Military Discounts on Popular Wireless Plans

A majority of the popular wireless plans offered by the major service providers are offered at a discount for military personnel. The discount is usually 15% off the plan before taxes and fees, and a further discount off accessories for your phone or PDA. For a monthly service plan costing $99.99 a month, that means you'll be saving nearly $180 a year! Getting the military discount is fairly straight-forward if you know where to go and what to ask for, whether you are a new customer or have already been with the company for years.

Of note, the discount is typically only available if you sign up for a wireless plan on a year or two-year contract, not for pre-paid or month-to-month plans. However, if you're concerned about signing up for a long-term contract because you expect to be deployed, rest easy. All of the major companies will suspend your service at no cost while you're deployed, if you so wish, when you call customer service with your dates.

The major companies offering a military discount are Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint Nextel, Alltel, and T-Mobile. Below is a description of each cell phone company's specific discount and how to get it.

Verizon Wireless - Verizon Wireless offers a 15% discount on monthly plans costing $35 or more for one or two year contracts, and 25% off accessories for all military personnel. In order to get the discount, go to www.verizonwireless.com/discount and enter in your official military email address (personal email addresses cannot be accepted). Verizon Wireless will send you an email with a link showing the discounted equipment and rates, as well as an option allowing you to register an existing line of service for discounting. The activation and shipping fees may also be waived for military personnel, depending on the plan you sign up for. You can also contact Verizon Wireless at 1-800-922-0204 to discuss your discount options with a customer service representative.

AT&T - AT&T offers a 15% military discount to active and retired military personnel on all 2 year contracts. To receive the discount, you must show a valid government employment ID at the point of sale or you can validate your status online by registering a recognized government email address (one that ends in .gov, .mil, etc) at AT&T's online eCommerce site.

Sprint Nextel - Sprint Nextel offers a 15% military discount on monthly service plans. A two year service agreement is required at the point of sale or an existing Sprint Nextel service agreement must be renewed for an additional two years to qualify for the discount. The activation and shipping fees may also be waived for military personnel, depending on the plan you sign up for. You may contact Sprint Nextel at 1-800-777-4681 for more information on the military discount. You can also check out the Sprint Nextel Discount webpage or visit the nearest Sprint Store for more information.

Alltel - Alltel offers a 15% discount to military personnel if you pay your bill online. In order to receive the discount, Log in to your account on Alltel's Website and change your profile e-mail address to your .mil e-mail address. For more information on their discount, contact Alltel at 1-800-ALLTEL1 or ask any store associate.

T-Mobile - T-Mobile offers up to a 15% discount on two-year plans for military personnel. New customers should call 1-866-646-4688 to learn more. Current customers can go to www.tmobile.com/corpdiscount. Follow the instructions to register for "My T-Mobile," and you'll get a temporary password.

These military discounts on popular wireless plans are a valuable and well-deserved deal for military personnel who rely on their cell phones to stay in contact with family and friends when far from home.