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

[Sprke]

This would help in many markets.

Sure would..No matter how cheap they get I can't switch until they get coverage in the area's I frequent

[cletus]

Does anyone know if this applies to individual plans or the iPhone plans?

[derrph]

Even though this may not attract too many customers I think the whole reasoning for this promo is to get people from the big two (generally always have good service) to switch and once they see the network is not as bad as people say then it breaks that perception that sprint sucks and then in turn those who have a good experience will then recommend sprint to their friends.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6+

Edited December 2, 2014 by derrph

[Deval]

Ah, so it's not quite such an amazing deal. Because Easy pay or lease will add 20$ on top of the bill.

 

Again, no different than anyone else.

 

The device subsidy days are over, and the faster people get that, the better.

 

I still laugh at the number of customers who come into Sprint stores and complain about the Easy Pay/Lease, threaten to go to T-Mobile, come back with their tails between their legs when they realize it's the same thing there.

 

No different than AT&T and Verizon's new plans, all which require Next or Edge.

[Johnner1999]

Someone pass the popcorn....

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[twospirits]

Hell, I saw a few of the Sprint ads over the weekend on TV, no the screaming goat, but the guy destroying the computer.

 

Great little bit.

hmmm I haven't seen that one yet. I'll keep an eye out for it.

 

TS

[lennyj17]

hmmm I haven't seen that one yet. I'll keep an eye out for it.

 

TS

 

I haven't seen it either. 

[marioc21]

Not exactly Marcelo related, but Sprint's CFO and an exec from SoftBank are giving a presentation at a financial conference today.  The audio stream is available here: http://www.veracast.com/webcasts/baml/levfin2014/id59111313956.cfm

 

Highlights so far:

 

• 260 Mil pops covered by 1.9 LTe
• 92 Mil pops covered by 2.5, 100 mil pops by year end
• 800 voice finished by year end
• 800 LTE finished by end of next year
• TMo came after them hard, ETF paid by TMo doubled Sprint's sub losses
• Marcelo was aggressive, changed things around. Became net port positive for first time in a year.
• Hiring 500 more sales reps to cover heavier volume at stores
• Going over new cut in half promo, going after families that weren't turned on by double data rate offer
• Sprint spent less on CapEx thanks to Softbank's help in deploying network more efficiently. 
• Future: continue deployment of 2.5. Expand capacity and speed of 2.5. Integrating wifi capability in handsets.
• Brightstar provided ability for lease program. Brightstar has ability to determine re-sale value of phones which allows lease program to work. 

That was it.  Nothing really interesting. For anybody interested the audio recording should be available later. 

[marioc21]

I think the new plans are simply a treat for customers to take notice. Nothing else changes.

 

The current branding, messaging is still in place. Hell, I saw a few of the Sprint ads over the weekend on TV, no the screaming goat, but the guy destroying the computer.

 

Great little bit.

 

It sounds like it's aimed at a different group of customers. Sprint's CFO talked about it at a financial conference today.  The new offer seems aimed at people who's motivation is bottom line price.  They're not interested in getting more data for what they're paying now.  They just want to pay less for what they currently have.  

[maxsilver]

Since when has Sprint been the carrier about speed though? Sure Spark is fast and Sprint plans on going faster, but Sprint consistently ranks high is reliability for call, text, and data. So why are we ignoring 3 out of the 4 parts of the test? Fast means nothing if it's not reliable.

 

Right, I also think data reliability is important. Sprint does consistently rank highly for call and text reliability, and data *availability*.

 

But in the RootMetrics "Data Performance" score, Sprint is typically last (or second-to-last) place as well. It's not as bad as the Speed Index, but it's not exactly something I'd be proud to promote either.

 

And I'm not ignoring the call/text portions of the test -- there's been lots of improvement there (mainly around the 1x800 service). That's awesome! But nearly every carrier is doing well in calls and text these days in most markets, so it's not much of a "differentiator" either.

 

(Even MetroPCS pre-TMO-merger was winning awards on voice service, using exclusively high band AWS. It takes only a minimal amount of effort to do well - http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/grand-rapids-mi/2012/2H )

 

Ironically, that report also highlights the improvements I talked about earlier. Sprint is still last place in every data metric in most markets, but from 2012 to 2014 it went from a score of "7" to a score of "88". That's your "network vision" in effect, and it's a *big* improvement.

[Deval]

 

hmmm I haven't seen that one yet. I'll keep an eye out for it.

 

TS

 

 

I haven't seen it either.

 

[Deval]

It sounds like it's aimed at a different group of customers. Sprint's CFO talked about it at a financial conference today.  The new offer seems aimed at people who's motivation is bottom line price.  They're not interested in getting more data for what they're paying now.  They just want to pay less for what they currently have.  

 

Which is great.

[cletus]

Want to see network vision in action?

San Antonio 2014 1st half Overall Performance 80.4:

http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/san-antonio-tx/2014/1H

San Antonio 2014 2nd half Overall Performance 95.5

http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/san-antonio-tx/2014/2H

 

 

Chicago 2014 1st half 4th place 

http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/chicago-il/2014/1H

Chicago 2014 2nd half 2nd place 

http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/chicago-il/2014/2H

[S4GRU]

Right, I also think data reliability is important. Sprint does consistently rank highly for call and text reliability, and data *availability*.

 

But in the RootMetrics "Data Performance" score, Sprint is typically last (or second-to-last) place as well. It's not as bad as the Speed Index, but it's not exactly something I'd be proud to promote either.

 

And I'm not ignoring the call/text portions of the test -- there's been lots of improvement there (mainly around the 1x800 service). That's awesome! But nearly every carrier is doing well in calls and text these days in most markets, so it's not much of a "differentiator" either.

 

(Even MetroPCS pre-TMO-merger was winning awards on voice service, using exclusively high band AWS. It takes only a minimal amount of effort to do well - http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/grand-rapids-mi/2012/2H )

 

Ironically, that report also highlights the improvements I talked about earlier. Sprint is still last place in every data metric in most markets, but from 2012 to 2014 it went from a score of "7" to a score of "88". That's your "network vision" in effect, and it's a *big* improvement.

 

 

Well written thoughts.  Sprint is improving.  They have closed the gap considerably.  Instead of being way, way in last place, they are now just in third or last place by much closer margins.  And they are improving demonstrably every month.  But in many ways, so are the other providers.  So Sprint getting ubiquitous B41 and B26 coverage and deploying B41 CA to critical areas is what it will take to get beyond 3rd/4th place.

 

Most customers and potential customers just want Sprint to be a competitive network.  Even if it is the 3rd or 4th in network rankings.  But it needs to be consistently usable across its footprint.  And that's getting better.  Sprint will have some bragging rights after there is a lot of consistent B41 CA out there, but until then, it's all about getting more and more of a consistent network experience.

[lennyj17]

It sounds like it's aimed at a different group of customers. Sprint's CFO talked about it at a financial conference today.  The new offer seems aimed at people who's motivation is bottom line price.  They're not interested in getting more data for what they're paying now.  They just want to pay less for what they currently have.  

 

But aren't these pure "Bottom Line Price" subs the same Sub-prime level customers that Sprint wants to avoid taking on?   

[marioc21]

But aren't these pure "Bottom Line Price" subs the same Sub-prime level customers that Sprint wants to avoid taking on?   

 

Not really. You can be an A+ credit customer and just not be interested in 20 gazillion gbs of data.  You'd be happier to get the 10 gb bucket you have for less. 

[S4GRU]

But aren't these pure "Bottom Line Price" subs the same Sub-prime level customers that Sprint wants to avoid taking on?   

 

People looking to reduce their wireless costs by 50% are not necessarily subprime.  They are not necessarily part and parcel.  There have been lots of S4GRU members who are part of Sprint's really reduced value plans like SERO and Full Framily Plans that have good credit...they are just cheap and always looking for a great deal.

 

One thing I hear consistently from AT&T and Verizon customers is how expensive their plans are.  Saving half will be alluring to many.  Also, I don't think there are a lot of poor credit customers over at AT&T and VZW.  Most are in prepaid plans now.  Also, Sprint has toughened their credit requirements recently.  So the bad apples will not get through the credit screen unless they buy their phones out right.

[bretton88]

1x800 complete by end of year? Poor eastern Iowa and western Pennsylvania, never to see it. Or Sprint is going to mobilize fast, lol.

[irev210]

I'd really love if any people who work at a sprint store could talk about how they are going to do this.

 

Are they going to create rate plans in $5 increments?

 

This seems like it is ripe for fraud, abuse, confusion, and a bunch of other things - anyone that can help clarify how this "half price" promotion will work - it would be awesome.

 

I like the new plan idea, it's innovative but seems like a back-end nightmare.

[lennyj17]

People looking to reduce their wireless costs by 50% are not necessarily subprime.  They are not necessarily part and parcel.  There have been lots of S4GRU members who are part of Sprint's really reduced value plans like SERO and Full Framily Plans that have good credit...they are just cheap and always looking for a great deal.

 

One thing I hear consistently from AT&T and Verizon customers is how expensive their plans are.  Saving half will be alluring to many.  Also, I don't think there are a lot of poor credit customers over at AT&T and VZW.  Most are in prepaid plans now.  Also, Sprint has toughened their credit requirements recently.  So the bad apples will not get through the credit screen unless they buy their phones out right.

 

 

Oh Yes, I have beat that same drum right here.... Cell Phone Bills are too damn high, its one reason TMO turn has been so successful, they hit the pulse of America wallets at exactly the right time.... But TMO built excellent Marketing Branding message to go along with that.  

 

I don't think there's one person in America who doesn't understand what "Uncarrier" is. 

 

I know you're tired of hearing me say this, but it is so pertinent to this conversation. Sprint needs a message to go along with these Gimmicks, by themselves they won't do much. Are people are tired of paying Verizon and ATT prices, YES!, but they also don't trust Sprint, or they believe the Bad/Negative stereotype of "Sprint Sucks"... TMO brand wasn't nearly as badly damage as Sprint is most people never had an opinion of TMO it was just that small 4th place "city" carrier. The Sprint brand has some Real Haters out there, Ex Sprint Users, Tech Blogs, Media, hell even Sprint's own community forums etc, are all actively Negative on Sprint... and this is what those same customers that Sprint is chasing down with this gimmick sees and reads all day everyday. As a matter of fact the only place out there to really countering that right now is S4GRU... Think about that, the ONLY place that tries to give Sprint a fair shot against all the Hatred Noise. 

[S4GRU]

Oh Yes, I have beat that same drum right here.... Cell Phone Bills are too damn high, its one reason TMO turn has been so successful, they hit the pulse of America wallets at exactly the right time.... But TMO built excellent Marketing Branding message to go along with that.  

 

I don't think there's one person in America who doesn't understand what "Uncarrier" is. 

 

I know you're tired of hearing me say this, but it is so pertinent to this conversation. Sprint needs a message to go along with these Gimmicks, by themselves they won't do much. Are people are tired of paying Verizon and ATT prices, YES!, but they also don't trust Sprint, or they believe the Bad/Negative stereotype of "Sprint Sucks"... TMO brand wasn't nearly as badly damage as Sprint is most people never had an opinion of TMO it was just that small 4th place "city" carrier. The Sprint brand has some Real Haters out there, Ex Sprint Users, Tech Blogs, Media, hell even Sprint's own community forums etc, are all actively Negative on Sprint... and this is what those same customers that Sprint is chasing down with this gimmick sees and reads all day everyday. As a matter of fact the only place out there to really countering that right now is S4GRU... Think about that, the ONLY place that tries to give Sprint a fair shot against all the Hatred Noise. 

 

Nothing wrong with Sprint getting a message together too.  It will be interesting to see how their new marketing machine drives the point home.  

[anthony.spina97]

Nothing wrong with Sprint getting a message together too. It will be interesting to see how their new marketing machine drives the point home.

Sometimes I think Sprint should hire Apple's marketing team. Just food for thought...

 

-Anthony

[jamisonshaw125]

Sometimes I think Sprint should hire Apple's marketing team. Just food for thought...

 

-Anthony

Im actually a fan of their new commercials

 

 

Sent from my iPhone 6 on Crapatalk

[WiWavelength]

Sometimes I think Sprint should hire Apple's marketing team. Just food for thought...

 

If you are that hungry, go eat an Apple.  I hope that it has a worm inside.

 

AJ

[travismheim]

But aren't these pure "Bottom Line Price" subs the same Sub-prime level customers that Sprint wants to avoid taking on?

Everyone wants to save money, regardless of their credit score. How many of us jumped on Framily when it came out and we could save hundreds a year? I ended up saving so much I was able to add a hot spot and a tablet and still come out ahead.

 

This is a good offer. Not everyone needs double the data, however pretty much everyone always wants to save money and cut monthly expenses.

 

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