Switching to Walmart

[threadysparrow]

Hi guys, I copied and pasted my question from Overclock.net

 

Here is my situation.

I bought the iPhone 4 in July 2012. I was not aware (my fault because I should have done my homework) that it would be over $1000 per year to own it.

I want out of my contract with AT&T. From what I have read, it is a couple hundred dollars to break the contract. I have all the figures written down somewhere but I can't remember them right now.

To break the contract, I will be paying about $350 next month for the termination fee, this month's usage, and my parents' usage. Their bill is about $35 a month for them because they have old phones and they have been customers for about 10 years. My iPhone raises their bill to about $135 a month. I do not want to pay that money so I am fine with paying whatever I have to in termination fees.

However, I want to keep my iPhone and my number. I know there is a law in the states that says cell phone numbers must be allowed to be switched. I also read from other people on forums that AT&T will let you keep your iPhone.

I want to switch to Walmart's plan because it is $45 a month (After taxes I assume that it will be more like $60 a month)

Does anyone have experience switching to Walmart's Straight Talk?

My plan is to go to Walmart today, talk to their people, sign up for a plan, then later next week when I feel like it going to the AT&T store, making up a lie like I can't afford my phone plan and I am moving (I don't want to go in there announcing that I am switching providers because I think that's rude)

Will this work? I know that I will have to pay for going into September with AT&T, but in the long run, I think this will save me about $700-$1000 a year.

[sonarctica]

You should check out ting.com, people have been saying they are really good and they pay your ETF partially 

[Warcony]

If your parents are on your account then you will have a hard time convincing them you can't pay for it.  Your best course of action might be to call them and speak with someone from loyalty.  Maybe you can negotiate a reduction in your contract price/month.  that way you'd avoid having to pay anything.  

[threadysparrow]

If your parents are on your account then you will have a hard time convincing them you can't pay for it.  Your best course of action might be to call them and speak with someone from loyalty.  Maybe you can negotiate a reduction in your contract price/month.  that way you'd avoid having to pay anything.  

Well it would still be cheaper to do it the way I was thinking.

 

My dad doesn't use a cell phone. He has arthritis and he is disabled so every time he is out where he would need a cell phone, he has either my sister, my mom, or me with him and we all have phones.

 

My mom uses her phone to check in on everyone when she is out or at work and that's it. She uses less than an hour of time per month.

 

We have a nice $20 a month landline service with out phone company. I love landlines and I plan on getting a landline AND a cell phone when I move out. Landlines are so convenient and well worth $20 a month imo.

 

That being said, there is NO F***ING REASON WHY we need to keep paying $140 a month for 3 phones. I am going all caps at my dad and at AT&T at the same time here because my dad is too oblivious to AT&T's bullshit and he just pays them whatever they want because he thinks that technology is too hard to understand and this must just be how much technology costs in today's world. He comes from the old mindset that you get what you pay for but when it comes to cell phones and mobile companies you can throw that idea out the window.

 

I decided we are going to totally get rid of AT&T's family plan and I am going to get my mom a $25/month prepaid plan of 250 minutes and I am going to get myself the $45/month plan from Straight Talk.

 

Right now we have over 6,000 rollover minutes. We have the 700 minute plan. Unlimited texting and I am the only one who texts and I only text to people to tell them to call me later. I hate having text conversations so I only send out maybe 20 texts a month. 2GB of data and I mainly only use Wifi and I might use 3G to browse the web a bit. I used 600 MB in the last 2 months.

 

So yeah we are paying for shit we don't need.

 

So we are going from ~$140/month to $70/month. We just have to pay the early termination fee and this month's bill and a bit of next month's bill. So we will be paying about $400 next month to get rid of everything and then $70/month after that.

 

To save $70/month we have to pay the $400 bill/ETF/prorated next month's bill

[Giddyguy]

Hi, I've dealt with AT&T iPhones before (I've switched to T-Moblie) so let me try to help you:

 

1. If you have an iPhone 4, your contract should be expiring soon unless you got it late 2012, so check on that. (If you think that the ETF is cheaper than waiting to end the contract then go ahead but take in mind the cost for the new plan.)

 

2. To switch go to walmart and sign up and tell them to transfer you number. Then go to AT&T and end your contract, you don't need to give them a reason (they can't stop you lol) but you can lie if you want to. AT&T will let you keep the iPhone because you have fully paid for it through your contract. HOWEVER, this iPhone will be locked to AT&T sim cards only. To unlock it, you have to go to att.com and request an unlcok. This is free for people who have ended their contract and are on good terms. If that doesn't work, go to ebay and look for an iphone IMEI unlock service (this is legal because you have bought the phone fully).

 

3. When you get your new sim card, put it into your unlocked iPhone and it should start to work.

 

Good Luck. Hope I was helpful.