The ad and the linked terms don't say anything about the deal being available only for new customers and accounts. It's the lack of transparency that really gets me.
this post was submitted on 27 Nov 2025
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I used to be a long-time AT&T customer. One time I wanted a new phone after a long time of being the ideal customer, so I looked into making a new contract. Called their hotline and the rep said “We only do deals for new customers, but you can buy a new phone for full price. It’s no problem.”
It seemed weird to me. Shouldn’t the long term customer loyalty be encouraged? I’m not locked into a contract any more, so why aren’t you worried about me jumping ship for a better deal? I tried explaining this to the rep in different ways, but they were genuinely confused. I finally told them “Alright, I’ll just get a deal through Verizon.” and he asked “Why? I don’t understand. I told you that you could buy a phone at full price?”
Never used AT&T again. I haven’t tried the same conversation with Verizon, because I won’t really have many viable options left if I boycott them too. I hear lots of people say “Well you can’t really blame them, it’s a smart move!” which seems weird to me because the smart move they made was to alienate me in order to get new customers. Of course I can blame them. Me blaming them was the acceptable loss they decided was OK.
It's only a smart move if you assume nobody will ever call your bluff. Meanwhile my VPN sees I haven't renewed yet and it's about to end and they offer me a deal so good I just do a quick check they're still good enough then accept it. I'm not loyal loyal, but I've been a subscriber since the pandemic and I will be for another 2 years at least.
For comparison, I prioritize internet as local carriers > spectrumcast > seriously consider larping as amish > AT&T. AT&T will just offer new customers limited wifi data at low speeds for more money than spectrum and get shocked you won't switch. Meanwhile spectrum makes me and my wife have to swap who's name the account is for every year or two to keep the good deal, except when they just sign a deal with the landlord for a mandatory fixed price as a part of my building/complex's rent. Local carriers offer reasonable prices where I don't feel the need to keep chasing introductory deals.
Check into USMobile - they're effectively a reseller of services on all the major networks, for far less. (I pay $17/mo for 2 lines and 4GB of data. If I need more data in a given month, I can get 2GB "extra" for like $5). Larger plans are a better deal, I just don't need more than 4GB right now.
I've traveled across the US using it, and I see it connect to different vendor towers (Verizon, ATT, etc) with 5g a lot of the time.
At home my phone shows US Mobile, as soon as I leave I get Verizon 5G.
I deal with this at one of my jobs. We offer the moon to new customers, but existing customers are constantly getting screwed over. People complain about it constantly, but corporations have no incentive to reduce the amount of money they're receiving from you, which could open the doors to losing income from every other customer who decides to ask, when they can just roll the dice on whether you decide to go through the hassle of leaving. It's scummy and I don't agree with it on a personal level, but the agent you're talking to has no power to change the system.
Verizon was always the best for me. Moved to T-Mobile because Verizon wouldn't activate my funky new phone. Promptly lost the phone and wish I had never changed. T-Mobile isn't awful, but they are compared to Verizon.