Sprint increasing 3G data plan pricing by $10 per month
Well folks, today is just a couple of weeks before the unexpected announcement Sprint is supposed to make in New York and we've just gotten an unexpected announcement today that may blow some of you away, some of you won't mind. Either way, nobody knew this was coming, or did you?
The announcement starts out by saying, "Today’s ability to do more things on the go — such as watching videos, sharing pictures or checking directions — is not only changing the way we live; it is driving exponential growth of mobile data traffic. Sprint is committed to providing its customers with a great wireless experience now and in the future." They then proceed to explain that for postpaids the $10 per month Premium Data add on charge will now be required on all smart phones beginning January 30, 2011.
You may have questions as to why this is happening? Here is a hint at what looks like their explanation for beginning to charge the fee from here on out:
Background: Mobile Data Explosion
- The world is in the midst of a mobile data explosion.
- Mobile data volumes are growing about 2.4 times faster than fixed broadband.
- Smartphone penetration is expected to double over the next four years.
- About 60 percent of Sprint’s postpaid CDMA handset sales (upgrades and gross adds) in third quarter 2010 came from smartphone sales (4Q09: 49%, 1Q10: 57%, 2Q10: 58%)
- More than half of mobile web users go online from their phones on a daily basis (Mobile Access 2010, PEW INTERNET & AMERICAN LIFE PROJECT)
Don't be confused current Sprint customers, existing 3G Everything plan holders won't see their rates go up until they "upgrade or activate another smartphone." What do you all think about this Geeks? Were you considering getting that 4G phone and now thinking twice about it or does the $10 fee not really bother you? We want to know what you think so leave your comments below or hop into our forums, in this thread, and join the discussion.
Source: Sprint
© 2011, GirlGoneGeek. All rights reserved.
So I’m just wondering will we have to pay that $10 fee and the 4g $10 fee..
It’s not both. It’s one or the other. You get on premium data fee period.
“One”
What about people who are already on the unlimited plans? will they have to continue to pay the + $10 for 4G?
yes, you will continue paying it. It’s now for everyone with a smart phone, from here on out.
What a ripoff. On Boost Mobile, you don’t even have to pay for data. I think its worth every penny that I don’t have to pay because of how near unusably slow it is (maybe I’m just not used to EvDo? ☺). IMO
- 2 Bunny
Well, I’ve been eyeballing the Dell Venue Pro which would mean that I’d have to leave big Yellow and go to big Pink. Sprint just keeps pushing me closer and closer to pulling that trigger.
Hey, do I have to pay $10 more for each 4g or smatphone on a fam plan?
OR just $10 more per plan??
and Sprint wonders why they are not #1
Why in the world would anyone go get a 3G phone with this where now a 4G phone is the exact same price monthly. Plus the 4G phones on sprint are the best phones they have.
#1 and #2 still charge more, for less..
Almost every new smartphone that hits Sprint this year will probably be 4G so everyone would be paying the $10 extra anyway.
How long has 3g been out and now i have to pay extra for it WOWZERS!
Plus $30 for tethering. Rascals.
This makes my Sero plan that much better! No reason not to go the the premium now.
I never was a fan of 4g anyway. That is why I was waitn on the htc pro7 but now this might be a divorce after 10 yrs of service with sprint
you guys need to stop complaining. we still are cheaper than everyone else, if they really wanted to they would also tier the data plans like big red and the a$$tards and turd$ do. $10 a month what is that anyway? 2 trips to mcds or any fast food restaurant. just one less of those each month.
Although I don’t like paying more, at least we’re not being capped or having to pay outrageous amounts of cash just for data. It sensible to think that inflation will keep rising and data costs along with them. Its when we have to pay $60 a month for 2gb of data when we should worry. Their smartphone business has increased exponentially since the evo came out and android has become more and more increasingly popular. Just my thoughts, but it doesn’t mean I like paying more but rather that its to be expected from time to time
I wonder if this gets rid of the gb cap?
pretty focked up shizzz, oh well, just another bill going up.
This hurts on a family plan. What it means for me is my kids will never be able to upgrade their phones.. I wish they would let us have add ons for data on family plans like they used to. I would drop the data on the kids and just have it for myself.
I dont think it bothers me that much… Even adding the 10 dollars, the other carriers cant beat my monthly bill. I have 5 lines with Sprint and my total bill for all 5 phones is way cheaper than anyone else can offer… Unlimited txt, data… dont have to pay to unlock my GPS… 5gb datacap instead of the 2gb or the dreaded 500mb by TMobile…
Rant over… you get the drift…
So is it $10 per fam plan, or $10 per phone on plan?
@Maxx134 –
I read it as $10 per phone.
The $10 for 4g was just the start and u wierdos lookd at it as just $10 and now since they know they can get away wit it w/o no objections, we all are paying the price for stickn wit 3g phones. Anyway a sprint manager told me this is not likely b/c of a 30 day notice they would have sent to all current sprint customers for this increase but we shall see very soon!
LOL. What the hell are they thinking? Between this and the iphone on verizon they are seriously pissing away customers. If they actually had some decent non-android devices then it wouldn’t be too bad but now what. Especially with the tp7 coming out that is 3g only why would anyone want that phone? They are seriously killing their future margins. Unless they have a strong showing at the mwc (with new phones) they are screwed. Hell the only reason I use them is because I still have the original $30 sero. Even with that I get barely existent cell reception in my apartment. When I brought that up to a tech they told me to purchase an airave that would cost extra $ a month. You gotta be fucking kidding me. With the price gap closing between them and verizon/ other carriers why stay with them?
My TP2 is an old cripple and the Evo shift was the obvious upgrade with Sprint, if it is $10/line for fam plans then Sprint is no longer cheaper than AT&T for me (my companies employee discount is larger with AT&T) and I’m off to buy me and the wife an I-phone each.
@racemepls -
There is no GB cap on Sprint Smartphone use, Only Mobile cards.
@yung18 –
Call back a few more times, they gave me a Free Airave w/ no monthly charge when I moved back in July. Just had to call a few times and explain my poor coverage.
ok so im still confused, is this 10 per phone? per plan?
i’m a little confused about when this kicks in.
if i simply switch phones (that I already own) i suppose this counts as activating a new smartphone? not cool imho.
if i buy a new subsidized phone fine but they better not just add this on. ohhh the legacy plan folks are going to howl. i assume they still can’t get a 4g phone yet.
@eric12341 – 10/mo is 240/over the life of the contract, it is a big deal, especially for those looking for cheep phones and plans. What if they said, well mr eric your phone is 99.00 after your rebate but since it is a smartphone we will have to charge you 339.00 for it today. Whats the difference then?
Well I have a evo so I guess I’m strait. I think I might have to try his method ob getting a airwave for free bc where I stay at is crap service too along with no 4g in ky but still I should be strait bc of evo. Sprints gay somtime but still stay with them hmmm
Wow. So now the $69.99 everything plan is $79.99. I think the silly comercals of sending “your house is a joke” or “we’re through” needs a price change. Maybe it’s a stab at steve jobs being sick and sprint trying to pull a fast one on us while he is down in out.
LOL! this is what people get for trying to bring a class action suit against sprint. the choice was drop the charge completely or charge everyone.
so they chose to charge everyone.
5 line family plan is to $129.99 + $60 (lines 3-5) + $50 (smartphone data) = $239.
each line is $29.99 so subtract $29.99 each for plans with lower lines.
BUT, say this family already had 2 EVOs (mom & dad) the monthly charge only went up $30 for the other phones. make the kids mow a lawn or two if they want a smartphone.
Same smartphone plan on
Verizon is $119.99 (1400 talk & unltd text) + $29.97 (lines 3-5) + $149.96 for unltd data = $299.92
each added line is basically $39.98 ($29.99+9.99) so subtract $39.98 for each line less than 5.
ATT is $89.99 (1400 min talk) + $29.97 (lines 3-5) + $30 unltd text + $125 for 2GB data per line = $274.96.
Each line is $34.97. subtract this for each line less than 5.
sure verizon and at&t have the ability to have non smartphone or lower smartphone data options, but that will rarely result with a lower monthly cost.
but once again, people will focus on the increase rather than the savings. at the end of the day it is which service works better for you. if sprint coverage was crap in my area, then it wouldn’t make sense for me to save money by going with sprint, i would spend more to get better service. thankfully, i get great coverage with the lower priced carrier in my area.
oh yeah — can’t forget t-mobile 5 line data family same specs is $264.99 each line costing $35 with unlimited “4G” data.
now, t-mobile sometimes has better phone subsidizing, which can definitely come into play – right now on t-mobile.com the G2 is free.
sprint is still costs less…
I am confused by people that get mad when someone is not happy with a rate increase. There is nothing wrong with being upset when prices rise. Just because it still may be the cheapest option does not mean we have to be happy about it. It still costs more than it did before. When gas prices go up do you guys just smile and say well it still cheaper than kerosene?
wow just ridiculous really
i kinda got confused myself untill i called sprint yesterday about switchin my wife’s line over to her replacement . their saying those of us that have smartphones already wont be charged the 10 data premium . but rather if u upgrade or get a newer smartphone after the jan 30th then it will apply. i think its kinda bs considering they shoukd consider it part of pick ur plan package rather then tack on 10 cause considering most have a simply everything plan they already pay for… but then again this is just one user’s opinion..
@j37hr0 – Get rooted and tethering is free!!
@srtpusher – I think that’s probably what really happened there.. you make a good point.. blame it on the folks from the $10 class action suit thread/
@srtpusher –
You are exactly right. Its what it was thinking. Goodbye lawsuite. Hello bank truck…. Folks get used to this kind of stuff. You root your phone to avoid tethering charges; and they respond by creating a way to pick up a few pennys on the back end. We all know the game.
Sprint is planning to help Sprint User move to VERIZON much quicker. Verizon should thank sprint on the launch day of the IPHONE.
if they plan to charge $10/mnth for EVDO, then I hope they stengthen their coverage. It has been sucking HARD lately.
Did they recently terminate their lease with neighboring towers?
so basically this gives everyone with a smartphone the 10 charge vs everyone w/a 4g phone.. which makes it similar to the charge many carrier charge blackberry owners correct?