Because people finance their phones with AT&T, usually without realizing it. “Free” phones and discounted phones are not usually free or discounted. You’re forced to stay with them to get the discount off each month. I hate it because I’d rather just pay for my phone outright and be done, but then you actually pay more.
Comment on Thanks AT&T!
sik0fewl@lemmy.ca 7 months ago
Why does AT&T need your SIN?!?
fadedmaster@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
Jakeroxs@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
Not sure I see how you end up paying more by buying your phone outright, it’s more up front but then your monthly price for service is lower.
fadedmaster@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
They give you a discount per month. So for example, a $1000 phone is on sale for $600, but they don’t give you $400 off up front. Its a $11.11 per month discount for the next 36 months. You pay $16.67 per month until its paid off. If you pay it up front you pay $1000. If you leave early or pay it off early you lose the $11/month discount on the payment for the phone
Its intended to lure people in for an advertised cheap or free phone, but then you’re stuck with them paying for the device.
Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 months ago
Depending on the calculation the phone + plan can be cheaper than just the phone and just the plan
Ioughttamow@kbin.run 7 months ago
Goddamn are we shadowrun now? Where are the pink Mohawk orc deckers?
JudahBenHur@lemm.ee 7 months ago
deckers… jesus christ thanks for activating a neuron that hadn’t stirred in 20 years
GluWu@lemm.ee 7 months ago
So they can permanently mark you as a poor when you miss a single monthly payment thus effecting your ability to do anything with money in the furutre making you poorer and perpetuating a cycle in order to trap you into a system that benefits from your suffering.
RvTV95XBeo@sh.itjust.works 7 months ago
Or even better, my experience with them - they can permanently mark you as poor when the person who stole your identity in the last data beach (Thanks Experian!) doesn’t make their monthly payment, thus tanking your credit while you’re entering escrow on your first home.
Thanks AT&T, now my stolen information I never even gave you is probably back on the black market! The cycle continues.
intensely_human@lemm.ee 7 months ago
We’ve surrounded the prisoner in piezoelectrics. The more he struggles, the more electricity he produces!