[Evolved]

It seems what AT&T are trying to do is stop losing money to subsidizing phones since other carriers (T-mobile, for example) are doing this. If this is the case then why not just discontinue the subsidization of phones at the $199, $299, etc. price points and just allow you to buy it at 0% interest if you agree to a 2-year contract. They still get their customer locked in for 2 years and they recover the full cost of the phone and the customer most likely stays loyal since they aren't feeling ripped off. Otherwise, what is keeping them from jumping ship to another carrier if the waters are muddied enough that the phone and the plan become commodities?

[intopieces]

You've pivoted to another topic. The question I asked is: what part of the AT&T Next plan qualifies as a hustle?

[Evolved]

hustle - verb (used without object), hustled, hustling.

3. to be aggressive, especially in business or other financial dealings.

4. Slang. to earn one's living by illicit or unethical means.

The hustle part of what I said has to do with the pushyness of the salespeople at AT&T and the unethical part of lying about the pricing (to me when this deal was not better for me even though perhaps it may be better for someone else).

I think this meets the prima facie definition of hustle. Hustle doesn't have to mean fraudulent but it can mean shady, unscrupulous or sneaky.

[m8urn]

Another aspect of this is that they make the regular contract plans cost more than twice what they did before, even with a non-smartphone, essentially pushing you into the Next plan.

[Evolved]

Can they really do this if you're just upgrading the phone and signing a new contract since you're not required to choose a new plan? If you were absolutely required to choose a new plan when you upgradethen how can people with unlimited data still be grandfathered in?