Softbank - New Sprint - Discussion

[WiWavelength]

Sprint deserves a lot of credit for all they work that they have done the last couple of years. But the man that wrote those big checks gets to do what he wants. And right now he wants T-Mobile's managerial team and he wants the HQ out of Overland Park.

 

Honestly, I am sorry that Sprint ever got associated with SoftBank now.  This is just going to screw Kansas City.  If so, Son can go to hell.

 

AJ

[Nickel]

Honestly, I am sorry that Sprint ever got associated with SoftBank now.  This is just going to screw Kansas City.  If so, Son can go to hell.

 

AJ

I don't see him moving HQ, it would be incredibly expensive and what purpose would it serve? Save him ~2 hours of flight time? I'm not buying it.

[bigsnake49]

Honestly, I am sorry that Sprint ever got associated with SoftBank now.  This is just going to screw Kansas City.  If so, Son can go to hell.

 

AJ

 

Believe me I have been associated with corporations where the only way you can move up is for your boss to retire or die. There's a lot of people that are set in, their own little feudal kingdom. A friend of mine was just let go because he thought he was indespensible and he thought the $4B company he worked for would kiss his behind. The old bosses did, the new bosses did not want a single point of failure so one of the first things they did after they bought the company is to let him and his password protected spreadsheets go. So if you think you're safe in Overland Park, watch out, no matter whether Sprint and T-Mobile merge or not.

[Johnner1999]

If I recall SoftBank started to get ready to acquire TMO when Dish started to mess up the Sprint buyout.

 

My assumption is that SB always had a vision to cobble Sprint/TMO/ClearWire together.

 

 

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

[dnicekid]

If I recall SoftBank started to get ready to acquire TMO when Dish started to mess up the Sprint buyout.

 

My assumption is that SB always had a vision to cobble Sprint/TMO/ClearWire together.

 

 

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get that feeling too, But do remember that sprint wanted tmo before Son came in the picture. 

[bigsnake49]

I get that feeling too, But do remember that sprint wanted tmo before Son came in the picture. 

 

Yes they were haggling with DT before AT&T swooped in!

[newgroundsguru]

Yup, you were just the kind of person I was thinking of when I wrote that facetious "WTF" reaction post.

 

AJ

 

I just wish they would give you the choice to do this OR the 2 year.

[WiWavelength]

I just wish they would give you the choice to do this OR the 2 year.

 

Nope.  Sprint and other operators want out of the subsidy system, so it will no longer be an option.  Honestly, if you are financing the handset, the difference between that and paying subsidy is negligible.  So, I do not know why you have gotten your panties in a wad over it.

 

AJ

[MacinJosh]

Nope. Sprint and other operators want out of the subsidy system, so it will no longer be an option. Honestly, if you are financing the handset, the difference between that and paying subsidy is negligible. So, I do not know why you have gotten your panties in a wad over it.

 

AJ

I find the financing a much more transparent option to buying a phone. Having to pay so much up front on a 2 year contract can be much harder for some than others. Granted it may look more expensive at first, but after 2 years, it just really isn't any higher than the 2yr subsidy model, and then with Framily, it makes it all more affordable. I won't miss 2 yr subsidies.

 

 

Sent from Josh's iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2

[dnicekid]

I just wish they would give you the choice to do this OR the 2 year.

It should be that way, at least for existing customer say prior to 2014 or bring back "premier" and make that one of the perks for being loyal

[JWMaloney]

Nope.  Sprint and other operators want out of the subsidy system, so it will no longer be an option.  Honestly, if you are financing the handset, the difference between that and paying subsidy is negligible.  So, I do not know why you have gotten your panties in a wad over it.

 

AJ

 

I'm not happy with it because they've used it as an opportunity to raise prices. I'll be sticking with my Everything Plus plan as long as I can.

[utiz4321]

I'm not happy with it because they've used it as an opportunity to raise prices. I'll be sticking with my Everything Plus plan as long as I can.

They raised prices with my way plans. Sprint has been losing money and customers for years. The lower prices haven't stopped customers from leaving so they had to raise prices to steam the loss of money. They are still cheaper than the big two and still more expensive than tmobile, they are just closer to the former and further from the latter now.

 

The only issue I have is that they continuing to charge an "upgrade" fee. Since you are not getting a subsidy it seems to me this is a financing charge now (as it only applies if you finance a device not if you BYOD). Which makes a mockery of their no finance charges claim. I fine with the fee if they want to charge it, I just not ok with them claiming no finance charges while charging the fee only when you finance the phone.

[WiWavelength]

I'm not happy with it because they've used it as an opportunity to raise prices. I'll be sticking with my Everything Plus plan as long as I can.

 

Raise prices?  Not really.  You can make the argument that Sprint has increased the cost of "unlimited" data, but that is as it should be.  As we have stated ad nauseam, "unlimited" is not sustainable.  So, if you want "unlimited," than you should have to pay a considerable premium for the opportunity cost that your usage causes to others users on the network.

 

As for your existing plan, you will soon have no future subsidized upgrades, but you will still be paying subsidy every month.  That seems foolish, but suit yourself.

 

AJ

[JWMaloney]

Raise prices?  Not really.  You can make the argument that Sprint has increased the cost of "unlimited" data, but that is as it should be.  As we have stated ad nauseam, "unlimited" is not sustainable.  So, if you want "unlimited," than you should have to pay a considerable premium for the opportunity cost that your usage causes to others users on the network.

 

As for your existing plan, you will soon have no future subsidized upgrades, but you will still be paying subsidy every month.  That seems foolish, but suit yourself.

 

AJ

 

 

 

Yes, really. My bill before taxes and subsidies  surcharges is lower under my current plan than it would be under the My Way or Framily plans, even if I didn't have to also include the device payment for the next 23 months for the two devices I just bought. But thanks for the condescending comments.

[WiWavelength]

Yes, really. My bill before taxes and subsidies  surcharges is lower under my current plan than it would be under the My Way or Framily plans, even if I didn't have to also include the device payment for the next 23 months for the two devices I just bought. But thanks for the condescending comments.

 

One, I do not think my post "condescending."  I just say it like it is.

 

Two, I have to assume you are factoring in the $20 charge for "unlimited" data, correct?  So, exactly how much Sprint data do you use per month?  And do you have some sort of volume pricing discount on your current plan?

 

AJ

[Johnner1999]

For me AT&T is cheaper - for my two lines including my corp discount and with 6gb shared.

 

But I value the unlimited data with sprint.

 

The rub is that AT&T data works I suppose.

 

I still think (hope?) the new sprint will be great - fingers crossed :-)

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Vette]

Framily can end up being more expensive than the old plans, but I personally feel that not having a 2 year contract and being a lot more transparent about what phones actually cost is well worth the few extra bucks. And maybe customers will start to see that their phone doesn't actually cost $99. It always irks me when people say "Yeah, I got this new phone for FREE!" or "This phone was only $99 and it's a really good phone!"

 

Also, still having the option for unlimited is great. And before people start destroying me for saying that, my average monthly usage on my Verizon (unlimited) plan is 1.8GB. But there are months that I use 5 or 6 and don't really want to pay overages or have to bother with capped. But I understand that a lot of people don't self-police their mobile data usage on an unlimited plan.

[JWMaloney]

One, I do not think my post "condescending."  I just say it like it is.

 

Two, I have to assume you are factoring in the $20 charge for "unlimited" data, correct?  So, exactly how much Sprint data do you use per month?  And do you have some sort of volume pricing discount on your current plan?

 

AJ

 

I'm on the Everything Plus referral plans, so there is a small discount, but I'm comparing old EPRP to new EPRP, not EPRP to regular plans.

 

I have two lines with smartphones and one line with a flip phone. The minimum bill under my current (old) Everything Plus Data 1600 plan is $95 + $14.99 + $14.99 for voice, text, and data, and $10 + $10 for required Premium Data, so my minimum bill is $144.98.

 

Under the EP My Way plans (which are the only currently offered EPRP plan as of today), I would pay $50 + $40 + $30 for voice and text, and $20 + $20 for the required smartphone data plan, so my minimum bill would be $160, and the flip phone would lose all data access.

 

Under the new Framily plan, if I understand it correctly, I would pay $45 + $45 + $45 for voice, text, and 1GB data, and $20 + $20 for my two smartphone lines to get unlimited data since they both go over 1GB per month on a regular basis, meaning my bill would be $175. This number is higher than both other options, AND I'm no longer getting a device subsidy. Now, Framily plans aren't offered under EPRP yet, so I can assume that if/when they are, this price will go down. But even if it goes down $30/month and becomes comparable to what I'm paying now, it still no longer includes a device subsidy.

 

---

 

Now, enough about my discounted plans; let's say I don't have an employee account and I'm just the average consumer. Even if I was moving from the consumer Everything Data 1500 plan to the Framily plan, it would still be a worse deal. Under that plan, I would pay $110 + $19.99 + $19.99 for voice, text, and data, and $10 + $10 Premium Data, for a total of $169.98. Or if I was moving from the consumer My Way plan, I would be paying $50 + $40 + $30 for voice and text, and $30 + $30 for smartphone data, for a total of $180.

 

So the Framily plan at $175 would be $5/month cheaper than the consumer My Way plan. But again, I lose the device subsidy, which is worth a lot more than $5/month.

 

And I get what you're saying about the "unsustainable" business model, and if I as a consumer cared about that, I would still argue that they already raised prices there once by requiring Premium Data for all smartphones. So between My Way and Framily, this will be the third time in the last 5 years that they are raising prices on unlimited customers. But my concern about using this as an opportunity to opaquely raise prices is still valid, as I can see purely by the bottom line that my bill would increase under the new plan even if I started paying cash for every future device.

 

Maybe if I had 10 lines on my account it would be a different story.

[S4GRU]

The rub is that AT&T data works I suppose.

Ironically, I am at an AT&T WCDMA site in Sturgis, South Dakota right now pulling 100kbps. You'll have to pardon me if I don't fullheartedly agree with your line of thinking.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[S4GRU]

If Sprint is over charging on Framily plans, people won't subscribe. And Sprint will lose even more customers. Then they may adjust pricing even further.

 

I'm not worried about this. Do what's best for you. Whatever Sprint plan works best, or whatever provider works best. And Sprint will continue to do what's best for itself. Which may be to lower prices even further if that's going to get the result it's looking for.

 

Nothing wrong with Framily. It's innovative. And it may not be the best answer for everyone.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[S4GRU]

But Framily and pricing belong in another topic.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

 

[centermedic]

Ironically, I am at an AT&T WCDMA site in Sturgis, South Dakota right now pulling 100kbps. You'll have to pardon me if I don't fullheartedly agree with your line of thinking.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Which is why folk should preface their statements with a qualifier like in my experience or where I live/work.

[Johnner1999]

Ironically, I am at an AT&T WCDMA site in Sturgis, South Dakota right now pulling 100kbps. You'll have to pardon me if I don't fullheartedly agree with your line of thinking.

 

Robert via Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Touché....

 

That said I too typically get 100kb on evdo. Sucks doesn't it ;-)

 

 

In my area it was always a strong AT&T cell build out area (and I'm talking the real AT&T not Cingular)

 

 

 

Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk

 

 

[WiWavelength]

In my area it was always a strong AT&T cell build out area (and I'm talking the real AT&T not Cingular)

 

Eh, where are you located in Connecticut?  That was SNET territory, which became SBC then Cingular then AT&T territory.

 

Are you in the northwest corner of the state?  That is the only CMA where AT&TWS ever had native presence.

 

AJ

[Nickel]

Eh, where are you located in Connecticut?  That was SNET territory, which became SBC then Cingular then AT&T territory.

 

Are you in the northwest corner of the state?  That is the only CMA where AT&TWS ever had native presence.

 

AJ

Your knowledge of wireless history is one of my favorite things about this place.