1. Plan & Hardware Inputs
Live Sync
Mint 5G Home Internet + Unlimited
$45/mo promo bundle (no 36-mo lock-in)
Traditional Carrier Plan (Cell + ISP)
$95/mo
$60/mo (Basic)
$95/mo (Avg Single Line)
$180/mo (Premium)
Carrier Contract Duration
36 months
12 mo (Rare)
24 mo (Legacy)
36 mo (Current Standard)
Mint Commitment Horizon
3 months
3 mo (Quarterly)
6 mo
12 mo (Annual)
2. iPhone 18 Pro Hardware Math
iPhone 18 Pro Retail Price
$1,199
$999 (128GB)
$1,199 (256GB)
$1,599 (1TB)
Carrier 36-Mo Promo "Credit"
$800
$0 (No trade-in)
$800 (Standard)
$1,199 ("On Us")
The 36-Month Carrier Trade-In Catch:
Carrier credits are trickled as $22.22/mo over 36 months. If you leave early at month 12, you forfeit the remaining $533 in credits and must pay the full device balance immediately.
Calculated Financial Outcome
Optimal
Annual Savings
$600
vs $95/mo carrier bill
Total Plan Savings
$1,800
over 36 months
Break-Even Point
8 mo
buying phone unlocked
Lock-in Penalty Risk
High (36 mo)
if exiting at yr 1
Break-even achieved in month 8
By paying for the iPhone 18 Pro unlocked ($1,199) and switching to Mint's $45 bundle, the $50/mo monthly savings completely offsets the $800 carrier promo within 8 months. After that, you pocket pure profit with zero contract trap.
| Feature / Scenario | Mint $45 Bundle | Carrier Contract |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Rate (ISP + Phone) | $45/mo | $95/mo |
| Contract Commitment | 3 months | 36 months |
| iPhone 18 Pro Status | Factory Unlocked Day 1 | Carrier Locked (Bill credits) |
| Early Exit Device Penalty | $0 (You own it) | $533 forfeited credits |
| Net 3-Year Out-of-Pocket | $2,819 | $3,819 |
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