[Android General] kaijura:
Some quick numbers showing differences between plans, I know someone's bound to end up asking what's the savings:

Scenario 1:

2-year contract agreement with new phone

:

- Data: $30.00/month

- Voice plan: $X/month [varies by plan, cheapest is $39.99 as of today]

- Text message plan: $20.00/month unlimited plan

- Cost of phone: $Y/one-time fee (varies, from free to $199 One X, $299 iPhone, etc)

Scenario 2:

2-year non-contract agreement with a 'smart dumbphone'

:

- Data: $10.00/month (or $15.00 for non-grandfathered)

- Voice plan: $X/month [varies by plan, family plan cheapest is $59.99 for 3 lines = effectively $20 per 1 line.]

- Text message plan: $Y [varies by plan, $30 for family unlimited, needed for $10 data]

- Cost of phone: $Z [varies, how much you pay for it out of pocket]

The following do not include taxes and other misc utility/service fees, anywhere up to $2-5 a month

Scenario 1:

- $360/year for $30 3GB data/text plan

- $480/year for $39.99 individual voice plan

- $240/year for $20 unlimited text messaging

- $200 iPhone

= $1280/1st year total without medianet/family plan

= $1040/2nd year total without medianet/family plan

= $2320 grand total 2-year on contract cost. ($200 phone, includes unlimited texting, 3GB data limit)

Scenario 2 individual old plan (pre 2007ish):

- $120/year for $10 unlimited medianet plan

- $360/year for $30 old voice plan (old plan, sometime from 2004-2006)

- $240/year for $20 unlimited text messaging

- $200 'smart dumbphone' [or subsitute with actual cost of one of these phones]

= $920/1st year total with medianet plan

= $720/2nd year total with medianet plan

= $1640 grand total 2-year off contract cost. ($200 phone, includes unlimited texting, unlimited data)

Scenario 2B individual single line new plan (available now):

- $180/year for $15 unlimited smart dumbphone plan

- $480/year for $39.99 individual voice plan

- $240/year for $20 unlimited text messaging

- $200 'smart dumbphone' [or subsitute with actual cost of one of these phones]

= $1100/1st year total individual new medianet plan

= $900/2nd year total individual new medianet plan

= $2000 grand total 2-year off contract cost. ($200 phone, includes unlimited texting, unlimited data)

Scenario 2C family plan prices per individual line (available now):

- $120/year for $10 unlimited family dumbphone plan

- $240/year for $20 family voice plan [for 1 lines, original cost is $60 for three lines minimum]

- $120/year for $10 family unlimited text ($30 unlimited text option is mandatory for dumbphone data. If you split cost of unlimited texting between 3 lines, it's actually $10/line, otherwise put $360 if fronting the whole bill)

- $200 'smart dumbphone' [or subsitute with actual cost of one of these phones]

= $680/1st year total with family plan (individual line split price)

= $480/2nd year total with family plan (individual line split price)

= $1160 grand total 2-year off contract cost. ($200 phone, includes unlimited texting, unlimited data. This is based on split cost of total features for that single line with smart dumbphone data: $30/3, $60/3, etc)

= $2600 grand total 2-year for the bill of 3 lines and all features. (1x $200 phone, 1 line with $10 data, $30 unlimited text for all lines, $60 monthly voice (3 lines). This is the complete cost of the bill upfront.

You can remove certain options like unlimited text if you are not on the family plan, but if you are on the family plan, $30 unlimited text is required for $10 data per phone or else it's $15 individual per each phone.