College is expensive enough. Between textbooks, rent, streaming subscriptions, and the occasional late-night food delivery, students’ budgets are always tight. T-Mobile seems to know that. Just in time for the back-to-school season, the carrier has rolled out new student-exclusive wireless plans starting at just $30 a month. Unlike some student discounts that save you the price of a fancy coffee, these plans pack in some surprisingly premium features.
The $30 plan and the bigger plans
The entry-level option is the Essentials Saver student plan, which starts at $30/month with AutoPay. For that price, students get unlimited talk and text, along with 50GB of premium data.
Students who want a more premium experience can upgrade to Experience More at $65/month. This plan includes unlimited premium data, 60GB of high-speed mobile hotspot data, 15GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico, and options for phone upgrades every two years, plus extras like free Netflix and Apple TV access for an additional $3/month.
Then, there’s Experience Beyond, the maxed-out option. At $80/month, it includes everything from Experience More plus unlimited hotspot data, 30GB of high-speed data in Canada and Mexico, 15GB of high-speed international data, access to T-Satellite, unlimited texting to more than 215 countries, and annual phone upgrades.
Families can add a second line too
T-Mobile is limiting student plans to a maximum of two lines. For those sharing with a roommate, partner, or family member, two lines of Essentials Saver cost $60/month. Experience More runs $110/month for two lines, while Experience Beyond is $130/month for two lines. Keep in mind that AutoPay is required to get the advertised pricing.
A good deal for students
Compared with similar plans from AT&T and Verizon, T-Mobile remains one of the more competitive major carriers, especially if you value fast data speeds and decent international perks. If you want the bells and whistles as a student, T-Mobile’s new plans offer plenty of value.
The carier is also offering a five-year price guarantee on the Experience More and Experience Beyond plans. Aside from growing consumer frustration over rising subscription costs, T-Mobile has raised prices before, including changes that pushed some legacy plan customers into more expensive options.
Sources: Android Police, The Mobile Report