Greetings. My first post, so please be kind.
I am about 14 months into a 24 month contract with AT&T with my Samsung Galaxy Alpha phone.
I would like to shift to a lower cost carrier and am trying to determine the most cost effective way to go.
My understanding is that leaving AT&T and keeping my current phone would require paying (a) the ETF (of about $185) and the unlock fee of about $300. The sum of these two makes the shift unworth doing. I have also read that it's illegal to use a third party to unlock the phone during the 24 month contract.
Based on the above, and on the premise that I will not break the law, a strategy that occurred to me is presented below. I am asking for comments on it, or alternatively, any alternative suggestions for saving money on my current plan. I note that I'm a light user and have access to Wifi for most of my web browsing.
(a) terminate my AT&T contract (running at about $100 a month) and pay the ETF (though not the unlock charge);
(b) port my tel # to a (low cost) prepaid feature phone and associated plan/carrier;
(c) after a period of time, pay a third party company to unlock my Galaxy Alpha phone;
(d) Once unlocked, port my number back to the Galaxy phone with a suitable MVNO service.
The above is cumbersome, but I am semi-retired, and have the time to do the above.
Would appreciate any input.
I am about 14 months into a 24 month contract with AT&T with my Samsung Galaxy Alpha phone.
I would like to shift to a lower cost carrier and am trying to determine the most cost effective way to go.
My understanding is that leaving AT&T and keeping my current phone would require paying (a) the ETF (of about $185) and the unlock fee of about $300. The sum of these two makes the shift unworth doing. I have also read that it's illegal to use a third party to unlock the phone during the 24 month contract.
Based on the above, and on the premise that I will not break the law, a strategy that occurred to me is presented below. I am asking for comments on it, or alternatively, any alternative suggestions for saving money on my current plan. I note that I'm a light user and have access to Wifi for most of my web browsing.
(a) terminate my AT&T contract (running at about $100 a month) and pay the ETF (though not the unlock charge);
(b) port my tel # to a (low cost) prepaid feature phone and associated plan/carrier;
(c) after a period of time, pay a third party company to unlock my Galaxy Alpha phone;
(d) Once unlocked, port my number back to the Galaxy phone with a suitable MVNO service.
The above is cumbersome, but I am semi-retired, and have the time to do the above.
Would appreciate any input.
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