What would you do if Sprint eliminated "unlimited" data? Poll thread.

[banananuts87]

I'm in the unlimited My way plan. Guaranteed no throttling, unlimited data. Not an issue for me.

[joshuam]

One other point to consider, for heavy users...if Apple and Top tier Androids increase base storage amounts, less streaming is required. I have a 16GB iPhone6 Plus, and don't have the storage to have offline Spotify, so I stream most of the time. Next phone is going to have more storage for sure. Once that happens, my data usage will drop a lot.

[RichardXy]

I'm on the unlimited for life plan. Unlimited data is the only advantage that Sprint has over Verizon.

[floorguy]

One other point to consider, for heavy users...if Apple and Top tier Androids increase base storage amounts, less streaming is required. I have a 16GB iPhone6 Plus, and don't have the storage to have offline Spotify, so I stream most of the time. Next phone is going to have more storage for sure. Once that happens, my data usage will drop a lot.

yeah but voice or music streaming equates to jack squat...

 

I have streamed audio 8-10 hrs a day for almost 2 weeks straight, and it still barely cracked 5gb for the month

[chunkyrice]

If they took away unlimited data from grandfathered plans, I would hop on to a prepaid GSM service. Probably Straight Talk on AT&T or Cricket Wireless on AT&T.

[mittenmitten]

I don't even use more than 20gb of data, but I like the peace of mind of not having to babysit my data usage. If Sprint could keep unlimited but maybe heavily compress the data of people who go over a certain amount, so they don't necessarily restrict their access, I would be okay with that. Or drop them to 3g instead of LTE.

 

I don't care about throttling after hitting a certain cap, it's the degree to which they throttle that irritates me. If they could just drop people to 3g maybe, instead of 128kbps, I wouldn't mind at all, because 3g still allows for video streaming and general usage. 128kbps is unusable, EVDO is still capable of a couple mbps.

[Arysyn]

yeah but voice or music streaming equates to jack squat...

 

I have streamed audio 8-10 hrs a day for almost 2 weeks straight, and it still barely cracked 5gb for the month

True for most music services, but not for Tidal hifi, where around 4-6 hours of hifi music streaming is 1gb. Imagining a person's average workday listening to it all day at work, along with their commute to and from work, it could average around 1.5gb per day. Say 5 business days, 4 weeks per month, that is 30gb for 20 business days.

 

I can see both sides to the unlimited data issue, which AJ makes a good example of using my poll since one of the reasons for the poll was trying to figure out usage in my data calculations, in hoping to create some good, reasonably priced per gb data rate alternatives to unlimited data. Although, I refrain from using terms such as "data/network abuse", in describing almost any form of network usage, except for anything against the T.O.S.

[irev210]

 

So, back to an earlier point, those above a certain level probably would have to curtail their usage -- or pay for it.  And I am not sure how anyone could rationally conclude that would not have an effect on network performance.  If those in the uppermost five bins, for example, had to manage their usage down to 15 GB, the net effect would be a 30 percent reduction in total data usage across all users.

 

AJ

 

Could you not say that the burden  of the top 5% of users is offset by the gain of 95% of users who are on unlimited but use less data?  Could you also say that because of the 95% that are on unlimited, they would churn out and reduce revenues to support Sprint's network resulting in less money available to be spent on capacity?

 

By kicking out the  high users on unlimited, you would also kick out the low users on unlimited.  Your blended average would decrease drastically but your blended average of say 2.5GB/month at an ARPU of say $65 with 100 customers might shift to 1.5GB/month at an ARPU of say $55 with 80 customers.

 

In this extremely simplistic sample, you have $6,500 in revenue supporting 250GB of data consumption vs. $4,400 in revenue supporting 150GB of data consumption.

 

I mean, your break even is extremely high at $21/GB.

 

Which model is better?  It's pretty obvious in this simplistic scenario but you get the idea.

 

While it's great to see you fight for what's fair/rational (it's an easy and simplistic approach) it's not a carrier's job to be fair/rational.  It's to maximize returns on the assets you have.  So by taking on the burden of another 100GB of data, you get an extra $2,100 in revenue to invest in network performance.  Does the investment in the network performance offer returns greater than the drag of data hogs?  In your scenario, you don't account for the loss of additional revenues and the associated decline in network performance.

 

It would be interesting to work at sprint and actually have the numbers to play with.  I can guarantee you there is a pricepoint where the blended usage of unlimited actually increases network performance.

 

Given Sprint's spectrum position, it makes sense that at this time, they'll continue to offer unlimited.  In the future, it's likely that they will avoid the churn of changing around legacy plans too much and leave people alone.  It's all about incremental cost.

[cyclone]

Sprint's Claure: Unlimited prices might go up later this year; network is getting better

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/sprints-claure-unlimited-prices-might-go-later-year-network-getting-better/2015-06-19

[joshuam]

Sprint's Claure: Unlimited prices might go up later this year; network is getting better

 

http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/sprints-claure-unlimited-prices-might-go-later-year-network-getting-better/2015-06-19

I'm clinging to my $45 unlimited framily (8 lines within my family, all happy with Sprint) for as long as possible!????????

[P_M_G]

The main reason I haven't switched to tiered data on a carrier with better coverage in my area is that I can't afford to drop 2 grand on all new phones which would be required. I don't want to add $100 or so a month on my bill either with one of the easypay/edge type options (hence it seems I'm the only one in the poll who said "don't want to buy new phones). Yea, I could sell my existing phones, but since I still have 2 S3 in the family, those are worth about jack squat. M9 might fetch a bit and the S5 as well, but still looking at probably a minimum of $1k to do it.

 

one of the problems with these polls (and the usage one) is that in some areas, people are simply unable to use the unlimited data they are paying for. I know both my kids would be streaming video a lot more if they could get solid LTE where they frequent and I'd sure use more on my lunch hour (watchESPN, etc). A few months back one of my daughters managed to use 6gb so I'm guessing she was streaming in areas with a good signal at some point. When I was running a trial with TMO, I blew through half a gig just watching videos while on network. So my conundrum is risk leaving an unlimited plan for tiered and then find myself blowing through a data allowance in a week. I wouldn't consider myself an abuser - but streaming a half our of HQ video during lunch 5 days a week for half the month would put me up near 4-5GB alone.

 

I do use WIFI whenever/wherever possible (mcd's, starbucks, etc) but sometimes I've got an hour or more to kill between my daughter's water polo games and since they are usually on school campuses I have no access to their WIFI and need a solid network.

[dnicekid]

True for most music services, but not for Tidal hifi, where around 4-6 hours of hifi music streaming is 1gb. Imagining a person's average workday listening to it all day at work, along with their commute to and from work, it could average around 1.5gb per day. Say 5 business days, 4 weeks per month, that is 30gb for 20 business days.

 

I can see both sides to the unlimited data issue, which AJ makes a good example of using my poll since one of the reasons for the poll was trying to figure out usage in my data calculations, in hoping to create some good, reasonably priced per gb data rate alternatives to unlimited data. Although, I refrain from using terms such as "data/network abuse", in describing almost any form of network usage, except for anything against the T.O.S.

 

Thanks for the heads up! Tidal is going off hifi!! Unless on WiFi

[Arysyn]

Thanks for the heads up! Tidal is going off hifi!! Unless on WiFi

I'm considering switching to Verizon from T-Mobile's unlimited plan, where with Verizon I'll have some choices to make regarding more data vs less cost.

 

One of my ideas with that, is to plan ahead using Tidal's offline feature by downloading hifi music on WiFi before going out. That would save me the cost of extra data and spare the network having to stream that, when its well enough just getting what I want to play that day ahead of time.

[joshuam]

I'm considering switching to Verizon from T-Mobile's unlimited plan, where with Verizon I'll have some choices to make regarding more data vs less cost.

 

One of my ideas with that, is to plan ahead using Tidal's offline feature by downloading hifi music on WiFi before going out. That would save me the cost of extra data and spare the network having to stream that, when its well enough just getting what I want to play that day ahead of time.

It's a good reason to get a phone with more than 16GB of storage. I prefer to use the offline mode in Spotify, so I'm not running an active data stream all day every day.

[JeffDTD]

A big, aggressively priced bucket of data with a bit more roaming data could bring all of my family's lines home to sprint. I'd rather be limited and enjoy a better network and more seamless roaming than unlimited with all the asteriks

 

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[skid71]

I have been with sprint for 10 years b/c it worked well when I was at school in springfield, mo and home in Albuquerque, NM. Still the reason I stay.  Works at all the places I travel for work (Gallup, NM, NYC, St. Louis, Des Moines, Seattle).

 

I personally have a connection with sprint beyond my unlimited plan. I have been treated very well over the years.  That is why I stay.

 

Missouri State / Southwest Missouri State U?

 

Edit:  Go Crusaders!

 

[jroepcke51]

Missouri State / Southwest Missouri State U?

 

Evangel University on North Glenstone

[P_M_G]

What I'd really like to see is Sprint kill that stupid $10 per line "Premium Data" charge that I'm hit with on all lines on my ED1500 plan.

 

It made sense back when 95% of people still had flip phones, but seriously what's the percentage of people w/o a smartphone now? Crikey my parents have iPhones and they are late sixties/early seventies!

[bretton88]

What I'd really like to see is Sprint kill that stupid $10 per line "Premium Data" charge that I'm hit with on all lines on my ED1500 plan.

 

It made sense back when 95% of people still had flip phones, but seriously what's the percentage of people w/o a smartphone now? Crikey my parents have iPhones and they are late sixties/early seventies!

They killed it for all newer plans. Maybe see if one of those is a better deal.

[Ascertion]

They killed it for all newer plans. Maybe see if one of those is a better deal.

Nope!  The ED1500, even with the Smartphone fee is overall a better price point than the newer plans.  That is, until Sprint removes the device subsidy from the plan. 

[irev210]

What I'd really like to see is Sprint kill that stupid $10 per line "Premium Data" charge that I'm hit with on all lines on my ED1500 plan.

 

It made sense back when 95% of people still had flip phones, but seriously what's the percentage of people w/o a smartphone now? Crikey my parents have iPhones and they are late sixties/early seventies!

 

It amazes me that ~10 years later, people still complain about this.

 

It was a rate increase.  The $10 fee is incorporated in the new rate plans.  Don't want to pay the $10 fee? Switch plans... you'll pay more but you won't have a $10 fee to complain about.

[red_dog007]

It amazes me that ~10 years later, people still complain about this.

 

It was a rate increase.  The $10 fee is incorporated in the new rate plans.  Don't want to pay the $10 fee? Switch plans... you'll pay more but you won't have a $10 fee to complain about.

Wasnt/isnt that similar to what Verizon did when things were still all unlimited, but it was a $30 fee for Smartphones (required) and a $15 fee for feature phones (not required).  When they took away unlimited data, it went to tiered plans, and now the things like EDGE and family packs it is built into the price, now you are just paying a "fee" to add your phone to the plan instead of adding data to the plan.

 

I think that billing for cellular can always be much better, but if you actually understand your bill.... And then compare it to what your bill would be like now...  Either you save money or don't. If you don't be happy, if you do, switch plans.

[Fraydog]

Modern plans for all US providers incorporate 4GLTE pricing. Overseas companies charge extra for 4G a lot, so the practice isn't just confined to old Sprint plans. Lots of companies do it on their modern plans to this day. In fact Three in the UK is using no extra cost for 4G as a marketing slogan:

 

 

http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/network/4G

 

Their puppet reminds me of someone...hmm. [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

 

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[darrelldwllms]

If Sprint did eliminate Unlimited Data, what's the chances of the iPhone For Life plan for $50 being grandfathered?

 

 

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[travismheim]

If Sprint did eliminate Unlimited Data, what's the chances of the iPhone For Life plan for $50 being grandfathered?

 

 

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Existing customer plans would probably stay intact, kind of like what Verizon and at&t did.

 

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