New terms and conditions?! WTF Sprint?!

[gijoecam]

Sprint may have added the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. I've been a Sprint subscriber for almost 14 years now. I get a 23% corporate discount off the base rate plan of my choosing, and have two additional lines. Currently the primary line is 10 months into a 24 month contract, and the other two are 2 months into 24 month contracts. We are on a 1500 minute shared minutes plan with data on all three NexusS4g phones. This latest change pushed my bill up over the $200/month mark, and that's where I draw the line. (Yes, $200... $110 for the first line, $19,99 each for the two additional lines, $30/month in premium data fees, $24/month for three protection plans, plus taxes, fees, surcharges, etc. and we're over $200/month)

As of February 24th, they "re-structured their rate plans," and it's going to cost me an extra $4.60/month... For the next 20 months. They are unwilling to change my contract and rate plan back, so they've given me two options:

Option 1: take a $100 credit to cover the next 22 months of extra costs, and refund me the two $36 activation fees they charged when we activated the other two phones.

Option 2: Terminate my contract within the 30 day window (I have until March 24th) and they will waive the early termination fee for all three lines.

My biggest gripe is that they are doing this with nothing more than a note on page 4 of my bill. When I first subscribed, the discount applied to all the subsequent lines, and a lot of other add-ons... They slowly took those away over the years. Now they're at the point where essentially I either roll over and take it (again) or they turn me loose to my own devices. When they asked what I wanted to keep me as a satisfied customer, I told them that all I wanted was to maintain the terms of my 2 year contract, nothing more. They basically told me no, period, end of discussion...

So, if you were in my shoes, where would you go?

I need three smart phones on a shared account. My biggest month of data usage thus far was under 2gigs, and the other two lines use less than that. (lots of wifi, but not much wireless data) Will any of the other providers (Verizon, TMobile, or AT&T) get me any better deals? As I see it, all three of them are going to put me basically back right up in the same price range...

Suggestions? I'm all ears!!

 

[jimijames]

What is your objection to Option 1? Seems like a winner to me... $172 more than covers $4.60/month for 20 months. Actually seems really generous to me.

Your options are really limited... verizon and att cannot touch the cost of this plan (although with all the new sprint changes, they are getting close), plus you would most likely need to spend some money on new hardware. They only way to get a better deal with big v or att is to drastically reduce your anytime minutes. This may or may not be an issue for you, but bear in mind Sprint anytime starts at 7:00 and mobile to ANY mobile are always free. I've been looking to drop Sprint for a while, but I can never seem to justify it based on cost

 

[ludvball]

I would agree with jimijames. I just renewed my contract. I was considering switching to verizon. It would have cost about $40-50 a month more to go Verizon with three data plans. I stayed with Sprint.

Good luck in your search.

 

[gijoecam]

What is your objection to Option 1? Seems like a winner to me... $172 more than covers $4.60/month for 20 months. Actually seems really generous to me.

I'm not necessarily opposed to that offer specifically, it's the principle... After nearly 14 years with them, and the constant nickel-and-diming, it's gotten ridiculous. Compound that with this unannounced (or really, REALLY subtly-announced) change in the middle of one contract and two months into two others and the whole thing has got me miffed. If I stay with sprint, I'll absolutely be exercising this option, but it only takes the sting out until either the end of the contracts, or the next change they make. I signed agreements for 24 months. I just want that honored, nothing more.

Your options are really limited... verizon and att cannot touch the cost of this plan (although with all the new sprint changes, they are getting close), plus you would most likely need to spend some money on new hardware. They only way to get a better deal with big v or att is to drastically reduce your anytime minutes. This may or may not be an issue for you, but bear in mind Sprint anytime starts at 7:00 and mobile to ANY mobile are always free. I've been looking to drop Sprint for a while, but I can never seem to justify it based on cost

Forgot to mention, I am also elgible for a 20% discount through Verizon as well, but even there, it only applies to the primary line/account. By the time we add on their (capped) data plan fees, and additional line fees, and I'm just about back where I am with Sprint. And there is the hardware issue... Several hundred dollars a line for new phones stings too... Doesn't make me a happy camper on any front, that's for sure.

I did look at drastically reducing the minutes as I can certainly get by with doing so. The smallest shared minutes plan with data included is 1500 minutes. We used less than 50 between the three lines last month. Part of that was, no doubt, due to the unlimited mobile to mobile, but even prior to that addition, we barely used 500 billable minutes a month, and that was with no additional nights and weekends. Heck, prior to migrating to a smart phone plan, we had 2000 anytime minutes, and thanks to the Sprint-to-sprint, we seldom used more than 700 minutes/month all together. If you look at the minimum shared minutes plan, then add on the messaging and data for three lines, it's right back to the package we have now... There doesn't appear to be a way to get ahead here...

The whole thing makes me want to go back to using CB radios and walkie-talkies...

 

[wild1z]

GIJoe, I have been on the other side where I thought the grass was greener. We are merely pawns in this game. You will pay more with the other 2 carriers, trust me on that. As the others of said, Sprints offer(s) are more than reasonable. Your "principal" argument is valid to you and other sympathetic listeners but lets be honest, do you really think Sprint can stay in business with your view on principle? I mean, I totally get where you are coming from but Big Ole Sprint has a lot of subscribers. If I were you I would only switch if you will get better reception and or speed. And you are willing to really be nickled and dimed, cause they will all stick it to ya.

I am just glad to be here to listen to you vent. Because I know some day I will need to do the same.

 

[6tr6tr]

Sprint may have added the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. I've been a Sprint subscriber for almost 14 years now. I get a 23% corporate discount off the base rate plan of my choosing, and have two additional lines. Currently the primary line is 10 months into a 24 month contract, and the other two are 2 months into 24 month contracts. We are on a 1500 minute shared minutes plan with data on all three NexusS4g phones. This latest change pushed my bill up over the $200/month mark, and that's where I draw the line. (Yes, $200... $110 for the first line, $19,99 each for the two additional lines, $30/month in premium data fees, $24/month for three protection plans, plus taxes, fees, surcharges, etc. and we're over $200/month)

As of February 24th, they "re-structured their rate plans," and it's going to cost me an extra $4.60/month... For the next 20 months. They are unwilling to change my contract and rate plan back, so they've given me two options:

Option 1: take a $100 credit to cover the next 22 months of extra costs, and refund me the two $36 activation fees they charged when we activated the other two phones.

Option 2: Terminate my contract within the 30 day window (I have until March 24th) and they will waive the early termination fee for all three lines.

My biggest gripe is that they are doing this with nothing more than a note on page 4 of my bill. When I first subscribed, the discount applied to all the subsequent lines, and a lot of other add-ons... They slowly took those away over the years. Now they're at the point where essentially I either roll over and take it (again) or they turn me loose to my own devices. When they asked what I wanted to keep me as a satisfied customer, I told them that all I wanted was to maintain the terms of my 2 year contract, nothing more. They basically told me no, period, end of discussion...

So, if you were in my shoes, where would you go?

I need three smart phones on a shared account. My biggest month of data usage thus far was under 2gigs, and the other two lines use less than that. (lots of wifi, but not much wireless data) Will any of the other providers (Verizon, TMobile, or AT&T) get me any better deals? As I see it, all three of them are going to put me basically back right up in the same price range...

Suggestions? I'm all ears!!

Virgin mobile. They run on Sprint's network, so you'll get the same coverage, but it's a fraction the cost. And you can get unlimited data/text.

 

[MacGuyInNC]

GIJoe, I have been on the other side where I thought the grass was greener. We are merely pawns in this game. You will pay more with the other 2 carriers, trust me on that. As the others of said, Sprints offer(s) are more than reasonable. Your "principal" argument is valid to you and other sympathetic listeners but lets be honest, do you really think Sprint can stay in business with your view on principle? I mean, I totally get where you are coming from but Big Ole Sprint has a lot of subscribers. If I were you I would only switch if you will get better reception and or speed. And you are willing to really be nickled and dimed, cause they will all stick it to ya.

I am just glad to be here to listen to you vent. Because I know some day I will need to do the same.

Sprint won't last if they keep nickle-and-diming its customers. They're hemorrhaging customers left and right to Verizon.

If they want to keep customers, they'll want to do the least that'll piss 'em off.

Honor the contract, Sprint.

 

[d14racer24]

I like how they separate the second line from the family plan too, so that you're not getting as much out of your discount. This just changed on my current bill. I lost $4 from my discount, but my bill is only like $2 more. Figure that one out.

I would leave as well, but like others have said there isn't any better deal out there.

 

[piaband]

Yes, yes, yes. Cancel them. I just switched to Verizon because of this exact thing. The ONLY reason I was still with Sprint was because hey were the cheapest. They've been increasing small fees here and there for the last few years. This time I walked with no termination fee and I am loving Verizon.

To me, it was a gift from Sprint because my data speeds had got to the point where I was questioning whether I was on a 3g or 1x network. They are screwing around with their system to add LTE and its messing everything up.

Thanks for the free pass to leave sprint. It was even easier now that they took away free upgrades every year. That was a nice deal.

Sent from my rooted HTC Rezound

 

[d14racer24]

Yes, yes, yes. Cancel them. I just switched to Verizon because of this exact thing. The ONLY reason I was still with Sprint was because hey were the cheapest. They've been increasing small fees here and there for the last few years. This time I walked with no termination fee and I am loving Verizon.

To me, it was a gift from Sprint because my data speeds had got to the point where I was questioning whether I was on a 3g or 1x network. They are screwing around with their system to add LTE and its messing everything up.

Thanks for the free pass to leave sprint. It was even easier now that they took away free upgrades every year. That was a nice deal.

Sent from my rooted HTC Rezound

Yeah, they give you all these good deals to bring you in, then they slowly take them away like we won't notice or will just be OK with it.

 

[gabbott]

Honor the contract, Sprint.

Where in the contract does it state anything about corporate discounts?

My rates went up too because of this, not that I'm defending Sprint, but does the contract that one signs include a provision that they will not change the way a discount is applied to an account?

When I had my corporate discount applied to my account it was mid-contract at the time and didn't require a contract renewal.

 

[MacGuyInNC]

Where in the contract does it state anything about corporate discounts?

My rates went up too because of this, not that I'm defending Sprint, but does the contract that one signs include a provision that they will not change the way a discount is applied to an account?

When I had my corporate discount applied to my account it was mid-contract at the time and didn't require a contract renewal.

I honestly have no idea. You'd have to contact whoever is in charge of that contract within your organization.

 

[piaband]

Anytime they change your bills to adversely affect the price you pay they must give you the ability to cancel without incurring a penalty fee.

This is the same across all networks after they were sued a long time ago for signing people to contracts and then jacking up rates.

Sent from my rooted HTC Rezound

 

[jimijames]

Like I said earlier, I can't justify anyone other than Sprint based on plan costs alone... however, with the slow steady erosion of the Sprint advantage - end of premier program, $10 "smartphone" fee per line, reduction of corp discounts via pricing structure changes, etc. - I am going to take an serious look at dropping them after my contract is up.

Verizon may be more expensive, but they have a lovely red 4G blanket all over my area and good phones that can make use of it. I would even take ATT faux-G (HSPA+) over Sprints 3G/wimax/no, make that LTE/oops we just ran out of money to cover your area data plans. Also, I stream 4-5 hours of audio over 3G 5 days a week plus all of my other data usage = 1.2GB month tops... a 2GB plan is fine and I don't need unlimited.