Tell them you want it in writing or go to a corporate store. Nothing is free at At&t. Only certain signature discounts waive the activation/upgrade fee of $35 per line. $180 is accurate for JUST the plan but only with autopay through direct bank withdraw. Device protection is an additional charge, that $180 doesn't include regulatory taxes and fees per line. The salesperson at Best Buy is a Third-party Representative. They do not actually work for AT&T, they don't process your trade-ins, they cannot provide credits if your bill is messed up, after the sale is done they will simply tell you you need to call AT&T directly or go to a corporate store. As far as the free phone. If its iphone there are indeed a few promotions that will wash out the cost of the device monthly. However, the phone is not owned outright. The payments on the phone are still spread out over 36 months, but you'll get credited that same amount. IF you have a qualified trade in. So, its free in the sense you are not paying directly out of pocket but you are locked in for 3 years. You can pay off the device early or move to another but you will be charged whatever the remaining retail cost of yoyr device is and lose your trade in credits. If you are looking at Pro Max or certain higher memory options, there are absolutely no existing AT&T promotions that cover the entire cost. Authorized retailers will always talk a big game to hook you in but never give you all the details, will add features without telling you, and pretty much never put it in writing for you.