Nexus 5 can run you $50 on Sprint, but only if you switch

Sprint lists the Nexus 5 with a price tag as low as $49.99 for the 16 GB version on a two-year contract with its unlimited data offerings. To arrive at that price, though, Sprint takes the $449.99 price of the Nexus 5 (yep, no subsidies from Google on carrier versions, it seems), and applies an instant saving plus $50 mail-in rebate combo.

The instant savings amount to $350, of which, however, a Benjamin is applied if you bring your number from another carrier, with the current Switch&Save promotion. Thus the actual price with a two-year contract extension is $150 for the handset, which doesn't differ all that much from the other flagships on Sprint, such as the Galaxy S4, which will run you $200, or $100 with the Switch&Save in its turn.

Overall, this confirms that the best place to get a Nexus 5 is from the Play Store, as Google is subsidizing the handset, or perhaps selling it at cost, to the tune of at least $50 (or euros and pounds on the Old Continent), making its own offering rather sticky and irresistible.

source: Sprint

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posted on 08 Nov 2013, 09:51 1

1. downphoenix (Posts: 3165; Member since: 19 Jun 2010)

basic math dictates that 149.99 or 49.99 (if you port in) < 349.99

So how is the Google Play bet better?

It CAN mean potentially cheaper service (if you choose a carrier that works on the bands that that phone does, that has a cheaper monthly rate, so this rules out AT&T) but it also requires an upfront purchase of 349.99 plus applicable taxes. So calling the Google Play one the better deal is only going to be the case for someone that actually can afford to drop nearly $400 like that.

Btw if you did Sprint One Up on this phone, it would come out to just under $67 a month before taxes for unlimited everything (50 for unl talk + text, 30 for unl data, -15 for the One Up incentive, 16.67 a month for the phone lease) and that will be with zero down.

If we paired up the Google Play phone with say, Straight Talk for 45$ a month, it would take close to 18 months for it to come out cheaper overall than Sprint in this case, and with the One U

posted on 08 Nov 2013, 10:03

2. downphoenix (Posts: 3165; Member since: 19 Jun 2010)

was gonna finish my thought but time ran out on editing. I was trying to say with the One Up, you can upgrade after 12 months. My math was a bit off on second observation, whoops. Still though, its not a bad deal if you cant afford to drop that kind of cash upfront.

posted on 08 Nov 2013, 10:10 1

3. geo3tech (Posts: 1; Member since: 08 Nov 2013)

Everyone has to make their own calculations to see if it is indeed cheaper to go with Google Play Store vs Carriers.

In my case, I was previously on sprint paying 75$ a month on my Galaxy 2 (Epic 4g Touch). I could have waited for the sprint version, which I end have having to pay $150.

Instead, I went with the carrier unlocked version of $350, and switched to the T-mobile 30 dollar plan :100 Min, unlimited text, unlimited data (4g lte speed up to 5GB, then throttle to 2g). With this, I am saving almost $40 dollars a month. In a year, i save $400, which pretty much covers the cell phone cost plus more money in my pocket. The longer I use it, the more money I save.

And honestly, now that I have my phone and tried it for a couple days, T-mobile network speed and cell phone reception is leap and bounds better than the Sprint network in my area. I never had LTE speed with sprint, but now I do. Pretty much everywhere. This is just another benefit of going with Google Play Store for me.

So, make your own decisions and find out what plans are available that fits your usage. But for most people, if you weren't on the T-mobile network previously, then going with the $30 prepaid plan can make killer savings for you. That is, if T-mobile has okay reception in your area.

posted on 08 Nov 2013, 10:37 1

5. DnB925Art (Posts: 1058; Member since: 23 May 2013)

$30/mo T-Mo prepaid plan is great! I have it for my International Galaxy Note and with the re-farmed 3G (GSM 1900 Mhz)here in the SF Bay Area, I can get HSPA+ (no LTE on the Int Galaxy Note 1) just about everywhere. I hardly use any voice minutes since I have a company paid work phone. Even if I did go over the 100 minutes/mo, it only costs $10 for an additional 100 minutes.