Who's Not Getting the Evo 4G?

[mbressman]

I'll be completely honest - I was gung ho to get the Evo 4G as soon as it came out. I was going to drive to whatever Sprint store had the Evo 4G on the release date and hoped to be one of the first people using it! I loved the phone, and couldn't wait to get my hands on it.

But then Sprint announced the pricing and the conditions, and all of a sudden my interest faded. I might very well be in the minority here, but I honestly don't think I'm going to get it anymore now. I currently pay around $50/month and get pretty much everything (SERO 1250 plan with unlimited text, data, tethering, sprint-to-sprint calls, N&W starting at 7 PM, free long distance and roaming, etc.), so for me to have to switch to an inferior plan and pay a whopping $30/month more seems outrageous and completely absurd!

That's not to say that I don't really want the Evo, but I just don't think I can justify giving up my current phone (Treo 800w WinMo 6.1) so that I can pay $199 and be committed to Sprint for another 2 years and over the term of that contract pay almost $2000 ($1,920 to be exact) vs. paying $50/month with no contract (and over the course of 2 years that's only $1,200 - a savings of $720!!). And that's not even including what would happen if I went over my 450 minute allotment or wanted to add the WiFi HotSpot feature.

Sprint should honestly reconsider their policy about forcing customers that purchase the Evo to switch plans. I'd probably switch if they forced me to pay the $10/month premium but allowed me to keep my plan, but forcing me into a contract, forcing me to still pay for the phone, and then forcing me to switch to an inferior, more expensive plan that will cost me a lot more money over the course of 2 years while getting a lot less is just too many negatives for me to switch to the Evo. Maybe Sprint will change their minds down the road, but this is one customer that Sprint has just turned off!

Anyone else?

 

[rockcrawler]

Nope, just you LOL. In all seriousness, the SERO plans are outdated and any new smartphone is going to require you to change plans. The $10.00, well it is what it is.

 

[mbressman]

The SERO plans might be outdated, but that doesn't mean they aren't a great value! And honestly, if I can avoid paying more money even for a little while longer, especially almost $1000 more, then I'm happy. The Treo 800w can pretty much do everything I need, and while I really wanted the Evo, I still think that Sprint forcing me to sacrifice that much (i.e. 2-year contract, greater monthly cost, inferior plan, and $199 for the phone) for this phone is just too much.

 

[dchamero]

The problem is that with your logic, you will be stuck with a Treo with WinMo 6.1, which for today standards, is like a Dinosaur...
Now, any new smartphone will require for you to get out of that old SERO plan, you just have to put it in perspective and decide if you don't mind sticking with outdated technology... (is like keeping a computer running Windows 2000)

 

[Giblet]

You do realize that Sprint has lost money every quarter since the merger with Nextel? They have a change to actually become profitable again and you fell they are making a bad business move. Even at $80 a month they are the cheapest in the industry for what that plan offers.

Also you feel its an inferior plan but many people value any mobile any time over 1250 minutes. My calling is almost exclusively to cellphones so its unlimited minutes for me. This will also allow the use of 4g in areas that are available which yours does not.

Finally windows mobile is garbage.

 

[mbressman]

The problem is that with your logic, you will be stuck with a Treo with WinMo 6.1, which for today standards, is like a Dinosaur...
Now, any new smartphone will require for you to get out of that old SERO plan, you just have to put it in perspective and decide if you don't mind sticking with outdated technology... (is like keeping a computer running Windows 2000)

Haha...c'mon now . WinXP was out for like 6 or 7 years before WinVista came along (which sucked) and then Win7, and even now there are still tons of people on WinXP. So I don't think the Treo 800w WM6.1 is that out-dated, especially when it's only been out for what...1 1/2 to 2 years? And it can still do pretty much everything I need...aside from the coolness factor of the Evo, is there REAL functionality that I'm going to be missing if I opt to stay with the Treo over getting the Evo? Don't get me wrong - I really want the Evo, but just can't justify paying that much for it...

 

[mbressman]

You do realize that Sprint has lost money every quarter since the merger with Nextel? They have a change to actually become profitable again and you fell they are making a bad business move. Even at $80 a month they are the cheapest in the industry for what that plan offers.

Ok, so fine, Sprint needs to make money to become more competitive - so let them force new customers to sign up for the $80/month plan, but I'm an existing customer - why should I be forced to pay more? I should be rewarded for my loyalty to Sprint, not punished. There's no reason to force existing customers with better plans off of them - I feel that Sprint is just once again being stupid (and greedy) and not looking at the bigger picture (i.e. customer loyalty and customer retention)

 

[extrafuzzyllama]

why are people still complaining if u dont want to pay more dont get an evo

 

[mbressman]

why are people still complaining if u dont want to pay more dont get an evo

I'm not complaining - I'm just posting my thoughts and point-of-view...isn't that the whole purpose of an online community?

Plus maybe my thoughts will help others who are the fence decide...who knows?

 

[AngryCPA]

This topic was beaten to death when the Pre came out last year and there really isnt much more to say on it now. The new plans are more expensive than SERO yes, but still cheaper feature for feature than the other carriers.

If you really want to keep your SERO plan, but want a new phone, I think you can activate a Touch Pro 2 on SERO.

 

[ls3mach]

Haha...c'mon now . WinXP was out for like 6 or 7 years before WinVista came along (which sucked) and then Win7, and even now there are still tons of people on WinXP. So I don't think the Treo 800w WM6.1 is that out-dated, especially when it's only been out for what...1 1/2 to 2 years? And it can still do pretty much everything I need...aside from the coolness factor of the Evo, is there REAL functionality that I'm going to be missing if I opt to stay with the Treo over getting the Evo? Don't get me wrong - I really want the Evo, but just can't justify paying that much for it...

Yeah, but WinXP got it right. The Treo800w sucked even when it was released. Screen sucked. Camera sucked. No flash. Small RAM/ROM. It wasn't as good as the Mogul which came out 8 months prior.

 

[mbressman]

This topic was beaten to death when the Pre came out last year and there really isnt much more to say on it now. The new plans are more expensive than SERO yes, but still cheaper feature for feature than the other carriers.

If you really want to keep your SERO plan, but want a new phone, I think you can activate a Touch Pro 2 on SERO.

Thanks for the tip on the Touch Pro 2 and SERO - I really only wanted to switch cause I wanted Android, so I'm happy w/the Treo and WinMo 6.1 for the time being, but thanks again!

 

[Giblet]

Ok, so fine, Sprint needs to make money to become more competitive - so let them force new customers to sign up for the $80/month plan, but I'm an existing customer - why should I be forced to pay more? I should be rewarded for my loyalty to Sprint, not punished. There's no reason to force existing customers with better plans off of them - I feel that Sprint is just once again being stupid (and greedy) and not looking at the bigger picture (i.e. customer loyalty and customer retention)

In the end they are still a business. Loyal customers that you don't make anything off of are bad customers. Sprint makes the least amount of money of the remaining sero users as they use an above average amount of data and pay much less for their service.

 

[mbressman]

Yeah, but WinXP got it right. The Treo800w sucked even when it was released. Screen sucked. Camera sucked. No flash. Small RAM/ROM. It wasn't as good as the Mogul which came out 8 months prior.

Haha...I guess its just a matter of opinion - I like the hardware design and hardware keyboard, the form factor, and don't mind the screen or sucky camera (it works for my needs)...

 

[mbressman]

In the end they are still a business. Loyal customers that you don't make anything off of are bad customers. Sprint makes the least amount of money of the remaining sero users as they use an above average amount of data and pay much less for their service.

Even if I do use an above average amount of data and pay less for my service, I find it hard to believe that Sprint actually loses money with me. If they did, given how they seem to act, they would just cut me loose (especially since I'm no longer in contract), or force me to upgrade regardless of what phone I have. I imagine that Sprint makes some money off me, just not as much as they make off customers that switch and end up with a more expensive plan with less features. Honestly, if Sprint forced me to upgrade my plan to an inferior more expensive one, I'd dump them, which is probably why they are OK with letting me stay on this plan...

 

[timlot]

I understand how you feel. I planed to keep my $30 sero and htc mogul for a long time, but phones are just advancing too much to walk around with this dinosaur on my hip. So I went ahead and gave up my sero plan the other day, reluctantly. If you do it now as oppose to when you buy the EVO you are more likely to get the $10/24 month discount and $70 loyalty renewal credit just make sure you keep you $150 upgrade.

 

[mbressman]

I understand how you feel. I planed to keep my $30 sero and htc mogul for a long time, but phones are just advancing too much to walk around with this dinosaur on my hip. So I went ahead and gave up my sero plan the other day, reluctantly. If you do it now as oppose to when you buy the EVO you are more likely to get the $10/24 month discount and $70 loyalty renewal credit just make sure you keep you $150 upgrade.

Hmm...please tell me more about the $10/24 month discount and $70 loyalty renewal credit!!

And thanks for understanding

 

[Giblet]

I think you would be surprised how low margins on their customers actually are. If you have above average usage at below average cost and the company providing the service is losing money on the whole then you can safely bet that they lose money on you.

 

[mbressman]

I think you would be surprised how low margins on their customers actually are. If you have above average usage at below average cost and the company providing the service is losing money on the whole then you can safely bet that they lose money on you.

So why don't they just dump me as a customer then (they've done it before) or at least force me to upgrade to a different plan? I'm not in contract any longer so there'd be nothing I could really do to stop them except leave...

 

[Fletch F. Fletch]

Marc, I know the pricing (the extra 10 bucks per Evo) is an issue for me. I'm not whining or complaining, just stating that with that charge for multiple Evos, I am reconsidering my plan to switch to Sprint from Verizon. It's barely going to be a savings after all! I think Sprint is making a mistake--this seemed like a BIG opportunity for them to get ship-jumpers from other carriers. Wonder if this charge will backfire on them.