Any Sprint guru's out there? My contract is up, anything I need to know?

[marmasatt]

Hey all,

I am currently on a retention plan from 2 years ago that is 1000 minutes, w/ full data, unlimited text, N & W after 7, for $50 monthly for 2 lines. Great plan really and I could not be more pleased with Sprint or the plan.

So my plan is up this month and I used the "cancel my service" option from the CS menu which I'd assume puts me to retentions. I explained my situation and told the rep I would like to renew with something similar. He offered me some type of Voice 550 (550 minutes shared) for $59, and Talk 700 (700 min?) $69 for 2 lines. I then told him I wanted the data/text option and that I would have no problem renewing. He told me that he put a note in the system that said something like "same options/no change" in the plan and I would get data and I should be all set when I go to renew. That just seemed too easy. One call?

Now I was actually kind of skeptical because a) I have heard that the retention plans have gone the way of the dingo and that the reps are really letting people walk now as we are not the ideal customers, and b) that the minimum plan is now an Everything plan or a Family plan somewhere in the neighborhood of $99 - $129 a month depending on the minutes. And to boot, you can't get any of the nice phones because they require a minimum $99 plan with data.

1) Does this $69 plan sound accurate for 2 lines for 700 minutes w/ full data? Did he misunderstand me or me/him?

2) If he puts a note in the system, I can make the actual upgrade anywhere I want? The rep actually advised that I should go to anywhere I can get the phone for cheapest. (For instance, radio shack has the Hero for $49 this week - cheapest I've seen around.) That's cheaper than the Sprint store right now.

3) All I want is a similar plan with a couple of nice touch screen phones and they won't hear from me again for another 2 years. I was reading in the beginning of the year that some people were having a nightmare (even after retentions.) Has it swung back around? Are there any misconceptions out there or anything else of which I should be aware in the current upgrade process?

Thanks for any info guys. I'll get my answers and see you in 2 years.

Cheers.

 

[ManSnake]

Why did you want to renew? I thought if you don't renew you keep your current plan until you want to change it?

 

[marmasatt]

Why did you want to renew? I thought if you don't renew you keep your current plan until you want to change it?

Well, that's the problem. I don't really know. I want a couple of nice touch screen phones and up until recently, there was like a minimum plan that you needed in order to get half of their good phones.

Matter of fact, I specifically told him I was getting a Hero and he said I was "all set." Isn't there a minimum data plan or something - or even monthly price? Because I know even up until recently, I wanted to activate an Instinct (off of Craigslist and even though I had full data, I couldn't use it). What has changed?

 

[boomhower]

The rep is either mistaken or outright lying to you. Those plans he offered will not worth with the Hero or any other Android or WebOS phone. The minimum plan is an everything data EPRP plan at $59.99 which you cannot get since you are a current non-sero customer. You would be looking at a regular ED plan at 69.99. Try and get them to offer you a monthly credit. If you would have done this in January you could have gotten $20 a month. You could shoot for $10 a month. With Sprint already on par with T-Mobile and being much cheaper than AT&T or Verizon they give away the farm like they used to.

 

[randomlinh]

don't forget minutes are pretty much useless on sprint unless you call a lot of landlines. i have 1500 minutes for 4 lines... i think we hit maybe 100 of those a month. This assuming you go w/ an everything data plan

 

[marmasatt]

Thanks guys. I guess I'm bumming. Boom, I called again today to verify and advised them I was walking into the store to renew, and buy my Hero phones. We went through the entire conversation w/ the rep confirming what the first guy said. Then at the end of the conversation, she says, "if you get the Hero, you cannot activate it on this plan. The minimum plan you could get for 2 lines is a Simply Everything for $129." I asked her what she was talking about and that she just confirmed to me 700 anytime minutes with full data. All this, and she read it back to me that I'm eligible for "full data and text." So basically I can technically get a nice smart phone, but policy wise, it's a no go? And I did get the $10 credit, but no way am I going from $50 monthly to $129. Are there ANY cool phones that don't need to be activated on this Simply Everything plan? What's easier to list - what I can or can't get? I just want a cool little toy, preferably touch screen, email checker, web browser, and that yeah, I can make a few calls on. Thanks.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I think the only one you can get that will work on that plan is the HTC Touch Pro 2. Can't be certain. It sounds like you have SERO or some other old plan that is no longer offered. Obviously, they want as many people on the newer, more expensive plans as they can, so they stop allowing you to activate new phones on old plans. So the best you can do is get the best possible phone that will work on your old plan.

The Touch Pro 2 is kinda quirky and runs Windows Mobile, but it has a really good keyboard and it should be good if you don't have really high requirements. It definitely fills the "fun gadget toy" quotient.

But yeah, for new phones (i.e. anything with Android), you'll have to move to a current plan. That would be the "Everything Data" which is 1500 shared minutes, unlimited text + data, and $130/mo for two lines. Lots more expensive than your current plan but it's a good deal compared with Verizon and AT&T if you want a modern smartphone.

Oh yeah, if you have a credit union membership you can get a 10% discount.

 

[marmasatt]

Double post. Reserved for more of my whining....

 

[JS80]

Don't get the hero...wait for the EVO. Trust me on this. I have a Hero. It's awesome but it's kind of slow and the EVO is way awesomer.

 

[boomhower]

Yep, the Touch Pro 2 is the nicest phone you can get on SERO. Any windows mobile phone will work on that plan. Any Android, WebOS, or Instinct will not. I would bet good money Windows Phone 7 will not either. Basically Sprint wants to get rid of all the old really cheap plans without directly taking them away, so they limit the phone choices. You can still get that cheaper than $119. Check and see if you qualify for any discounts. Whether it be your employer, professional association, alumni club, profession itself(LEO, fire, EMS, etc), heck just being a member of a credit union will get you 10%. I have the same $129 and have whittled it down to $95.

 

[CTrain]

Wait for the EVO.
Profit.

 

[marmasatt]

Don't get the hero...wait for the EVO. Trust me on this. I have a Hero. It's awesome but it's kind of slow and the EVO is way awesomer.

Yeah, only I can't. Nor can I get that EVO when it comes out. I have "full data" in my plan, but I'm simply not paying enough to them, lol. They don't allow you to activate this phone unless you have a minimum plan.

 

[zerocool84]

Yeah, only I can't. Nor can I get that EVO when it comes out. I have "full data" in my plan, but I'm simply not paying enough to them, lol. They don't allow you to activate this phone unless you have a minimum plan.

Yea the $70 everything data plan. You don't have that.

 

[AstroManLuca]

What we're saying is if you do decide to move up to the everything data plan, you should wait for the EVO to do it. The Hero has the same plan requirement but it's nowhere near as good a phone.

Sounds like you want to just stick to your current plan, though, which makes this all a moot point. Best you can do then is a Touch Pro 2.

 

[marmasatt]

Sounds like you want to just stick to your current plan, though, which makes this all a moot point. Best you can do then is a Touch Pro 2.

Indeed. And the best I can do is the Internet price of $200 per phone - and that's after a $100 MIR on each one. Geez. Where have all the good times gone. I want what I want, but it's just not financially responsible - to upgrade to the better plan - or spend $600 out of pocket just to get a couple of nice phones. Is there *anything* even close to the TP2 that I should consider?

 

[boomhower]

Indeed. And the best I can do is the Internet price of $200 per phone - and that's after a $100 MIR on each one. Geez. Where have all the good times gone. I want what I want, but it's just not financially responsible - to upgrade to the better plan - or spend $600 out of pocket just to get a couple of nice phones. Is there *anything* even close to the TP2 that I should consider?

Not really. Next in line to me would be a Tour but then your going to need to tack on $10 more for a blackberry pack. Then you really start going downhill from there with the Intrepid and Snap. I wouldn't go below the Tour.