Explain The Fee: "Premium Data"

**th3gh05t** · 06-11-2010, 03:57 PM

Check out this awesome chat log with a Sprint support rep:

**storino03** · 06-11-2010, 04:01 PM

$10 charge for unlimited access to 4G service, where available. It also includes unlimited 3g/4g data, without any cap in place. That's where your $10 is going toward.

**tobor** · 06-11-2010, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by storino03

$10 charge for unlimited access to 4G service, where available. It also includes unlimited 3g/4g data, without any cap in place. That's where your $10 is going toward.

That's not true. Dan Hesse himself said that 4G wouldn't cost extra. And Sprint's phone data plans have ALWAYS been uncapped (unlike other carriers).

Sprint is charging the fee because they think they can. I think they'll end up having to restructure all their plans and remove this $10 fee because I doubt it will stand up if challenged in court since they've done such a lousy job explaining it to consumers.

**RikusHaven** · 06-11-2010, 04:15 PM

Really? I always was told Sprint had their capped at 5GB. Oh well. I'm still using as much data as I can on my EVO. And if you don't like the fee, then don't get the phone, it's that simple. I mean lots of people have already accepted the fee.

**msw323** · 06-11-2010, 04:20 PM

Doubt that the $10 fee is really an issue anymore. It is what it is. If it was such an issue, they wouldnt have sold out of the phones so quickly. If anything, it got more people talking about the phone. Don't be surprised if all new Android phones are going to be required to have this fee going forward.

**deekoi** · 06-11-2010, 04:27 PM

wow... Sprint's in a bind on this one... They are trying to follow At&t... bad idea. they need the customers!

**slvrblt00** · 06-11-2010, 04:43 PM

People would have accepted the fee better if they would have just called it $10 add on for 4g. At least they feel like they are getting something other than hardware. Maybe its there way of getting more than $199 out of you for the phone. I doubt that I'll use much more data on this than I did on my blackberry.

**2CupsWithString** · 06-11-2010, 04:48 PM

I'm sure once the competition catches up and other carriers launch new flagship devices and roll out a 4G network the industry will go through yet another competitive phase of trying to price beat. It will be us in the end who win, consider the $10 fee an "early adopter fee".

We want faster mobile, Sprint has it sometimes, we have $10, Sprint wants it every month.

**EVO Navian** · 06-11-2010, 04:59 PM

The rep must of had one long copy & paste guideline.

**dekcufi** · 06-11-2010, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by th3gh05t

Check out this awesome chat log with a Sprint support rep:

i have not read it, but i have been on the everything unlimited plan for 6 years now. I never have had a cap on any usage. I am not thrilled that i have to play another 10 bones a month when i already had unlimited from the get go

**scott_0** · 06-11-2010, 05:10 PM

the $10 fee is what is, if you didnt agree with it you didnt have to buy the phone, but I gotta say this BS of Sprint throttling back data usage is just wow, really? I cant believe after the $10 fee they threaten this

**mcduffer** · 06-11-2010, 05:13 PM

Yep, the $10 fee is for them to implement throttling on your data. Im a Sprint fan but I say what they plan to do is crap!

**qst4** · 06-11-2010, 05:14 PM

I'm still not understanding "this rich data experience" statement, in general it seems to me that other phones provide the same experience, with the exception of 4G. Sprint needs to show me increased use of its network, or how the money is going to improve the network, or exactly what they mean by my experience being richer before I completely buy this. Well, I guess I already bought it, lol. Buy anyway, I mean, sprint has the Pre, Hero, Moment, and Touch, in what exact way is the experience different than those devices?

**Fitz1015** · 06-11-2010, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by RikusHaven

Really? I always was told Sprint had their capped at 5GB. Oh well. I'm still using as much data as I can on my EVO. And if you don't like the fee, then don't get the phone, it's that simple. I mean lots of people have already accepted the fee.

Sprint does have a data cap but its only on there air cards there phone have always been unlimited

**Fitz1015** · 06-11-2010, 05:41 PM

fund this on sprints site hope this help. internet on you phone has always been uncapped but any other data has a cap

"Data Usage Limitation (Mobile Broadband Cards, USB Modems, Embedded Modems and Phone-As-Modem):The amount of data transmitted over our network is measured in kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB) or gigabytes (GB). Sprint reserves the right to limit throughput speeds or amount of data transferred; and to deny, terminate, modify, disconnect or suspend service if usage either exceeds (a.) 5GB/month in total, unless specified otherwise or (b.) 300MB/month while off-network roaming. 1024KB equal 1MB. 1024MB equal 1GB?

**MissJennell#IM** · 06-11-2010, 05:47 PM

I have a chat in my inbox that is kind of like that one. The lady says over and over though that it is specifically for 4g and mandatory no matter where you are.

**italianotampa** · 06-11-2010, 06:40 PM

Maybe they know that you will be using a lot more data than any other of their phones. And the person that said it wouldn't hold up in court, it would u accepted the terms and conditions so stop complaining.

**thekarens** · 06-11-2010, 06:52 PM

Seems to me if people REALLY were opposed to the fee they wouldn't buy the phone. If the phone was a flop they wouldn't have the fee. But if you buy the phone you're well aware of what the fee is and what you're getting into.

**VKitty** · 06-11-2010, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by thekarens

Seems to me if people REALLY were opposed to the fee they wouldn't buy the phone. If the phone was a flop they wouldn't have the fee. But if you buy the phone you're well aware of what the fee is and what you're getting into.

Thats what I thought...You bought the phone, which means you agree with all that comes with it.

**drnez** · 06-11-2010, 07:02 PM

Wow, you really took that sales person for a ride. Really made em work for that $10/hour to read from a script eh?

I don't really see the point of harassing the messenger, if you want real answer, you need to go higher up the food chain that your average (probably oversee's) chat rep.

**jonathanlc2005** · 06-11-2010, 07:34 PM

Simply put... the fee is for 4g, unlimited internet on both networks, and allow you to use the network however you like it. Your listed as a ultimate wireless user who does more then corporate customers who send thousands of emails. Best to say Ur the equivalent of the mobile user who creates servers on a broadband card and stream thousands of gigs then the normal 5 gigger. Don't you realize its a silent tiered data plan this entire time with 5gigs on broadband cards and not phones and this fee will break free of that and Sprint will keep working hard for making the network better just cause of a fee by giving us better data.Sprint doesn't care normally if u go 5 gigs on Ur card but since people attempt to abuse it they stopped it and just gave the unlimited to their employees. Phones are now evolving that pace and that's why ATT did what they did for iphones.... but I'm sure iPhone users wouldn't mind a 10 dollar fee with this new enema they got from ATT. If 10 dollars is too much... let me take u back 5 years ago...39.99 talk mins +5 dollar roaming fee + 15 dollar picture mail and internet (before the opera mini days)+10 dollar gps navigation + 10 dollar tv and radio all this before evdo was evolved this is all fees that tore up the 1x network.

Oh and don't forget the crazy 40 or 30 dollar blackberry fee just cause of the blackberry name when palm can do the same thing without it... and look. Blackberry survived. Back thenit tore up the network... this evo will too just like the iPhone did and as soon as 4g comes larger... I predict a plan restructure without a fee due to larger bandwidth handling. So Sprint is justified in this and either its tiered data or a fee because we all know blackberries pres and windows 6.1 phones can't do what an evo can without a hack involved and on top of that... flash is gonna kill the 3g network like a broadband card does so trust me... is rather pay a fee then end up on phonescoop about why there's a data outage on my iphone

**gksmithlcw** · 06-11-2010, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by thekarens

Seems to me if people REALLY were opposed to the fee they wouldn't buy the phone. If the phone was a flop they wouldn't have the fee. But if you buy the phone you're well aware of what the fee is and what you're getting into.

I'm not complaining about the $10.00 / month fee so don't think I am but I /would/ like to point out that the sales rep who sold me my Evo mentioned absolutely NOTHING about it. The only reason I know about it is because I researched it beforehand...

**DisplacedMic** · 06-11-2010, 08:28 PM

Yeh - like all of you i accepted it. and i'll pay it for 2 years... but i definitely grumble about it. doesn't mean i dont love my phone.

i understand the political BS reasoning they've given but in the end I pay for an unlimited data plan. I also pay $10 for an unlimited data plan. that doesn't make sense. It's pretty ugly whatever way you look at it... not really an impressive foot forward on Sprint's part.

**IAmSoSmart_S_M_R_T** · 06-11-2010, 08:54 PM

Sprint 450 Minutes (unlimited m2m) - $79/mo
Unlimited Data - $0/mo (included)
Unlimited Text - $0/mo (included)

Total - $79/mo

AT&T 450 minutes (no unlimited m2m) - $39/mo
2Gb Data - $25/mo
Unlimited Text - $20/mo

Total - $84/mo

Yes, they're charging the $10 extra to EVO users because they can, it's called price discrimination. But it's still $5/mo LESS than AT&T's offering, without having to worry about going over your data for an extra $10/Gb.

**kamiller42** · 06-11-2010, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by IAmSoSmart_S_M_R_T

Sprint 450 Minutes (unlimited m2m) - $79/mo
Unlimited Data - $0/mo (included)
Unlimited Text - $0/mo (included)

Total - $79/mo

AT&T 450 minutes (no unlimited m2m) - $39/mo
2Gb Data - $25/mo
Unlimited Text - $20/mo

Total - $84/mo

Yes, they're charging the $10 extra to EVO users because they can, it's called price discrimination. But it's still $5/mo LESS than AT&T's offering, without having to worry about going over your data for an extra $10/Gb.

Another point is AT&T is 2GB of 3G data. Time will tell what AT&T charges for LTE when it deploys.