A Carrier’s Free Phone Is Priced Into the Plan – Run the 36-Month Math First

A carrier’s free phone is 36 monthly bill credits that stop if you cancel, pay the phone off early, or drop to a plan the deal doesn’t cover. Multiply the monthly gap between the plan the deal requires and the cheapest plan you’d otherwise carry by 36. If that beats the phone’s unlocked price, the deal costs you money.

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