AT&T, T-Mobile encourage more frequent handset upgrades

US telco T-Mobile last week announced its new JUMP! programme to encourage users to upgrade their phones every six months instead of every two years. The move was immediately followed by AT&T with a similar offering called AT&T Next.

Commentators say that Verizon too would be rolling out a programme, called VZ Edge.

The new AT&T Next programme, differing from the T-Mobile JUMP! offering seeks to do away with the initial down payment and other fees for activation, upgrade, and financing) and allows upgrades once a year rather than every six months.

On AT&T's ofering users say that since thay paid a monthly fee for their subsidised phones anyway, the AT&T Next programme comes across almost like a no brainer against the T-Mobile plan.

They add since the AT&T offering comes with a no-interest equipment installation plan option requiring no-down payment, T-Mobile also had on offer lower-priced plans to go with their no-contract policy.

According to commentators, the timing of the announcement was great for those considering  purchasing the new Nokia Lumia 1020 as that device was set to launch on the 26th with the plan starting that same day.

Meanwhile, Verizon had introduced a new handset payment plan in April that would allow customers to upgrade phones by purchasing them at full prices with the payments spread out over a 12-month period.

According to Android community website droid-life.com, which cited sources, Verizon would introduce a new upgrade initiative on 25 August called ''VZ Edge'' that would allow customers to upgrade their phones much more frequently to ''stay on the leading edge of technology.''

Droid Life said in a training slide detailing the new plan, that it could be seen that Verizon was offering VZ Edge as a way for customers to avoid signing contracts and upgrade fees, while continuing to use the ''best network'' and with the latest devices.

Droid Life goes on to say that though all specifics were not yet available, the slide did mention that if customers were on the previously mentioned monthly payment plan, that they could upgrade to a new device at any time once they had paid off 50 per cent of their current phone.

Though the document did not say specifically, it could be assumed that the new VZ Edge plan was for those who participated in the device payment plan only.