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attn: europe and uk: cell phone plans

i was bored and was looking aroudn t-mobile uk and vodafone uk.
i found out that pretty much all their phones are free on contract (awesome)
and wireless plans are cheap as heck 60usd gets you 800 min, unlimited texts and internet 60 gets you half that here, if even (heck, it would cost you 35 bucks just to addon unlimited internet and texts)
but now heres where im perplexed, in the us we have unlimited nights and weekends on pretty much all plans and all networks, as well as in-network calling for free.
does that also exist in the uk and europe?

t-mobile used to have those evenings and weekends plans but they don't offer those anymore. Not too sure about Vodafone though.

Free evenings/weekend calls aren't as common on contracts as they used to be, partly due I guess to the increasing headline figure. It is however a releatively common perk on the pay-as-you-go circuit. Top up £x per month, and get free evening and weekend calls.
I can see the logic to it if you assume business users are predominantly on contracts and consumers on PAYG. The business user won't need his work phone out of hours (much), so no point offering unlimited off-peak when you don't have to, and will have their own phone for personal use anyway (part of why there are more mobiles than adults!). The home user is (hopefully!) engaged with work/school during the day, so makes few calls during this period, and if they're a heavy user off-peak, get that as a perk each month when they top up £x.
Also worth bearing in mind with any cross-ocean comparisons is "caller and recipient pay" there vs "caller only" pays here, so assuming an even split of incoming/outgoing calls, 100 minutes in the UK will get you as far as 200 minutes would in the US.

I get unlimited land-line calls on my orange contract - which means that my 800 minutes a month goes very far because only mobile phones come out of that pot.

Did Verizon "Upgrade" Your Data Plan?

Saw the thread in the general forum mentioning that ATT may have been switching a few people's data plans to a more expensive one. Something that I noticed when I switched to my TP2 from my XV6800 (Titan) when I changed phones using the over-the-phone activation method. I used to have a 23.XX data plan (it was 20% off from the regular plan) but when I checked out the features on my account on the Verizon website, it was bumped back to the 29.99 Data plan. Anyone else notice a bump in their data plan prices?

you should see if your 20% is still being applied

football0552 said:
you should see if your 20% is still being applied
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I checked the website after I activated to TP2, my data plan discount was removed. I called Verizon customer service and asked why, but the only excuse I got was that my new TP2 is more of a data hog than my XV6800, which really isn't true because my old titan used as much data as my TP2.

I too looked at the website and I was coming from a BlackBerry Storm.
From what I can tell the discount will only apply if I choose the "Unlimited Data Plan" that includes tethering access for $45 before discount. My plan cycle ends on the 12th so I will see very soon if the discount is really there or not. If not I may go back to the Storm for a while, probably only until the hardspl is done and there is an amazing custom wm6.5 rom to use on this phone to justify paying more for the same data.

The discount USED to apply to both data plan options (for smartphones), they where both 20% off, looks like now they're only willing to discount the tethering option, which you can do yourself by looking for the internet sharing program in the windows directory.

This is still showing on my verizon services:
Promotion details
19% ACCESS DISCOUNT
20% - FEATURE DISCOUNT (which is the $29.99 "unlimited" smartphone data plan)

papeluv said:
This is still showing on my verizon services:
Promotion details
19% ACCESS DISCOUNT
20% - FEATURE DISCOUNT (which is the $29.99 "unlimited" smartphone data plan)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
is this on your CURRENT plan, found on verizon's add/remove services page, or from your bill?

It is that way on my bill too. However, i see 29.99 price in features list for other lines that do not already have that plan.
I wonder if it is an issue with the site or if they actually removed the discount from new activations.

AstarteSV said:
is this on your CURRENT plan, found on verizon's add/remove services page, or from your bill?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was a copy and paste from the verizon services page. Not from the bill.

Still got mine...
I get a 19% discount because of where I work and I'm still getting the discount on my and my wifes data plan. We both have the TP2 and the $29.99 smartphone and email plan.

Mine was upped
I had $29.99( $24.xx discounted) plan.. they changed it to $44.99 ($35.99 discounted). when i moved it back to 29.99 online they no longer showed my 20% feature discount.

Same here. As of 10/12, convienent that its the same day my 30 days was up for my TP2, my line no longer shows the 20% feature discount.
I called Verizon and they said that I was actually never entitled to the 20% off features on secondary lines when it was them who offered it to me. She said that they have an offline corporate team that just goes through accounts with corporate discounts to confirm their eligibility for discounts. So they're systematically checking accounts and removing the discounts.
How can any of you stand for this? I have 2 Email and Smartphone plans, so that's an automatic $15+tax hike a month.
I'm definitely going to write the BBB about this one. The discount was OFFERED to me, was on my account for 8 months, then gets removed without any notification. Not only that, if I go online, add and remove the phone, the 20% feature shows up again and confirms when activating a eligible phone. I did this while I was on the phone with the rep and she just said that its going to be removed by the end of the day.
I should just add, that this seems to be happening on secondary lines with monthly charges of $39.99 or less and is according to their contract. But that just seems like bait and switch to me, get all this people to add the plan, then remove the discount and see if they notice.

I've been a customer for nearly 10 years, my bill is $250 a month. I only get an 8% discount through my corporation. I recently removed my blackberry and got the Touch pro 2. The date plan was 29.99 for the blackberry and with the 8% it was $27.59/month (8.0% off)
When I added the touch pro 2, the data plan was 29.99 with no discount. I called and the representative says she shows it still has the discount but I told her the website doesn't show it. She said it may take a day to update, its been a week and its still 29.99.
This company is starting to piss me off after 10 years. They removed me from my VIP discount because my primary line was dropped and the other line that was moved to primary "wasn't the primary for 6 months when open enrollment in February was open for VIP discounts"

Why Subsidized Phones Are a Rip-Off

The big American telecos have always been pretty high up on my list of evil corporations, so I wasn't exactly surprised to hear that Verizon – perhaps the worst offender of them all – is making the consumer bear the brunt of another frivolous fee. From now on Verizon subscribers will have to pay a $30 fee every time they upgrade their phones. While we've all gotten used to carriers inventing bogus fees literally out of thin air, it is important to take a step back and understand exactly how Verizon, AT&T and the rest are shamelessly ripping us off with every monthly statement.
For years now, wireless providers have been luring consumers in with top-quality phones at reduced prices in exchange for a two-year commitment. You get to keep the phone, while the carrier has the pleasure of charging you a hefty monthly sum for the service. Seems like a fair enough deal, right? At least, that's what the carriers would like to have you believe. The reality, however, is much more sketchy and sneaky as is often the case with companies that have a quasi-monopoly over any given product or service.
If you actually sit down and do the math, you end up paying the carrier back way more than just the price of the phone. But that's not the story the carriers are selling to the media. In fact, based on the decrease in profits carriers are complaining about how much money they are losing on subsidized phones. So in an attempt to allegedly compensate for providing us with phones at subsidized prices, US carriers have systematically introduced a so-called “upgrade fee” on top of all the existing charges lurking underneath the surface of your cell phone bill.
What may look like a relatively small fee will actually bring Verizon an extra $1 billion a year in terms of profit. And now that they've jumped on the “upgrade fee” bandwagon consumers are left with no choice but to shake their fists at the telcos and shell out an extra $30.
And get this, according to Verizon, this new fee is meant to “help continue to provide customers with the level of service and support they have come to expect”. If by that they mean that we've all become used to the fact that Verizon is one money-thirsty leech of a company with terrible customer service – then, yes, we agree.
As Americans we've become addicted to two-year contracts and subsidized phones, but my recommendation to you would be to use your Internet browsing skills and buy your Android phones at full price. Thankfully, there are plenty of good deals to be had on eBay and online discount stores. Don't let the Big Three bleed you to death with fees, fines and small print. Just keep one thing in mind: with these telecos it's always the consumer that gets the short end of the stick.

This is not only an issue in America but other parts of world too. I urge all consumers to band together & resist this kind of extortion. Vote with you money. Hurt evil monopolies where it will hurt them the most.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

Have you no consumer protection lobbies in the US?
Over here for instance, I've got a HTC Sensation, free on O2 for £32 a month giving me 600 minutes, unlimited texts and 500MB a month along with free access to BT Openzone and O2 wifi hot spots. I also get a discount on my home broadband.
It's a 24 month contract but I can change after 21 months as I'm a valued customer.
So in total it's going to cost me £672.
At the time the Sensation without contract was around the £450 mark from reputable retailers (not ebay where you have very little come back if something goes wrong), even now it's £350.
So the contract actually cost me £222 which is under £11 a month. Even at £350 for the handset it'd be £15 a month.
Now looking at O2's sim only contracts, the same would be £21.50 a month, so it's cheaper to get a free phone on contract.
Even running the whole 24 months it works out at less than £17.50 a month if you take the free phone. To break even you'd need to buy a Sensation for £252 which means second hand.
Having looked at prices on US provider's websites and complaints posted on here, you guys seriously need to get the industry regulated to protect consumers from being ripped off.

How is it a rip off if I was going to buy that smart phone anyway and use that carrier? If I pick all the options I want carrier with phone and they are willing to subsidize the phone how is that ripping me off? I'd be using that phone and that carrier anyway so why not take the subsidy?

the_main_app said:
How is it a rip off if I was going to buy that smart phone anyway and use that carrier? If I pick all the options I want carrier with phone and they are willing to subsidize the phone how is that ripping me off? I'd be using that phone and that carrier anyway so why not take the subsidy?
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Good example is tmobile Monthly 4g plan is $70.00 flats fee for unlimited everything talk and text and 5 gigs data. This plan is non contract can leave when you want and comes up to $1680.00 after two years.
Classic plan for tmobile for the same features are 59.99 for talk and text. 35.00 dollars for 5 gig data. $94.99 let's add taxes and fees after. Which is around 11.00 extra which brings you to $105.99 note this is without $8.00 insurance added on. Two years on this plan is $ 2543.76.
Tmobile value plan is for the same features are $74.99 with taxes its $85.99 a month. Again without the insurance. You bring your phone and your also locked in a contract. You get no subsidize phones on this plan. Two years this plan is $2063.76
Classic vs value you save $480 dollars on value plan.
Classic vs monthly 4g you save $863.76. On the monthly 4g non contract plan
Value plan vs monthly 4g you save. $383.76 on the monthly 4g.
When you are on contract you wind up paying more for the phone then what's its worth on the contract. As you can see the savings alone can easily let you buy a phone off contract.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

You guys still have it better with 2 year plans, and we are stuck in "3rd world " like stage with 3 year contracts....

Regardless of the phone cost, you're still shelling out decent amounts of money for your cell service, if you want to be up in arms, do it about your monthly bill costs.

the_main_app said:
How is it a rip off if I was going to buy that smart phone anyway and use that carrier? If I pick all the options I want carrier with phone and they are willing to subsidize the phone how is that ripping me off? I'd be using that phone and that carrier anyway so why not take the subsidy?
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Click to collapse
If you don't see that its a rip off, then you are as much the problem.

It's all about cash flow to be honest. I bought my phone outright thinking it would be cheaper but if you want data then you end up paying over £20 in any case and if think about it only saves you around 30-50, for paying £500 upfront...

Killbynature said:
Good example is tmobile Monthly 4g plan is $70.00 flats fee for unlimited everything talk and text and 5 gigs data. This plan is non contract can leave when you want and comes up to $1680.00 after two years.
Classic plan for tmobile for the same features are 59.99 for talk and text. 35.00 dollars for 5 gig data. $94.99 let's add taxes and fees after. Which is around 11.00 extra which brings you to $105.99 note this is without $8.00 insurance added on. Two years on this plan is $ 2543.76.
Tmobile value plan is for the same features are $74.99 with taxes its $85.99 a month. Again without the insurance. You bring your phone and your also locked in a contract. You get no subsidize phones on this plan. Two years this plan is $2063.76
Classic vs value you save $480 dollars on value plan.
Classic vs monthly 4g you save $863.76. On the monthly 4g non contract plan
Value plan vs monthly 4g you save. $383.76 on the monthly 4g.
When you are on contract you wind up paying more for the phone then what's its worth on the contract. As you can see the savings alone can easily let you buy a phone off contract.
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Crikey those tariffs are steep!
Would I be right in thinking that the phones offered on the tariff are not free but only subsidised? So you're still forking out $150-250 for a handset?

ACtually it's not the subsidised phone that's a ripoff but the plan itself.
Keep in mind that the price of the plan is the same regardless of you getting a new phone with or not. There's no cheaper plan options for people opting out of the phone. Or any kind of saving.
The phone itself is basically an added benefit to you the user. Compare about the atrocious data and smd plans instead.

I got my samsung gio with a vodafone prepaid card + 5 Euro free to use prepaid money, the whole package cost me 112 Euros while in my country the cheapest GIO without a simlock (mine is simlocked) costs around 155 Euros.
I pay 30ct per MB though if I purchase a one month internet bundle via my prepaid money I pay 7ct per MB. I can also buy MB's that are usable for a day which will cost me 10ct per MB. Though the amount of MB's you buy are locked, I am pretty happy with my prepaid phone.
I also agree you should refrain from sticking to multi year contracts, who knows what happens in two years, or even one year.

http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/18626772.jpg

xaccers said:
Crikey those tariffs are steep!
Would I be right in thinking that the phones offered on the tariff are not free but only subsidised? So you're still forking out $150-250 for a handset?
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Yeah pretty much you can buy a phone from any other place cheaper. I don't know where you live but a free phone in the USA. Isn't free. You have upgrade $30 or $18 just to update. Staying off contract would still be cheaper and you can just sell your old phone and the savings alone would make it cheaper. Another benefit is that you aren't worrying about your carrier for updates. Buy the original phone and it will be updated better than a carrier branded version of the phone.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

shardnet said:
ACtually it's not the subsidised phone that's a ripoff but the plan itself.
Keep in mind that the price of the plan is the same regardless of you getting a new phone with or not. There's no cheaper plan options for people opting out of the phone. Or any kind of saving.
The phone itself is basically an added benefit to you the user. Compare about the atrocious data and smd plans instead.
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Click to collapse
Actually in most cases, the big carriers do charge you the same price on the plan regardless of whether you bought the phone subsidized or not. But they are not the only companies you can get a plan with. You can always go the prepaid route and you can get the same mobile and data service as the big carriers as many of the prepaid plans are MVNOs. F0or example I bought an International Galaxy Note recently and put it on Straight Talk's Unlimited Everything plan for $45/month. Over 2 years it will cost me $1080. Add in the cost of the phone, I will have paid $1665 over 2 years. Buy the phone from AT&T for $250 and $100/month on service ($40 for voice, $20 Text unlimited, $30 for 3GB data, and taxes), $2650 total over 2 years. I would have saved almost $1000 over the 2 years AND not tied to a contract.

shardnet said:
ACtually it's not the subsidised phone that's a ripoff but the plan itself.
Keep in mind that the price of the plan is the same regardless of you getting a new phone with or not. There's no cheaper plan options for people opting out of the phone. Or any kind of saving.
The phone itself is basically an added benefit to you the user. Compare about the atrocious data and smd plans instead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Like I said it's different in the USA. Our plans pretty much make us pay for the full price + extra. All phones have a 1 year warranty. Even then using tmobile insurance it will cost you an extra $120 every two years. They also charge you a fee for delivering a replacement now. I think it's $5 om insurance and 20 dollars without.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium

I fail to see the point. Yes Verizon is spendy but they are the best. But if you want a cheaper phone and plan there are options. I pay $25 bucks a month for my virgin mobile plan and I paid $240 for my epic touch that I modded to run on virgin mobile USA. I will probably keep this plan for as long as I can. If I need to use more minutes that's what internet calling is for. It may not be as dependable as Verizon or at&t but it gets the job done.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using XDA

Killbynature said:
Yeah pretty much you can buy a phone from any other place cheaper. I don't know where you live but a free phone in the USA. Isn't free. You have upgrade $30 or $18 just to update. Staying off contract would still be cheaper and you can just sell your old phone and the savings alone would make it cheaper. Another benefit is that you aren't worrying about your carrier for updates. Buy the original phone and it will be updated better than a carrier branded version of the phone.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Over here in the UK, phones are generally what is used by providers to snag customers.
So people pick the phone they want then search the providers for the best deal offering that phone, either for free (normally a higher monthly cost) or at a reduced price.
We also have various organisations keeping charges low.

I personally feel the opposite of the OP. How exactly is a subsidized phone a ripoff? The PLAN is going to be the same whether you bring your own phone or get one from the carrier. If you know you aren't going to be sticking around for 2 years then buying your phone outright might be the way to go. Otherwise I'd say save some money.

edit wrong thread.

Early upgrades - Comparing T-Mobile JUMP, AT&T NEXT, and Verizon EDGE.

This post will be divided into several posts for the sake of reading cimplicity.
Contents
Contents
Introduction
AT&T breakdown
T-Mobile and Verizon breakdowns
Conclusion
Alternatives for $$$-savvy consumers
Since AT&T announced their NEXT program (and Verizon subsequently their Edge program), I've wanted to do a comparison, but long hours at work have gotten in the way.

Last week, T-Mobile announced their JUMP program (just upgrade my phone), which allows two upgrades in a 12-month period. Since then, AT&T and Verizon have followed suit in announcing their own plans that allow a 12-month upgrade path. So, which is cheaper and how do they compare?
On the surface, AT&T and Verizon have designed their plans to look cheaper. They're actually more expensive as you now pay a double-subsidy. For this comparison, I'm going to use the 16GB iPhone 5 (the best selling phone in the US), and I'm going to compare plans that offer unlimited talk, text, and approximately 2GB of data on an individual line.
AT&T: There are two plans which meet the criteria. We'll be comparing 3 plans (one alternative)
Voice/Data/Messaging - unlimited talk is $69.99, text is $30, and 3GB data is $30, bringing this to a total of $129.99/month. There was no 2GB option, and using the $20/300mb option would incur too many overages. Alternatively, you could use the 450 minute plan + rollover minutes for $30 less per month.
Mobile Share - $45 for smartphone unlim talk/txt, $40 for 1GB of data, and $15 for a 1GB overage brings us to $100/mo.
T-Mobile: T-Mobile has one plan
$60/mo for unlim talk/txt, 2.5GB of high-speed data (unlimited thereafter, no overages).
Verizon: Only one plan, and it meets our criteria exactly.
Unlimited talk/txt on a smartphone for $40, plus $60 for 2GB of data, $100mo total.

AT&T has two plans that I wanted to focus on, with one alternative plan with lower minutes. The alternative isn't an apples to apples comparison, but it's not AT&T's fault that Verizon and T-Mobile don't offer more flexibility with their minutes.
Under AT&T's next program, you pay $0 down when you get a new phone, but you pay the full cost of the phone over 20 months. This would be a great deal on its own if they would remove the subsidy from the calling plan, but they don't. You still pay the phone subsidy, and then you pay for the phone. The perk here is that after 12 months (paying for 60% of the phone), you can trade in your phone for another $0 upgrade.
Using our iPhone 5 16GB example, you pay $0 down and an additional $32.50/month on your bill. Here's how the AT&T plans compare over 12 months with this method.
Voice, Messaging, and Data (unlimited minutes):
$0 down, $32.50/mo for the phone ($390)
$69.99/mo for voice ($839.88)
$30/mo for unlimited text ($360)
$30/mo for 3GB data ($360)
$162.49/mo
Grand total of $1,949.88 over 12 months with an initial phone and one subsequent upgrade
ALTERNATIVE - Voice, Messaging, and Data (450 minutes):
$0 down, $32.50/mo for the phone ($390)
$39.99/mo for voice ($479.88)
$30/mo for unlimited text ($360)
$30/mo for 3GB data ($360)
$132.49/mo
Grand total of $1,589.88 over 12 months with an initial phone and one subsequent upgrade
Mobile Share:
$0 down, $32.50/mo for the phone ($390)
$45/mo for unlimited voice and text ($540)
$40/mo for 1GB data ($480)
$15/mo for 1GB data overage ($180)
$132.50/mo
Grand total of $1,590 over 12 months with an initial phone and one subsequent upgrade

T-Mobile and Verizon each have one plan that truly fits into this comparison, so I'm combining them into one post. One again, we'll be using the 16GB iPhone 5 for this comparison.
T-Mobile separates the subsidy from the plan, which means that you'll be paying less for the monthly service plan, and you'll pay the full price of the phone, up-front or through a 24 month 0% financing program. As part of JUMP, you can upgrade twice at any time within a 12-month period by simply trading in your phone and paying the down payment for the new phone. Participation in this program requires a $10 monthly fee that includes their otherwise $8 insurance program.
T-Mobile Simple Choice Individual Plan:
$145.99 down, $20/mo for the phone (385.99)
$10/mo for JUMP participation ($120)
$50/mo for unlimited talk/text, 500MB high-speed data ($600)
$10/mo for additional 2GB high-speed data ($120)
$90/mo
$145.99 down for next similar upgrade
Grand total of $1,225.99 over 12 months with an initial phone and one subsequent upgrade
Verizon's Edge program is close to AT&T's in similarity, in that you're paying a double-subsidy. However, unlike AT&T, who requires at least 12 months and 60% paid off before your upgrade, Verizon requires 6 months and 50%. Their phone payments are spread over 24 months instead of 20. It seems (unsure) that you can actually pay your choice of $0 down, or the normal subsidy rate, which would get you the upgrade at 6 months as opposed to 12. We'll go with $0 and 12 months for this example.
Verizon Share Everything Plan:
$0 down, $27.08/$27.08 fluctuating per month for the phone ($325)
$40/mo for unlimited talk and text ($480)
$60/mo for 2GB of data ($720)
$127.08/$127.09 fluctuating monthly total
Grand total of $1,525 over 12 months with an initial phone and one subsequent upgrade

So, as a conclusion, here's the 12-month ranking from cheapest to most expensive.
T-Mobile Simple Choice Plan - $1,225.99
Verizon Share Everything Plan - $1,525
AT&T Voice, Messaging, and Data Plan (450 Minutes) - $1,589.88
AT&T Mobile Share Plan - $1,590
AT&T Voice, Messaging, and Data Plan (unlimited Minutes) - $1,949.88
Across the board, AT&T seems the worst, but to be fair, they give the most flexibility. They do not have a NEXT compatibile plan that offers unlimited talk and text with 2GB of data. So, I had to fudge their plans to give more data, or fewer minutes. Verizon and T-Mobile offer plans that fit the criteria almost exactly (2.5GB on TMO's plan), which is why they came out "ahead".
You can alter all of these plans to some degree. For T-Mobile, reducing the total cost by $120 ($10/mo) brings your data down to 500Mb of high-speed. I'm currently using this, and they are VERY generous with their post-500MB throttling. I've had no problems with basic tasks and web browsing, and even Pandora works with rarely a hiccup (while driving, no less). Or, you can go $120 in the other direction for truly unlimited data, and still come out cheaper than the plans from other carriers.
But for some, T-Mobile isn't an option. Verizon and AT&T are about the same in price between their Mobile Share and Share Everything Plans. Verizon's EDGE program requires a lower monthly fee for the phone to participate, so they will always be cheaper than AT&T in this regard. However, AT&T still offers their older plans, listed as Voice, Messaging, and Data. You can reduce the minutes as low as 450 + rollover, switch to pay as you go texting if you're not a big texter, and/or go down to 300Mb of data. Doing so will STILL cost more than T-Mobile's offering (unless you literally never send/receive a single text message outside of messaging apps). But, it will beat anything that Verizon offers.

So, what are the alternatives if you want to upgrade more quickly, but save some money? For AT&T and Verizon, the option is simple. Buy their phone on contract on subsidy, and when it's time to upgrade, sell the phone and buy a new one full price.
For Verizon, this is more costly when compared to AT&T, as CDMA phones have much lower resale value. For example, let's say that you bought the Galaxy S3 when it came out for $199.99, and now you want to upgrade to the Galaxy S4 ($649.99). Used SGS3s on Verizon are currently trading around the $200 mark. So, you'd sell it for about what you paid for it, bringing your 12-month cost to $1,849 after the cost of your new phone. The next year, though, you're upgrade would be at subsidy price, bringing your second year cost down to $1,200. You'd average an annual price of approximately $1,525, or, exactly what Verizon offers without having to go through the hassle of finding a buyer for your phone. So in this case, Verizon's plan is a fair deal. If you're an iPhone user, you'll get more money on your resale, making it worthwhile to sell and upgrade on your own.
For AT&T, you have the option of using branded handsets and unlocked handsets that have higher resale. You could sell an AT&T branded SGS3 for about $300. When you upgrade, you could opt for a lower-priced Nexus handset for $350. Alternatively, you can use AT&T's excellent new prepaid plan, which is $60/mo for unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data. This brings them roughly on par with T-Mobile, except that you have to pay full price for the handset, and you have to sell it on its own. If you like T-Mobiles costs, don't mind paying up front, but need better nationwide coverage, this is the best plan out right now (among the big 4 carriers).
With T-Mobile, there's not much flexibility, but you're already at the bottom in price. As mentioned in the Conclusion post, you can move the annual cost $120 in either direction based on your high-speed data needs. You could forego the $10/mo JUMP program and just resell your old handset, buying a new phone either full-priced or financed through T-Mobile. Or, you could switch from their Simple Choice to their prepaid plan. They cost exactly the same on paper, but there is a cost difference. Simple Choice supports corporate discounts, while prepaid does not. Simple Choice carries the usual unfees, IE, fake taxes and fake regulatory charges, whereas prepaid only charges the sales tax associated with the seller (you can buy online refills from many sites with no sales tax). Our $80 Simple Choice 2-line plan costs $80 on paper, but after a 15% corporate discount and numerous unfees, it's $87.22. To get the same from prepaid, it's $80/mo flat from some places, or $87.60/mo with local sales tax. Prepaid doesn't carry the option of financing the phone, so it should only be considered if you always buy outright, and you have no eligible corporate discounts.

Good write up. Note, also, that in "changing the rules", I imagine that we might see cries of price-fixing, as there doesn't seem to be a viable way to shop a phone's price.

Sprint's upgrade program will be called OFF-THE in order to complete the sentence: JUMP OFF-THE NEXT EDGE
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 4 Beta

PAPB0007 said:
Sprint's upgrade program will be called OFF-THE in order to complete the sentence: JUMP OFF-THE NEXT EDGE
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 4 Beta
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If only I knew more people in real life who would appreciate this humor.

Sprint's new plans are not fully compatible with your employee discount!

After spending some time chatting with a Sprint rep, I found that if you have a discount with Sprint provided by your employer, that discount is significantly lower on the new "Unlimited, My Way" plans than any now grandfathered plan. I only found one thread referencing this on the Sprint community forums and nothing here on XDA.
An example:
Let's say you currently use the Everything Data 450 plan. You're paying their $10 "premium data" fee per month, plus the regular plan fee of $69.99, for an $79.99 total bill before taxes and surcharges. It's been stated by Sprint reps that migrating from this plan to the Unlimited, My Way plan would only increase your monthly bill by $0.01, since the "Unlimited Talk and Text" costs $50 per month, and unlimited data adds $30,00, for a total bill of $80 (premium data fee no longer necessary). However, something I haven't found advertised is the fact that an employee discount no longer applies to your entire monthly plan fee, but only to the data package you select.
On the grandfathered plan, your 20% discount would yield a savings of $14 per month, but on the new plans, the discount (based only on the mothly data fee) is only $6.
TL;DR - If your employer provides a discount for your Sprint service and you don't approach or exceed the allowable minutes on your current plan, think twice before upgrading to one of the new Unlimited, My Way plans.