Sprint Contract about to expire...

[stlc8tr]

Sprint only advantage is if you want unlimited stuff.
If you get a smartphone, cheapest Sprint price is $150 for 2 people vs $120 for T-mobile.
Like I stated, 1000mins, unlimited texting and 2GB of data is good enough for >95% of people out there.
The plan for T-mobile gets cheaper if you only use light data.
You have no option with Sprint.
It starts at $150 for 2 people.

Depends on your corporate discount, I suppose. But if you don't have a good corporate discount, you can always go with the Sprint Everything Plus Data Family Plan.

http://www.sprint.com/everythingplus (enter Russ.S.McGuire@Sprint.com and 383, from his site @ http://mcguireslaw.com/)

$110 for two lines. 1600 anytime minutes, nights & weekends at 7PM, unlimited mobile to mobile minutes (any carrier), unlimited data/text. Add the $20 smartphone fee ($10 x 2 phones) and it's $130 total. Additional lines are $15 so $25 for each additional smartphone. This compares fairly well to TMobile's 1000 anytime minutes, nights & weekends at 9PM, unlimited mobile to mobile (TMobile to TMobile only), unlimited text, and 2GB of 4G data (throttled 3G data afterwards?).

2 smartphones: Sprint @ $130, TMobile @ $120
3 smartphones: Sprint @ $155, TMobile @ $150
4 smartphones: Sprint @ $180, TMobile @ $180
5 smartphones: Sprint @ $205, TMobile @ $210

Cost is fairly close and Sprint gives you a lot more minutes and unlimited data if you can use it.

 

[kaerflog]

Depends on your corporate discount, I suppose. But if you don't have a good corporate discount, you can always go with the Sprint Everything Plus Data Family Plan.

http://www.sprint.com/everythingplus (enter Russ.S.McGuire@Sprint.com and 383, from his site @ http://mcguireslaw.com/)

$110 for two lines. 1600 anytime minutes, nights & weekends at 7PM, unlimited mobile to mobile minutes (any carrier), unlimited data/text. Add the $20 smartphone fee ($10 x 2 phones) and it's $130 total. Additional lines are $15 so $25 for each additional smartphone. This compares fairly well to TMobile's 1000 anytime minutes, nights & weekends at 9PM, unlimited mobile to mobile (TMobile to TMobile only), unlimited text, and 2GB of 4G data (throttled 3G data afterwards?).

2 smartphones: Sprint @ $130, TMobile @ $120
3 smartphones: Sprint @ $155, TMobile @ $150
4 smartphones: Sprint @ $180, TMobile @ $180
5 smartphones: Sprint @ $205, TMobile @ $210

Cost is fairly close and Sprint gives you a lot more minutes and unlimited data if you can use it.

As the OP stated, its for him and his wife.
So 3rd 4th 5th line doesn't factor in.
You can't get discount with those special pricing.
You can still get 15%(with ease) on that Tmobile $120 price.
Its not $130 vs $120.
And I've already said that Sprint has the advantage if you need the unlimted stuff.
From what the OP stated. 1000 mins and 2GB of data should be more than enough for the OP.(and most everyone else).
It goes down even more if the OP only need 200mb data each month. $100.
You have NO option with Sprint. Its advantage is if you take advantage of their unlimited stuff.

 

[jdwright]

I've narrowed my options to the sprint plan mentioned above EPDFP and the Evo3d or each of us getting the $40/1200 min option at Virgin mobile with the Triumph. I'm leaning toward the latter, and the wife is leaning toward the former. The wife just doesn't recognize the Virgin Mobile name and is into the brand safety thing. It seems sensible to me to go with the cheaper since they both use the Sprint network.

I'm not sure she wants to wait for a phone to come out though and the Evo3d is just a few days away...

 

[s44]

They're not the same network. Sprint = Sprint + Verizon roaming to fill gaps. Virgin = Sprint + no Verizon.

 

[sjwaste]

I've narrowed my options to the sprint plan mentioned above EPDFP and the Evo3d or each of us getting the $40/1200 min option at Virgin mobile with the Triumph. I'm leaning toward the latter, and the wife is leaning toward the former. The wife just doesn't recognize the Virgin Mobile name and is into the brand safety thing. It seems sensible to me to go with the cheaper since they both use the Sprint network.

I'm not sure she wants to wait for a phone to come out though and the Evo3d is just a few days away...

The Evo 3D has gotten miserable reviews for battery life. I would stay away from it, and I'm an Evo owner. Apparently the cameras blow too.

Also, VM is prepaid. If she doesn't like it, you can always sell her phone and get a contract with Sprint, Verizon, etc.

 

[jdwright]

Those are both good to know, and in fact, I might be changing my direction on this a bit. I checked with the Verizon website and it appears that the cost for 1500 min and unlimited data is very close to Sprint - around $150 for 2 lines. Additionally, I can get my Verizon phone from costco with cases and car chargers (nice). I know Verizon is well regarded around this area for coverage. I'm starting to worry a bit about the Virgin Mobile thing...the wife will be pissed if coverage degrades.

I looked at the phones at the Verizon website and the only dual-core model is the Droid x2. The revolution, thunderbolt and Charge were also possibilities, and I suppose an iPhone 4.

Confusion continues...

J

 

[sjwaste]

Do you live in an area where Verizon has LTE? If so, the Charge is probably your best bet. It actually has decent reviews for battery life and LTE is fast.

 

[boomhower]

Do you live in an area where Verizon has LTE? If so, the Charge is probably your best bet. It actually has decent reviews for battery life and LTE is fast.

I can't get over the looks of that thing. I would rather carry a TB and two batteries.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I'd be reluctant to sign with sprint, they're eventually going LTE, and you'd be locked into the current 4G solution (much slower)

And to be honest, the latency with Sprint's 4G is so high, and battery life is so bad, people don't use the 4G, we just keep it on 3G.

Virgin's Triumph won't be available for a few weeks, so just sit tight for now, and go month to month with Sprint till The Triumph is released and reviewed.

Verizon's LTE is wicked fast, but that only matters if you're tethering, it is faster for web browsing, but not so much that it changes your life or anything...

One rule of thumb is to keep the wife happy, though

The iPhone on Verizon isn't going to kill you, either . She might really like it, and score a ThunderBolt or Charge for you.

I'm seriously considering the Triumph if they haven't really screwed it up, I don't need to tether any more, and the price is hard to beat...

You can score a used Optimus and try them out for now and see how the coverage is... I found it acceptable in LA, but it's so variable, you need to check it out first. If you wait and the triumph will work for you, that's a lot of $ saved/year.

 

[poofyhairguy]

The iPhone on Verizon isn't going to kill you, either .

NOOOOO!!!!!!!

Once you get her an iPhone, you can't UNGET her an iPhone! She will get used to its overgloss, and you will get stuck on Apple's upgrade cycle. All the options, choices and different timed releases of Android phones go away, you will be stuck (at least for her) for the forseable future. No more even having an option to move to Sprint or TMobile or Virgin. Its one of the Big 2 or nothing.

Take it from me man, once your wife gets a taste of the iStuff she won't give it up. In fact, if you don't watch it you find iPads and MacBooks in your house afterwards to live up to Pliablemoose's advice: "One rule of thumb is to keep the wife happy."

I learned the hard way....

 

[jdwright]

Talked to the Sprint rep and he said they have no plans in the near future for 4G in my area - Central WA. I don't know about LTE from Verizon, but we're headed to Costco today to see what they offer and what might be around the corner.

I totally agree about the iPhone. I'm very reluctant to get one for her, since I'm a computer guy and I just can't bring myself to spend 1.5x the money for the same equipment and a shiny/dumbed down operating system (not gonna make any apple fans saying that, eh?)

I'm not completely off the VM thought either, but I'm worried about the "you can't make a call from here" messages. I've only had that happen maybe twice with my current phone, and it would suck if it happened more often...

off to costco!

J

 

[sjwaste]

My wife uses an iPhone. Nothing wrong with that. Some people like them. It means one less thing for me to support because it really works well for what it does. I use a MacBook anyway, so having her sync it with iTunes in OSX is fine.

We're not on a family plan though. We might switch to one, but it's easier to have separate plans. I was on SERO before and on EPRP now, and she has one of the more reasonable ATT plans. We'll probably combine the next time I'm out of contract and just go to Verizon where she can get an iPhone and I can get better coverage. Sprint is really awful with 3G speeds here, and 4G has gotten worse over the past year.

 

[poofyhairguy]

My wife uses an iPhone. Nothing wrong with that.

Agreed. An iPhone is my primary phone, and it doesn't give me any major problems as an actual device. In fact, that is my complaint- for many people an iPhone is almost too good. Recently I have been dragging my wife to the Verizon and AT&T stores to look at Android phones to prepare for my switch away from the iPhone, and my wife every time makes sure that I know that she thinks the interface on all of them (even HTC devices) look like crap compared to her iPhone, and that I can switch but I am crazy if I think she is gonna switch.

The problem is what you illustrated later in your post- the iPhone is a premium path with a certain cell plan (and insurance plan, etc.) that cuts down on your options. I mean the base monthly price (with almost no text messages and only 450 talk minutes) for the iPhone on Verizon is $75. If you want an unlimited iPhone its $130 for a single phone. As noted above, on other phones/carriers you can get two unlimited devices for that price.

As a nerd I am able to switch away from my iPhone because at this point I am willing to deal with the more "ugly" Android interface (which honestly makes me feel nostalgic about mid-00's Linux) to have a device that is way more flexible. But my wife won't sacrifice the gloss now that she is used to it. I never really had a choice- I wanted an iPhone a few years ago so she got one too, but if I was starting from scratch and I wanted Android and my wife didn't know what she wanted the very last thing I would do is open up the expensive iPhone option because that cuts down the overall option available

 

[foghorn67]

I'd be reluctant to sign with sprint, they're eventually going LTE, and you'd be locked into the current 4G solution (much slower)

And to be honest, the latency with Sprint's 4G is so high, and battery life is so bad, people don't use the 4G, we just keep it on 3G.

Virgin's Triumph won't be available for a few weeks, so just sit tight for now, and go month to month with Sprint till The Triumph is released and reviewed.

Verizon's LTE is wicked fast, but that only matters if you're tethering, it is faster for web browsing, but not so much that it changes your life or anything...

One rule of thumb is to keep the wife happy, though

The iPhone on Verizon isn't going to kill you, either . She might really like it, and score a ThunderBolt or Charge for you.

I'm seriously considering the Triumph if they haven't really screwed it up, I don't need to tether any more, and the price is hard to beat...

You can score a used Optimus and try them out for now and see how the coverage is... I found it acceptable in LA, but it's so variable, you need to check it out first. If you wait and the triumph will work for you, that's a lot of $ saved/year.

Why don't you need to tether anymore? Did they install a wifi system at your work?

 

[jdwright]

well, it's done. 2 Samsung Charges and the 1400 talk/text and $30 unlimited data. This is a sweet phone. Supposed to have a good battery life with the AMOLED display and very bright/sharp. 8 mp cam and 1080p video looked amazing. I hope they work out as well as I think they will, and the wife is pumped.

On a side note, Verizon is the only service that she can get in her office. She's surrounded by concrete and can't call out or receive. This ended up being a deciding factor in the decision. Also, Verizon has a 20% discount for state employees - which I am.

Anywho, thanks a ton for all the input! I think this is going to work out the best all the way around and I don't splurge on myself very often. Hope some of this thread helps someone else out =).

J

 

[s44]

Welcome to the modern era...

Now, learn what "Voodoo" is.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Why don't you need to tether anymore? Did they install a wifi system at your work?

LOL, no, moved, and just got a 20MB line for $34/month. The wifi at work is shit, can't even log on most of the time. Previous place was AT&T dsl only, so I tethered...

 

[foghorn67]

LOL, no, moved, and just got a 20GB line for $34/month. The wifi at work is shit, can't even log on most of the time. Previous place was AT&T dsl only, so I tethered...

ah, gotcha.