Sprint "Open World" plan (replaces International Value Roaming)

[Mr.Nuke]

But, if they can give a 1GB international roaming allowance, they should have the same 1GB allowance on domestic roaming, instead of this 300MB.

The two aren't nearly equivalent. How many Sprint customers are going to use 1 GB in Honduras versus even somewhere like the I-70, I-80, I-90 stretches Sprint doesn't cover in the Midwest? Domestic roaming is capped at 300 MB because it is incredibly costly to Sprint.

[greenbastard]

So only the RRPP/CCA capable devices will be able to connect to LTE in these countries. Hmm.

A lot of Mexico has yet to see LTE, so for now it wouldn't make much of a difference. Most companies have LTE only in the Big 3 (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey) and are now in the middle of deploying LTE in the rest of the major cities. Queretaro comes to mind as a city partly deployed with LTE by Movistar. I think they had initially deployed LTE only near a shopping center, the central square, and a popular commercial strip. The rest of Queretaro is on HSPA+.

[Terrell352]

That is correct. As far as I know those are the only 2 LTE bands Mexican carriers have.

[lilotimz]

This sounds awesome. I will be adding it just b/c it's free!

 

But, if they can give a 1GB international roaming allowance, they should have the same 1GB allowance on domestic roaming, instead of this 300MB.

It'd be great except that if they do that then they have to break even with the highest roaming partner cost. Prepare to pay $200+ per gb since that's what Verizon charges sprint.

 

 

 

Sent from my Nexus 5

[Hmight]

This is awesome!!! My fiance will take a trip to Canada in a few weeks with her parents and now she doesn't have to worry about not able to call or use her phone in Canada. 

[Thomas L.]

I love the competition, it makes me so happy. This is in response to T-Mobile's Simple Choice North America plan where usage in Canada and Mexico, including LTE, counts as part of your existing plan's usage. 

[Thomas L.]

So only the RRPP/CCA capable devices will be able to connect to LTE in these countries.  Hmm.

 

Shouldn't band 25 include support for Band 2? Also, WCDMA/HSPA+ which is deployed in most of these countries isn't like EV-DO, I often get 10mbps+ on HSPA+ networks, what suffers is the upload which is usually only around 2mbps, but Sprint flagship phones for years have supported HSPA+.

[EvanA]

Shouldn't band 25 include support for Band 2? Also, WCDMA/HSPA+ which is deployed in most of these countries isn't like EV-DO, I often get 10mbps+ on HSPA+ networks, what suffers is the upload which is usually only around 2mbps, but Sprint flagship phones for years have supported HSPA+.

Band 25 is a superset of band 2 that includes the PCS G block, so Sprint devices can connect to band 2 if MFBI is used.

[Thomas L.]

Band 25 is a superset of band 2 that includes the PCS G block, so Sprint devices can connect to band 2 if MFBI is used.

This is something I've always been confused about: I thought that if a device supported a superset, it could connect to any bands in that superset, like band 25 can connect to band 2, band 26 can connect to band 5, band 41 can connect to band 38, and that it was if it was the other way around that the network needed MFBI (a band 26 network, if it included band 5 frequencies as well would need to broadcast an MFBI, when sprint moves activates carriers outside of the PCS G block they could activate MFBI so band 2 devices would be able to connect to LTE on non G-block carriers). 

[EvanA]

This is something I've always been confused about: I thought that if a device supported a superset, it could connect to any bands in that superset, like band 25 can connect to band 2, band 26 can connect to band 5, band 41 can connect to band 38, and that it was if it was the other way around that the network needed MFBI (a band 26 network, if it included band 5 frequencies as well would need to broadcast an MFBI, when sprint moves activates carriers outside of the PCS G block they could activate MFBI so band 2 devices would be able to connect to LTE on non G-block carriers). 

You can't use MFBI to identify a band 25 network as a band 2 one because band 2 is a subset of band 25, and is missing some of what band 25 covers.  MFBI can only be used to identify a subset band as a larger superset band because the superset band contains all of what the subset band covers.

[WiWavelength]

You can't use MFBI to identify a band 25 network as a band 2 one because band 2 is a subset of band 25, and is missing some of what band 25 covers.  MFBI can only be used to identify a subset band as a larger superset band because the superset band contains all of what the subset band covers.

 

Any of the additional Sprint LTE 1900 carriers fully outside of the PCS G block could use MFBI for band 2.

 

...when sprint moves activates carriers outside of the PCS G block they could activate MFBI so band 2 devices would be able to connect to LTE on non G-block carriers). 

 

Yes.  But it may not happen.

 

AJ

[techfranz]

The two aren't nearly equivalent. How many Sprint customers are going to use 1 GB in Honduras versus even somewhere like the I-70, I-80, I-90 stretches Sprint doesn't cover in the Midwest? Domestic roaming is capped at 300 MB because it is incredibly costly to Sprint.

Yes, and the coverage is better in other countries too! Outside Tijuana it seemed like I even saw cell towers attached to people's houses. Seems like zoning and town hall meetings are not as big deal there.

 

I wouldn't mind a bit more aggressive voice and data roaming here in the states, at least until we get inter-carrier LTE.

 

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

Edited August 7, 2015 by techfranz

[nexgencpu]

Page is live.

 

http://www.sprint.com/landings/openworld/index.html?INTNAV:LP:GlobalRoaming:080715:LearnMore#!/

[marioc21]

Page is live.

 

http://www.sprint.com/landings/openworld/index.html?INTNAV:LP:GlobalRoaming:080715:LearnMore#!/

 

So all of the other countries that were in the value roaming plan are included too but you have to pay for the data. Hmm. Wonder if eventually they'll get 1gb of data too. It is good that Sprint is charging per kb used and not a whole GB. Will probably wind up adding this to my account. Not that I do much international traveling.  

[techfranz]

Adding it now.

Rep Armand was very helpful and said,

"The phone has to be GSM and LTE capable."

 

So there goes my idea of needing CDMA roaming. GSM roaming is fine too.

[Ascertion]

I switched phones to from my HTC One to G2 for a little bit and noticed it had the new Open World add-on, but it showed $15/month charge.  Maybe they changed the pricing now that it's officially released but just wanted to share.

[marioc21]

Still not showing up as an add-on option on my account. 

[clbowens]

I just had it added to my account (by doing an online chat with them).  At first, he/she said that it wouldn't give me free calling to Canada.  Then after he/she consulted with a supervisor, she said it would and then added it to my account.   And it shows as an add-on in my account now.

[kineticman]

I just online chatted to add this (because why the heck not?) and the rep said:

 

Ok actually the plan will not officially be available to add until tomorrow 08/08, but I can send you an email which you can reply to at any time when the plan becomes available and I can add it for you.

[Rawvega]

It was pretty easy to add to my account myself online. I just removed Sprint Global Roaming (née International Value Roaming) and added Sprint Open World. Took all of two minutes.

 

[MacinJosh]

It was pretty easy to add to my account myself online. I just removed Sprint Global Roaming (née International Value Roaming) and added Sprint Open World. Took all of two minutes.

 

Screenshot_2015-08-07-06-45-05.png

 

It's still not available online for me.

[greenbastard]

One of these plans will have to be discontinued. It may cause some confusion down the road for consumers (which is one of the reasons framily was discontinued and #AllIn was adopted). While I applaud what Sprint has done (for free), they should have just improved upon the International Value Roaming plan.

 

I may be doing a trip to Germany and Mexico within the next year. Both plans have its pros and cons for both countries and I will have to shuffle options and hope they are both still offered when the time comes for those trips. A one stop-shop offering would be nice, but whatever. It's free!

[smooth25]

Still can't add it online. I tried chat and they said I have to wait until tomorrow.

 

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

[jamesinclair]

WOW!

 

So glad that Tmobile got the ball rolling and even happier than Sprint was able to match them so quickly. I remember in earlier discussion people here saying it would never happen due to partners...and yet here it is!

 

 

Disappointed that free unlimited 2g is gone in Europe, but $30 for a GB honestly isnt that bad. And free texting is the big thing for me anyway.

[Rawvega]

 

Disappointed that free unlimited 2g is gone in Europe, but $30 for a GB honestly isnt that bad. And free texting is the big thing for me anyway.

 

I don't believe that there's anything that would prevent you from switching back to the Sprint Global Roaming (International Value Roaming) and getting the unlimited 2G in Europe back as needed.