Sprint's new "Fair & Flexible" plans

[Ilmater]

Sprint announced a new pricing strategy today, and I was just wondering what everyone thought of it:

link to official press release

Thoughts?

 

[MazerRackham]

300 minutes for $35, then (at best) an additional 100 minutes for $5 more (2 x 50 minutes for $2.50 each)? I don't see how that's a good thing. I guess if you go WAY over it is, but I have the promotional plan from T-Mobile where I get 1000 anytime minutes plus unlimited night and weekends for $40 per month.

The most minutes I've ever used in a month was 550, and that was over the holidays.

How many people go hundreds of minutes over their base plans anyway?

 

[geckojohn]

I have Verizon right now, but i might switch to Sprint when my contract comes up for renewal. I really like their selection of phones and the ability to roam on Verizon's network when necessary.

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: MazerRackham
300 minutes for $35, then (at best) an additional 100 minutes for $5 more (2 x 50 minutes for $2.50 each)? I don't see how that's a good thing. I guess if you go WAY over it is, but I have the promotional plan from T-Mobile where I get 1000 anytime minutes plus unlimited night and weekends for $40 per month.

The most minutes I've ever used in a month was 550, and that was over the holidays.

How many people go hundreds of minutes over their base plans anyway?

Where do you live? I see that plan, but it only gives 1000 anytime minutes with no N/W minutes or mobile-to-mobile minutes.

Plus, you're stuck with T-Mobile's coverage (smallest of the top 5 carriers), and you may lose coverage in the Southwest as the rumors are that Cingular is trying to wiggle out of its network-sharing agreement with them.

Finally, what do you think about someone that has a $60 plan? What if they go UNDER their minutes? They get to save money.

 

[Ilmater]

That's it? Two people? Don't any of you people have cell phones?

 

[Ilmater]

ttt

Hey, I'll try it again today.

 

[lobadobadingdong]

Originally posted by: Ilmater

Originally posted by: MazerRackham
300 minutes for $35, then (at best) an additional 100 minutes for $5 more (2 x 50 minutes for $2.50 each)? I don't see how that's a good thing. I guess if you go WAY over it is, but I have the promotional plan from T-Mobile where I get 1000 anytime minutes plus unlimited night and weekends for $40 per month.

The most minutes I've ever used in a month was 550, and that was over the holidays.

How many people go hundreds of minutes over their base plans anyway?

Where do you live? I see that plan, but it only gives 1000 anytime minutes with no N/W minutes or mobile-to-mobile minutes.

Plus, you're stuck with T-Mobile's coverage (smallest of the top 5 carriers), and you may lose coverage in the Southwest as the rumors are that Cingular is trying to wiggle out of its network-sharing agreement with them.

Finally, what do you think about someone that has a $60 plan? What if they go UNDER their minutes? They get to save money.

Cingular doesn't have a network shareing agreement with them in the SW. If they did, the T-mobile coverage area would grow 4 fold.

 

[Viper GTS]

Sounds like a great plan for people who barely use their phones. It wouldn't work too well for me though.

I'm currently on a NW Family Time plan with T-Mobile:

1600 anytime
Unlimited nights
Unlimited weekends
Unlimited T-Mobile to T-Mobile

I have four lines on it (myself, brother, sister, sister's long term BF). Total recurring charges of $119.99.

I personally use my phone for ~2000 minutes a month (about 1000 minutes peak, another 1000 weekend/night/M2M).

Viper GTS

 

[sandmanwake]

The plan starts at $45/month in my area. Not good at all considering I'm paying $35 for 300 anytime minutes and I'm lucky to use half of that at all.

 

[captains]

have verizon.....dont want to take the time to try out a different carrier only to find out that i hate their service more than i hate verizons

 

[RagingBITCH]

That's a pretty shoddy plan IMO.

 

[Shockwave]

Its a great idea IMO. You can find a plan that fits (say 300 minutes) then if you go on vacation just buy an extra block of minutes. I always stay under my minutes unless we go on vacation, in which case I always go over.

Forgot to mention, they also have the Push To Talk feature coming up as well. And BlueTooth is "In the works" (Its availbale but phones are scarce)

 

[PoPPeR]

My mom, sister and I share a 1000 anytime, u/l N&W, u/l mobile-mobile plan, and we've had to pay $100 for overusage before because my sister decided to use 950 of the 1000 anytime minutes, along with her regular 3500 off-peak minutes.

This can be a good thing, but it requires new contract and I'm trying to finish my current one

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: sandmanwake
The plan starts at $45/month in my area. Not good at all considering I'm paying $35 for 300 anytime minutes and I'm lucky to use half of that at all.

Yes, clearly if you're using less than ANY carrier's lowest-minute plan, you wouldn't have any benefit from this.

 

[maziwanka]

its definately an interesting idea and im glad that its being introduced. if the other providers follow suit, there will be some good competition for this type of cell phone plan (i.e. we'll see better deals). overall, a good step in teh right direction.

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Forgot to mention, they also have the Push To Talk feature coming up as well. And BlueTooth is "In the works" (Its availbale but phones are scarce)

Sprint's PTT feature is already available. I personally have no use for it, but it's there. The initial call setup time is about 4-5 seconds IIRC, but once the call is set up, it's as fast as Nextel's PTT. Verizon's PTT, on the other hand, is HORRIBLE! I wouldn't touch that, especially for $20.

As for Bluetooth, the only handset currently available is the SonyEricsson T608, and it's only available if you call in. I don't honestly know what the plans are for the future.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: Ilmater

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Forgot to mention, they also have the Push To Talk feature coming up as well. And BlueTooth is "In the works" (Its availbale but phones are scarce)

Sprint's PTT feature is already available. I personally have no use for it, but it's there. The initial call setup time is about 4-5 seconds IIRC, but once the call is set up, it's as fast as Nextel's PTT. Verizon's PTT, on the other hand, is HORRIBLE! I wouldn't touch that, especially for $20.

As for Bluetooth, the only handset currently available is the SonyEricsson T608, and it's only available if you call in. I don't honestly know what the plans are for the future.

I know that its there, but *IF* what I have heard is true its still undergoing some work which would make it much better then it already is

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: Ilmater

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Forgot to mention, they also have the Push To Talk feature coming up as well. And BlueTooth is "In the works" (Its availbale but phones are scarce)

Sprint's PTT feature is already available. I personally have no use for it, but it's there. The initial call setup time is about 4-5 seconds IIRC, but once the call is set up, it's as fast as Nextel's PTT. Verizon's PTT, on the other hand, is HORRIBLE! I wouldn't touch that, especially for $20.

As for Bluetooth, the only handset currently available is the SonyEricsson T608, and it's only available if you call in. I don't honestly know what the plans are for the future.

I know that its there, but *IF* what I have heard is true its still undergoing some work which would make it much better then it already is

I don't know about that, but it already works pretty well. Like I said, the initial setup time isn't too bad (actually, I'm thinking the average was 6 seconds), and after that it's near-instantaneous. I don't know how much better they can get on a CDMA network that wasn't designed for it. It's basically a VoIP call, so it stands to reason that it will take a second.

 

[NutBucket]

Personal opinion is that sprint is gonna lose out on a lot of profit. Other then that, its a good idea

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Personal opinion is that sprint is gonna lose out on a lot of profit. Other then that, its a good idea

As long as it's a good idea for consumers and Sprint still makes a profit, it's a good thing overall IMO.

 

[rh71]

they'll get a lot more customers if there's a < $30 plan. I hate paying more than that per month X 3 phones.

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Ilmater

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Personal opinion is that sprint is gonna lose out on a lot of profit. Other then that, its a good idea

As long as it's a good idea for consumers and Sprint still makes a profit, it's a good thing overall IMO.

That's just it. While they're reporting fewer losses they're still losses. I wonder if this will really attract that many new subscribers.

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: rh71
they'll get a lot more customers if there's a < $30 plan. I hate paying more than that per month X 3 phones.

Not even "$2 for 10,000 minutes a month" T-Mobile is going to offer a plan that cheap. It's just not something that's worthwhile for the carriers. You have to remember that there are large subsidies on phones that have to be recouped.

 

[Ilmater]

Originally posted by: NutBucket

Originally posted by: Ilmater

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Personal opinion is that sprint is gonna lose out on a lot of profit. Other then that, its a good idea

As long as it's a good idea for consumers and Sprint still makes a profit, it's a good thing overall IMO.

That's just it. While they're reporting fewer losses they're still losses. I wonder if this will really attract that many new subscribers.

Maybe it will and maybe it won't, but that's why I posted this topic. I'm curious if anyone will like it or not.

 

[StageLeft]

Sprint PCS Fair &amp; Flexible is a tiered pricing plan providing a base 300 Anytime Minutes for $35 a month

HAHA I pay $40 for 600. Frig off, sprint.