Question about canceling unlimited data plan and switching to Mobile Share

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@DarkJesse wrote:

I received an email regarding an increase to the cost of my unlimited data plan which stated that if I choose to terminate, the early termination fee will be waived.

 

If I choose to cancel my unlimited data plan and the early termination fee is waived, can I move to a mobile share plan? If I move to a mobile share plan, would my monthly fee for that line be $40 or $15?

 

Basically, I'm trying to minimize the cost going forward in February.  I guess my idea is this:

1.  Terminate the line with the current unlimited data plan

2.  Get a new line (or move current line) to the mobile share plan (device access charge of $15) (I would essentially be "bringing my own phone")

3.  Keep my current phone number

 

I am on currently on a family plan and the other lines will have the 15 gb mobile share plan already. 

 

Is this possible?

 

Thank you for the help.

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You can change to a Mobile Share plan at any time with no ETF. The EFT fee only applies when cancelling the line, not when changing from one plan to another. Yes, you could cancel the unlimited data line and add a new line to the mobile share plan but then you would lose your phone number.

If you do move your unlimited data line to mobile share, it depends on when your contract started as to whether you get the mobile share discount or not. If the contract started prior to Feb of 2014 when the mobile share plans were introduced, you will get the discount. If the contract started after that then you won't get the discount until the contract expires. However, if that is the situation you are in I suggest you call customer support and explain what you want to do, I think there is a good chance they give you the out of contract discount anyway.

Thanks for the info. 

I'm only using on average less than 5 gb per month.  I am planning to move my wife's line to the 15 gb mobile share plan with her next upgrade soon.  With this, I figured it was a good time to move my line to the mobile share plan as well.  It doesn't make sense financially, to have me on an unlimited plan and her on the mobile share plan. 

It sounds like my best option is to just switch to the mobile share plan when I switch my wife's line and the device access cost would be $40 per month.

The 5 GB plan is $50, her line would be $40 and your line if not in contract would be $25.  

Total before tax $115.    

Talk and text are unlimited and included.

 If you have insurance or other add one they are not calculated in that price.

Also look into paying the cancelation fees for her line. It might be cheaper than paying the $40 a month. I looked into it for several phones on my account and it's cheaper by $200 to pay the early termination fees. Then you could look at all options.

@metro3947

If the OP cancels, his wife loses her phone number.

The $40 line fee is not permanent. It is only until the line is out of contract.  The early termination fee is designed to recover what you would have paid, it is unlikely to be cheaper than the $15 per month you save by canceling.

Remember the $325 termination fee reduces by $10 a month.  If you have 1 year left on her contract that is a $205 to cancel or $180 in discount.   No matter how many months left, you end up ahead NOT terminating so she keeps her number.

Yes I understand, the $40 line fee is not permanent. However, in my case it's cheaper to pay the ETF than to pay the extra $25 a month. Your milage may vary, but this works out better for me to pay the ETF. Wanted to make sure all possible options are considered.

@metro3947. 

If you have a larger data plan and discount, it makes financial sense as long as you understand all the repercussions.  You lose your numbers and have to pay to activate new lines of service.  

How does it make good business to tell long time customers that they can leave AT&T and there early termination fees will be waived and contract canceled if they do not want to pay the extra $5 a month per line for there grandfathered unlimited data plans. Of which, AT&T has been trying to force them out of by limiting functionality of service for those lines/phones that have it. Why would they not offer those individuals the a waiver of current contracts to allow them to go to a mobile share plan so that it does not cost $40 per line instead of $15 per line or else leave AT&T or lose there phone number to avoid cost and stay with AT&T.

I have already dropped Directv and AT&T DSL service because of price and poor customer service. I feel that they are now very likely going to make me drop AT&T wireless service as well. Of which I have been a customer since it was Cingular.

I am also in the Kansas City area and have several friends that gave AT&T Uverse the opportunity to keep them as customers as Google Fiber was rolling out. They could care less until they lost several Kansas City customers. Now they are begging people to come back and making all kinds of offers, but it is to little to late.

I am in a similar situation; don't really use more than 5gb/month average (on 2 line, 1 of which has the unlimited grandfathered plan), so am looking into the switch to shared plan but don't understand why there is a $40/month fee for the phone still under contract (until Oct 2016) so am considering switching to another provider. If I do that I understand that the EFT will be waived; in that case can the current phone number be ported over? (and can I keep the phone?)