Sprint and Best Buy Team Up to Offer Students One Year of Free Talk, Text, and Data With Phone Purchase

[wikiverse]

That's great. But this is an offer in the US. You've comparing oranges to cars.

I assume I can't switch to your plan and get those features/prices in the US? I'm not going to move to save on my cell bill.

Gary

We have contracts here with Telstra, Optus and Virgin that equally rip people off.

Companies like amaysim and aldi offer cheaper no contract plans but still run on Optus/Telstra networks respectively.

There are companies in the US with similar business models (sim only, BYO phone) but you have to actually have to do your research and look for them.

2 seconds searching on my iPhone turned up this http://www.prweb.com/releases/best-no-contract/cell-phone-plans/prweb10940254.htm

Looks like straight talk is the equivalent to amaysim. At $45/mo vs $80/mo with sprint, you would be paying $840 for the handset with sprint (assuming no down payment or handset charges).

So, if you look for a deal on the phone outright, you can save a lot of money. Plus, you can tether other devices like an iPad or laptop.

Also, amaysim is a German company that I believe were going to launch in the US soon also. So keep an eye out.

 

[garylapointe]

We have contracts here with Telstra, Optus and Virgin that equally rip people off.

Companies like amaysim and aldi offer cheaper no contract plans but still run on Optus/Telstra networks respectively.

There are companies in the US with similar business models (sim only, BYO phone) but you have to actually have to do your research and look for them.

2 seconds searching on my iPhone turned up this http://www.prweb.com/releases/best-no-contract/cell-phone-plans/prweb10940254.htm

Looks like straight talk is the equivalent to amaysim. At $45/mo vs $80/mo with sprint, you would be paying $840 for the handset with sprint (assuming no down payment or handset charges).

So, if you look for a deal on the phone outright, you can save a lot of money. Plus, you can tether other devices like an iPad or laptop.

Also, amaysim is a German company that I believe were going to launch in the US soon also. So keep an eye out.

I pay less than the $70 month a for my iPhone plan IF you subtract the phone subsidy ($58 on my family plan I think). And I like to upgrade every 2 years, so I'm not ever paying that subsidy after the contract runs out.

My point was comparing another countries rates to the US (i.e. "I pay half in Australia") isn't helpful here. With the first year free, it is half off for the first two years (in essence) with this offer. I'm sure there are other things that are cheaper in US than there, but that's not the point of the article.

Gary

 

[wikiverse]

I pay less than the $70 month a for my iPhone plan IF you subtract the phone subsidy ($58 on my family plan I think). And I like to upgrade every 2 years, so I'm not ever paying that subsidy after the contract runs out.

My point was comparing another countries rates to the US (i.e. "I pay half in Australia") isn't helpful here. With the first year free, it is half off for the first two years (in essence) with this offer. I'm sure there are other things that are cheaper in US than there, but that's not the point of the article.

Gary

My point was that there is no such thing as a subsidised phone.

If you take up this offer with Sprint, you will save on rates for the first year, but will pay for the full retail cost of the phone. But the phone is locked to Sprint forever, so you will be paying more in rates forever - so long as you stay with sprint. If you purchase a new phone every 2 years, then they've got you on the hook for that also. but if you want to leave sprint, you will need to purchase both a new phone and pay for call rates with another company.

There is no free lunch. There are no subsidised phones. And in the long run you will always end up paying more on a contract with a 'subsidised' phone than finding a good deal on an outright phone and a good deal on a no-contract provider.

Plus, a company with no contracts is going to work a lot harder to keep your business because you can leave at any time.