Can AI help me find a cheaper cell phone plan?

The made-up sample:

• [CARRIER, PLAN, $ PER MONTH WITH TAXES AND FEES]Verizon, 5G Start Unlimited, $85 per month (includes taxes and fees).
• [NUMBER OF LINES, PHONES PAID OFF OR NOT]4 lines; 2 phones paid off, 2 phones on 24‑month installment plans.
• [GB OF DATA PER MONTH, HOTSPOT, TRAVEL ABROAD]150 GB data per month, hotspot 10 GB, travel abroad 1‑2 weeks per year (Europe) using roaming data.
• [PASTE 2-4 PLANS WITH PRICES]Verizon 5G Unlimited Pro – $95/mo per line (taxes/fees included); 30 GB hotspot, 5 GB high‑speed data for travel. T‑Mobile Magenta Max – $85/mo per line (taxes/fees included); unlimited 5G data, 30 GB hotspot, free 5 GB high‑speed data in 210+ countries. AT&T Unlimited Elite – $90/mo per line (taxes/fees included); 50 GB hotspot, 5 GB high‑speed roaming data, HBO Max included.
• [GOOD OR BAD FOR EACH CARRIER]Verizon: Good coverage; T-Mobile: Good coverage; AT&T: Fair coverage in my area.

• ✗Compare total 12‑month cost for each plan
• ✓Use only pasted prices; no invented prices
• ✗Flag any contract, device payment or switching cost
• ✓Output order: table, pick sentence, three questions
• ✓Didn't make up details we never gave it

What came back (excerpt):

| $1080 | HBO Max included, fair coverage | My pick is: The T-Mobile Magenta Max plan offers the best value, with unlimited 5G data, 30 GB hotspot, and free 5 GB high-speed data in 210+ countries, all at the same price as your current plan.

Here is the comparison table:

| Plan | Monthly | 12-month Total | Catches |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Verizon 5G Start Unlimited | $85 | $1020 | 2 phones on 24-month installment plans |
| Verizon 5G Unlimited Pro | $95 | $1140 |  |
| T-Mobile Magenta Max | $85 | $1020 |  |
| AT&T Unlimited Elite | $90 | $1080 | HBO Max included, fair coverage |

My pick is: The T-Mobile Magenta Max plan offers the best value, with unlimited 5G data, 30 GB hotspot, and free 5 GB high-speed data in 210+ countries, all at the same price as your current plan.

Here are three questions to ask before you switch:
1. Are you willing to potentially experience fair coverage with AT&T, or do you prioritize good coverage?
2. How important is having HBO Max included in your plan, as offered by AT&T Unlimited Elite?
3. Would you need to pay off your existing 24-month installment plans or switch to a new device payment plan if you switch carriers?

Verify that 12‑month totals were calculated per line, not per account.

The made-up sample (a messier one):

• [CARRIER, PLAN, $ PER MONTH WITH TAXES AND FEES]Verizon, Unlimited Plus, $115 per month (includes state tax, regulatory fee, FCC fee).
• [NUMBER OF LINES, PHONES PAID OFF OR NOT]4 lines total: 2 iPhone 14 Pro (still on 24‑month installment), 1 Samsung Galaxy S23 (paid off), 1 Moto G Power (bought outright).
• [GB OF DATA PER MONTH, HOTSPOT, TRAVEL ABROAD]We usually use about 18 GB of data each month, hotspot ~4 GB, and travel to Europe 2‑3 times a year, needing roughly 5 GB per trip.
• [PASTE 2-4 PLANS WITH PRICES]Verizon: - Unlimited Start – $85/mo per line (incl. taxes/fees) for 4 lines, first 12 months promo $70. - Unlimited Premium – $115/mo per line (incl. taxes/fees) for 4 lines, no promo. T‑Mobile: - Magenta Max – $95/mo per line (incl. taxes/fees) for 4 lines. - Magenta – $75/mo per line (incl. taxes/fees) for 4 lines, data throttles after 50 GB. AT&T: - Unlimited Elite – $110/mo per line (incl. taxes/fees) for 4 lines, includes 30 GB hotspot. - Unlimited Extra – $90/mo per line (incl. taxes/fees) for 4 lines, hotspot 15 GB.
• [GOOD OR BAD FOR EACH CARRIER]Verizon: good (strong signal at home, work, and on trips). T‑Mobile: okay (solid in city, spotty in suburbs). AT&T: bad (weak inside my office building and in some rural areas I visit).

• ✗Compare total cost for 12 months including promo end
• ✓Use only the prices provided; no invented price or plan
• ✗Flag any contract, device payment or switching cost
• ✓Provide table, then one‑sentence pick, then three questions
• ✓Didn't make up details we never gave it

What came back (excerpt):

My pick is: The T-Mobile Magenta plan offers the best value, with a 12-month total of $900, which is significantly lower than the current plan, but it's essential to consider the potential impact of data throttling and coverage issues. Before switching, I have the following questions:

Here is the comparison table:

| Plan | Monthly | 12-month Total | Catches |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Verizon Unlimited Start | $70 (promo), $85 (after promo) | $840 (promo) + $340 (3 months after promo) = $1180 | Promo ends after 12 months, may not be sufficient for international travel |
| Verizon Unlimited Premium | $115 | $1380 | No promo, more expensive than current plan |
| T-Mobile Magenta Max | $95 | $1140 | Data not throttled, but coverage is okay, not good |
| T-Mobile Magenta | $75 | $900 | Data throttles after 50 GB, coverage is okay, not good |
| AT&T Unlimited Elite | $110 | $1320 | Bad coverage in office building and rural areas |
| AT&T Unlimited Extra | $90 | $1080 | Bad coverage in office building and rural areas, less hotspot data |

My pick is: The T-Mobile Magenta plan offers the best value, with a 12-month total of $900, which is significantly lower than the current plan, but it's essential to consider the potential impact of data throttling and coverage issues.

Before switching, I have the following questions:
1. Are you willing to tolerate potential data throttling after 50 GB on the T-Mobile Magenta plan?
2. How important is having a strong signal in your office building and rural areas you visit?
3. Would you consider paying off the remaining installment balance for the two iPhone 14 Pro devices to avoid any potential contract or device payment issues when switching carriers?

Check the 12‑month total calculations—they’re inaccurate.