Should I Switch from Verizon to Sprint?

[jackiechiles2]

Currently, I'm spending around $135-155 a month (depending on data usage) for my wife and my cell phone plan.  I'm on the road a lot for work, so we use around 6+ GB a month of data. 

We've got around 6 months left on our contract with Verizon before we get to keep the cell phones. 

If we switched to sprint now, we'd have to turn in our cell phones for them to pay off early termination fee, and we'd be spending around $114 a month total (before a 23% discount on the $60 a month access charges through wife's work), so maybe around $100 a month total, half of which would be on devices ($26 a month per iphone 6), but we'd be getting $12 gb a month in data- a figure we'd never go over.  If I can stomach a crappier phone (something my wife would never do so I'm not asking), I could potentially get it down to $82 a month, total. 

My only issue is, if we just lasted for another 8 months, or $424 in savings, we'd have 2 iphone 6s outright and be able to go to a byod plan, although I haven't see prepaid plan that was less than $82 a month for 12gb in data. 

Is there something I'm overlooking in making this decision?

[Mother Fussbudget]

... if we just lasted for another 8 months, or $424 in savings, we'd have 2 iphone 6s outright and be able to go to a byod plan, although I haven't see prepaid plan that was less than $82 a month for 12gb in data.

A couple of problems with this beyond the price:
1) [Technical] Verizon phones won't work on the Sprint data network / towers.
 (from a Sprint support rep)  "I'm sorry, but a Verizon phone will not operate on Sprint towers. - Nijan Sprint Social Care"

2) [Policy]  Sprint usually won't activate phones not 'made' for the Sprint network.  Sprint tracks the IMEI of every Sprint device, and if your device isn't on that list (note:  Verizon phones are not on the Sprint IMEI list), then Sprint won't activate the devices on their network.

BUT... carrier UNLOCKED Verizon iPhones can be used on the Verizon, T-Mobile AND AT&T data networks.

Some possible solutions:
1)  After paying off the phone, go with a Verizon MVNO.
      - 1 example:  Straight Talk - unlimited talk/text, 5GB LTE then throttled to 64kbps $45/month per line.
2)  Go with T-Mobile, AT&T, or an AT&T or T-Mobile MVNO.  (research on bestmvno.com)
      - example:  Cricket Wireless (similar plan as Straight Talk if you use 'auto pay' = $45/month per line)
 
Many MANY mustachian's are on MVNO plans as they're interested in Price, Price, Price, but it's not for everybody. 
Before you go with an MVNO, you should ask yourself:  do I need the support that the big carriers provide, or can I work with one of the "little companies"?

[jackiechiles2]

... if we just lasted for another 8 months, or $424 in savings, we'd have 2 iphone 6s outright and be able to go to a byod plan, although I haven't see prepaid plan that was less than $82 a month for 12gb in data.

A couple of problems with this beyond the price:
1) [Technical] Verizon phones won't work on the Sprint data network / towers.
 (from a Sprint support rep)  "I'm sorry, but a Verizon phone will not operate on Sprint towers. - Nijan Sprint Social Care"

2) [Policy]  Sprint usually won't activate phones not 'made' for the Sprint network.  Sprint tracks the IMEI of every Sprint device, and if your device isn't on that list (note:  Verizon phones are not on the Sprint IMEI list), then Sprint won't activate the devices on their network.

BUT... carrier UNLOCKED Verizon iPhones can be used on the Verizon, T-Mobile AND AT&T data networks.

Some possible solutions:
1)  After paying off the phone, go with a Verizon MVNO.
      - 1 example:  Straight Talk - unlimited talk/text, 5GB LTE then throttled to 64kbps $45/month per line.
2)  Go with T-Mobile, AT&T, or an AT&T or T-Mobile MVNO.  (research on bestmvno.com)
      - example:  Cricket Wireless (similar plan as Straight Talk if you use 'auto pay' = $45/month per line)
 
Many MANY mustachian's are on MVNO plans as they're interested in Price, Price, Price, but it's not for everybody. 
Before you go with an MVNO, you should ask yourself:  do I need the support that the big carriers provide, or can I work with one of the "little companies"?

Well see, that's  the thing, if I go with Cricket or Straight Talk, for 2 lines, it's $90 a month, while with Sprint, theoretically I can get it as low as $82 for two lines with one being an iphone 6 and one being a samsung.  If I wanted both to be iphone 6s, then it'd be around $100 a month, when it's all said and done. 

[JimLahey]

On Cricket you get a discount for each additional line. So for two lines on the 5GB plan it would be $80/month. You can also get referral bonuses. Better coverage than Sprint. If you go over the 5GB you will still have data but it will be throttled. I would look into getting used phones off of Swappa if you are wanting to switch now. Also I don't consider an Android device to be a downgrade. Personally, I would give a Nexus 6 a try if you like a big screen. You can get them new for under $300.

[mountains_o_mustaches]

I would work on reducing your data usage so you can get a cheaper plan - 6gs a month seems like a lot!  I don't travel for work, but I don't have wifi at work and I consistently use under 1g of data a month.  I have a rule of no streaming music or video when I'm not on wifi.  It's not a huge deal (I have music saved on my phone that I download when on wifi).  You can get apps to track what is using your data and work from there.  Keeping my data usage low let me get the Cricket $35 plan (would be $70 for two people).  If you have a Verizon phone that's still working then look into the MNVOs that will work on your current plan to save money.  Just my two cents.