Will I regret this?

[axia55]

My wife has been giving me the silent but deadly feeling that she wants data on her phone. I am currently with Verizon and have to swallow my gag reflex when I think about spending $10/mo for 25mb data. I have 5 lines and 1400 minutes+unlimited texts+unlimited data for my droid. With taxes and discounts I pay $174/mo.

I have been considering sprint and found their EPRP discount yesterday. For 5 lines on sprint and 1500 minutes+unlimited texting+unlimited data (ON ALL LINES, not just mine)+$10 EVO fee for me, it would cost $165+tax.

Problem is, my only experiance with sprint if from back in the old days (10 years ago or so) when my dad had sprint service and would drop calls CONSTANTLY. I live in NE Ohio and the coverage map looks good for most of Ohio. Is there anything I need to know before I jump or just do it?

 

[Spoooon]

Aren't you able to roam on Verizon towers anyway? And so long as the majority of the time you are using Sprint towers, they won't drop you as a customer?

I think if the answer is yes to those questions, and it's cheaper, and you have coverage where you need through Sprint, it makes sense to switch.

 

[rudeguy]

My wife has been giving me the silent but deadly feeling that she wants data on her phone. I am currently with Verizon and have to swallow my gag reflex when I think about spending $10/mo for 25mb data. I have 5 lines and 1400 minutes+unlimited texts+unlimited data for my droid. With taxes and discounts I pay $174/mo.

I have been considering sprint and found their EPRP discount yesterday. For 5 lines on sprint and 1500 minutes+unlimited texting+unlimited data (ON ALL LINES, not just mine)+$10 EVO fee for me, it would cost $165+tax.

Problem is, my only experiance with sprint if from back in the old days (10 years ago or so) when my dad had sprint service and would drop calls CONSTANTLY. I live in NE Ohio and the coverage map looks good for most of Ohio. Is there anything I need to know before I jump or just do it?

Buy through a Sprint store and not online. That way if you don't like it, you can cancel within 14 days and get your money back. The reality is that while Sprint's network is great in most places, it is extremely YMMV.

Give it a shot, you will be happy.

 

[AstroManLuca]

If you're starting a new account, you can also buy from a retailer like Best Buy or RadioShack. BB has a 30-day return policy on smartphones with no restocking fee, so you have longer to decide. RadioShack may have something similar. And you don't have to deal with mail-in rebates.

Then again, I think the only way to sign up for EPRP is online, not in a retailer or even a Sprint store. It might be worth it to just use a different discount (either a corporate discount or, if you don't qualify, being a member of ANY credit union gets you 10% off) on the regular Everything Data plan instead so you can go through a store.

As for service, when my family had Sprint many years ago, it was awful. But nowadays, their coverage is pretty good. And yes, you can roam on Verizon towers. What I've heard is that they only care if you go over 300 MB of data while roaming (very unlikely).

 

[Slick5150]

The best thing about Sprint right now (in addition to the price) is how desperate they are to keep customers, so they'll bend over backwards to make you happy. I told them I got a bad signal in my office, so they sent me one of their Airave units free, and waived the monthly charge for it. Now I get 5 bars in my office and have no problems at all.

Quite happy with them.

 

[preslove]

If you have employer discounts, sprints may be more. I only get 6% through T-Mo for mine, but Sprint gives my coworkers 15%, I believe.

 

[anxi80]

As for service, when my family had Sprint many years ago, it was awful. But nowadays, their coverage is pretty good. And yes, you can roam on Verizon towers. What I've heard is that they only care if you go over 300 MB of data while roaming (very unlikely).

astro is right, it is very unlikely because sprint data can only roam at 1x on verizon's towers so you'll get frustrated and end the data session after waiting 10 minutes to pull down a web page.

 

[yh125d]

Buy through a Sprint store and not online. That way if you don't like it, you can cancel within 14 days and get your money back. The reality is that while Sprint's network is great in most places, it is extremely YMMV.

Give it a shot, you will be happy.

This is the opposite of what I've heard everyone say (and anecdotally experienced myself). Everyone seems to say that sprints coverage is pretty even, and fairly consistent, whereas say ATT, is more spotty. Great in some areas, terrible in lots. Sprint is more like good in most areas, less spots that are just bad.

 

[axia55]

This is the opposite of what I've heard everyone say (and anecdotally experienced myself). Everyone seems to say that sprints coverage is pretty even, and fairly consistent, whereas say ATT, is more spotty. Great in some areas, terrible in lots. Sprint is more like good in most areas, less spots that are just bad.

That is the kind of feedback I am looking for. Went to BB today to cancel my Droid X pre-order and talked to the Moble Phone manager. He said that two years ago he wouldn't have recommended Sprint to anyone, now he says it is great and getting better.

Anyone have experiance with the EPRP plans as far as canceling them if you don't like the service? I can get a 10% discount through my employer, but I heard as of August 1st, that will only apply to the main line. The EPRP is closer to 20% off everything!

 

[Fingolfin269]

I like Sprint enough now that I cannot move to any other carrier. The cost of ownership for the others is just not worth it to me considering the monthly plan I have is phenomenal coupled with the fact that I can upgrade once per year. And it looks like Sprint is finally getting phones worth upgrading to. No brainer here man.

 

[Slick5150]

I like Sprint enough now that I cannot move to any other carrier. The cost of ownership for the others is just not worth it to me considering the monthly plan I have is phenomenal coupled with the fact that I can upgrade once per year. And it looks like Sprint is finally getting phones worth upgrading to. No brainer here man.

Ditto. I'm just waiting for the new HPalm WebOS phone that's supposed to be announced on Monday (or so the rumor mill goes). Unlimited calling + texting + data for under $60 month after taxes (with my 23% discount)? Can't beat that.

 

[axia55]

I think I am sold.....now I just have to wait until November until my contract with VZW expires....

 

[boomhower]

I think I am sold.....now I just have to wait until November until my contract with VZW expires....

You won't regret it. Sprint has a system, learn to play it and you will profit. I have my $130 ED Family plan whittled down to $90.

 

[axia55]

You won't regret it. Sprint has a system, learn to play it and you will profit. I have my $130 ED Family plan whittled down to $90.

Care to explain further?

 

[randomlinh]

Buy through a Sprint store and not online. That way if you don't like it, you can cancel within 14 days and get your money back. The reality is that while Sprint's network is great in most places, it is extremely YMMV.

Give it a shot, you will be happy.

i thought sprint had a full 30 days? http://www.sprint.com/landings/returns/

I'm happy with sprint so far. customer service has been so so, but about on par with my verizon wireless experience. neither amazing nor terrible.

i will likely stay unless a) they fold or b) get more expensive than verizon. phone choices be damned, the $$ is the bottom line.