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Carrier What US carrier do you use and how much do you pay /mo?

backinblack875

backinblack875

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 23, 2010
614
46
USA
I haven't had a cell service in a little while now and am planning on starting it up again soon with a new 6S. The problem is almost all of the websites are so vague on their plans as to what it will ACTUALLY cost a month(lines,tax,data,etc.), almost to the point i don't even want to start service up again... I plan on calling to get quotes but won't be able to for a while so i wanted to ask you all what US carrier are you using and how much do you pay total monthly with what individual plan?? Trying to get a rough estimate of who i should go with. I will be getting an individual plan on my own.

thanks
 
willmtaylor said:
The most important question is who has the best coverage in your area.
Click to expand...

ATT or Verizon are good in both the states i frequent. tried sprint few years ago and was garbage. never tried T-mobile but I've heard they aren't any good either. So ATT and Verizon, unfortunately the most expensive..
 
I have Verizon, and I just switched over to one of their new "size" plans. I have the "Large" plan - 6gb data with unlimited minutes/texts. It's $60 for the plan itself, and $20 for each smart phone on it, so that's $80, and with about $10 in taxes and fees that's $90. I have an ipad on it also, so I expect to pay about $100-105 per month all in with taxes and fees.

If 6gb is too much data for you, the "Medium" plan is $45, so that's $45 + $20 for the phone + $10ish for taxes and fees for a total of $75 all-in.

ETA:
VZ's new plans don't include subsidies or financing. They will finance an iphone at 0% interest, so expect the same per-month numbers that Apple is giving for their upgrade program ($30/month or so, depending on the phone you pick).
 
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Sprint. $~237+ a month. Unlimited. Two lines.

My bill is currently high because I'm in a lease and I am also paying off financed items.

Without the financed items I'd be about $170-180 (still in lease and including insurance).
 
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flur said:
I have Verizon, and I just switched over to one of their new "size" plans. I have the "Large" plan - 6gb data with unlimited minutes/texts. It's $60 for the plan itself, and $20 for each smart phone on it, so that's $80, and with about $10 in taxes and fees that's $90. I have an ipad on it also, so I expect to pay about $100-105 per month all in with taxes and fees.

If 6gb is too much data for you, the "Medium" plan is $45, so that's $45 + $20 for the phone + $10ish for taxes and fees for a total of $75 all-in.

ETA:
VZ's new plans don't include subsidies or financing. They will finance an iphone at 0% interest, so expect the same per-month numbers that Apple is giving for their upgrade program ($30/month or so, depending on the phone you pick).
Click to expand...


looks ike you are not adding up the phone installment payment.
 
I am on one called the "More Everything plan" just 2G of data but I use very little. Unlimited talk and text and I pay $83 and change... I think I might be able to get a better one based on Flur's post...
 
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willmtaylor said:
Do you have the budget to pay full retail price for the phone?
Click to expand...

as in the $500+?? id rather not, might as well get it cheaper as a 2 year contract since I'm paying for phone service anyways right?? unless you have something else in mind
 
flur said:
I have Verizon, and I just switched over to one of their new "size" plans. I have the "Large" plan - 6gb data with unlimited minutes/texts. It's $60 for the plan itself, and $20 for each smart phone on it, so that's $80, and with about $10 in taxes and fees that's $90. I have an ipad on it also, so I expect to pay about $100-105 per month all in with taxes and fees.

If 6gb is too much data for you, the "Medium" plan is $45, so that's $45 + $20 for the phone + $10ish for taxes and fees for a total of $75 all-in.

ETA:
VZ's new plans don't include subsidies or financing. They will finance an iphone at 0% interest, so expect the same per-month numbers that Apple is giving for their upgrade program ($30/month or so, depending on the phone you pick).
Click to expand...
so really you'd be paying 75 all in for the "medium" monthly plus the 30 a month for the phone program?? sheesh

they don't offer subsidies at all?? so i couldn't start a 2 year contract and get iPhone at 200 with them and pay around 70 /mo??
 
Cuechick said:
I am on one called the "More Everything plan" just 2G of data but I use very little. Unlimited talk and text and I pay $83 and change... I think I might be able to get a better one based on Flur's post...
Click to expand...

If you like to have them subsidize your phone, you're probably better off with the plan you have, unless you use less than 1gb. I *think* the small plan is 1gb for $30, which is 30 + 20 + taxes/fees, and then another 30 for the phone on the installment plan, so 85-90 for less data than you have now.

***The installment plan is *nothing* down, so that's something to consider too.
 
backinblack875 said:
as in the $500+?? id rather not, might as well get it cheaper as a 2 year contract since I'm paying for phone service anyways right?? unless you have something else in mind
Click to expand...

If you haven't had cell service at all, does this mean that you would be considered a new customer? Check with the carriers, especially whoever you had been with, to be sure, but they've announced that they are doing away with subsidizing phones with contracts for new customers (unless I'm misunderstanding your situation).

My wife and I don't need much data, so we're with a Verizon MVNO called Selectel. For $30 per month each, we have 1300 minutes, 500MB data, and 3000 texts. There are no additional fees, and Selectel uses Verizon towers and includes free voice roaming. That is insufficient for many but works for us.

Another Verizon MVNO called Page Plus just increased their $29.95/month offering to 1500 minutes, 1GB data, and unlimited texts.
 
backinblack875 said:
so really you'd be paying 75 all in for the "medium" monthly plus the 30 a month for the phone program?? sheesh

they don't offer subsidies at all?? so i couldn't start a 2 year contract and get iPhone at 200 with them and pay around 70 /mo??
Click to expand...

Not anymore. You pay nothing upfront and do the installment for the rest. It's possible that they'd let you pay $200, and then they'd divide out the balance, resulting in significantly lower monthly payments as you'd have already paid for a third of the phone, but I don't actually know.

ETA: If you think you might use only 1gb, they do have a small plan too.
 
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Broadus said:
If you haven't had cell service at all, does this mean that you would be considered a new customer? Check with the carriers, especially whoever you had been with, to be sure, but they've announced that they are doing away with subsidizing phones with contracts for new customers (unless I'm misunderstanding your situation).

My wife and I don't need much data, so we're with a Verizon MVNO called Selectel. For $30 per month each, we have 1300 minutes, 500MB data, and 3000 texts. There are no additional fees, and Selectel uses Verizon towers and includes free voice roaming. That is insufficient for many but works for us.

Another Verizon MVNO called Page Plus just increased their $29.95/month offering to 1500 minutes, 1GB data, and unlimited texts.
Click to expand...

I used to be with verizon most recently but cancelled the contract 8 or so months ago. so yes i suppose i would be new to whoever i go with. No more subsidizing?? so you have to pay the 70-80/mo phone service PLUS another 30/mo for the phone??? costing even more than the already ridiculous prices??? :confused:

I've never looked into sub carriers that use the the big company's towers, is there reception/service the same? if so why don't more people use them since they're cheaper?
 
Straight Talk (ATT Version). I pay $50 including tax. $45 for the plan, 5GB LTE with ATT's network. Have travelled around the country and its been great! But I did pay for the cost of the iPhone 6 outright.
 
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backinblack875 said:
I used to be with verizon most recently but cancelled the contract 8 or so months ago. so yes i suppose i would be new to whoever i go with. No more subsidizing?? so you have to pay the 70-80/mo phone service PLUS another 30/mo for the phone??? costing even more than the already ridiculous prices??? :confused:

I've never looked into sub carriers that use the the big company's towers, is there reception/service the same? if so why don't more people use them since they're cheaper?
Click to expand...

We were with Verizon for some ten years. I find no difference in reception with Selectel. One difference is that data speed is throttled down some (Verizon's requirement), but it's still plenty fast for us. The price makes up for the difference to us.
 
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Hargobind said:
Straight Talk (ATT Version). I pay $50 including tax. $45 for the plan, 5GB LTE with ATT's network. Have travelled around the country and its been great! But I did pay for the cost of the iPhone 6 outright.
Click to expand...

so in theory i could use your plan for $50/mo and use apples new upgrade program (36/mo) and pay a total of 85 ish a month?? (although id choose less than 5gb, so hopefully cheaper monthly)
 
Hargobind said:
Straight Talk (ATT Version). I pay $50 including tax. $45 for the plan, 5GB LTE with ATT's network. Have travelled around the country and its been great! But I did pay for the cost of the iPhone 6 outright.
Click to expand...

I didn't realize that ST had gone from 3GB to 5GB high speed data. That's pretty sweet. I hope Selectel ups theirs, but they are not owned by America Movil as are Straight Talk and Page Plus.
 
As you've seen, I asked about paying full price bc that or payments are now your options as subsidies have gone the way of the Blackberry (seemed more apt than "Dodo").

Most of your choices have been covered above. The only suggestion I don't see mentioned is "Wait."

For the last couple of years, ATT & VZW have offered special, limited time contract deals around the time of the iPhone launch in order to lure/keep customers. I don't know if they will or won't again this year, but it might be worth waiting a couple of weeks to find out.
 
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