AT&T raises ETF on Smartphones Beginning June 1st

I wouldn't have an issue with a higher ETF if the ETF was the amount of the subsidy and if the ETF ended up being $0 at the end. These new ETFs still have money left over after the two years which means its just a profit thing for them. It is a ripoff.

Also, I have no doubt that this is tied to the next iPhone.

 

To the best of my knowledge, the iPhone is the only one that has a difference of $400 between contract and full retail. All others are typically $150, so from that perspective the $325 is completely ridiculous.

Some devices have an extra $100 rebate but for even those the difference is $250.

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I'm not surprised at all…… I believe AT&T would have done it a lot sooner if they weren't waiting to see what the outcome of the FCC's investigation of why Verizon raised the ETF on their smartphones.

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I agree with you on it being rediculous, but only on certain devices. The problem is that there were just too many people that were buying phones like the iPhone at a discount, then paying the ETF and selling the iPhone on places like eBay. They end up making a profit, while AT&T doesn't.… I think you brought up a good point here about the type of smartphone device though. Maybe what carriers like Verizon and AT&T should do is set the ETF to match the outright cost of the devices themselves? IMHO, this would discourage those from buying phones like the iPhone just to make a profit, and yet, keep it fair to those that don't have a higher priced device……

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Yeah..they need to have the ETFs based on the subsidy like they're supposed to but, they don't. The ETF should be $0 at the end but, the way it works out for most phones, you still end up with a dollar amount at the end of the contract before it goes month to month.

 

As long as you're satisfied with the service you won't wanna cancel, and therefore this won't affect most customers, IMO.

 

I USED to be satisfied with the service until they starting messing with everything. Throttling data traffic so my incoming and/or outgoing MMS's arrive 5+ hours later. There were no problems until the iCrap came out.

I am already gone from at&t....thankfully....and won't be scared about a $375 early term fee for a palm pre.

 

Sorry that AT&T's service didn't work out for you, however, as an iPhone owner, I can say without hesitation that it is NOT crap. I have not had one problem with AT&T service or my 3GS since I started using it one month ago.…

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The monthly service charges should drop if you remain on a plan after the contract has expired and the subsidy recouped. After all, the carrier has made back the subsidy over the period of the contract and anything else is just excess profit.

 

Some are lucky enough not to have problems...glad you are ok with yours. But all the iPhone activations has bogged the network down...still today. Data traffic is being HEAVILY throttled to accommodate iPhones. This is why they still aren't allowing tethering, the network is not stable enough (I forget the exact words at&t used) I just couldn't take it anymore. I figured, 2 years with someone else, by then the LTE and whatever 4th generation services used will be hashed out by then to reevaluate.