iPhone 6 Carrier Comparison 2015 Part 2: Pricing
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Now that part one of the iPhone 6 carrier comparison has helped you distinguish which carrier has the most reliable coverage; we will move on to price, which might ultimately affect your final decision.
People who are currently shopping for iPhone 6 cellular plans might have been recently kicked off of their parent’s plan, combining bills with their significant other, or getting married and anticipating starting a family of their own. Either way, chances are you will not be on a cell phone plan alone. To simplify the second part of our iPhone 6 comparison series, we have compiled pricing data from the big four carriers. This data includes the cost of two iPhones, two lines, and data allotment for a total cost over the course of two years.
Verizon and AT&T offer plans that are identical with unlimited talk, text, and 6 GB of data allotted each month. Both Verizon and AT&T’s plans will cost you about $150 monthly before tax. Verizon and AT&T are the most expensive of the top four carriers. As we discussed in part 1, people will pay the higher price for these two carriers for reliable service, fast data speeds, and peace of mind that they will most likely never have to go without a cellphone signal.
After the course of 24 months, expect to pay $3,799 plus taxes. Sprint and T-Mobile on the other hand, offer radically different plans at a cheaper price point.
With Sprint you can expect unlimited talk, text, and to share 20 GB of data for only $100 a month. The low price of the plan itself, plus the discounted price of both iPhones (after you sign a two year agreement,) will bring the total cost of Sprint’s services to a shocking $2798, saving you about $1000 over the course of two years compared to Verizon and AT&T.
Last but not least is T-Mobile, who requires you to pay the full price of your iPhones over monthly installments. The idea is T-Mobile won’t hide the “true cost” of the phones somewhere else in your bill. Your actual service bill will be cheaper than Verizon and AT&T, and with good credit you won’t have to pay anything upfront besides taxes. T-Mobile includes unlimited talk, text, and data for the same monthly price as Sprint. Although the total cost (service charge + iPhone cost) will total much more than Sprint, T-Mobile offers incentives like more reliable service, unlimited data, and no service contracts.
| Carrier | Price of 2 iPhones | 2 lines Plus Data | Cost over 24 months |
| Verizon | $199 x 2 = $398 + Tax | 6 GB data$150 per month | $3799 + Tax |
| AT&T | $199 x 2 = $398 + Tax | 6 GB data$150 per month | $3799 + Tax |
| Sprint | $199 x 2 = $398 + Tax | 20 GB data$100 per month | $2798 + Tax |
| T-Mobile | $27 a month x 2 x 24 = $1296 + Tax | Unlimited data$100 per month | $3696 + Tax |
Recommendations:
Paying extra cash every month might save a lot of frustration for countrymen and travelers. If you live outside of the city or are a nomad, you will likely see value in Verizon and AT&T’s reliable coverage and quick data speeds.
Sprint could possibly be a great choice for budget-minded people. Choosing Sprint will save you a great deal of money over the course of two years. However, Sprint is not famous for reliability. Check OpenSignal.com for Sprint’s coverage and talk to a friend who subscribes to Sprint for an honest opinion.
T-Mobile is a fantastic choice for data-hungry urbanites. This carrier will save you money in the long run, compared to Verizon and AT&T, while offering fast and unlimited LTE data without the intimidation of a two-year contract.
