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Tech Tips: Sprint’s good rates come with a price

By WTOP Staff

ANICK JESDANUN
AP Technology Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — In revamping its prices and plans this week, Sprint is joining Verizon and AT&T in letting families share pools of data.

The new Sprint plans are available starting Friday and reward families that need a lot of data. But the company is also keeping an unlimited-data plan that’s beneficial for individuals — and competes with a similar T-Mobile offering.

Now that most Americans have cellphones, wireless companies have been trying to lure consumers with lower prices. And to increase revenue from existing customers, the carriers have been pushing services with higher data allotments.

To help guide you through the maze of options from the four national wireless carriers — Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile — here’s a look at the best plans for individuals, couples and families of four.

First, a few things to keep in mind:

— The price you pay for mobile service should be only one factor. In my travels, I was more likely to get high-speed data service with AT&T and Verizon, especially in rural areas. T-Mobile has improved in many cities. Sprint is still catching up. A plan with a large data allotment won’t mean much if you can’t use it. Also, if you travel a lot, only T-Mobile offers free data roaming outside the U.S.

— The prices I compare here are for voice, text and data services only and do not include the cost of the phone. Taxes and fees are also extra, as well as one-time charges to activate service.

— The best deals tend to require that you buy a phone at full price or bring your own phone. Buying a phone means paying $600 or more up front for a high-end phone or spreading that out in monthly installments. With Verizon, you must participate in its Edge installment plan to qualify. Rates for voice, text and data services go up if you buy a subsidized phone for about $200 with a two-year contract. For a high-end phone, you’re still typically better off accepting the subsidies and paying the higher service rates if you upgrade right at the two-year mark.

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INDIVIDUALS:

Verizon and Sprint have great prices for individuals, who typically need 2 gigabytes of data per month. Unsubsidized plans are available for $50 a month and include unlimited calls and texts.

With AT&T, you pay $65. T-Mobile doesn’t have a 2 GB plan. It offers 1 GB for $50 and 3 GB for $60.

With Verizon, avoid its flagship More Everything plan if you’re an individual needing 2 gigabytes. Verizon offers single-line 2 GB plans through More, but for $80. Ask for the special plan for individuals, which is just called Single Line Plan.

But if you need something other than 2 GB or have tablets to add with Verizon, you’re stuck with More. And this special plan is billed as promotional, so Verizon might yank it anytime.

Verizon and Sprint are also the best for subsidized plans with 2 GB — $60 with Verizon and $65 with Sprint. AT&T’s costs $80. T-Mobile no longer offers subsidized phones.

Sprint and T-Mobile are the only carriers still offering unlimited data to new customers. Sprint’s is $60 for an individual, while T-Mobile’s is $80. Both plans are unsubsidized. Sprint’s deal is particularly good, as it’s just $10 more than the 2 GB plan, though make sure you live where Sprint has good service.

Technically, all T-Mobile plans are unlimited, but the company reduces your speeds greatly after you hit the allotment. The unlimited plan offers unlimited data at 4G LTE speeds, the fastest available today.

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COUPLES:

Sprint has the best deal for two-line plans that offer 4 gigabytes to share. It’s $90 a month if you buy or bring your phone. With subsidies, it’s $120 — the same that AT&T charges for two-line, unsubsidized plans. Verizon charges even more, $130. With both AT&T and Verizon, subsidized plans cost $150 for two lines.

It gets complicated with T-Mobile. The company offers discounts for multiple phones, but it doesn’t let those phones share data. Each phone gets its own allotment. To get 4 GB, you can put one phone on a 1 GB plan and the other on 3 GB. That will cost $90 combined — same as Sprint, but without the sharing flexibility. If 1 GB isn’t enough, it’s $100 for both phones to get 3 GB each.

Sprint is also better for unlimited plans — at $120, compared with $140 with T-Mobile.

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FAMILY OF FOUR:

Sprint is able to offer a good deal here — not on price, but on the amount of data it offers. For $160 a month, unsubsidized customers share 20 gigabytes with Sprint and 10 gigabytes with AT&T and Verizon. With subsidies, it’s $100 more a month with all three carriers.

As a promotion, customers switching to Sprint by Sept. 30 get additional discounts until the end of 2015, bringing the 20 GB unsubsidized plan to $100. You can have up to 10 people sharing that for the same price. It might sound like a good deal, but if you’re paying for the phone in installments, the monthly payments will continue past the end of the promotion, making it difficult to switch to a rival then.

Also, remember that double the data allotment means nothing if you can’t use it. AT&T and Verizon still have better networks. Plus, 20 gigabytes is more than many families will need, unless you’re doing a lot of online gaming or video streaming without Wi-Fi. A two-hour movie, for instance, can easily consume more than a gigabyte.

Don’t need 20 gigabytes? Sprint offers 8 GB and 12 GB plans, though both are more expensive than the 20 GB plans for those who buy or bring their own phone. For those on subsidized plans, it’s cheaper to go with less data.

If you exclude Sprint’s promotion, which existing Sprint customers aren’t eligible for, T-Mobile has the best price. A family of four can pay $100 for 2.5 GB each — a total of 10 GB. But the allotment drops to 1 GB each after next year, and those 10 gigabytes aren’t sharable.

For unlimited plans, Sprint loses its pricing advantage, as it doesn’t offer multi-line discounts. The family pays $240 on Sprint and $220 on T-Mobile.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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