AT&T ups the ante - Will offer of the cheapest family plans starting Feb 1st

Plans comparison

AT&T Launches Best-Ever Prices for Families on its Best-in-Class Network

Note: These plans are for non-contract or phones bought through AT&T's NEXT plan only. You can't get a new subsidized phone for $200 if you switch to this plan. If you go with the NEXT plan any time after 12 or 18 months, you can trade in your smartphone for a brand new one, or choose to keep the smartphone and, after 20 or 26 months, no more installment payments are required. The NEXT plan will add anywhere from $25-$35 per month per phone for high-end phones.

So, in sum, the $15 is for existing customer lines. These new plans do not require a contract so you are going month to month. If/when you choose to change your existing device you have two options:

1. use ATT Next where you pay for the device over time (basically a loan tacked onto your monthly bill). or

2. buy a phone outright and keep the same cost per month.

Verizon better start moving quick or they will lose a lot of customers with their ridiculously inflated prices.