re: When you upgrade your phone with AT&T (not AT&T Next)

Bottom line - pay about $25 more per month when you go next to pay for your new phone over time OR pay about $25 more per month for your phone network access fee, which is probably about $15 per month now if you just upgrade using the $200 new phone option. With that option they bump your phone network access fee to $40 from $15.

In short, either way you go your bill is going up $25 per month when you upgrade through ATT. With next, you don't come out of pocket $200 for the up front upgrade phone price.