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Sprint makes Premium Data changes from Jan 30, 2011

CoachEVO said:
The above is the problem. I get that they are still cheaper, and that's a good thing. It just seems like now that they have somewhat turned the "customer corner" with gains, they are saying, "ok...let's catch up with the other guys in price now. We can do it as we've got them hooked." I just think that it's a shame. I understand the economics and all, it just seems like we're being taken advantage of on some level, that's all.
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I understand your frustration but nobody is being taken advantage of. We are all engaging in free enterprise. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy a cell phone. Most of the recent changes only apply to new customers and existing customers are "grand-fathered" into their current rates.

The reality is that smartphones offer a lot more then they did just a year or two ago. The cellular companies realize this and are charging more as they offer more. I'd bet that many people do more on their smartphone than they do on their computers! GPS, music, TV, movies, games, etc.

The phones have gotten much more expensive and the cost to upgrade their networks to provide better speed are significant. Personally, I think paying $10 for 4g is fair when you consider the significant upgrade in performance.

However, I disagree with Sprint charging 3g smartphones the $10 fee. It only applies to new customers, so really it's just a way to push customers towards 4g phones instead. I'd rather see them provide more mid-level 4g phones and stop selling 3g phones. I'm sure they will get to that point soon.
 
Ben - It's my understanding that they only take the discount off of the base amount for the plan now. So, you would get 25% off the $129 and then pay $20 for the 3rd line and $10 x 3 for the premium data.

I have the Everything 1500 plan with a 25% discount and my bill is $118 a month after taxes. I only have the 2 lines though with no data fees yet.
 
^
Thank You.

So it sounds like it would be:
130 (lines 1 and 2) - 25% (discount) + 20 (for line 3) + (10 x 3) (for premium data fees) = $147.50 for all three lines.
Still not too bad for all the unlimitedness.
 
BenChase7 said:
^
Thank You.

So it sounds like it would be:
130 (lines 1 and 2) - 25% (discount) + 20 (for line 3) + (10 x 3) (for premium data fees) = $147.50 for all three lines.
Still not too bad for all the unlimitedness.
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Same plan with Verizon would cost you $230, not including any future 4g charges, which are very likely coming next month. Breakdown:

Nationwide Share 700 mins - $100
Line 2 and 3 - $20 each - $40
Unlimited Data - $30 each - $90

Even without your discount the bill with Sprint would be $50 cheaper than Verizon. Plus, Verizon will almost certainly have a 4g charge once they start offering 4g smartphones next month. Add another $10 per line and now Verizon is $80 more expensive for 3 lines.

It cracks me up listening to some of these Sprint-haters wanting to switch to Verizon. All I can say is good luck with that!
 
^
Good Point, not to mention Verizon charges additional fees for for all the extras Sprint throws in for free. And, I'll be getting a ton more minutes w/ Sprint (since they have Any Mobile, Anytime).
 
Ship jumpers will soon be on the VZW thread complaining about cost. At least that will free up space for others who know Sprint is still the best national carrier value.
 
jander1023 said:
I understand your frustration but nobody is being taken advantage of. We are all engaging in free enterprise. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy a cell phone. Most of the recent changes only apply to new customers and existing customers are "grand-fathered" into their current rates.

The reality is that smartphones offer a lot more then they did just a year or two ago. The cellular companies realize this and are charging more as they offer more. I'd bet that many people do more on their smartphone than they do on their computers! GPS, music, TV, movies, games, etc.

The phones have gotten much more expensive and the cost to upgrade their networks to provide better speed are significant. Personally, I think paying $10 for 4g is fair when you consider the significant upgrade in performance.

However, I disagree with Sprint charging 3g smartphones the $10 fee. It only applies to new customers, so really it's just a way to push customers towards 4g phones instead. I'd rather see them provide more mid-level 4g phones and stop selling 3g phones. I'm sure they will get to that point soon.
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I hear ya...and it really does make sense, it just seems like it's all of a sudden, that's all. I really do get the economics of it though.
 
yes.. it is all of the sudden.. for new clients....

not for current clients... you will start to feel it.. when time to upgrade.
 
jander1023 said:
That plan with Verizon doesn't include text, pic or video messaging. Plus, you can expect Verizon to charge a $10-15 fee for 4g when they roll it out next month. Verizon's text and talk plan is a more valid comparison and that would cost you $90 right now, not including the upcoming 4g fee. Assuming Verizon's 4g fee will be $10, that brings your grand total to $100. That's $20 more than Sprint.

You can certainly switch to Verizon if you want, but I guarantee it won't be a cheaper option.
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What you dont seem to understand is... A lot of people dont need all of the "Freebies" that Sprint is "Throwing in"

Do I need more than 450 minutes? Not even close. Most of my friends are already on Verizon. Do I need Text Messaging? No, because I can use google voice.

Is Verizon charging extra for 4G? Not yet. According to many of you Sprint Apologists, Sprint is "Just following Verizon and ATT". So, if Verizon charges for 4G..... What do you think Sprint will do?

As stated:
450 minutes with Verizon, and unlimited data + Google voice for Text = $70, plus I get 20% off the Data plan. Total = $56

Sprint "Everything Data 450" = $70, +$10 for "Premium Data". Thats the cheapest Data plan. Total = $66

I can get everything I need for $10 less on Verizon, while having a faster more reliable network. Rather than wait for my Sprint signal to drop completely, to roam over to Verizon(in certain areas). I wonder when Sprint will start charging for that too.
 
dan330 said:
say what??? $40... 480 a year??

why ??? how?
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Old tmobile plans rocked! I think my family plan with unlimited data was like $80 a month or $100. I paid for text which I never did, but other than that it was way less than sprint. I just got sick of the crappy phones.

Unlike Sprint when you got a new phone with Tmob they didn't change your plan. So I was with them for a long time (I left sprint for them long ago) and my plan was nothing.
 
tqlla said:
So lying to customers, and taking perks away, after customers have signed a 2 year contract..... = good customer service?

THe next device may be great! All the EVO owners will find out how awesome Sprints customer service is, when they try to cash in on their first annual upgrade..... Ooops, what annual upgrade?
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They took nothing from you. What has changed for you? These changes will not impact you until you re-up your contract. At that point go to VZ if you don't like it.
 
Whiskeypawz said:
RoboMonkey I'm sorry, I'm still confused! :o

I get what you're saying about the new device justifying the $10 cost increase. But I still don't get how that would effect the PHONE users if it's a tablet. The price increase won't effect the tablet plans will it?? :confused:
I'm sorry!! I don't mean to dumbass you here, I promise!
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Hey the $10 cuts their sub cost per smart device way down $600-$200-$240, so Sprint price per phone is only $160 and they more than make that back on a contract.

If you ask me its a smart move for the company.
 
CoachEVO said:
I agree with your posts, although I won't go so far as lying because when you sign the two year contract, you get that contract. What I will say is that I feel a bit..."game has changed midstream". Yes, I know that all carriers do this and I do understand the business aspect of it...really I do...I just feel as though all of a sudden, things changed rather dramatically and rather fast. Almost like piling on. The argument made earlier about their cost for everything is a sound one, it's just that I feel as a consumer that Sprint is feeling a bit froggy and essentially taking some really nice things away to keep up with the Joneses when not keeping up with them got them going in the right direction in the first place. I guess its big business...it just seems a shame, that's all.
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Not keeping up with the Joneses. Keeping up with not going out of business.
You can
 
jander1023 said:
I understand your frustration but nobody is being taken advantage of. We are all engaging in free enterprise. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy a cell phone. Most of the recent changes only apply to new customers and existing customers are "grand-fathered" into their current rates.

The reality is that smartphones offer a lot more then they did just a year or two ago. The cellular companies realize this and are charging more as they offer more. I'd bet that many people do more on their smartphone than they do on their computers! GPS, music, TV, movies, games, etc.

The phones have gotten much more expensive and the cost to upgrade their networks to provide better speed are significant. Personally, I think paying $10 for 4g is fair when you consider the significant upgrade in performance.

However, I disagree with Sprint charging 3g smartphones the $10 fee. It only applies to new customers, so really it's just a way to push customers towards 4g phones instead. I'd rather see them provide more mid-level 4g phones and stop selling 3g phones. I'm sure they will get to that point soon.
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I agree with you. I also think that as time moves on more and more people with get rid of their cabel use their phones once 4g really takes off.

How many people under 50 do you know that still have a land line phone?
10 years from now I'll bet few people have cabel or sattelite as we know it today.
 
eieio said:
I read a report that predicted that Sprint spent 2-4 billion dollars subsidizing the actual costs of EVO and Epics.

By removing the early upgrade they help to off set the costs.. They pay 500-650 for the Evo and Epic out the door customer costs are 200-250.

Without those subsidized fees, Sprint would have turned a very healthy profit last quarter.
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Curious where this information came from. Even if they sold a million of each phone and gave them away for free that would only be 1 billion dollars. Although I am bad at math so that might be wrong.

I don't see how they could pay $500-$650 for each Evo. They sell it without subsidy for $449 and likely they pay less then that for the device buying in bulk.

Not that I don't think removing it isn't saving Sprint money. I just doubt it costs them as much as you stated.

The only problem I have with this $10 fee is the fact that I can take the same phone I have right now after this month and ESN switch it and poof a new charge monthly. That to me seems like a breach of contract. If they kept it to only upgrading phones then I wouldn't have any problem with it.
 
Woosh said:
Curious where this information came from. Even if they sold a million of each phone and gave them away for free that would only be 1 billion dollars. Although I am bad at math so that might be wrong.

I don't see how they could pay $500-$650 for each Evo. They sell it without subsidy for $449 and likely they pay less then that for the device buying in bulk.

Not that I don't think removing it isn't saving Sprint money. I just doubt it costs them as much as you stated.

The only problem I have with this $10 fee is the fact that I can take the same phone I have right now after this month and ESN switch it and poof a new charge monthly. That to me seems like a breach of contract. If they kept it to only upgrading phones then I wouldn't have any problem with it.
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It was in a report I read a few months back.. It predicted that Sprint sold about 3 million EVO's The 500-650 price point included marketing as well.

I agree I do not like the esn swap raising triggers the 10 add-on, but I assume they did that so people don't try to game the system..
 
RoboMonkey said:
They took nothing from you. What has changed for you? These changes will not impact you until you re-up your contract. At that point go to VZ if you don't like it.
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Are you serious?
1) They are taking away my annual upgrade.

2) Phones have always been Subsidized. The $600 phone pricepoint has been the rumor for 10 years. I trust those reports as much as I trust the "Invoice price" on a new car.

A 10" 3G Ipad costs $600 direct to Consumer... yet it cost ATT $600 for an Iphone 3Gs? Yeah....

3) One the premier upgrade changes are confirmed... that will be 4 major changes in less than a year. To make matters worse... sprint just sent me an email touting how awesome my premier membership is. Upgrade in a year, 12 months faster than usual.

4) Remember how Dan Hesse stated, 4G costs Sprint less and they could give it away at no extra cost?.... Then they charged 4G phones Premium Data fees. Now that they have changed that to include all Smartphones..... How long do you think Sprint will wait to announce a $10- 4G Fee?
 
Sprint is tripping over itself over the recent changes, this was Sprint's time to make a come back with maybe a 3D phone and/or a dual core phone and keep customers happily ever after even with the iPhone coming to big red. I gotta say I'm actively researching my discount options on Verizon and crunching numbers I may take the plunge. But I will certainly not be looking towards the iPhone, although the Thunderbolt or the dual core Moto might be tempting if I can wait that long. Giving them until Feb 7th, David Blaine better have a big rabbit up his ass.
 
With Sprint adding the $10 fee on all smart phones, I seriousy hope they upgrade all their towers to EVDO atleast. If they dont i'm sure they're gonna have alot of angry customers running super slow 1xRTT and paying the same as those with EVDO and WiMax.

BTW, I'm still waiting on EVDO and honestly... I'm getting quite irritated with waiting..,
 
You guys crack me up!

Verizon may have sparked the actions by ending its "New Every Two" program earlier this month, which gave existing customers a credit of $30 to $100 toward the purchase of a new phone on contract every two years. Starting Jan. 16, the nation's largest carrier stopped offering the credit to new subscribers and will not re-enroll subscribers in the program once they use the credit. In addition to ending the New Every Two program, Verizon customers will no longer be eligible for a discounted phone upgrade starting at 13 months into their 24-month contract. Instead, they will have to wait until 20 months into the contract to get the discount

AT&T also is discontinuing its $50 and $100 upgrade discounts on non-iPhone devices as of Jan. 23, though eligible customers who pay more than $69 per month can still access the discounts through July 23.


http://www.fool.com/investing/fiercemarkets/2011/01/21/sprint-tinkers-with-premier-handset-upgrade-progra.aspx

Guess you're all gonna go pre pay FTL.

I love the smell of Napalm in the morning.
 
RoboMonkey said:
You guys crack me up!

Verizon may have sparked the actions by ending its "New Every Two" program earlier this month, which gave existing customers a credit of $30 to $100 toward the purchase of a new phone on contract every two years. Starting Jan. 16, the nation's largest carrier stopped offering the credit to new subscribers and will not re-enroll subscribers in the program once they use the credit. In addition to ending the New Every Two program, Verizon customers will no longer be eligible for a discounted phone upgrade starting at 13 months into their 24-month contract. Instead, they will have to wait until 20 months into the contract to get the discount

AT&T also is discontinuing its $50 and $100 upgrade discounts on non-iPhone devices as of Jan. 23, though eligible customers who pay more than $69 per month can still access the discounts through July 23.


http://www.fool.com/investing/fiercemarkets/2011/01/21/sprint-tinkers-with-premier-handset-upgrade-progra.aspx

Guess you're all gonna go pre pay FTL.

I love the smell of Napalm in the morning.
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1) Verizon at least has the decency to let you use the upgrade one last time.
2) Verizons new everytwo... wasnt that good anyway. You can get a better Deal renewing through Amazon
3) Sprint actually had a good perk, that they are dumping now that they have gained customers....(After they lost 10 million customers, in 5 years)
4) Sprints plans used to be a lot better than Verizons... now they are marginally better.
Sprint has been changing their plans to... much worse plans! Verizons plans... havent gotten much worse.
5) As you said... Sprint is just following Verizon. So... if Verizon charges extra for 4G, what do you think Sprint will do?
 
RoboMonkey said:
You guys crack me up!

Verizon may have sparked the actions by ending its "New Every Two" program earlier this month, which gave existing customers a credit of $30 to $100 toward the purchase of a new phone on contract every two years. Starting Jan. 16, the nation's largest carrier stopped offering the credit to new subscribers and will not re-enroll subscribers in the program once they use the credit. In addition to ending the New Every Two program, Verizon customers will no longer be eligible for a discounted phone upgrade starting at 13 months into their 24-month contract. Instead, they will have to wait until 20 months into the contract to get the discount

AT&T also is discontinuing its $50 and $100 upgrade discounts on non-iPhone devices as of Jan. 23, though eligible customers who pay more than $69 per month can still access the discounts through July 23.


http://www.fool.com/investing/fiercemarkets/2011/01/21/sprint-tinkers-with-premier-handset-upgrade-progra.aspx

Guess you're all gonna go pre pay FTL.

I love the smell of Napalm in the morning.
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I smell price fixing because all this stuff so close together can't just be a coincidence. And hell, I will go prepaid. Verizon's prepaid is actually getting pretty reasonable.
 
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