Sprint Unlimited plans increase from $60/month to $70/month

[crazy_vag]

See here:

http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-says-hurry-in-before-its-too-late-last-two-weeks-to-get-unlimited-high-speed-data-talk-and-text-for-just-60month.htm

 

I'm currently on the $80/month plan.  My contract ends in March, so wondering what my options are.  Any suggestions?  

 

I've also ordered a new P6 phone, but won't have that until November.  Should I try a  promotion with a cheap phone just to grab the $60/month?  Otherwise, $80 will include subsidy that I won't need.

[ericdabbs]

See here:

http://newsroom.sprint.com/news-releases/sprint-says-hurry-in-before-its-too-late-last-two-weeks-to-get-unlimited-high-speed-data-talk-and-text-for-just-60month.htm

 

I'm currently on the $80/month plan.  My contract ends in March, so wondering what my options are.  Any suggestions?  

 

I've also ordered a new P6 phone, but won't have that until November.  Should I try a  promotion with a cheap phone just to grab the $60/month?  Otherwise, $80 will include subsidy that I won't need.

 

so do you plan to pay for both plans until March?  You are kinda stuck because wouldn't you want to port your number or would you get a temporary phone number just to lock in the rate.  Why not just activate an old smartphone just to get the $60 plan but then the question is would you then ETF out of your $80 plan?

[crazy_vag]

so do you plan to pay for both plans until March?  You are kinda stuck because wouldn't you want to port your number or would you get a temporary phone number just to lock in the rate.  Why not just activate an old smartphone just to get the $60 plan but then the question is would you then ETF out of your $80 plan?

 

Yea, looks like I need to pay a visit to a store to explore the options.  $20/month savings can be put to paying down a phone.

[ericdabbs]

Yea, looks like I need to pay a visit to a store to explore the options.  $20/month savings can be put to paying down a phone.

 

It could also mean that you should pay the ETF on your current plan which at this point with 6 months left to go shouldn't be that much. That is about 25% left of the 2 year contract which with an ETF fee of  $350 x 25% = $87.5 maybe even less if Sprint considers that you have 5 more months to go.  If you figure even if you pay the ETF now and switch to the new $60 plan to lock in that rate you will make up that $88 within the next year or so. 

 

Also not to mention that if you pay the ETF, you get to keep the phone you are currently using which I guess you could then sell it to help recuperate the ETF/Nexus 6P costs.  Just throwing some suggestions out there.

[Scott]

It could also mean that you should pay the ETF on your current plan which at this point with 6 months left to go shouldn't be that much. That is about 25% left of the 2 year contract which with an ETF fee of  $350 x 25% = $87.5 maybe even less if Sprint considers that you have 5 more months to go.  If you figure even if you pay the ETF now and switch to the new $60 plan to lock in that rate you will make up that $88 within the next year or so.

Sprint's ETF doesn't have a linear decrease over time like that. According to the ETF chart on sprint.com, the ETF with six months left on the contract would be $120. With five months left, it's $100. And it never drops below $100, so if someone leaves Sprint with one month left on a contract, the ETF is still $100.

[crazy_vag]

Alright.  So I went into Sprint trying to switch my  $80 plan.  The guy was pretty sharp and said that contract will remain, but that we need to make a change to the account that will force me into the $60 unlimited plan.  He offered two options:

 

1) Add a low cost tablet to the plan, remove it after two months

2) Add a second line to the plan.  remove it after two month

 

In the end, I picked #1 since I'm going on a trip and a tablet will be useful.  It's a slate 8" tablet with a 1GB plan.  I'm now on the $60 plan, but pay an extra $25 for the tablet and plan.  Sprint gives me $10/month credit, so I'm already down to $75/month.

 

However, when I cancel, I'll be on the hook for $240 for the tablet.  I'll try to sell the tablet, but with a $60 plan, I'll recover the cost after 12 months.

 

So there you go!

-Martin

[clbowens]

You should have tried this.  According to this, you could have switched to the new plan if you "upgrade" to a new leased phone:  http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/7246-upgrade-date-suddenly-changed-from-months-to-now/&do=findComment&comment=448726

 

Then you wouldn't have to pay extra for the few months.

Edited October 13, 2015 by clbowens

[crazy_vag]

How long do I need to own the leased phone?  I ordered a Nexus 6p, so didn't want to commit to a leased phone.  

 

You should have tried this.  According to this, you could have switched to the new plan if you "upgrade" to a new leased phone:  http://s4gru.com/index.php?/topic/7246-upgrade-date-suddenly-changed-from-months-to-now/&do=findComment&comment=448726

 

Then you wouldn't have to pay extra for the few months.

[ericdabbs]

How long do I need to own the leased phone?  I ordered a Nexus 6p, so didn't want to commit to a leased phone.  

 

Normally the commitment for any leased phone at any of the major carriers is 24 months.  But yeah in your case since you don't want to commit funds to a new phone what you did is the cheaper alternative.

 

Ehh IMO, I think I would have opted for the ETF option than to add on a tablet and be committed to that for 2 years at $240 and not to mention minimum of $30 in data plan fees depending on how soon you would be able to sell the tablet.  I don't think tablets in general are high resale value. 

 

But then again I might have left out an important detail which is you may not be able to port your existing phone number to another line at Sprint.  Normally you can port and keep your existing number only if its to another carrier.