Sprint and Best Buy have begun offering a deal that offers eligible students 12 months of free talk, text, and 1 GB of data when purchasing a phone and an Unlimited, My Way plan.

Sprint's Unlimited, My Way plan is normally priced at $70 per month for smartphones and $50 per month for basic phones, and includes 1 GB of data that can be upgraded to unlimited for an additional $10.

bestbuydeal
Under the terms of the deal, phones must be purchased at a "Student Offer Price," from Best Buy which does not include contract subsidies. A 16 GB iPhone 5s must be purchased for $700, while a 16 GB iPhone 5c is $600. The iPhone 4s is also included for $500 and an activation fee of $36 is required.

Students must be enrolled in a U.S.-based elementary, high school, college, university, or other accredited institute and will need to verify their student status within 14 days of purchasing a phone at Best Buy.

Best Buy is also offering another 12 months of free service to students for each phone line added to the account on a two-year contract. The deal will be available throughout the holidays, from November 18 to January 4.

AT&T is also offering a holiday discount, giving customers a 50 percent discount off of the standard retail price of the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c with a two-year contract. With the discount, the 16 GB iPhone 5s is priced at $100 while the 16 GB iPhone 5c is $50.

Top Rated Comments

tasset Avatar
148 months ago
Buyer beware. That's a stiff check to write considering that Sprint does not unlock iPhones even when you are out of contract. AT&T and TMobile do, and Verizon iPhones come unlocked day 1. So if you buy, prepare to stay with Sprint for longer than one year or your iPhone will become a glorified iPod Touch.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Asuriyan Avatar
148 months ago
Great! A partnership between two of my least favorite companies! Now they can go f@*& themselves together.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
garylapointe Avatar
148 months ago
So buy the iPhone 5s for $700 and get a year of service for free?
That's not bad, but it's a big up front cost...

But are you still in a contract?

The $100 off is probably a better deal for most (many) students.

I can see the elementary students lining up for this deal! ;)

Gary
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tiger8 Avatar
148 months ago
Bad Deal!

Here is why:

iPhone 5s cost over two years:
Assuming $70 per month after the first year plus taxes and fees: $80

$699 + $36 + 12 x $80 = $1,965

If you go for an unlocked phone and use an MVNO (Such as Airvoice Wireless, unlimited talk text and 1 GB data + $10 long distance credit for $40):

$650 + 24 x $40 = $1,610

And this is not taking into consideration resale value of the unlocked iPhone is significantly higher than Sprint

Sprint iPhone does not work on any other network, not even Ting
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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