Sprint Axed Old Family Plans for New My Way Plans

[Fraydog]

Sounds good but with Sprint and T-Mobile merging it would create 3 evil carriers instead of two.

I have concerns about it, mainly that it would make the US more like Canada where the Robelus Empire milks consumers like crazy. I still think it's kind of inevitable at this point, though.

[Nickel]

If you're SoftBank wouldn't you be better off spending money on Sprint's network than having to pay for T-Mobile?

[digiblur]

If you're SoftBank wouldn't you be better off spending money on Sprint's network than having to pay for T-Mobile?

Yep, I believe the money spent on Tmobile would be better spent on new network upgrades instead of a duplication of things in many places.

[Nickel]

Yep, I believe the money spent on Tmobile would be better spent on new network upgrades instead of a duplication of things in many places.

I was more thinking of adding more sites, but yeah, that works too.

[digiblur]

I was more thinking of adding more sites, but yeah, that works too.

New sites are considered network upgrades in my book.

[Fraydog]

If you're SoftBank wouldn't you be better off spending money on Sprint's network than having to pay for T-Mobile?

If there's a merger it would involve large amounts of decommissioning sites. I look at it this way. Sprint has 39,000 cell sites that are spread out. T-Mobile has 50,000 or so sites primarily urban. Combine that under the 4G LTE umbrella and you could get to a 70,000 site tour de force.

[Nickel]

If there's a merger it would involve large amounts of decommissioning sites. I look at it this way. Sprint has 39,000 cell sites that are spread out. T-Mobile has 50,000 or so sites primarily urban. Combine that under the 4G LTE umbrella and you could get to a 70,000 site tour de force.

I think even 70,000 might be being generous. To me it seems like most of the sites would end up being redundant. Plus you have to agree that it would need to be at a time when they have already deployed VoLTE otherwise it would be a huge pain in the butt. Not to mention that most Sprint devices don't support AWS and most T-Mobile phones don't support any of Sprint's LTE bands.

 

Also, why can't we have four carriers? If Sprint's network gets to where it should be it'll be fine and T-Mobile has had a decent couple of quarters so they should be sustainable unless things take a turn for the worse. 

[ericdabbs]

I think even 70,000 might be being generous. To me it seems like most of the sites would end up being redundant. Plus you have to agree that it would need to be at a time when they have already deployed VoLTE otherwise it would be a huge pain in the butt. Not to mention that most Sprint devices don't support AWS and most T-Mobile phones don't support any of Sprint's LTE bands.

 

Also, why can't we have four carriers? If Sprint's network gets to where it should be it'll be fine and T-Mobile has had a decent couple of quarters so they should be sustainable unless things take a turn for the worse. 

 

I agree with you.  I much rather have 4 national carriers than a 3 national carriers.  I like that Tmobile is out there to challenge the big 2 and Sprint to change the way the wireless industry does things.  

 

Look at what Tmobile has accomplished this year being the uncarrier.  

1. They have forced the 3 other major wireless carriers come up with a "JUMP" like program for early upgrades.

2. They are quickly building out their LTE network in the urban areas in the major markets.  

3. They have offered free global roaming of data and texting in over 100 countries (granted it is 2G capped at 128 Kbps...which is still better than nothing).  

4. They have offered nice simply choice plans which a family of 4 can get 4 smartphones with 500 MB of fast 4G data for only $100 ($180 after phone subsidy).

 

As a result of all this Tmobile has been gaining customers who are tired of the BS that Verizon and AT&T has put up.  Tmobile is a good thing for the wireless industry and I would hate to see it gobbled up by Sprint.  I am very curious to see what else Tmobile has up their sleeve to try to play catch up.

[dnwk]

  

 

Yes. T-mobile achieved a lot. But I never see Sprint achieved a thing.

[wyndd123]

I just did a upgrade on my everything 1500 plan yesterday they add the phone with no questions asked

[centermedic]

Yes. T-mobile achieved a lot. But I never see Sprint achieved a thing.

Really?

[dnwk]

Really?

 

I mean T-Mobile really has some good ideas, e.g. force everybody to do the jump thing. But I have not see any brilliant idea coming out of Sprint and/or successfully force everyone else to follow suit?

Edited October 21, 2013 by dnwk

[centermedic]

I mean T-Mobile really has some good ideas, e.g. force everybody to do the jump thing. But I have not see any brilliant idea coming out of Sprint and/or successfully force everyone else to follow suit?

Historically Sprint has had a lot of technological first. More recently they have maintained unlimited data. That has forced T-mobile to keep some type of limited data. While I think its great that T-Mobile is trying to change the landscape I dont think that is a very important metric when deciding who you are going to give your money to. Sometimes being first does not mean you are the best.

[dnwk]

Historically Sprint has had a lot of technological first. More recently they have maintained unlimited data. That has forced T-mobile to keep some type of limited data. While I think its great that T-Mobile is trying to change the landscape I dont think that is a very important metric when deciding who you are going to give your money to. Sometimes being first does not mean you are the best.

 

 

Well, the unlimited Data is meaningless if you do not get LTE

[centermedic]

Well, the unlimited Data is meaningless if you do not get LTE

Now you are just splitting hairs. Question asked and answered. But I will still bite. LTE is not the beginning or the end in wireless. Plenty of sprint customers are still on wimax and even more have a speedy 3G connection. I rarely have issues with streaming Netflix or you tube on a 3g connection where I live. Unlimited is still a potential game changer. The difference is once Sprint finishes network vision then unlimited data may put some pressure on Big RED and Big Blue.

[ericdabbs]

I mean T-Mobile really has some good ideas, e.g. force everybody to do the jump thing. But I have not see any brilliant idea coming out of Sprint and/or successfully force everyone else to follow suit?

 

Well Tmobile is in 4th place so they have to shake things up to try to attract customers.  One of the biggest pet peeves of consumers is the 2 year service contracts and having to wait every 2 years to upgrade your phone device.  Tmobile noticed this and provided a solution but I am sure Tmobile USA's inspiration comes from the European model of cell phone service where people are not tied to cell phone contracts and pay for their cell phones.

 

I don't really understand what you expect Sprint to do to revolutionize cell phone service.  They are still stuck on the 2 year model contract and the only way I see Sprint breaking out of that is that a huge rush of Verizon, ATT, and Tmobile customers start flocking to Tmobile because that is the cell phone service model that most Americans prefer.

[hescominsoon]

I don't deal with stores either third party or retail.  i do everything through the phone or website.  I've called x2 and i can upgrade to the 3000 minute shared plan(i have the 1500 right now) and can add more lines to this plan still.  Costs me about the same.  since more than 95% of my calls on all lines are to cellphones i effectively have unlimited minutes...

[jamesinclair]

When Verizon switched to the share plans, all 3rd party partners lost their ability to work with old plans.

 

Sounds like the same situation. I would deal with corporate sprint stores and phone service exclusively if youre staying on the old plans

[hescominsoon]

Well, the unlimited Data is meaningless if you do not get LTE

That's not true.  If you are looking to use 50-100 gigs then yes..but then a wireless network isn't really designed for that kind of usage.  I like unlimited because if something comes up that grabs my attention or if i need to supplement an area with wifi for a bit i can and i don';t have to worry about an arbitrary cap.  I've used 4 gigs in a month on 3g...don't need 4g to tear up the traffic levels.  My wife has used 4 gigs once and she spends much more time in a 4g area than i do.  we all average about a gig per line and with me streaming audio every day.  however under a vz or att plan that would cost me a ton..that's why i like unlimited data.  NOt to use it as a landline substitute..but so i can use my phones in a reasonable way without hitting a profit induced cap.

[The Dave]

It is the 21st of the month, I am currently at 890 megs of data usage this month. I don't need unlimited data, but for me it is purely psychological. I hate the feeling of constantly worrying about how much I am using anytime I check my email, sync my phone or really want to listen to Spotify while driving to work. It is just a more comfortable feeling when I don't have to worry.

[Bob Newhart]

That's not true.  If you are looking to use 50-100 gigs then yes..but then a wireless network isn't really designed for that kind of usage.  I like unlimited because if something comes up that grabs my attention or if i need to supplement an area with wifi for a bit i can and i don';t have to worry about an arbitrary cap.  I've used 4 gigs in a month on 3g...don't need 4g to tear up the traffic levels.  My wife has used 4 gigs once and she spends much more time in a 4g area than i do.  we all average about a gig per line and with me streaming audio every day.  however under a vz or att plan that would cost me a ton..that's why i like unlimited data.  NOt to use it as a landline substitute..but so i can use my phones in a reasonable way without hitting a profit induced cap.

 

Is 50-100 GB more than unlimited?

[dnwk]

The thing is, unlimited data is not an innovation. In good old times, all carriers has unlimited data. However, Other carrier later find out their network cannot handle such a huge data volume and go to metered data. Yes. Sprint do hand on to unlimited with a price of poor customer experience. In root metric reports, sprint usually stay at bottom in terms of network speed. And now, even Sprint has a crack. The new My way plan also give you an option not to be unlimited.  And Sprint is the last one to offer jump-like plans. What I expect is innovative plan that might shake up the whole eco system. T-mobile did achieved that. What did Sprint do?

[The Dave]

What did Sprint do? Sprint decided instead of just metering data and letting it's 3G network deteriorate further and hope for the best with an LTE overlay, it would completely rebuild it's entire network from coast to coast. Sprint is upgrading 40k+ towers with its towers, select iDen towers and even converting some Clear towers. Sprint is using 3 frequencies for LTE, upgrading to 1x and EVDO advance and encorporating elements of LTE advance. Sprint is shutting down unprofitable MVNOs that only hurt it's network. Sprint is offering customers the choices that customers now want, such as their answer to Jump which also happens to be less expensive for their customers than other programs by their competitors. Sprint is keeping their unlimited data without throttling down to 2G. Sprint is taking steps behind the scenes to offer more innovation with the acquisitions made by Softbank.

 

T-Mobile puts on a show. The CEO likes to talk boldly. The uncarrier approach looks innovative at its surface, but financing your subsidy is essentially the same as being in a contract with an etf attached. Throttling data after a small cap is hardly innovative compared to actually unlimited. Being stuck on 2G or in "emergency only" in 2013 over most of the country is hardly innovative.

 

My idea of innovative and what qualifies as "doing something" may be different though.

[koiulpoi]

When Verizon switched to the share plans, all 3rd party partners lost their ability to work with old plans.

 

Sounds like the same situation. I would deal with corporate sprint stores and phone service exclusively if youre staying on the old plans

As an employee of a preferred retailer, this isn't true. We can still perform upgrades normally on people on the "old plans". We can even add lines up to the limit of the share plans - normally 5. The only thing that forces you on to the My Way plan is if you want to use Sprint One Up for a smartphone.

 

Beyond that, corporate store or no, only escalations groups will be able to return customers to old plans once moved off.

[Fraydog]

T-Mobile puts on a show. The CEO likes to talk boldly. The uncarrier approach looks innovative at its surface, but financing your subsidy is essentially the same as being in a contract with an etf attached. Throttling data after a small cap is hardly innovative compared to actually unlimited. Being stuck on 2G or in "emergency only" in 2013 over most of the country is hardly innovative.

 

My idea of innovative and what qualifies as "doing something" may be different though.

 

The rural coverage gap is the hardest thing for T-Mobile to fix. They did a wise thing from their perspective - they went all in on urban areas, rather than try to fight a losing battle with VZ/AT&T in the sticks. Now they have the money to play around with modernizing rural setups, money they didn't have before deploying urban LTE. 

 

As far as T-Mobile's network, they also modernized their urban core, got that modernization up far more quickly because their sites were already adequately backhauled, and then added LTE to that. The Ericsson and NSN setups by T-Mobile are some of the most innovative in the industry, they went to antenna integrated radios before anyone else on the Ericsson end, and the NSN setups with Flexi base stations are similar in that T-Mobile put the entire base station behind the tower. 

 

What do they lack that Sprint has? The old Nextel spectrum, which Sprint is finally (THANK GOD) starting to put to use, as well as the boatload, almost unfair and laughable amount of spectrum riches they got from Clear.

 

T-Mobile needs their own "platinum band" type of spectrum allocation like what SoftBank got in Japan to really hit the rural areas. The problem is getting that. Our government sucks at spectrum allocation, they just gift everything to the Bells. Sprint had to go through hell, and almost bankrupted their company, to get that Nextel spectrum. 

 

Remember that. Both Sprint and T-Mobile have a long way to go in the coverage department.