Comments on: Sprint preparing to increase data costs?

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:27:08 +0000

SERO customers are not profitable. It was designed as program for friends and families of Sprint employees, and it got abused. Sprint loses money every month on these people, so if they do get forced to change plans (and then they want to leave the company), Sprint is happy either way. I would just feel bad for the people who legitimately got referred there by a Sprint employee.

By: Don Louie

Don Louie — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:49:25 +0000

54M customers

By: backbeat

backbeat — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:45:41 +0000

54M? I thought Sprint’s last reported quarterly loss was $505M? No? http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/12/sprint-nextels-quarterly-loss-widens/

Instinct _snicker_ is a poor, sad joke on any network and says much for Sprint hanging their financial hat on it.

By: Don Louie

Don Louie — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:52:18 +0000

54M is a lot to be considered irrelevent. I think if the site was a little more neutral and showed more of the great stuff the company offers it could change some opinions. This article is one of the best examples, before this there was little said about DC on Sprint and the Instinct but I bet when vzw launches thier ptt it will get coverage and there was plenty of buildup for the Dare.

By: backbeat

backbeat — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:10:24 +0000

^Sprint is irrelevant. Maybe that’s why.

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:45:51 +0000

“You can only go on a $134.99 plan no matter what”

Just because I just said that doesn’t make it true. Most of you guys are idiots and it sounds like you just don’t like Sprint. You are basing an article off of something somebody posted on in a forum thread. Pathetic. You can stay on the same plan. If you walked into my store, you could stay on the same plan, simple as that. The sales rep misrepresented what needed to be done. Done. Idiots.

By: Don Louie

Don Louie — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:40:17 +0000

It seems like BGR only will correct/edit/update article for every one but Sprint, right or wrong

By: Kickback

Kickback — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:05:20 +0000

I am a Sprint employee, and I can tell you guys this isnt going to happen. yes the Instinct has a mandatory Everything plan sign-up, but doesnt the iPhone too? this whole rate hike has alot of you guys worried. If you have a Power Vision phone like a Mogul on SERO then go to a Vision phone like, say the Rumor, you are NOT required to get some special plan. We just have to change the SOC code on the account (Customer care jargon) very simple. No need to get scared and run for the hills people. This is still “Word on the street” and until I can CONFIRM thats its a fact on my floor, I advise you to not believe it in any way!

By: Don Louie

Don Louie — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:32:34 +0000

Sprint just streamlined data pricing 2 weeks ago, the 3 options are $15 for basic, an extra $20 gets you TV, Music and Nav while still having the Pro for $30. BGR is going to let this drag on

By: Nikolaus

Nikolaus — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:05:57 +0000

SPRINT SUCKS!!

By: badChad

badChad — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:52:05 +0000

Even if they raise the price of the data plan, I think it’s unlikely the raise will affect existing SERO customers.

It probably wouldn’t be a smart move to hike rates to a level comparable with the iphone AND provide a loophole out of the contract 2 days after the iphone goes on sale.

Although dumber moves have been made.

By: Galvatron

Galvatron — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 06:55:37 +0000

hey jeff you think virgin or verizon would ever buy out sprint?

By: Jeff B.

Jeff B. — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:08:13 +0000

As overall profits decrease. This is another step to assuring their imminent doom.

By: Don Louie

Don Louie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:35:58 +0000

I was saying that if you want choices on CDMA the phones are limited to the carriers, no Voyager/Glimmer on Sprint or Upstage/Instinct on Vzw

By: champ22

champ22 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:11:06 +0000

@ Don:

so your saying i need to find a iphone from over seas then try to get it to work on CDMA? the only info i have was WAY back in the day when there was talk about the iphone in Jamaica (apparently jamaica is completely CDMA down there)

By: Galvatron

Galvatron — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:54:21 +0000

oh yeah the unlocked stuff they have over seas pwns

By: Sprint?

Sprint? — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:39:24 +0000

If they raise rates (which I expect that they will) it should have no bearing on customers currently on SERO. However, when your contract expires and you want to a new fancy phone (i.e. Diamond) you will be required to move to a SEP. That’s my guess.

Why do I say that – well we have precedent with the Instinct. Even those using SERO OOC have not been able to simply upgrade to an Instinct. They are being forced off their $30 plan.

By eliminating “smart” devices from the current SERO plan users will be forced to either upgrade to a SEP OR they will be relegated to picking devices that don’t use data (negating the bulk of the value that comes with being on SERO). In the end they probably won’t get rid of SERO – rather they will make conditions so miserable for SERO customers that they will either jump to a SEP or to a competitor.

By: Don Louie

Don Louie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:45:54 +0000

champ22, your only option would be to in to T Mo or ATT and buy unlocked phones from BB or overseas, would they be able to connect to the data network though? Going to any CDMA carrier won’t help, good luck to you

By: champ22

champ22 — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:28:31 +0000

@ The Sgt
i actually have sprint and love them …their edvo can be a little faster in my area but thats another story ….i want out of my contract because lately i’ve been diagnosed with what they call “ooo…. i want it” bronchitis syndrome (10 out of 8 geeks have it and the US is doing nothing about it) its when you just cant control the sensation of having the latest and greatest gadgets….its a shame i know…more people should work on a cure and by cure i mean just keep pumping out new toys like once a week!!!

By: Brandon

Brandon — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:01:51 +0000

I just wanted to say a couple things, I work for Sprint. As far as we have heard they are not increasing any data plans. Even if they do, they cannot increase the cost of customer’s data that is already with us, instead it just becomes grandfathers. And when it comes to upgrading any phone to the Instinct, the plan must be one of the ones that include the talk/ msg / data plans, ie the simply everythings or the talk / msg / share plans.

By: Tommy

Tommy — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:00:42 +0000

I call BS, this would be suicide for Sprint. They are VERY worried about churn and this would cause existing user’s to leave in mass.

Will there be a specific plan for SERO Instinct users? Yes, but I doubt they would force everyone to pay for services they may or may not want.

By: Don Louie

Don Louie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:58:38 +0000

Plans change all the time, as long as you aren’t adding anything (which SERO only needs nav) or upgrading there won’t be a forced plan change. Please SERO subs stop crying, what I’m reading is the SERO plans price will be raised and the name will be SE Plus. The new plans will still be less than the current plans

By: The Sgt

The Sgt — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:08:27 +0000

I highly doubt they will force change on customers with existing plans. How many times have wireless carriers changed rates plans, and how many times have they MADE you switch? The 20 cent text messaging doesn’t count…but has anyone recieved a call from Sprint saying, sorry, you’ve had your fair and flexible plan for too long, you’re going to have to change it? You might have to change plans to go to the Instinct, but that’s it. No company would be as stupid to MAKE it’s existing customers switch plans as it would be a breach of agreement and you’re opening the door for anyone to leave.

Let’s not forget that the people writing on this site, hate Sprint and like to bend the truth and dog on them whenever possible.

By: Mike R.

Mike R. — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:03:58 +0000

@Don Louie

I think the problem is people wanted a cheap plan and now are being forced to pay more. That’s like telling some who uses a sidekick that they need to raise the price of the sidekick data plan. Some people can’t afford the higher rates, which is why they wanted a cheap plan.

By: Pom

Pom — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:13:45 +0000

@Cliff:

My hunch is that somewhere, in the very fine print of that contract, those little words “subject to change” may appear. This leaves them open to do what they want.

However – you are right. If it does not state those words in the contract you signed with them – you have a strong case. You signed an agreement with them, and they can not change it.

Even if it does say that – this big of a change sould suck.

By: MadMike

MadMike — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:12:40 +0000

Is Sprint purposely TRYING to go out of business?

By: backbeat

backbeat — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:04:12 +0000

Sprint enters the real-world … and all the kiddie-whiners do what they do best. Now that they have no remaining gray-market maneuvers to manipulate, what will they do next? Form their very own, soon-to-be-belly-up MVNO? Poor thangs.

By: Cliff

Cliff — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:00:08 +0000

Don Louie
I, not sure about the rest of society, am not complaining because it’s a SERO plan specifically, but because it’s them forcing you to something other than your agreed terms of CONTRACT. I don’t care if I had a $125 plan in contract – if they (days, weeks, months, whatever) forced me to something different while in that agreement they are WRONG

Now, changing their policy/prices for NEW sign ups is completely different and I would not have a problem with that – but don’t force *current* contracts to also.

By: Don Louie

Don Louie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:55:52 +0000

As far as I’ve read the data is only for smartphones, right now data is $15 for basic and an additional $10 for tv, music and nav. What I am reading is the SERO plans will change. Why are the SERO customer the 1st whine when they have the least expensive all inclusive plan on the planet and why is bgr never reporting stories about Sprint that shine a good light like the Instinct sales story or the Sprint branded Diamond

By: Cliff

Cliff — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:35:17 +0000

Just signed up for SERO on Monday – it arrives today. If they tell me I need to change the terms of that for ANY reason I will be closing the account, especially since it’s a second phone for me to just be data and keep my Verizon phone for just voice.