Sprint $10 'premium data' to apply to ALL new smartphones

[cordell]

So I know many of us went with this phone because it is the best 3G phone out there right now (for sprint). The 3G saved us from paying the $10 tax that Evo and 4G phones are subject to. Well looks like ALL "new smartphone activations" will be paying this TAX!



Sprint Newsroom | Mobile Data Information Center

 

[cmags]

So does that mean going forward, they're removing the 5GB softcap, which is what the $10 charge on the 4G devices was supposedly for? (Of course I'd rather keep my 5GB softcap and my $10 cheaper plan for the next two years. Hope I don't need to change anything...)

 

[darktoy]

We are all grandfathered into our plans with out the $10 fee, it will be added to those that upgrade or start a new contract after Jan 30.

I am wondering if I don't renew my contract and in the future just purchase a phone at regular cost if the charge will be added since I won't be upgrading plan or phone with any discounts.

Hmmmmm?

 

[cordell]

So does that mean going forward, they're removing the 5GB softcap, which is what the $10 charge on the 4G devices was supposedly for?

The $10 charge is for access to clearwire's WIMAX/4G. Clearwire charges sprint like $5 for every Evo type 4G phone. Sprint makes $5, I am pretty sure clearwire charges per phone, regardless if the coverage is available for the user or not. This is why those who have a 4G phone but dont live in 4G area have to pay the $10.

Looks like if you upgrade your phone through sprint you after Jan 30 you will be subject to the charge. Now since we have our phones already we escape the charge, but by the time a upgrade rolls around for most of us again I have a feeling 3G will be no more. I bought my Optimus outright, saving my upgrade (march 2011) for the new dual core phone. Right now, at least for sprint it's vaporware though LOL

So even if you buy a phone outright 2 years from now it will be a 4G phone and the tax will still need to be paid for access... this is opinion based, on where I think sprint is heading with 4G plans/coverage

 

[cmags]

So basically what we're looking at here is to either upgrade now (or in the next 12 days), or stay stuck with the Optimus and current plan until you bite the bullet and pay up the $10/month for something new. I'm cool with the Optimus - plenty powerful for me. The Evo Shift is tempting but maybe after they come down and are cheap "old tech" and I need to upgrade anyway.

 

[kolepard]

Sprint just lost a lot of its price advantage over its competitors. With my family's 4 lines, that's $40/month. When our contract is up, it'll be time to look hard at the alternatives.

I'm a bit annoyed, too, that I specifically avoided a 4G phone (no 4G in my area and likely won't be for many years as it's a small market) and now we'll get shafted anyway. Of course, we're grandfathered in for now, but that won't last, and I'll definitely be exploring alternatives soon.

 

[mike9670]

I coulda stayed with AT&T since I'd have to shell out $30 more for three lines...........

 

[shortyjacobs]

I am wondering if I don't renew my contract and in the future just purchase a phone at regular cost if the charge will be added since I won't be upgrading plan or phone with any discounts.

From Sprint's site:
"Existing Sprint smartphone customers are not affected unless they upgrade to or activate another smartphone."

Also, this sucks bigtime.

 

[RUSH]

Overall.. Sprint remains the carrier with the best plan. Check out the screenshot below.

 

[shortyjacobs]

Overall.. Sprint remains the carrier with the best plan. Check out the screenshot below.

Except that screenshot is BS, as it compares unlimited talk plans with sprint's 450 min talk plan. Really, this is what counts:

Still, Sprint is cheapest, (in a tie with T-mobile), more or less...but what scares me is that they list data and texts as "unlimited on the sprint network"....is that another change? My current plan has unlimited data and texts, period, doesn't matter if I'm roaming or not...

Edit, also, Sprint's *actual* unlimited plan is $99.99, which is $109.99 with the premium add on, which is MORE expensive than TMo.

 

[cmags]

Sprint just lost a lot of its price advantage over its competitors. With my family's 4 lines, that's $40/month. When our contract is up, it'll be time to look hard at the alternatives.

It seems that Sprint still has quite an advantage over the other big providers for family plans:

Sprint: 1500 min, unlimited text/data = $130 + $20 * 2 for extra lines + $10 * 4 for smartphone surcharge = $210

Verizon: 1500 min, unlimited text = $120 + $10 * 2 for extra lines + $30 * 4 for unlimited data = $260

AT&T: 1400 min = $90 + $10 * 2 for extra lines + $30 for unlimited text + $25 * 4 for 2GB data = $240

 

[outdors21]

This is disgusting. Sprint now has no excuse for offering such a pathetic line of smartphones compared to all of the other carriers.

And I love how they say the $10 surcharge is exempt from any discounts. Just disgusting.

 

[trekkie1701c]

Glad that I upgraded when I did. My Centro finally bit the dust yesterday (or rather, my last battery stopped holding a charge and the Centro will not run without a battery, even when on the charger), then this today.

I, for one, will not be affected by the change most likely; provided I don't break my phone I'm not likely to upgrade until I get the upgrade discount again. Sure, two years seems like a long time and there's a feeling of doubt that I'll have the same phone after two years... but felt the same way with my Centro (which I had for two years) my current job (Two years), etc. Even when I do upgrade, I don't think I'm ever roaming (my phone is set to notify me when I'm roaming and I've never had a notification; but then again, I never leave the Dallas/Fort Worth Area), and I'm not likely to go with the higher end plans (I use almost no talk time each month, and very few texts).

Still, not entirely happy that Sprint is jacking up the rates. If they're still the cheapest when I upgrade, I might consider staying with them when I hit that point. The internet is too important in my life (not in the "I can't live without social networks" way, but the "I actually do work online and need to be easy to contact by international people" way), so I can't really drop the data plan entirely.

Did fire off an email to Sprint though asking about the new language in their rate plans for data/messaging. Hopefully will get some clarification on that

 

[JPD]

One big advantage with Sprint is the Any Mobile Anytime... I have 4 lines and we only use approximately 200 minutes of calling that can be charged to our monthly allotment of 1500 minutes...

 

[s33ker]

Sorry guys it's all my fault.

And BTW there is no 5GB softcap on Sprint. It's the last carrier to offer truly unlimited data.

 

[mike9670]

Sorry guys it's all my fault.

And BTW there is no 5GB softcap on Sprint. It's the last carrier to offer truly unlimited data.

 

[outdors21]

Sorry guys it's all my fault.

And BTW there is no 5GB softcap on Sprint. It's the last carrier to offer truly unlimited data.

I don't even grasp how you guys use that much data! I am on mine constantly...and I use 400-700 MBs. That's crazy!!

 

[cmags]

I think the wording in the contract indicates not a hard 5GB limit (hence the term "softcap"), but that Sprint reserves the right to throttle or terminate service if the customer regularly goes over the 5GB mark. It seems that Sprint doesn't normally exercise this right, but I do believe it's in there either way.

 

[s33ker]

I think the wording in the contract indicates not a hard 5GB limit (hence the term "softcap"), but that Sprint reserves the right to throttle or terminate service if the customer regularly goes over the 5GB mark. It seems that Sprint doesn't normally exercise this right, but I do believe it's in there either way.

Negative. There is no 5GB anything in the fine print. The rhetoric used is something along the lines of if you used too much data while roaming, you can have your data roaming privileges revoked until the next billing cycle.

 

[hamagc]

Interesting

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