Cell phone plan with cheapest unlimited data plan?

[slackerinabox]

My wife and I are on sprint (palm pre) and have a family plan with 2 lines of service and 1500 minutes for $120. That's not exactly unreasonable but rarely ever actually talk on our phones (37 voice minutes used on our last bill). I called sprint and they told me that the $120 plan was the cheapest they could offer me since my phone requires an unmetered data plan... Are their any other options out there? I don't mind changing phones, obviously.

 

[tdawg]

Of the big 4, T-Mobile has the least expensive plans right now.

 

[SAWYER]

We signed up under the employee referral plan on Sprint and any bill is 20 bucks a month cheaper.

 

[whoiswes]

another option (for data only, anyway) is Sprint's relay service.

http://www.sprintrelay.com

$30/month for all you can eat data/text and 5GB of tethering.

This + android + google voice = bliss (for me, anyway)

 

[Strk]

Of the big 4, T-Mobile has the least expensive plans right now.

Once you add data plans, they're around the same as Sprint.

 

[boomhower]

another option (for data only, anyway) is Sprint's relay service.

http://www.sprintrelay.com

$30/month for all you can eat data/text and 5GB of tethering.

This + android + google voice = bliss (for me, anyway)

Google Voice is NOT VOIP. It uses your voice minutes like any other phone call. Where it comes into play is pick 3 with Sprint or circles with other carriers. Put that number on one of those and you get unlimited calls. I have heard there are work arounds but relying on any cell data as your only source of calls is not something I would do. Even as good as Sprint's and Verizon's coverage is it's not something I would rely to call 911 in an emergency at three in the morning.

 

[pm]

Boost Mobile has unlimited minutes, unlimited data, unlimited text for $50/month per phone. They are owned by Sprint and using Sprint's network but it's primarily on Nextel's iDEN network and not CDMA (there's a 13-state pilot of CDMA by boost, so there's still hope), so unless your phone is iDEN on Sprint (unlikely) then you'll need a new phone.

http://plans.boostmobile.com/monthlyunlimited.aspx

or you can use their "pay as you go" and pay $0.35/day to use unlimited data.
http://plans.boostmobile.com/paygo.aspx

T-Mobile used to have $6 and $10 unlimited data plans which made the total bill for the minimum number of minutes ~$35/month or ~$40/month, but it's very hard to get in on these plans nowadays. With the $20/month data plan, they are about on par with Sprint.

 

[BigSmooth]

You're probably on the best family plan for unlimited data usage. T-Mobile's family plan's are priced higher than Sprint's when you factor in unlimited texts and data. Do you or your wife have any corporate discounts available? If not, you could try this: http://slickdeals.net/forums/showthread.php?t=1115277

The Sprint employee plus referral plans referred to by Sawyer are also very good; unfortunately you have to be a new customer or add a line of service to get on them.

 

[abaez]

Google Voice is NOT VOIP. It uses your voice minutes like any other phone call. Where it comes into play is pick 3 with Sprint or circles with other carriers. Put that number on one of those and you get unlimited calls. I have heard there are work arounds but relying on any cell data as your only source of calls is not something I would do. Even as good as Sprint's and Verizon's coverage is it's not something I would rely to call 911 in an emergency at three in the morning.

You can get one of the many available Android SIP programs to make GVoice VOIP.