Sprint is offering a new promotion for customers buying two unlimited lines at $90 a month (plus taxes and fees) and giving them three additional lines for free. The deal, which runs until the end of March 2018, offers “customers enormous savings over T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon” according to the press release. The deal offers one line at $50 a month with the AutoPay discount, and the second line at an additional $40 a month (again with the AutoPay discount). Lines three, four and five are free. The plan includes unlimited talk time, messaging and data. Sprint’s marketing material compares these prices with the second largest (AT&T) and third largest (T-Mobile) American carriers and shows a considerable saving to be had over the next year. As Verizon does not currently offer an unlimited data plan, there is no equivalent comparison to be made here. Sprint’s new deal, which runs for a limited amount of time, is the latest in an intense competition between America’s four national carriers.
In cash terms, the saving compared with AT&T is up to $180 a month for five lines with Sprint. For T-Mobile, the saving is up to $90 a month, but Sprint’s marketing is careful to explain that this $90 excludes taxes and fees, which must be added to Sprint’s cost but are included in the T-Mobile cost thanks to their “all in pricing” promise. From April 2018, Sprint’s prices will change with the first line costing $60 a month, the second one remaining at $40 and lines three through five costing $30 a month: the price increases to $190 before fees and taxes, so it will be more expensive than T-Mobile. Currently, AT&T only offer an unlimited data plan for customers who also buy DIRECTV, and this service is included in the monthly cost. Sprint’s chief marketing officer, Roger Solé, explains: “Sprint understands the value of unlimited data to our customers. Customers do more with their phones every day and they want to use them without limits. With our new offer, you can sign up for a plan that allows you to surf and stream all you want and not worry about overage fees and charges.”
Sprint’s offer could provide a family of five with great value, but customers do need to consider that these three carriers offer slightly different propositions. AT&T’s DIRECTV adds to the costs but also the benefits of the plan, and T-Mobile is offering sales tax back for customers upgrading or buying a new device.