WiWavelength

Nope. AJ

Uh, I hope the Walmart icon never rears its ugly head. AJ

And I am not saying that "unlimited" data is unsustainable overall -- that is why I used the qualifier "under the current system," which basically encourages data usage by including "unlimited" in the core plan. If people want "unlimited" data, they need to see that it costs considerably extra and that they have lower cost options if they are willing to manage their data usage. AJ

That is a previous poster's math, not my math. I do not care to keep up with the costs of new plans, old plans, referral plans, etc. But the numbers that I stated for data tiers are accurate: $0 per month for 1 GB, $10 per month for 3GB, and $20 per month for "unlimited." Multiply those by five lines on a Framily plan, and you arrive at the $50 per month and $100 per month that I cited. AJ

And then you revealed that you are on one of the so called "referral" plans. That changes the arithmetic altogether. Now, you can certainly call this "condescending," but I sincerely hope part of the new no subsidy system is to sweep out the SERO and other "referral" plan chaff. Sprint has too many double super secret "Do you know Russ?" plans. Those need to go away yesterday, and I really do not care if many of you then leave Sprint out of spite. As for "unlimited" data, if you think it is only my "opinion" that it is unsustainable under the current system, you really are "foolish." You just believe what is convenient for your own usage profile. AJ

I will speak in multiple metaphors here. I understand that these new plans may not be ideal for all, but that is just the way the cookie crumbles. There will always be some collateral damage. So, I still say it is "foolish" to cling to an old plan because you are swimming against the tide. Subsidized upgrades are going away -- even if you continue paying built in monthly subsidies as part of your grandfathered plan. Additionally, "unlimited" data is going to cost you a substantial premium -- as it should because it is not sustainable for the masses. The solution is to get with the program. Through self control and Wi-Fi offloading, get your data usage down to reasonable amounts. With the 3 GB tier, your example of the five line Framily plan can cut its costs by $50 per month. Better yet, it can double those savings to $100 per month with the default 1 GB option. The writing is on the wall. You are going to pay full price for your device upgrades. And you are going to pay more than before if you want "unlimited" data. If you cannot make that work, then you probably should start looking at other wireless providers. AJ

If Santa actually is Justin Bieber or "Pacman" Jones, naughty and nice take on whole new meanings. You do not want to be on any list associated with those guys. AJ

Like I said, if CDMA1X 800 gets mapped at all, it will just be included with CDMA1X 1900. VZW and AT&T both operate dual band Cellular 850 MHz, PCS 1900 MHz networks in most markets, but Sensorly makes no distinctions between those bands. AJ

To add to the above reply, you will probably be allowed to remain on your current plan while you are still under contract. But once your contract has ended, if you make any change to your account, you will likely be required to switch to a new plan, as your current plan will no longer be available. For example, even if you buy a new handset on eBay, activating that handset will probably necessitate a switch to a new plan. Sprint does not want to support expired plans for years to come. And those expired or soon to be expired plans include monthly subsidies, so they do not make sense under the new system. As I stated in a previous post, which got me called "condescending," sticking with a plan that includes monthly subsidy but being unable to use a subsidized upgrade is foolish. AJ

Wait, Santa is Justin Bieber or "Pacman" Jones? Either way, I think we have been tricked. That naughty or nice list is utter hypocrisy. AJ

So, he knows the whole world for one night a year but not the other 364? Santa must be engaging in some serious drinking during the off season. AJ

Santa Claus needs a map? That is worrisome. I thought he needed only a list. AJ

I am not sure. S4GRU has a good relationship with Sensorly, but you also have to realize that Sensorly is a French start up. Working with CDMA2000 is, well, foreign to them. So, I would not expect CDMA1X 800 to get special treatment -- if it gets mapped at all. And if it does, it will get erroneously tagged as Sprint "2G." AJ

Eh, much as many will not admit it, every iPhone has a learning curve, too. Most Android devices -- whether Nexus or not -- are little different. AJ

Ah, that is a miscue because tiered data should be usable for any and all purposes. It does not pose much of a problem for me, as I add tethering on a pro rata basis only a few times per year. But, hopefully, this is an APN technical issue that gets sorted out in due time. Tethering on "unlimited" data needs to be controlled; tethering on tiered allotments should be unrestricted. AJ

That would be up to the headset. The noise cancellation on the handset is enabled through a second microphone that allows comparison of speech and background noise. And that is not possible on the handset when the speech is coming from a distant headset. AJ

Yes, those plans include subsidies. According to insider reports, all plans with subsidies are being discontinued. AJ

The G2 backers lost the playoff game. But have a drink on me... AJ

I am more interested in the tethering capabilities for the 1 GB and 3 GB tiered data options. Those should be free and clear -- pardon the pun -- to use any or all data for tethering. But I do not recall seeing a conclusive answer. "Unlimited" data is the sticky wicket. If included tethering is allowed at all, a courtesy tethering allotment -- à la T-Mobile -- would be necessary. Otherwise, a free for all would just invite abuse. AJ

Right. The elimination of subsidies included in monthly plan costs is a better deal for those who upgrade only every 3-4 years or those -- like Robert and myself -- who upgrade at least once a year. For those who upgrade every two years on the dot, it may be a wash or even a worse bargain. Regardless, the new system provides greater flexibility and money saving opportunities. AJ

Post this in the Framily discussion thread, and one of our Sprint or third party employees will probably chime in with a definitive answer. But as I understand it, this is currently a transition period. Subsidized upgrade prices are no longer listed, so you must inquire about those. Additionally, if you are out of contract and opt to use a subsidized upgrade, you may not be able to keep your current plan. Instead, you may be required to switch to Framily and pay the $15 per month subsidized upgrade fee. AJ

Nothing has been announced officially, but our resident Sprint employees are telling us that equipment subsidies are coming to an end very soon. Now, if your current upgrade eligibility occurs after the transition date, it simply means that you have finished paying down your previous subsidy. The mistake people make is thinking that they have paid or "earned" future subsidy. However, that is incorrect. So, once equipment subsidies have been retired, you will no longer be able to use subsidized upgrades. But you will be able to switch to a Framily plan and purchase devices outright or use Easy Pay. AJ

Sprint has much broader 3G/4G native and roaming coverage than T-Mobile does. Plus, Sprint offers much larger monthly roaming allotments than T-Mobile does. I realize that most users do not fully appreciate that. But those advantages cost Sprint money, though they arguably make Sprint the better value. AJ

Upgrade? Probably not. Subsidized upgrades are reported to be gone by the end of next month. But if you mean that your contract will have expired, then you will likely need to switch to a Framily plan and pay full price or use Easy Pay. AJ

Yes, then you must be located in Litchfield County, as it is a CMA unto itself. And it is a Cellular A block CMA that was divested to Alltel in the Cingular-AT&TWS proceedings because Cingular already held a Cellular B block license in that CMA from its SNET legacy. Alltel converted that lone CMA to CDMA2000, but it was hundreds of miles from the nearest Alltel property. So, its sell off to VZW, which held the surrounding Cellular A block licenses in the state, was inevitable. The Litchfield County sale to VZW was a separate transaction that just preceded the national VZW-Alltel acquisition. AJ