AT&T Announces 'Next 24' Payment Plan, Allowing 30 Months to Pay Off Devices

Tuesday November 4, 2014 8:55 AM PST by Mitchel Broussard
attlogo.pngAnnounced today at the AT&T Consumer Industry Analyst Conference, customers of AT&T will soon have another payment option for their wireless phone bills called AT&T Next 24. The plan focuses on lower monthly payments on select phones in the AT&T lineup and a longer grace period to pay them off.

AT&T Next 24 is the newest addition to the company's Next program that allows customers to purchase qualifying smartphones for $0 down, paying the device off interest-free with monthly payment plans. AT&T Next 24 is a 30-month installment plan and joins the ranks of AT&T Next 12 (a 20-month installment plan) and AT&T Next 18 (a 24-month installment plan).

The new Next 24 plan is available for any current smartphone in AT&T's selection of devices, and the monthly installments can range anywhere from $10 to $50 depending on the phone selected. If in good condition at the 24-month mark, a device on AT&T Next 24 can be traded in for a qualifying brand-new phone.

For all plans included in the AT&T Next lineup, customers can save $15 each month on that smartphone's monthly access charge for plans less than 10GB, and $25 per month for plans 10GB or higher.

Beginning today, any customer who switches to AT&T and activates a new smartphone on AT&T Next will also receive a $150 bill credit.

The new AT&T Next 24 service launches November 9.

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Nunyabinez
68 months ago

The "next plan" is a joke. Anyone with elementary mathematics skill would find out after the 30-month period, it costs as much as if you purchase the phone directly off contract. Plus if you purchase the phone off contract, 1. you can get cash-back from major credit card companies so it is actually cheaper; 2. it is off contract which means you can switch to different wireless providers whenever you want, particularly useful if you travel a lot across continents.


As a teacher my comment is that you only get 50% credit when you don't show your work. However if you had shown your work you would have realized that your statement is 100% incorrect, so no credit for this.
Rating: 18 Votes
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mnsportsgeek
68 months ago

The "next plan" is a joke. Anyone with elementary mathematics skill would find out it costs as much as if you purchase the phone directly off contrast. Plus if you purchase the phone off contrast, 1. you can get cash-back from major credit card companies so it is actually cheaper; 2. it is off contrast which means you can switch to different wireless providers whenever you want, particularly useful if you travel a lot across continents.



It's not 2012 anymore. The "Next is a joke" myth has been shot down hundreds of times on this board.
Rating: 11 Votes
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carrrrrlos
68 months ago
Obviously luring in those who cannot afford these phones. Only to trap them with an agreement that binds them for a longer period of time. And just in time for the Holidays.
Rating: 11 Votes
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oneMadRssn
68 months ago
Sounds pretty cool actually. Lowers the monthly payment on a 0% interest financing loan. Want to upgrade early? Pay off the balance early. Easy peasy.

And that $150 bill credit per line will be nice.
Rating: 6 Votes
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penajmz
68 months ago
Hey AT&T, announce something about the unlimited data plans instead.


Thanks!
Rating: 6 Votes
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joshdammit
68 months ago

The "next plan" is a joke. Anyone with elementary mathematics skill would find out after the 30-month period, it costs as much as if you purchase the phone directly off contract. Plus if you purchase the phone off contract, 1. you can get cash-back from major credit card companies so it is actually cheaper; 2. it is off contract which means you can switch to different wireless providers whenever you want, particularly useful if you travel a lot across continents.


Nobody ever suggested the phone would be cheaper. The idea is that you're paying for the phone, instead of all at once.

People with less than stellar credit might not have a higher limit credit card that offers rewards and a low enough interest rate. So while your elementary mathematics skills did a find job determining that AT&T is splitting the cost of the phone over 30 months, anybody with intermediate mathematics skills could determine that they'd be paying the same amount over 30 months, rather than the same amount plus whatever interest they might pay on a credit card.

Anybody with basic empathy can realize how this plan might benefit somebody who isn't well off enough to just buy/charge a $650-$950 phone and think nothing of it.

BTW, people who actually have to use the Next plan to afford their new phone probably aren't going to be traveling "a lot across continents." But I suppose those dregs of society probably don't "deserve" an iPhone 6, do they?

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But I can get 10% cashback using my Discover card if I purchase the phone directly from Apple. If I get into the Next plan, I lose the 10% cashback. For a iPhone 6 64gb, it would be $75 in cashback.

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Discover currently has 10% cashback if you purchase iPhone directly from Apple OFF CONTRACT.


They aren't marketing Next directly and solely to you and you alone. Not everybody has a Discover card, or 10% cash back.
Rating: 4 Votes
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mercuryjones
68 months ago

Americans sure love their credits! I am not hating but visiting my aunt in Vermont and seeing those commercials on TV is always fun to see for me. A new Audi for only 120$ a month!

Either you can afford something right away or it's just not meant to be. But that just might be my German side talking


Who really cares how someone else spends their own money?
Rating: 4 Votes
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bniu
68 months ago
Terrific, now I can get a 30 month interest free loan from AT&T :D

It's not like I'd be going anywhere anyways, AT&T has the best service and rate plan combination for me. Verizon's EDGE only gives you the EDGE discount when you're actively financing a phone, AT&T's gives you the NEXT discount as long as you're not on a contract price phone.

Calculating the time value of money, a 30 month interest free loan would be cheaper than paying all that up front, so why not? And anytime I decide that I need to go international and need the phone unlocked, I'll just pay off the balance at that moment and then be done with financing that phone.
Rating: 4 Votes
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mercuryjones
68 months ago

The "next plan" is a joke. Anyone with elementary mathematics skill would find out it costs as much as if you purchase the phone directly off contrast. Plus if you purchase the phone off contrast, 1. you can get cash-back from major credit card companies so it is actually cheaper; 2. it is off contrast which means you can switch to different wireless providers whenever you want, particularly useful if you travel a lot across continents.


So, off contract works best, provided you fit within those two spots? Amazing.
The Next plan works great for me, since I can then upgrade my phone anytime after 12 months, which works out great because new phone every year. Or, if I don't want to upgrade, I pay off the phone and it's mine at the end of the term.
Rating: 4 Votes
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mnsportsgeek
68 months ago
AT&T Announces 'Next 24' Payment Plan, Allowing 30 Months to Pay Off Devices

I would jump on this if I could put money down on the device. I want to pay $300 down and then pay monthly installments until it's paid off.

Why this isn't possible is stupid. I want to pay up front. Not pay 6 months of payments later when I want to sell my phone after 24 months.

Let the customer determine when they want to be done with payments. It shouldn't be any different than a Car loan. I want to pay whatever I want, whenever I want. Just tell me when I need to be done by.

Next has a few more kinks to work out before they can fully ditch two year contracts.
Rating: 4 Votes
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