Confused by Sprints data plans! Can you advise?

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> But if you look at Sprints pamphlets here in north
> Missouri it appears like you can pick a $40 voice plan
> and then get unlimited email and web for extra
> $15/month for total of $55/month
>
> Any advice on making sense of this?

I don't think they have any $40 voice plans anymore, unless it's really a
sparse plan. And for that add-on, you might want to confirm that it includes
texts as well, since that is separate from data.

My understanding of the categories is this:

voice = anytime and night/weekend minutes, mobile to mobile, etc.
text = all forms of text messaging (text, picture, video, etc.)
data = web, email, gps, just about anything else

So ideally you'd want a plan or plans that combine all three. Any reason you
don't want a BlackBerry? It's an amazing phone. I've had mine for a couple
of weeks now. You are required to sign up for either an Everything plan or
add on a $30 text/data plan, but that's not a big deal, especially if you
can still get that $40 voice plan. A total of $70 is not awful, I suppose.

---

› See More: Confused by Sprints data plans! Can you advise?

"John Salerno" <[email protected]> wrote:

>So ideally you'd want a plan or plans that combine all three. Any reason you
>don't want a BlackBerry? It's an amazing phone. I've had mine for a couple
>of weeks now. You are required to sign up for either an Everything plan or
>add on a $30 text/data plan, but that's not a big deal, especially if you
>can still get that $40 voice plan. A total of $70 is not awful, I suppose.

Oh Id love to have a Blackberry!!

I was just looking at ways to keep my monthly bill DOWN
and assumed a Blackberry with plan would be close to
$80-100 month! No?

What Blackberry model you have? What voice and data
plan you have and who with? And totals costs and
minutes available?

"John Salerno" <[email protected]> wrote:

>So ideally you'd want a plan or plans that combine all three. Any reason you
>don't want a BlackBerry? It's an amazing phone. I've had mine for a couple
>of weeks now. You are required to sign up for either an Everything plan or
>add on a $30 text/data plan, but that's not a big deal, especially if you
>can still get that $40 voice plan. A total of $70 is not awful, I suppose.

Question.... does anyone market a voice/data plan that
could be had for $55 a month plus tax?

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Question.... does anyone market a voice/data plan that
> could be had for $55 a month plus tax?

If you know a Sprint employee, the "new" Sprint referral plan is $60/month
(http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/0...to-the-sunset/).

I'm still amazed at how much Sprint rates have gone up, just in the past few
months. I almost wonder if the iPhone's popularity has caused some huge
increase in data usage by Sprint customers as they realize that, hey!, their
phone has a web browser too?

"Joel Koltner" <[email protected]> wrote:

>If you know a Sprint employee, the "new" Sprint referral plan is $60/month
>(http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/0...to-the-sunset/).

Ok thanks

>I'm still amazed at how much Sprint rates have gone up, just in the past few
>months. I almost wonder if the iPhone's popularity has caused some huge
>increase in data usage by Sprint customers as they realize that, hey!, their
>phone has a web browser too?

Yeah I'm a poor college student and just can't go with
$80-100 month plans....even tho a smart phone would be
VERY handy for me! <sigh>

At 06 Aug 2008 11:40:28 -0500 [email protected] wrote:

> Question.... does anyone market a voice/data plan that
> could be had for $55 a month plus tax?

T-Mobile offers 600 minutes/month and free N&W for $40, and "T-Mobile Web"
unlimited e-mail and web browsing for $5.99. Before switching to a family
plan, my bill including taxes was $51/month.

Technically they don't offer the $6 data plan with smartphones, only
"dumbphones" - smartphones have a combo data/WiFi hotspot plan for $20- but
you can work around it easily (don't activate data on the smartphone at all
when purchased, then add the $6/plan online at my.t-mobile.com.)

On Aug 6, 3:02*pm, [email protected] wrote:
> "Joel Koltner" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >If you know a Sprint employee, the "new" Sprint referral plan is $60/month
> >(http://www.engadgetmobile.com/2008/0...-sero-plan-rid....).
>
> Ok thanks
>
> >I'm still amazed at how much Sprint rates have gone up, just in the pastfew
> >months. *I almost wonder if the iPhone's popularity has caused some huge
> >increase in data usage by Sprint customers as they realize that, hey!, their
> >phone has a web browser too?
>
> Yeah I'm a poor college student and just can't go with
> $80-100 month plans....even tho a smart phone would be
> VERY handy for me! <sigh>

Here is the run down on the new equilivnat of the SERO plan.
500 minutes plus data and messaging for 59.99 before taxes. It
includes all of the following:

Unlimited data and messages: Web surfing, email, GPS Navigation,
Sprint Music, Sprint TV®, BlackBerry® Internet Services (BIS), text,
pictures, video
Nationwide long distance and no roaming charges.
Unlimited mobile to mobile, night calling starting at 7 p.m. and
weekends.

GPS: Unlimited maps, turn-by-turn directions and more with Sprint
Navigation for Sprint and PowerSource phones, or TeleNav™ for Nextel
phones. GPS reliability varies by environment.

Sprint Mobile Email Work: Now access work email on popular phones.
Receive email from Microsoft Exchange 2000, 2003, 2007 and Lotus Notes
Domino versions 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0 with our latest software update.

Sprint Music Premier: 99¢ music downloads and unlimited access to more
than 150 channels lets you listen to millions of melodies.

Sprint TV® Premier: Your favorite shows on the go with more than 20
channels to choose from including Ellen DeGeneres On-the-Go, Comedy
Central, MTV, Discovery, Nickelodeon and more.

BlackBerry® Internet Server (BIS): Manage up to 10 different accounts
with a simple three-click email setup, and IM on the go with Yahoo!®
Messenger, AIM®, Google Talk and BlackBerry Messenger. Please note:
BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), which provides secure corporate
email access and access to corporate IT administration, is not
included and available for an additional cost.
Messages: Unlimited nationwide, text, picture and video messages to
anyone on any network.

Direct Connect® and Group Connect®: Unlimited instant connections,
nationwide and at the push of a button. Group Connect is limited to 20
participants on the same network. [if you have an iDEN device,
powersource device, or one of the new DCS devices]

Phone as modem or tethering: not included.

Plus of course the basics:

All Sprint voice plans automatically come with these great features:
Voicemail: Your phone's answering service. Voicemail answers your
calls and takes messages when you are not available.
Call Waiting: Like a second line for your phone, Call Waiting lets you
decide whether to switch to the new call-or send it to Voicemail.
Caller ID: View the phone number of an incoming call, so you know who
is calling before your answer. All unanswered calls automatically roll
over to your Voicemail.
Caller ID Block: Block your phone number from appearing on the phone
of the person you're calling.
Three-Way Calling: Talk to two people at the same time. You can
initiate Three-Way Calling even if you didn't start the phone call
(airtime and long-distance charges apply for both of the calls in your
Three-Way Calling party).
Call Forwarding: Forward incoming calls to the phone number you
specify. ($0.20/minute).
Numeric Paging: Set your Voicemail to allow callers to send a numeric
page to your phone.
Sprint 411: Access Directory Assistance. Just dial 411 from your
Sprint or Nextel phone to get dinner reservations, movie listings,
driving directions and more ($1.79/call, airtime charges also apply).
Emergency Calls: Call 911 from anywhere in our network with no airtime
charges.
Non-Emergency Calls: Report traffic accidents, motorist problems,
careless drivers or other non-emergency incidents using special
dialing numbers (such as #77, 311).

Actually if you add up what the cost would be for all of the extras,
9.99 for Navigation, 9.99 for Sprint TV premiere, 9.99 Sprint radio
premiere, $15 for data, $15 for unlimited domestic messaging, etc...
you can see that the bundled package is really quite a bargain.

dafydd <[email protected]> wrote:

>Here is the run down on the new equilivnat of the SERO plan.
>500 minutes plus data and messaging for 59.99 before taxes. It
>includes all of the following:

Sounds like a good deal but this plan is for people who
work at Sprint and "sponsor" a friend or something?
Yes?

If so.... I really don't know anyone who works for
Sprint so cant take advantage of it. <sigh>

"dafydd" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:b2508fd5-60fe-4821-b7a2-a3150e7f2b97@m45g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
"GPS: Unlimited maps, turn-by-turn directions and more with Sprint
Navigation for Sprint and PowerSource phones, or TeleNav™ for Nextel
phones. GPS reliability varies by environment."

It's also not really better -- and in some ways worse -- than the free
navigation programs from, e.g., Google that requireonly a "regular" data plan.

"Sprint TV® Premier: Your favorite shows on the go with more than 20
channels to choose from including Ellen DeGeneres On-the-Go, Comedy
Central, MTV, Discovery, Nickelodeon and more."

They don't mention that some channels are "premium" channels and are *not*
included in the "basic" ($9.99/mo) charge.

"Actually if you add up what the cost would be for all of the extras,
9.99 for Navigation, 9.99 for Sprint TV premiere, 9.99 Sprint radio
premiere, $15 for data, $15 for unlimited domestic messaging, etc...
you can see that the bundled package is really quite a bargain."

Sure, but very few people would -- given a choice in the matter -- actually
sign up for *all* the extras. All those $9.99 services (navigation, TV, and
radio) can be had for free from other web sites with the regular data plan.
The $15 unlimited messaging only makes sense for, e.g., teens who actually
send hundreds of messages to each other -- for most people buying messages in
blocks or even paying one-by-one ends up being cheaper.

I'm really disappointed in Sprint. Offering services ala-carte lets people
customoize their plans to give them the best bang for the buck, and Sprint's
old plans like "fair and flexible" acknowledged that people going over their
minutes shouldn't be viewed as fat wallets over a barrel. But now we're back
to having to buy everything if you want anything (in the way of data plans)
and $0.45/minute overage charges -- is this really going to decrease Sprint's
churn? I think not.

---Joel

"John Salerno" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I totally understand your concern about cost. For years I've never paid much
>more than around $40/month for my plans, but I finally decided I want a
>phone that actually did other things besides just make calls, and a BB
>definitely does it all. It's just that the convenience comes with the added
>price of the data plans.

Understand and agree!

I want a phone that does more than just make calls as
well!