You get to talk to cool people like us in the sprint forums..
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Sprint Changing their Upgrade Policy on 4/1/11
- Thread starter MsRandall
- Start date
You get to talk to cool people like us in the sprint forums..
M
MarkHirt
Guest
Exactly, how many more pages does this need to go
AndroidSPCS
Android Expert
Dude it's been reported by a well known and trusted person on Sprintusers so chances of it being a joke is not likely.
This makes me look at T-mobile a lot more closely. On Sprint you can't have a smartphone without paying for it all.
On T-mobile you can have any phone you want, and only pay for services you want. My wife has been wanting Android for a long time but it didn't make sense for her to upgrade on Sprint. This might be the push we need to move her to T-mobile and get her an Android device. I already have T-mobile so I might be saying goodbye to Sprint in the future as well.
Carrier greed will doom Sprint. Sprint is not Verizon, and they can't afford to act like it.
Link?
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
Sadly, this is making me turn on Sprint.
jen8112
Android Enthusiast
It's going to make me re-think my loyalty to Sprint.
AndroidSPCS
Android Expert
Your next upgrade with Sprint is going to be a hard decision. You'll have to pay a $10 smartphone fee (even if you don't use a 4G device), and no more 12 months upgrades. I for one would be looking very hard at other carriers if I were you. These two changes alone could cause Sprint to lose its most "premier" customers.
AndroidSPCS
Android Expert
T-mobile will look very compelling, especially if people want an Android phone but only use talk, or talk / text, and minimal data. T-mobile and other carriers allows people options to use any phone they want with any plan they want.
I was a stout defender of Sprint (see my previous posts here), but these recent changes are making Sprint a lot less appealing and compelling. Before it was a no brainer to stick with Sprint. Now that line is blurred and people may do better with other carriers.
RoboMonkey
Android Expert
I think this is what they want. To keep from getting a new contract I might buy my next Sprint phone at full price if the numbers add up.
That's what Tmobile did and since their phones were crap I left. I use to only buy unlocked Sony phones "pre Android" at full price.
But why should Sprint continue to kill themselves with prices near prepaid plans when every other carrier is more. Besides that I think they might have lost their battle with ClearWire and have to back pay them $10 for every 4g phone.
I expect Sprint to close the gap but stay just under ATT and VZW. As long as they're a little under and provide good coverage and decent phone options, they'll be fine. That said, Sprint's under tremendous pressure to be profitable. That means some values will be eliminated and new fees will come.
As to tiered data plans, I hope Sprint avoids them. If Sprint pushes the issue of data consumption cautiousness, they are much more likely to lose subscribers than ATT or VZW. Sprint's done a lot to bring people over so keeping them will be critical. I don't think tiered data is going to help even if it's lower priced tiered data.
Like I've said before, buffets don't make money on extreme eaters but they make enough of most eaters to remain almost as profitable as the average regular restaurant.
As to tiered data plans, I hope Sprint avoids them. If Sprint pushes the issue of data consumption cautiousness, they are much more likely to lose subscribers than ATT or VZW. Sprint's done a lot to bring people over so keeping them will be critical. I don't think tiered data is going to help even if it's lower priced tiered data.
Like I've said before, buffets don't make money on extreme eaters but they make enough of most eaters to remain almost as profitable as the average regular restaurant.
How long is that Mantra going to hold up. Till, sprint is 10 cents cheaper than Verizon? Sprint may include the most at $80.... but there are cheaper smartphone plans at ATT & Verizon.
In the last 7 months, Sprint has changed their plan for the worse... every 1-3 months
1) Charge a $10 Premium on top of their "Everything" Data Plan to EVO/Epic Users
2) Remove Corp discounts on Additional lines
3) Charge $10 Premium on top of their "Everything" Data plan to all smartphones. UH... WHATS THE POINT OF EVERYTHING DATA?
4) Remove the annual upgrade perk.
IMO, #4 will be the straw that broke the camels back.
LOL, after 5 years of losing customers.... to the tune of about 10 million post paid, Sprint finally has 2 quarters of gains(to the tune of 500K postpaid).
What does Sprint do? Change all their plans, and nickle and dime their new "Simply Everything" Customers. Their last 2 quarters of gains, are filled customers who may have been enticed by the prospect of annual upgrades, and they will get screwed before their first chance to upgrade. Yay Sprint.
Have fun back in the dumps.
SoulTerror
Android Enthusiast
Verizon just announced that it's gone for them.
Verizon officially kills off New Every Two upgrade discount program -- Engadget
Verizon officially kills off New Every Two upgrade discount program -- Engadget
M
Member138406
Guest
So on T-Mobile you can get a smart phone and just pay for voice services??? Thats pretty cool if true..
With Verizon's new every 2... you would pay $75 less than the Subsidized price. Now, You pay the subsidized price on on the phone@ two years.
With Sprint, you need the discount to get to a subsidized price after 1 year. Now, You pay the subsidized price on on the phone@ two years.
Either way, it WAS a better perk for Sprint. Now its the same for Sprint and Verizon. Now Verizon has a minimum smartphone plan of $55, whereas Sprints Minimum smartphone plan is $80.
RoboMonkey
Android Expert
Yep Tmob doesn't care. Pop your sim card into a new phone and it's working. No data if you don't pay for it, but most times who cares.
Not exactly all bad even if bad in general. I came from ATT because my coverage was terrible and ATT really lacked Android options until recently. I was never an annual upgrader because I tend to upgrade when there's something really worth it. I wouldn't upgrade for a faster processor unless it's significantly faster. A 1.2-1.5x processor isn't fast enough for me to jump Evo ship. Once it hits twice as fast, I look at whether the other specs have kept up too. There's always a bottleneck somewhere.
As to the carriers, I'll move from one to the next now that number portability is easy and to get the best value. Despite Sprint's recent announcements, I hardly see ATT & VZW as being better values.
LTE could make a difference, but it's too far off in standards and technology for that to be a factor before my next cycle.
What I really want is the ability to use my phone on any network, but that's not likely to happen with the current carrier structure. I'd be happy to pay the full cost as long if I could use my phone on any carrier. The carriers will always be just a little different though to make sure that's never a possibility for consumers.
RoboMonkey
Android Expert
I must say I could save $$ by switching to VZ.
Interesting I just did the numbers on VZ:
Basic Bill Price (Family Plan no unlimited text 700 voice unlimited Data).
Total Monthly Access Charges$129.97
Sprint:
Everything Data - 1500 Shared Anytime Minutes Included$129.99 Employee Discount Sprint 13%-$16.90
Total Due by January 16 $144.02
The total looks like with taxes and fees. If you add them into the VZW charges, it won't be less. Close, but not less. Also again it's not apples to apples. No unlimited text. Add that in from VZW too. Want VZW Navi - add that in too. Also have to compare the VZW 1400 plan for nearest minutes comparison.
If you sign up for VZW thinking you're going to get the same and pay less, it's not happening. It can't.
Now if you have a 4G phone, it's not even close. Evo 4G fee - $0. VZW $20/2GB.
It really isn't possible to do apples to apples and have VZW or ATT ever come out cheaper than Sprint.
IOWA
Mr. Logic Pants
Google Voice + Verizon Friends & Family = Unlimited minutes AND texts.