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swester

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 26, 2010
286
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I know I'm not the only one out there who is going for a 2-phone family plan, so what's the verdict on service providers? Who has the best deal?
 
I'm with AT&T and I currently pay $69.99 for voice (700 minutes), $30 for unlimited text and $40 for data (2GB and 250MB plans). So roughly about $75/month per line. Not a bad deal imo.

In the meantime, check this out. It delineates and goes through all three offerings.
 
I'm with AT&T and I currently pay $69.99 for voice (700 minutes), $30 for unlimited text and $40 for data (2GB and 250MB plans). So roughly about $75/month per line. Not a bad deal imo.

In the meantime, check this out. It delineates and goes through all three offerings.

That's an awesome comparo chart. It should be a sticky in this forum!
 
That's an awesome comparo chart. It should be a sticky in this forum!

That chart is actually wrong in a ton of places.

ATT is the cheapest if you use less than 200mb a month and don't text. ATT and verizon plans charge for texting.

it's 55$ for 1 line with 200mb and no texting... or 65$ for 2gb... or 85 if you want to add texting to that too. For family you have 550 mins + 200mb for each phone for 90$... if you want texting it's 120... and if you have 2 gb each it's 140... if you don't call alot, this is fine.

Sprint is unlimited Text and Data for 79.99 a month for 1 person and on a family line 149.99 for 2 lines with 1500 mins (lowest) unlimited data and unlimited text. (and 30$ each additional line after the first 2 for the same unlimited data/text) Sprint really gets effective for large families... as 30$ each for unlmited everything except mobile minutes

Verizon... 70$ for 1 person with 2gb... and no text... add 20$ fot unlimted. for families 130 for 2 phones and 700 mins... with 2gb... and no texting... 160$ for texting on that.
 
AT&T's Family Plan pricing wouldn't be so awful if they would let you share data across devices (e.g. 4GB / month spread across 2 devices).

For as comparable plans as you can configure with 2 data devices (1400/1500 minutes, unlimited messaging, early nights and weekends) , AT&T is anywhere from $55 to $85 more PER MONTH than Sprint (I pay ~$90/month for a single iPhone w/ AT&T now).

The first +$40 comes mostly from unlimited messaging and extended nights and weekends (7PM for AT&T is +$16, where Sprint comes with 7PM, upgradeable to 6PM for $10/month)

+$55 assumes 4GB data on the first device and $15 unlimited "non-smartphone" data (or 200MB) on the second device.

+$85 assumes 4GB data on both devices.



Now that I need to switch to a family plan and unless I'm missing something, I'm thinking seriously about dumping AT&T for Sprint.... my AT&T ETF will pay off in ~3 months.
 
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If you are considering Sprint. Check out the link below which gives you instructions on accessing Sprint's Everything Plus Referral Program. Click on the "Check it out here" link and enter the guys e-mail address and ID; I think he was the guy who started the program.

I used it a year ago when I switch from ATT to Sprint. Link looks old, but it still works, they have the IPhone 4 on the list of phones, I'm guessing the 4S will be there tomorrow.

http://mcguireslaw.com/2008/07/16/psst-have-you-heard-about-everything-plus/
 
Here is what I have...

Att Family Plan 550 Minutes with 2 Lines. (Rollover/Nights&Weekends Free)

2 Lines $59.99
200MB X 2 = $30
Unlimited Texting= $30

Total= $120 plus i get a 15 % corp. discount which is a few bucks.

Total is $128 with taxes and such. It would be $20 if I upgraded to the 2GB plan for both lines. I just wish i could reduce my text plan to 1000 text for $10 bucks for each line. With iMessage and various other text apps i dont need unlimited.
 
If you are considering Sprint. Check out the link below which gives you instructions on accessing Sprint's Everything Plus Referral Program. Click on the "Check it out here" link and enter the guys e-mail address and ID; I think he was the guy who started the program.

I used it a year ago when I switch from ATT to Sprint. Link looks old, but it still works, they have the IPhone 4 on the list of phones, I'm guessing the 4S will be there tomorrow.

http://mcguireslaw.com/2008/07/16/psst-have-you-heard-about-everything-plus/

THANK YOU. I've been looking to see what the SERO family plan pricing would be. The regular plan is $149 - the SERO plan is $129 for 100 more minutes.

Because of iMessage, HSPA, and because I have $30 unlimited I can grandfather in, I think I'm going to stick with ATT.

I miss my $30 SERO plan... :D
 
I went AT&T 2100 minutes for 4 lines. With rollover I may dial that back a bit but the price difference is not much, and we talk a lot. 4GB with tethering on the two iPhones, unlimited texting for everyone, and no data on the other two (my parents hold on to this quaint notion that phones are for talking... :rolleyes:)
 
Sprint dings you with an additional $30/month to tether.

Don't all the carriers do this? I got around this charge via pdanet on my android, wish some how appstore would allow pdanet, but you know that is not going to happen. Don't tether enough to justify $30, but need something in case of emergencies, think I'll just hit work up for a dongle.
 
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