The Best Smart Phone Plans for You
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Families with light to moderate data usage are the most likely candidates to find value in the shared-data buckets that AT&T and Verizon offer, says Maggie Reardon, senior writer at CNET.com and author of the site's Ask Maggie column. If one person tends to burn through a couple of gigabytes or more on her own each month, you may want to have her sign up for her own plan, or consider Sprint's unlimited family data plan.<br />
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Validas determined that a "well-connected" family of four with typical usage -- including three <a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/kiptips/archives/best-smart-phone-plans-for-you.html" id="itxthook1"><span id="itxthook1w0">smart</span><span id="itxthook1w2">phones</span></a>, one standard (or feature) phone, two tablets and a mobile hot spot -- would spend about $310 per month with <strong>Verizon's Share Everything</strong> plan. The tally for a family of four using smart phones with the <strong>Sprint Simply Everything</strong> family plan, which includes unlimited voice, text and data, starts at $390. But if you keep voice minutes to 1,500 per month, the Sprint price starts at $190 for a family of four.<br />
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A family of four who talk and text a lot could spend as little as $120 with <strong>T-Mobile's Unlimited Value-Plus</strong> plan, in which you bring your own compatible phones to the carrier. The plan includes unlimited text messaging, calling and data, but T-Mobile slows data speeds once you pass a 2GB threshold. For $180, you get 5GB of full-speed data.</p>
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<a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/" target="_blank">By Kiplinger</a></p>
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If you prefer unlimited data usage (meaning data speeds won't be reduced once you reach a certain limit) with a big carrier, your only option is a Sprint plan. The all-you-can-eat <strong>Sprint Simply Everything</strong> plan runs $110 per month for unlimited calling, texting and data. If you're not a big talker, drop to 450 minutes per month for $80. For $70 per month, no-contract carrier <strong>MetroPCS</strong> provides unlimited talking, text­ing and 4G LTE data (meaning it operates on the speediest, most advanced data network), and it doesn't slow data speeds. On the $60 plan, you get 5GB of data before speeds drop.</p><br />
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<a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/" target="_blank">By Kiplinger</a></p>
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Use your phone mostly for calling and texting? T-Mobile offers unlimited text messages and calls with no data service for $60 with a <strong>T-Mobile Classic Unlimited Talk + Text</strong> plan. Bring your own phone and pay $50 per month with a <strong>Value</strong> plan ($55 per month if you want to add 200MB of full-speed data).<br />
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If you're willing to go with a prepaid carrier, you can get unlimited calling, texting and, often, at least 2GB of full-speed data with a <a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/kiptips/archives/best-smart-phone-plans-for-you.html" id="itxthook2"><span id="itxthook2w0">smart</span><span id="itxthook2w2">phone</span></a> for $55 or less. With <strong>Boost Mobile</strong>, which runs on Sprint's network, you start with a $55-per-month plan for an Android phone with unlimited talking, texting and data. If you make on-time payments for 18 months, the price drops to $40. <strong>Straight Talk</strong> offers unlimited calling, texting and data for $45. The monthly savings on prepaid service usually makes up for the higher premium you'll pay to buy an unsubsidized phone.</p><br />
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<a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/" target="_blank">By Kiplinger</a></p>
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For someone who pulls the phone out only in emergencies or to talk less than an hour per month, prepaid is the way to go. The <strong>T-Mobile Prepaid Pay As You Go</strong> plan gives you 1,000 minutes for $100, and you can use them for a year. <strong>Tracfone Monthly Value</strong> plans range from $10 per month for 50 minutes to $30 per month for 200 minutes.</p><br />
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<a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/" target="_blank">By Kiplinger</a></p>
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<a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/Smart-Phone-Save-Money/1.html">SLIDE SHOW: 10 Ways to Make Your Smart Phone Pay for Itself</a></p>
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<a href="http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/smart-ways-to-save-on-smartphone-plans.html">Smart Ways to Save on Smart Phone Plans</a></p>
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