Leaving for college is probably one of the most life-changing moments a young person will experience. It comes with a ton of responsibilities, from what theme to decorate your dorm room around, to organizing your study time each day, to choosing your very own unique internet service plan.
Each of these decisions is just as important as the next, and of course, the best decisions you could make are informed decisions.
For a college student, saying that you need access to the internet is almost like saying a fish needs water. Much the same way you would browse through a catalogue, or sample friends’ opinions on what color of paint would suit your room, or meticulously draw out a study plan for the semester, making the decision on what internet package to use requires a bit of research as well. Broadband speeds, data costs, cost of connection, etc. would have to influence your choice.
Considering the great deal of internet traffic you would most likely generate throughout your stay at college, with projects, papers, and every other thing in between, it would make a lot of sense to go for cheap, affordable data plans.
With the large number of Internet Service Providers (ISP) all over America, choosing the best plan for your unique needs could be quite a lot but not to worry, we’ve compiled a list of the discounted internet services for you.
Here’s a list of the top 4 discounted internet packages for college students:
- FreedomPop
Topping the list is America’s first ever0 0ISP to offer absolutely free 4G broadband internet access, FreedomPop. While it may sound absolutely unbelievable, it certainly is free as the name implies. So, what’s the catch?
While the prices are certainly inviting, FreedomPop’s data limits are quite low. With a 200MB data limit and a 200 min call limit, it could be quite difficult to stretch that over a month.
The good news? This service would be invaluable if you are mostly on Wi-Fi, as FreedomPop lets you do virtually everything over Wi-Fi, from making calls to IM services.
Guess who’s saving on phone bills?
Here’s a schematic of the plans offered and their prices:
PLAN | PRICE | DATA LIMIT | CALL LIMIT | TEXT LIMIT |
200MB* | FREE | 200MB | 200MINS | 500 TEXTS |
500MB** | FREE | 500MB | 200MINS | 500 TEXTS |
*For GSM phones only.
** For CDMA phones only.
2. Scratch Wireless
Coming in second is a startup straight out of Boston – Scratch Wireless. Their data plans are by no means second rate, as you will see.
Scratch Wireless makes use of the endless supply of Wi-Fi available to you at every corner- coffee shop, school, wherever, to offer free talk time and internet access. How ingenious is that? If however, you have no access to Wi-Fi at some point in the day (perhaps when traveling), you could conveniently purchase a one-day pass for $1.99, or unlimited monthly for $15, as well as data for $25. However, texting is FREE, Wi-Fi or not.
There is no catch, according to Scratch Wireless; all you have to do to get started is purchase the compatible smart phone, the Coolpad Arise. This gives you access to enjoy all of the benefits.
Below is a representation of the data plans available:
3. Red Pocket
Looking for a data plan that doesn’t rely on Wi-Fi? Try Red Pocket. With prices starting as low as $10/mo, it certainly is a good bargain.
With just $10 a month, you get 500 minutes, 500 texts, and 500MB of data. The plans go all the way to unlimited, but even for just $5 more, you get 1,000 minutes, 1,000 texts and 1,000MB of data.
The good news is, you get to keep whatever device you’re using, and you could conveniently port your line, rather than having to change it out. Rightly saving valuable cash at every turn. Plus, there are no contracts, no activation fees, no credit checks, and no overage fees!
Below is a representation of the data plans offered by Red Pocket:
PLAN | PRICE | CALL LIMIT | TEXT LIMIT | DATA LIMIT |
1. | $10/mo | 500mins | 500 (text) | 500MB LTE data |
2. | $15/mo | 1,000mins | Unlimited | 1GB LTE data |
3. | $19/mo | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1GB LTE data |
4. | $30/mo ($35 one-time price) | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5GB LTE data (Unlimited up to 2G speeds thereafter on all networks) |
5. | $40/mo ($45 one-time price) | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8GB LTE data (Unlimited up to 2G speeds thereafter on all networks.) |
6. | $60/mo ($65 one-time price) | Unlimited | Unlimited | 12GB LTE data (Unlimited up to 2G speeds thereafter on all networks.) |
4. Tello
Wrapping up the list in 4th place is the dynamic Tello.
Tello is one ISP that offers the unique opportunity to create your own plan to suit your data consumption needs. It also offers affordable, ready-made plans starting at $10, if you’re not feeling adventurous and would rather settle with conventional.
What does Tello bring to the table?
- 4G LTE.
- Free tethering.
- No contract.
- No hidden charges.
Below is a representation of Tello’s plans:
PLAN | PRICE | DATA LIMIT | CALL LIMIT | TEXT LIMIT |
Economy | $10/mo | 500MB | 200mins | Unlimited |
Value | $14/mo | 1GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Smart | $24/mo | 3GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Data | $39/mo | 10GB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Choosing the best internet plan for you is very important to maximize your internet experience while saving cost. Of course, no plan is perfect, but finding the plan that’s pretty close could be just what you need, and we do hope this article has been helpful!