Explain The Fee: "Premium Data"

[Robbie317]

Since when did a faster cpu or bigger screen become justification for charging higher subscription fees? My broadband provider doesn't charge me more for service when I get a bigger monitor or get a faster computer.

Yeah but your also paying full retail price for that new monitor, computer or TV. I like how T-Mobile offers plans $20 a month cheaper if you pay cash money for your phone with no deal from the carrier. I would happily pay $600 for an EVO if they knocked $20 a month off my bill. HAPPILY...

This is America so if you don't like the $10.00 fee go get a Moment or Hero or stay with AT&T or Verizon....

The $10 fee is no problem at all for me. Again I am paying 1/2 what I was paying at AT&T with an iPhone and getting better overall service and coverage where I work, live and play. Obviously with some where between 150,000 - 300,000 people snapping up EVO's and being sold out and most stores being sold out the $10.00 was not a breaking point.. Only way would have been if Sprint had HORRIBLE sales numbers but they broke their own records and they are spending money to expand their network...

 

[Brett636]

But if you travel to a market that has it then you have the option. It's the easiest and fastest way for them to help fund the 4G expansion.

So I should pay the same for a service that I only get to use a few days a year as someone who lives in those markets and gets to use it everyday?

 

[Brett636]

Yeah but your also paying full retail price for that new monitor, computer or TV. I like how T-Mobile offers plans $20 a month cheaper if you pay cash money for your phone with no deal from the carrier. I would happily pay $600 for an EVO if they knocked $20 a month off my bill. HAPPILY...

This is America so if you don't like the $10.00 fee go get a Moment or Hero or stay with AT&T or Verizon....

The $10 fee is no problem at all for me. Again I am paying 1/2 what I was paying at AT&T with an iPhone and getting better overall service and coverage where I work, live and play. Obviously with some where between 150,000 - 300,000 people snapping up EVO's and being sold out and most stores being sold out the $10.00 was not a breaking point.. Only way would have been if Sprint had HORRIBLE sales numbers but they broke their own records and they are spending money to expand their network...

Subsidizing cell phones is nothing new. The iphone, hero, moment, droid, etc. are all subsidized through signing up for two year contracts. If Sprint wants to charge me a higher subscription fee for a phone then they need to justify that higher price through an extra feature. If I cannot use that extra feature because it is not in my area then I should not have to pay for it.

 

[VKitty]

Charge me for the services I can receive. This isn't too much to ask.

Well, thats business, if you can make the customer pay for it, thats the best way.

EVERYONE that bought the phone accepted this. When they signed the contract, they said sure charge me for a service I dont have to help others.

 

[Brett636]

Well, thats business, if you can make the customer pay for it, thats the best way.

EVERYONE that bought the phone accepted this. When they signed the contract, they said sure charge me for a service I dont have to help others.

The problem here is that is not what Sprint is telling their customers. They are telling them they will recieve a "richer data experience" which is total BS.

 

[gksmithlcw]

Does Sprint and every other carrier not charge Blackberry users just for being Blackberry users? I'm pretty sure that fee is more than our premium data fee, too...

 

[VKitty]

If Sprint wants to charge me a higher subscription fee for a phone then they need to justify that higher price through an extra feature. If I cannot use that extra feature because it is not in my area then I should not have to pay for it.

No they do not have to justify it..

All they have to do is say sign this, if you sign it.. Then you accepted it whether you like it or not.

 

[Robbie317]

I tried to stick to between 80-90$ a month and purchased a plan accordingly by what the providers will allow to be purchased. Yes I know sprint is all mobile to mobile free, and others are not. I also could have chose verizions 900 minute 5 friends and family for 59.99.

When buying insurance I threw it in cause some buy it some don't and if you don't you can subtract the cost from the total. at&t did not list insurance for the iphone which is why it is in parenthesis.

As far as texts go you need to know who is on what network and buy texts from verizion and at&t accrodingly. Most of my friends are on big red, so the 500 plus unlimited verizon texts fit the budget I was buying for. Will that train of though work for everyone, no it will not.

**As far what providers add to their packages it is up to the consumer to do their own homework to find the best value and features that are right for them.**

Oh I understand... Each customer is going to have different criteria for what they want and need from a provider. The problem was your not comparing Apples to Apples when you hand pick options to keep the plans comparable. For your individual needs you can get away with a similar priced plan with less options.... But that is comparing Apples to Oranges.

Apples to Apples is picking the 450 minutes plans and then unlimited text and unlimited web....

like others have said they could eliminate text and use a third party application... Fair... I have not had great success with several of those third party applications... Had several people tell me text either didn't come in or I never got what was sent.... Don't seem to have that problem when just using the carrier (I tried to go with out Text on my iPhone for a month)

 

[VKitty]

The problem here is that is not what Sprint is telling their customers. They are telling them they will recieve a "richer data experience" which is total BS.

Thats right, they can't LEGALLY tell you that its just for more money. They have to at least show its for SOMETHING.

They put that in the contract. If you don't want the BS ""richer data experience" dont sign the contract.


Just like everything else, if you dont want to accept the term, then dont. Its your choice.

What you guys are tying to do, is get the phone WITHOUT accepting the terms.

They gave you the terms its up to you whether you accept them or not

 

[cg1492]

Oh I understand... Each customer is going to have different criteria for what they want and need from a provider. The problem was your not comparing Apples to Apples when you hand pick options to keep the plans comparable. For your individual needs you can get away with a similar priced plan with less options.... But that is comparing Apples to Oranges.

Apples to Apples is picking the 450 minutes plans and then unlimited text and unlimited web....

like others have said they could eliminate text and use a third party application... Fair... I have not had great success with several of those third party applications... Had several people tell me text either didn't come in or I never got what was sent.... Don't seem to have that problem when just using the carrier (I tried to go with out Text on my iPhone for a month)

Problem solved, posts deleted.

 

[Robbie317]

Subsidizing cell phones is nothing new. The iphone, hero, moment, droid, etc. are all subsidized through signing up for two year contracts. If Sprint wants to charge me a higher subscription fee for a phone then they need to justify that higher price through an extra feature. If I cannot use that extra feature because it is not in my area then I should not have to pay for it.

I guess my question is why are you even here? Your obviously pissed off about a $10 fee that hundreds of thousands of people have lined up to willingly pay and who knows how many more people are waiting in line for the same thing. Coming from the iPhone and then upgrading from the Hero I had for two weeks the EVO is easily 10 times the experience..... The EVO is every thing I expected it to be and more...

Another thing.... Go out get an EVO, Sign up... Use the phone for 29 1/2 days. If after those 29 1/2 days you truly feel your not getting $79.99 a month worth of service.... Return the phone... Sprint will give you your full purchase price AND they won't charge you a DIME for those 29 1/2 days you used the phone....

After 29 1/2 days if you truly feel you were getting ripped off by that $10 extra fee..... Come back and tell us then...

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Whine, whine, whine.

If Sprint had simply raised the price of their everything data plans by $10 a month, everyone would be saying "it's still cheaper than (insert other carrier here). Call it a fee, and the world's coming to an end.

It's time to start arguing about something more important. Like beer, or pizza.

 

[Robbie317]

Problem solved, posts deleted.

LOL...


and YES they could just say it was to make more money... I have been in sales for 10+ years now and the last 3 1/2 have been as a road salesman... I can charge what ever I want for what ever product or service I want.... It's ultimately up to each and every customer out there to decide what is right for their wallet and their budget..... Sprint COULD say it's $500 a month if you want this phone and we are not going to sell it for a discount either.... The reason they only went up $10 is for the most part it kept them cheaper or right in same range as their competition.....

That is what makes it great..... You have to make deals if you want to keep and add customers....

 

[Robbie317]

Whine, whine, whine.

If Sprint had simply raised the price of their everything data plans by $10 a month, everyone would be saying "it's still cheaper than (insert other carrier here). Call it a fee, and the world's coming to an end.

It's time to start arguing about something more important. Like beer, or pizza.

Agreed....

Bud light and some Pepperoni...

 

[Robbie317]

So I should pay the same for a service that I only get to use a few days a year as someone who lives in those markets and gets to use it everyday?

If you pay taxes you get screwed all the time... TN has a state funded Pre-K program for children to prepare them for Kindergarten. My daughter is old enough but I make too much money for my daughter to be eligible. You have to make less than $20,000 per year AS A FAMILY to be eligible.... So the people who are Eligible for this program are people who pay no taxes at all. For hard working middle class people who basically pay for this program we are not eligible for it.

So if you pay taxes your funding a ton of programs you can't even use.....

It's the AMERICAN WAY!!!!

 

[Brett636]

If you pay taxes you get screwed all the time... TN has a state funded Pre-K program for children to prepare them for Kindergarten. My daughter is old enough but I make too much money for my daughter to be eligible. You have to make less than $20,000 per year AS A FAMILY to be eligible.... So the people who are Eligible for this program are people who pay no taxes at all. For hard working middle class people who basically pay for this program we are not eligible for it.

So if you pay taxes your funding a ton of programs you can't even use.....

It's the AMERICAN WAY!!!!

I find it humerous that you try and justify that a private organization act like the government. I have no choice in the taxes I pay with the exception of the lottery, alcohol and tobacco. I have a choice in where I get my cell phone service from.

 

[Brett636]

Thats right, they can't LEGALLY tell you that its just for more money. They have to at least show its for SOMETHING.

They put that in the contract. If you don't want the BS ""richer data experience" dont sign the contract.


Just like everything else, if you dont want to accept the term, then dont. Its your choice.

What you guys are tying to do, is get the phone WITHOUT accepting the terms.

They gave you the terms its up to you whether you accept them or not

The core issue here is having cell phones tied to certain carriers. I want the EVO, but I don't want to pay Sprint's ridiculous fees. There is simply no justification for it.

 

[maddmatt02]

im actually gonna try and get out of the 10 dollar fee when I get my first bill. 3 lines and none were on contract until I got the evo, so now one is back on a contract. Im gonna try and threaten to drop them completely if I cant get the 10 buck fee off. before I hear it again, I understand it is not a "4G" fee. only thing that changes is that I used to have unlimited (except if I always used >5GB they might so something) and now I have truly unlimited data...

I dont have 4G, closest area with it is 4 hours away. 3G is even an hour and a half away....

Ill NEVER use more than 5GB, 17 days into this cycle and so far I have used 14.5MB, because I am always on wifi, hero on our account that is mostly on the network has used 128.4MB is all.

 

[Brett636]

I guess my question is why are you even here? Your obviously pissed off about a $10 fee that hundreds of thousands of people have lined up to willingly pay and who knows how many more people are waiting in line for the same thing. Coming from the iPhone and then upgrading from the Hero I had for two weeks the EVO is easily 10 times the experience..... The EVO is every thing I expected it to be and more...

Another thing.... Go out get an EVO, Sign up... Use the phone for 29 1/2 days. If after those 29 1/2 days you truly feel your not getting $79.99 a month worth of service.... Return the phone... Sprint will give you your full purchase price AND they won't charge you a DIME for those 29 1/2 days you used the phone....

After 29 1/2 days if you truly feel you were getting ripped off by that $10 extra fee..... Come back and tell us then...

I'm here because someone started a thread on a topic that I feel strongly about. I want the EVO, I just don't want to pay for services that I cannot receive. You are correct that plenty of people don't mind the fee which means Sprint's marketing department was correct in their assumption that this phone was good enough to trick enough people into thinking they are paying extra each month for extra service when this simply isn't true. Thats my main point. If you are a current Evo subscriber in a non 4g area you are paying $10/month for nothing. 6 months from now the EVO will be surpassed in capabilities and another phone will be able to provide an even richer "data experience", but you will still be paying that $10 a month for an inferior phone with inferior features.

 

[Brett636]

im actually gonna try and get out of the 10 dollar fee when I get my first bill. 3 lines and none were on contract until I got the evo, so now one is back on a contract. Im gonna try and threaten to drop them completely if I cant get the 10 buck fee off. before I hear it again, I understand it is not a "4G" fee. only thing that changes is that I used to have unlimited (except if I always used >5GB they might so something) and now I have truly unlimited data...

I dont have 4G, closest area with it is 4 hours away. 3G is even an hour and a half away....

Ill NEVER use more than 5GB, 17 days into this cycle and so far I have used 14.5MB, because I am always on wifi, hero on our account that is mostly on the network has used 128.4MB is all.

This is what I am considering. While I do have 3g access there is no 5gb cap on cell phone data usage. I will simply ask customer service to either drop the $10 a month or I am returning the phone and getting the new iphone. Its their choice to keep this customer or not.