Sprint Unlimited Data

[derrph]

Honest opinion, once sprint is near complete with the Network Vision build out do you guys think that sprint will still offer unlimited data? I know with lte comes increased usage and because of that do you think sprint may turn to data limits to keep the network from being hit to hard?

[lynyrd65]

Honest opinion, once sprint is near complete with the Network Vision build out do you guys think that sprint will still offer unlimited data? I know with lte comes increased usage and because of that do you think sprint may turn to data limits to keep the network from being hit to hard?

 

As long as T-Mobile offers unlimited I wouldn't count on the term "unlimited" going away. There is a chance that they might throttle after a certain amount while still calling it unlimited like AT&T. However, with LTE being deployed on sites with 1900 spacing and fewer customers than the big two, I bet it will be a while after NV 1.0 is completed before we see slowdowns.

 

When sites get to capacity on 1900 I see TD-LTE being deployed to take care of it.

[digiblur]

Sprint knows its one of the major things that keep people around and so does TMobile. They just don't have the huge network like Verizon and AT&T to compete on that level so they have to compete a bit on price but that alone doesn't hold people so throw the unlimited data in and you've got a winning combination that overcomes the network coverage that other guys throw around on the commercials all the time.  Rip out the unlimited data and I guarantee you that you'll see their customer numbers start to drop, I would be one of them. 

[Mobilesolutions]

Sprint will remain unlimited for smartphone data.

[S4GRU]

As long as Sprint needs unlimited to compete, they'll keep it. However, expect some traffic shaping and possibly throttle limits if it starts to become a problem.

 

Currently, Sprint has no other differentiator against the competition. They'll soon have a low frequency and rural LTE coverage differentiator against Tmo. But unlimited (and coat to a small extent) is all they have to differentiate against the duopoly.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 with Tapatalk HD

[derrph]

Thats what I was starting to think of was throttling. When the data is working really well them people will begin to use more. I think that if it did come down to sprint slowing speeds it will probably cap at 5gb. Because sprint has practically a new network that will still need work to make it really stable throttling would be a idea but idk all of that remains to be seen  

[Mobilesolutions]

Thats what I was starting to think of was throttling. When the data is working really well them people will begin to use more. I think that if it did come down to sprint slowing speeds it will probably cap at 5gb. Because sprint has practically a new network that will still need work to make it really stable throttling would be a idea but idk all of that remains to be seen

 

Cap at 5gb and im gone. Throttle me if I pass 10...fine.

[avb]

I used to think I needed unlimited data, but looking at my usage for the past 2 years I'm usually at 1-1.5gb of data.  I guess if you're always streaming Netflix or Spotify is when you really need unlimited, but you'll also need to keep your phone near a charger too.

 

[dahauss]

I'm always streaming online radio or video and who knows what else is using data

[WeRtechSupport]

There's some months where I peak at about 15GBs... I'd rather have a small amount of throttling after 5-10gb then having a cap. Most months I'm around 3-6GB so I could live with it i guess.

[LAbeach]

If I was forced to shop for a carrier and consider limits , how much do I need.

I use a little email and sometimes a utube video but lots of audio streaming.

How do I calculate how much data I will use on LTE for I-Heart radio 8 hours per day , 5 days a week?

thanks

Oh, I'm getting a driving job so I can't use my past usage as a guide.

Edited May 28, 2013 by LAbeach

[MacinJosh]

If I had to go somewhere else and leave Sprint, the first place I'd consider T-Mobile before I subjected myself to AT&T and Verizon's data caps.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

[Dem_Bone]

One of my co-workers has T-mo and the unlimited plan that he signed up for is nice and all, but after (I think) 5 gigs of data, he gets throttled down to a 2g connection.  He doesn't use his phone that much so I don't think he will have to worry about it.  

 

If Sprint ever decides to make that decision to do a data cap, or a throttle, hopefully they will do like AT&T.  IA couple of my friends are grandfathered in to an unlimited plan.  No throttle, no caps.

[gameaddict8]

One of my co-workers has T-mo and the unlimited plan that he signed up for is nice and all, but after (I think) 5 gigs of data, he gets throttled down to a 2g connection.  He doesn't use his phone that much so I don't think he will have to worry about it.  

 

If Sprint ever decides to make that decision to do a data cap, or a throttle, hopefully they will do like AT&T.  IA couple of my friends are grandfathered in to an unlimited plan.  No throttle, no caps.

AT&T throttles at 5gb on lte, 3 gb on hspa+ devices

[RP88]

IA couple of my friends are grandfathered in to an unlimited plan.  No throttle, no caps.

 

 

 Grandfathering used to sound good, but what carriers have taken too to sidestep this (as Sprint did with standard/smartphone transitions) is the deem new phones "incompatible" with old/unlimited plans.  They will say that the plan can't be coded for the new phones, but it's a load, they set it up so it "can't" be done by CSR's. Verizon just did this to a coworker of mine when his wife switched to an iphone5 from a droid.  It's just their way of forcing people off the unlimited plans.

[Mobilesolutions]

Throttle the top 2% of data users and leave the rest alone. 

[lynyrd65]

Throttle the top 2% of data users and leave the rest alone.

 

Ooo thats what AT&T said.

 

In effect you kill the natural growth of data use doing that.

 

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

 

 

[WiWavelength]

In effect you kill the natural growth of data use doing that.

 

Good, good...

 

 

AJ

[Mobilesolutions]

Ooo thats what AT&T said.

 

In effect you kill the natural growth of data use doing that.

 

Sent from my SCH-R970 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

I prefer unlimited but if you throttle I'd prefer its only to the very top. This way even if you are killing some growth you are leaving everybody else alone. When you try and shape data traffic too much everyone notices.

[bookertdub]

I say throttle 3G down to 500-1,000 kbps and on LTE throttle it down to 1,000-1,500 kbps depending on how congested the cell tower is. Either that or do what Verizon does, and implement throttling or "optimization" on towers that are congested. But to be throttled down to dialup speeds in this day and age in ny opinion is rather draconian.

 

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

[nophix]

If I was forced to shop for a carrier and consider limits , how much do I need.

I use a little email and sometimes a utube video but lots of audio streaming.

How do I calculate how much data I will use on LTE for I-Heart radio 8 hours per day , 5 days a week?

thanks

Oh, I'm getting a driving job so I can't use my past usage as a guide.

 

That's what I do, but add GPS, and substitute Pandora. I'm running 10gb per month on that line.

 

I'm an LTL truck driver.

[nophix]

What really jerks my chain with AT&T is they say use wifi, then cap home DSL at 150gb, with no real way to check usage. Then, charge overages.

 

Talk about a racket!

[WiWavelength]

I say throttle 3G down to 500-1,000 kbps and on LTE throttle it down to 1,000-1,500 kbps depending on how congested the cell tower is. Either that or do what Verizon does, and implement throttling or "optimization" on towers that are congested. But to be throttled down to dialup speeds in this day and age in ny opinion is rather draconian.

 

If throttling does not affect the ability to stream content, and incessant streaming is the largest consumer of wireless data, then how does your level of throttling solve the problem? A few months ago, I wrote the following:

 

Have you heard of the "long tail" in sales? This is almost assuredly not my unique idea, but let me at least suggest the similar "slow trickle" of wireless data. Unauthorized tethering is problematic, but of late, even more problematic is the constant use of low bit rate streaming services. Several dozen subs streaming Pandora (or similar) several hours a day is enough to take down a 5 MHz FDD LTE sector to little more than minimal service during that time.

AJ

[Mobilesolutions]

What really jerks my chain with AT&T is they say use wifi, then cap home DSL at 150gb, with no real way to check usage. Then, charge overages.

 

Talk about a racket!

 

They should have a very easy to monitor usage system if they are going to charge you for any overage IMO. 

[Mobilesolutions]

 

If throttling does not affect the ability to stream content, and incessant streaming is the largest consumer of wireless data, then how does your level of throttling solve the problem? A few months ago, I wrote the following:

 

 

AJ

 

If only more wireless companies could help carry the capacity. 

____ the official wireless offloading partner for (Insert Sprint market here)

 

 

Someone has to compete against the Verizon+COX team-up.