AT&T Need a New Phone + Gear S with Phone + Data? Read This.

[winpeguy]

This makes the following assumptions:

1. You currenly have a Mobile Share plan where you can add a line
2. You want a new phone
3. You want the Gear S for Phone and Data

So let's look at your options, and I will not be calculating taxes for the sake of simplicity.

Buy the Gear S + Phone & Data Service (6 months)
Assume you are going to pay $300 for the Gear S and decide to add phone and data to the Gear S. This will run you $10 a month. Now let's also say you are going to do this for 6 months (maybe the novelty wears off). So here are your costs
$300 Gear S
$ 40 Activation Fee
$ 60 6 months of service @ $10/month
$400 Total Cost with 6 months of service

Buy the Gear S + Phone & Data Service (1 Year)
Assume you are going to pay $300 for the Gear S and decide to add phone and data to the Gear S. This will run you $10 a month. Now let's also say you are going to do this for 1 year. Here are your costs
$300 Gear S
$ 40 Activation Fee
$120 12 months of service @ $10/month
$460 Total Cost with 12 months of service

Buy the Gear S + Phone & Data Service with a 2 Year Contract
And here is the deal with a 2 Year Agreement, AT&T will discount the Gear S by $100
$200 Gear S with $100 Discount for 2 Year Contract
$ 40 Activation Fee
$240 24 months of service @ $10/month
$480 Total Cost with 24 months of service
Now compared to keeping it active for 12 months, you are getting an additional year for $20. This is a no brainer.

Buy a New Phone + Buy the Gear S + Phone & Data Service with a 2 Year Contract
$100 Moto X Second Gen with 2 Year Contract Add a Line to Existing Family Plan
$ 40 Activation Fee
$300 Gear S
$240 24 months of service @ $10/month
$680 Total Cost with 24 months of service

So looking at this, if you are interested in 2 years of phone/data on the Gear S, you are looking at $480 total, but in my example above you can add a Moto X Second Generation for $200 more (which can easily be sold for $450.

It doesn't matter what phone you get, here is how it works.

1. Add a Line to your Mobile Share with a 2 Year Contract
2. Buy whatever phone you want and enjoy the discount you get for a new activation
3. Buy the Gear S Unactivated
4. Wait a few hours and call AT&T and have them transfer the new line from the Phone you activated to the Gear S (you may have to wait 14 days to do this)

So I did this when I bought a Note 4, I added a line to my Mobile Share. Now the problem is that the line adds $40 a month to Mobile Share. So I called AT&T after 14 days to cancel the line I added. I did this so my primary phone would stay at $15 a month (and not go up to $40)
I was looking to pay $405 ($325 ETF + $40 Activation + $40 First Month) to terminate the line
What the CSR told me is that I can keep the new line and as long as any device is kept on for 2 years, even a tablet, even a Gear S, then that fulfills my Service Agreement. So Instead of paying $405, I am paying $280 ($10 a month for 2 years + $40 Activation)
They even waived the Activation Fee for me, so $240 and using 2 years of Gear S Service was much cheaper than just cancelling the line.

Keep in mind getting a 2 Year Commitment makes a phone $40 a month, instead of $15 for out of contract phones. This allows you to upgrade your primary phone without getting your phone in a 2 Year Contract since you use the Gear S for the 2 Year (@$10 a month)

Do this with any phone you want, you get the full subsidy, and keep the phone, or sell it. Assuming I got my Activation Fee waived, I spent $640 out of pocket. Then I sell the Moto X Second Gen for $450, I am out $190 for a Gear S + 2 Years of Data.

Enjoy,

David

 

[winpeguy]

And no you don't get charged a new Activation Fee if you transfer from a Phone to a different device. The Activation Fee is a Per Line thing

For me I bought a Note 4 from Best Buy for $20 out of pocket. My BB matched the $199 price mistake, and gave me a $200 Gift Card to pay for a $20 phone I traded in. Activation Fee waived. I'll pay $300 for the Gear S and $240 for service = $560 for a Note 4 + Gear S with 24 months (keep in mind I am only out of pocket $320 and my bill goes up $10 a month for 2 Years)

 

[Tikerz]

If you buy the Gear off-contract for $300, there is no activation fee.

 

[ehosey2]

So if buying a Gear S on contract and then having to pay a $40.00 fee makes no real cost savings I might as well pay full retail. I for one am in for the long term using a smart watch and was going to do the 2 year contract and save some money. Oh well.

 

[winpeguy]

If you buy the Gear off-contract for $300, there is no activation fee.

If you read through my post again, you will see that I this is accounted for. My examples assume you want to add a Line of Service, which is $40. If you are looking at getting a Gear S and not get Phone/Data on the Gear S, then this post does not apply to you.

 

[winpeguy]

So if buying a Gear S on contract and then having to pay a $40.00 fee makes no real cost savings I might as well pay full retail. I for one am in for the long term using a smart watch and was going to do the 2 year contract and save some money. Oh well.

If you buy full retail at $300, then decide later to activate a Line of Service, you still have to pay $40 Activation. So comparing apples to apples, add $40 to the Full Retail price, so $340 Activated + $10 a month, so still $100 less getting a 2 Year Contract (if you are cool with the $10 a month).

 

[ehosey2]

I have 2 Note 3's and 2 data cards used in 2 different Cradlepoint routers for work and home with a mobile share 60GB plan and was going to add 2 Gear S watches as well as a tablet within a week or two. My intention was to add the watches to the mobile share plan and I am okay with the $10.00 per month per Gear S but that is lame I am to pay $80.00 to activate 2 watches. I will just pay full retail.

 

[winpeguy]

I have 2 Note 3's and 2 data cards used in 2 different Cradlepoint routers for work and home with a mobile share 60GB plan and was going to add 2 Gear S watches all G with a tablet within a week or two. I am okay with the $10.00 per month per Gear S but that is lame I am to pay $80.00 to activate 2 watches. I will just pay full retail.

If the lines are already active, then there is no Activation Fee. Activation Fee only applies when adding a NEW Line of Service. So if you are transferring from a Cradlepoint that is already active, they will give you a Nano SIM for free, and you do not have to pay. Also if you are not looking to add a NEW Line of Service (because you have one already) then this post should not apply to you anyway. This post applies if you wanted to add a NEW Line of Service for the Gear S and get a good discount on a New Phone too.

 

[ehosey2]

The Gear S watches will be 2 new lines of service. I am keeping the data cards for the Cradlepoints. Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Tikerz]

I was told if you purchase a device at the no-contract pricing and add it to your mobile share plan, you are not charged an activation fee.

If you purchase on contract, you are charged an activation fee.

 

[winpeguy]

I was told if you purchase a device at the no-contract pricing and add it to your mobile share plan, you are not charged an activation fee.

If you purchase on contract, you are charged an activation fee.

Quite possible, but in my posts above, I was successful in getting my Activation Fee for a New Line of Service waived. I actually had 2 Upgrades and 2 New Lines all waived with a phone call to AT&T (call at night, they are cooler). So this is something that is not too hard to do. Just ask them to do it for a "Loyal Customer"

 

[Tikerz]

Quite possible, but in my posts above, I was successful in getting my Activation Fee for a New Line of Service waived. I actually had 2 Upgrades and 2 New Lines all waived with a phone call to AT&T (call at night, they are cooler). So this is something that is not too hard to do. Just ask them to do it for a "Loyal Customer"

I just confirmed with an AT&T rep that if you purchase a device at full price and add it to your mobile share plan there no activation fee. So in your example, there would be no activation fee for the Gear S, but will be one for the new phone if you decide to do Next or 2-year contract.

 

[ehosey2]

I will ask about getting the activation fees waived as well. Both the data cards on my plan that I intend to keep using are both full upgrade eligible and so I might be able to get the watches on contract without paying the $40.00 activations.

 

[aitt]

I can tell you right now I was not charged for an activation fee outright payment.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[winpeguy]

I will ask about getting the activation fees waived as well. Both the data cards on my plan that I intend to keep using are both full upgrade eligible and so I might be able to get the watches on contract without paying the $40.00 activations.

But the point of my post was to show how you can get a new cell phone for cheap if you were planning on adding a line for the Gear S anyway.

 

[ehosey2]

Yep. I read it and as of now will do the third option you listed. I won't be buying any new phones. We are good with the Note 3's but will be buying a Note Pro 12.2 with two watches. Only got so much money to spend. Thank you for breaking it down.

 

[Gsxr151]

So it sounds like the real benefit would be if you wanted to sell the new phone. I'm currently using a Note 3, and just bought the Gear S today on a 2-year contact.

I would love to upgrade to a Note 4 and keep it, but it looks like I would still pay big bucks at the end of the day, right?

Winpeguy, PM me if you have a quick minute to help me figure this one out.

 

[winpeguy]

So it sounds like the real benefit would be if you wanted to sell the new phone. I'm currently using a Note 3, and just bought the Gear S today on a 2-year contact.

I would love to upgrade to a Note 4 and keep it, but it looks like I would still pay big bucks at the end of the day, right?

Winpeguy, PM me if you have a quick minute to help me figure this one out.

PM sent

Sent from my Samsung Note 4 using Tapatalk

 

[winpeguy]

Let's say you want to buy an AT&T Note Edge . . .

2 Year Contract is $399.99
Off Contract is $945.99
Next 12 is $946.00 ($47.30 a month)
Next 18 is $946.08 ($39.42 a month)

So the only real discount is the 2 Year Contract. But renewing with a 2 Year Contract on a Mobile Share will cost you $40/month instead of $15/month for off contract, so an additional $600 over 24 months ($25 more a month).

So add a Note Edge to your existing Mobile Share with a New Line. Then use the Note Edge on your existing line, and change the New Line to Phone/Data on a Gear S (for 2 years). Pay $299 Off Contract pricing for the Gear S. Your total is now:
$399.99 Note Edge
$299.99 Gear S
$240.00 2 Years of Phone/Data for the Note Edge to fulfill your contract
$40.00 New Line Activation Fee

So now you pay a total of $979.98 but you get a Gear S and Data, and a Note Edge, so just $35 more than just buying a Note Edge off contract.

 

[67srbell]

I'm beyond confused...