News: Sprint's New Deal Could Save You a Lot of Money

You can pinch yourself, but you're not dreaming. Sprint is actually offering a year of (mostly) free, unlimited service for anyone who switches to the carrier. The only stipulation is that you must bring your phone with you, and it has to be one of the 27 eligible devices.

With this new plan, you get to keep your number and completely bypass annual contracts. This promotion seems like a desperate attempt to get more customers, but it may actually work. Who doesn't love saving money?

The actual deal is fairly simple, but it does have a few hidden charges. Sprint requires that you purchase a new SIM card, but — including shipping — it only costs $13. You'll also have to pay a $30 application fee, but you'll be refunded for it within two billing cycles. Aside from this, Sprint has stated that customers who take advantage of this promotion will still have to pay a few dollars a month for general taxes and fees.

A potential barrier for some is that you must currently own the phone you're bringing with you. If you're currently paying it off, you're not able to partake in the promotion. For those who do own an eligible phone but are looking to eventually upgrade, you'll have to wait until October 1 if you want to stay on the plan. Should you choose to upgrade before this date, say goodbye to your deal; you'll have to start paying for your plan like everyone else.

Like all other carriers, an unlimited plan with Sprint isn't actually unlimited. For each line, there's a 10 GB monthly limit for LTE mobile hotspot data. However, this promotion is still a steal. For just 2 lines, you could save $1,680 compared to a comparable Verizon plan. It's clear that Sprint's willing to do — and say — pretty much anything to beat out its competitors.

You have until June 30 to take advantage of this deal, and Sprint has reported that it's only available online. The plan will expire on July 31, 2018. After that, you'll have to pay in full for your lines. Sprint says that users are not required to stick with the carrier after this deal expires, but you know they're hoping you will.

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