Marcelo Claure, Town Hall Meetings, New Family Share Pack Plan, Unlimited Individual Plan, Discussion Thread

[dstar2002]

If you feel the need to remove my posts, feel free to do so.  I am not asking for special treatment.  

 

Cletus, thank you for the link you posted.  Thats very useful.  I actually don't need everything data plans, I don't use a ton of data (and I don't illegally tether).  Currently I have 2 accounts, and I want to merge them, which, has been a disaster to do, because I am on ED.  I have my family on one, 3 ED, 1 some one off with direct connect, and then my wives account from before she married this chump, with her and her mother on their own ED.  None of us need more than 5 gigs, most would be fine with 2.  So I want to whittle it down to the bare neccessity, and if I need in the future, happily pay for increased service levels.

[WiWavelength]

Curious, are you on an ED1500/3000 plan?  If so, you are already reaping the loyalty benefits.   

 

Yes, the "loyalty benefits" that many seem to want, well, they have enjoyed for many years already with their sweetheart of a deal plans that provide both "unlimited" data and subsidized upgrades.  And that is why many who threaten to leave Sprint never do.  They do not want to give up their cut rate plan prices, "unlimited" data, and subsidized upgrades.  They know that, once given up, they will never get those deals back.  Sprint allowing them to remain on those legacy plans is in essence providing "loyalty benefits."

 

AJ

[WiWavelength]

All of that may be true, but it seems to me (don't have the numbers to do a financial analysis or anything) that they could have come out ahead by waiving the line/activation fees if you buy or bring your own tablet.

 

I think that a "bring your own tablet" promotion would be too confusing to the general populace on a grand marketing scale like this.  Remember that most tablets sold are Wi-Fi only, non cellular.  Or they do not support any/all Sprint LTE bands.  Many less tech savvy, average users would show up with non compatible tablets.  It would be a customer service and tech support headache.

 

AJ

[Calvin200]

If you are going to talk like that, here is my advice to you…

 

Do not let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

 

Seriously, the bitching and moaning in this thread is over the top.  Many of you apparently are ingrates who will look a gift horse in the mouth.  If you do not like the offer, you do not have to take it.  Simple as that.  Sprint owes you nothing except for what is stated in your service plan.

 

AJ

I'm OK with it, I did guess what it was incorrectly and I did think it was the same as cut your bill in half at first.  That being said,  They put the promotion announcement hints IN A GIFT BOX.  We all found out there wasn't a D in there.  

Edited November 18, 2015 by Calvin200

[cletus]

I think that a "bring your own tablet" promotion would be too confusing to the general populace on a grand marketing scale like this.  Remember that most tablets sold are Wi-Fi only, non cellular.  Or they do not support any/all Sprint LTE bands.  Many less tech savvy, average users would show up with non compatible tablets.  It would be a customer service and tech support headache.

 

AJ

 

Agree about potential for confusion. I would happily consider an LTE iPad on Sprint for my wife if there were waived activation and line fees. Otherwise I will stick to only considering a wifi tablet and running it off my phone hotspot when we are on vacation.

[Trip]

I think that a "bring your own tablet" promotion would be too confusing to the general populace on a grand marketing scale like this.  Remember that most tablets sold are Wi-Fi only, non cellular.  Or they do not support any/all Sprint LTE bands.  Many less tech savvy, average users would show up with non compatible tablets.  It would be a customer service and tech support headache.

 

AJ

 

I said "buy or bring."  Buy would be the headline, what goes in the TV commercial, but you could bring your own if you wanted and it was compatible.

 

- Trip

[dstar2002]

T-Mobile is winning with new subscribers. It is not necessarily winning with existing users -- many of whom complain about it in their respective forums and comment boards just like you have here.  Face it, once you are in the fold, you are almost forgotten.  For financial reasons, the search is always on for new subscribers.  Those are the people who get the biggest perks.

 

AJ

 

Dont all their customers benefit from unlimited music and video streaming?  I thought they said they do, and they had to do nothing to take advantage of it.

[Deval]

Too bad Tmobile's unlimited plan is excluded from this offer.

 

Because Sprint's unlimited plan is already $10 cheaper.

[jamesinclair]

 

So after 2 years the tablet will cost you either $ 180 or $120 for one year of service and then you can cancel

 

 

The Tablet appears to retail for $170

:/

[Deval]

They  should get rid of the overages and activation fees. That are two of the things making them anti consumers. For over a year he has been throwing a bunch of plans to the wall trying to see which ones stick on it. Sprint main problem has been the network and trying to act like the Twin bells with overages and activation fees.

 

You  can do those things when you are in a position of strength not when you are struggling. 

 

Harping on T-Mobile bandwagon, seriously?...the new 50% off has no overage, once you use up the allotted data, you get reduced to 2G for rest of the month.

 

Activation fees are the same as the $15 SIM fee that T-Mobile charges.

[kg4icg]

Because Sprint's unlimited plan is already $10 cheaper.

No actually, Sprint's unlimited is now $25 cheaper then TMobiles, they raised there price to $95 for unlimited.

[Rocket87]

Agree about potential for confusion. I would happily consider an LTE iPad on Sprint for my wife if there were waived activation and line fees. Otherwise I will stick to only considering a wifi tablet and running it off my phone hotspot when we are on vacation.

Currently if you lease an ipad and put it on the 2gb ($30) plan you get a $17 credit. Ipad mini is 17 and air2 20 a month. So you could get a mini w/2gb for 30 or air2 for 33 a month

 

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[Deval]

No actually, Sprint's unlimited is now $25 cheaper then TMobiles, they raised there price to $95 for unlimited.

 

Even better, thanks buddy!

[RedSpark]

Analysts are worried about the cash burn with this and other promos. We'll probably see the stock go under $4 today.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good. I'll buy some more then.

[jamesinclair]

Does anyone here disagree with the statement that regardless of the merits of the new plan, Sprint over-hyped it?

 

I think, had they released it as a surprise, the reaction would be very different.

 

Instead, the countdown clock, the "nights and weekends working" and all the tweets built up expectations way too high.

 

I think Marcelo has done an excellent job. However, I am concerned he seriously misread the market if he genuinely felt this announcement was worthy of the hype.

 

The reaction right now is more focused on "that's it?" rather than any of the merits of the plan. That to be says that their announcement strategy backfired.

 

 

Good. I'll buy some more then.

 

Ugh, I made that mistake 75 cents ago

 

[Deval]

I am truly embarassed for Sprint.  I have been a Nextel/Sprint customer since 2001, and now, more than ever, I am actually thinking its time to just get out.  I have never even considered it, but this company is going no where fast.  I was legitimately excited thinking this was going to finally be the thing that reinvigorates the company.

 

Nope.

 

I am actually insulted that as a 14 year customer their thanks is a piece of shit tablet and service for it.  They could give it to me for free forever and I would still be pissed off.

 

End rant.

 

I have 6 lines that are either going to get a major restructuring price wise from Sprint, or I will find another carrier.  I dont know what carrier it will be, but if I cant get comparable rate plans for 50% less than I pay today, its over.

 

So what were you expecting? Honestly, did you expect your service to be free? 

 

I seriously doubt you and your 6 lines will get a 50% reduction from what you pay now.

[Deval]

Dont all their customers benefit from unlimited music and video streaming?  I thought they said they do, and they had to do nothing to take advantage of it.

 

Not unless they are on the newer plans.

[WiWavelength]

I said "buy or bring."  Buy would be the headline, what goes in the TV commercial, but you could bring your own if you wanted and it was compatible.

 

Many people still would show up with Wi-Fi only or non compatible tablets.  That disappointment, though not Sprint's fault, still would color those persons' perceptions of Sprint.

 

As for the "buy" option, many people would waltz in to get an iPad, then get sticker shock from the "cellular tax."  Since most people have Wi-Fi only tablets, they do not know how much the cellular or LTE option adds to tablet prices.

 

AJ

[Calvin200]

Savings on new plans apply until 2018.

[maxsilver]

Does anyone here disagree with the statement that regardless of the merits of the new plan, Sprint over-hyped it?

 

(snip)

 

the countdown clock, the "nights and weekends working" and all the tweets built up expectations way too high.

 

I was just about to post a similar message.

 

Sprint seemed to want really high expectations, to drive publicity, generate excitement, etc. This often works really well, if your announcing something interesting or novel. But changing an existing promo slightly doesn't really fit most people's idea of "interesting or novel".

 

I don't see anything wrong with the promotion. It was fine before, and the new changes are nice. But I can definitely see why people would be frustrated -- this doesn't feel in line with their pre-announcement messaging. 

[cletus]

Many people still would show up with Wi-Fi only or non compatible tablets.  That disappointment, though not Sprint's fault, still would color those persons' perceptions of Sprint.

 

As for the "buy" option, many people would waltz in to get an iPad, then get sticker shock from the "cellular tax."  Since most people have Wi-Fi only tablets, they do not know how much the cellular or LTE option adds to tablet prices.

 

AJ

See that is why waiving line fees for a year makes even more sense. The cellular vs wifi difference on iPads is $130 so it is a perfect deal for people considering wifi vs cellular.

[S4GRU]

Didn't Sprint just tweet about it and create a countdown page? That's now overhyping? I actually don't get the overhyped storyline. No TV Commercials or billboards. And it was kind of the last minute.

 

It wasn't overhyped. Even S4GRU members were largely dubious it would be anything worthwhile. But to tech enthusiasts, it was probably all a spectacular fantasy. You people who claimed Sprint overhyped this are in fact the ones who over hyped it. The rest of us were pessimistic.

 

Sent from Amazon Fire Phone using Tapatalk

[WiWavelength]

Dont all their customers benefit from unlimited music and video streaming?  I thought they said they do, and they had to do nothing to take advantage of it.

 

I do not recall all of the details off the top of my head, but T-Mobile has eliminated some grandfathered elements -- such as subsidized upgrades -- from legacy plans.  I think there was also an old $5.99 add on that still provided "unlimited" data, but T-Mobile has enacted recent policies that make those existing users uncomfortable.  Some time ago, they were complaining to high heaven on TmoNews.

 

And that is my point.  It happens everywhere, across many industries.  New subs get most of the love.  Existing subs need to be satisfied with their service plans -- or take their business elsewhere.

 

AJ

[Deval]

I was just about to post a similar message.

 

Sprint seemed to want really high expectations, to drive publicity, generate excitement, etc. This often works really well, if your announcing something interesting or novel. But changing an existing promo slightly doesn't really fit most people's idea of "interesting or novel".

 

I don't see anything wrong with the promotion. It was fine before, and the new changes are nice. But I can definitely see why people would be frustrated -- this doesn't feel in line with their pre-announcement messaging. 

 

 

Didn't Sprint just tweet about it and create a countdown page? That's now overhyping? I actually don't get the overhyped storyline. No TV Commercials or billboards. And it was kind of the last minute.

 

It wasn't overhyped. Even S4GRU members were largely dubious it would be anything worthwhile. But to tech enthusiasts, it was probably all a spectacular fantasy. You people who claimed Sprint overhyped this are in fact the ones who over hyped it. The rest of us were pessimistic.

 

Sent from Amazon Fire Phone using Tapatalk

 

I was a realist

 

This is actually a great option for customers who want a change. The last promo didn't feel "together", this one, combined with the Sprint LTE Plus announcement, really feels "together".

 

Hey mister and mrs. customer, switch to Sprint, pick your plan, we'll cut it 1/2, not charge you any overages, and pay off your ETF.

[nexgencpu]

Damn Im not getting nationwide Band 41, and no service in my underground bunker, plus I expected free service for life! Since I totally feel that they owe me! 

 

What a huuuuge failure!

 

Seriously, this is pretty much as expected, at the end of the day, theirs definitely a few things to like for new subs, and thats exactly what Sprint needs.