CNET

Students looking to slash the cost of a mobile phone plan will now find a new option available through Sprint.

Announced on Monday, the My Way Student Promotion provides students with a full year of free calls, text messages, and data from Sprint. To qualify for the offer, buyers must purchase a Sprint phone at the student activated price through Best Buy and activate a new line via Sprint's Unlimited, My Way plan.

The plan offers unlimited talking and texting and 1GB of data per month for smartphones and unlimited calls and texts for feature phones. The promotion starts Monday and runs through January 4.

Beyond the cost of the phone itself, students have to pony up a onetime $36 activation fee and pay for any monthly taxes and surcharges. Smartphone buyers who can't make do with 1GB per month can choose unlimited data for $10 per month.

The promotion does not require the usual two-year agreement. But that means students must pay the full retail price for the phone. A Best Buy page lists all of the qualifying phones and their prices.

Students can learn more about the plan through a Sprint FAQ page. The Student Verification Form can be downloaded from Best Buy.