, but they're much less competitive on one-phone plans. They charge $45 a month for 250 minutes of talk, unlimited text, and 3 GB of data (all hard caps; though you can pay to go over). However, CC offers the same voice/data coverage as AT&T postpaid (so, roaming off AT&T when necessary) and America-based tech support and they are postpaid rather than prepaid (credit check required).


I periodically check Consumer Reports or a site like CNET, a phone and a plan should be like comparing apples to apples, instead it is ridiculously difficult (at least to me) to truly find the best value. I keep looking for a website where you enter the phone you want and how much service you need and it collates the options in a logical way. No luck
I'm not aware of many ways to do what you want for any product -- cars, dishwashers, computers, phones. Any rating system will depend on the criteria they use and the weight they give the various factors. As I mentioned, being able to tether is important to me. I will pay more for that capability. Others either don't need it or will chance that, if they do it, they won't get caught. Their choice, their priority.

When I bought my dishwasher, I could have spent much less money. My ASKO is 13 years old and still going like it did 10 years ago. I could have bought a couple of GEs over that time for the same money and enjoyed more bells and whistles (and used far more water). But sustainability means more to me than a Delay Cycle button. Horses for courses. I had to do the research, but I'm enjoying the benefits of that now.

I am hopeful that being able to ask questions on forums like this one make it easier.

[ToomuchStuff]

with a tracphone what do you get for $100 a year or do you pay as you go according to usage?



On my T mobile, that $100 gives me 1000 minutes and they are good for 1 year. What I didn't originally know was any non used roll over once you get back to the 1000 minutes (so it cost me less then $100 for a couple years).
I will note, my phone has no camera, and I had texting blocked when I bought my phone (texting seems expensive in multiple ways).

[freshstart]

thank you, both of you. This is very helpful.