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Sprint is making some more changes starting early next year. Apparently Family plans are going to lose the extra Employee Discounts, off the second line. We all know Sprint cancelled the discounts off the additional lines (line 3 and up) some time ago.
If you have an Employer Discount, the way it works now, is that you get a Discount (20% for me) on lines 1 & 2, as they billed together as Primary and Secondary. So I get $25.98 off my plan every month with the discount. Effective February the included line TWO, will be split as a separately billed line at $19.99. Line ONE (the Primary) will be $110 as it's own line.
So you will only be getting the Employer Discount off Primary line ONE, which now costs $110. Lines TWO through whatever, will get no discount. My bill will go up an extra $4 basically. Not the end of the world, but just another cut they have implemented. I remember I used to get my Employee discount off all my lines. Just makes you wonder what's next?
http://www.sprintfeed.com/2011/12/s...ing-february-2nd-2012-it-just-might-cost-you/
Damn, that really sucks : (
KB112 said:
Sprint is making some more changes starting early next year. Apparently Family plans are going to lose the extra Employee Discounts, off the second line. We all know Sprint cancelled the discounts off the additional lines some time ago.
If you have an Employer Discount, the way it works now, is that you get a Discount (20% for me) on lines 1 & 2 as they billed together as Primary and Secondary. So I get $25.98 off my plan every month with the discount. Effective February the included line TWO, will be split as a separately billed $19.99 line and line ONE (the Primary) will be $110.
So you will only be getting the Employer Discount off Primary line ONE, which now costs $110. Lines TWO through whatever, will get no discount. My bill will go up an extra $4 basically. Not the end of the world, but just another cut they have implemented. I remember I used to get my Employee discount off all my lines. Just makes you wonder what's next?
http://www.sprintfeed.com/2011/12/s...ing-february-2nd-2012-it-just-might-cost-you/
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Wth?
That's sucks a lot. Like you said, it's only a couple bucks, but seriously?? This is just getting better and better...
KB112 said:
... Just makes you wonder what's next?
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Click to collapse
While I don't want this but I can say it's gonna be no more unlimited data.
I can honestly see that change coming about, right before they officially roll out LTE. They may let it stay for a while under Grandfathered plans, but if you wanna upgrade...bam there goes unlimited.
Meh...its not like there aren't other options. I wonder if you could use this sudden change of contract as a way out of your contract? I mean after all, it's no longer the family plan you signed up for if they change it, right?
Yes you will be able to. Any change that you can claim adversely affects you financially and they legally can not enforce the ETF as a way out. This includes any change in Billing, whether it be 10 cents more in taxes, or partial Pennies. Any and all increases can be used to get out of your contract without ETF. I have heard of People given a hard time with this from multiple carriers, but in that case it is just talking to the right person.
For anyone given a hard time use this "You have an option here, either allow me to cancel my contract without penalty, or give me your full name, and employee identification number. Transfer me to a supervisor so I can get his/her name and ID. You will be named in my complaint to my state district attorney for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contractual law. Afterwards if necessary I will retain a lawyer if necessary."
This tells them that they have broken two laws, and are aiding in the broken law if they don't escalate the matter to someone authorized to make decisions on contract releases. If they broke the law and it isn't taken care of you will be sending the matter to your state attorney general who will initiate a class action lawsuit, where the person will be named. State attorney generals really will act on this. On matters that affect many many of their constituents that can reelect them, they love taking and fighting the case. I'd almost guarantee after this threat that they will let you out ETF free. I have used this a dozen times successfully on contracts with carriers and gyms, etc when they broke the law. Works every time. Not a matter of if, just a matter of time
I'm about done with sprint personally. As far as post paid carriers go they are the cheapest. But compare the quality of my service compared to all the prepaid people at work, I'm paying twice what they are paying for the same quality/data speed.. All I have to show for it is a better phone. BTW i played with a galaxy nexus at the mall today, I ran a speed test 16mbs'sec download and 4mbs'sec unload!!!!!
KB112 said:
I can honestly see that change coming about, right before they officially roll out LTE. They may let it stay for a while under Grandfathered plans, but if you wanna upgrade...bam there goes unlimited.
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Exactly how I see it, but of course... BAM, there goes my loyalty to Sprint.
Drewmungus said:
I'm about done with sprint personally. As far as post paid carriers go they are the cheapest. But compare the quality of my service compared to all the prepaid people at work, I'm paying twice what they are paying for the same quality/data speed.. All I have to show for it is a better phone. BTW i played with a galaxy nexus at the mall today, I ran a speed test 16mbs'sec download and 4mbs'sec unload!!!!!
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I don't quite follow, how are you paying twice more than people on other carriers?
Ya sprint is really starting to suck. All the stuff they have done this year doesn't justify their crappy network signals. Maybe I should look at closing out and re signing up in my wifes name to get a few free evos.
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA App
Will this change mean we can get out of contract for free? Sprint is starting to suck big time.
DarkManX4lf said:
I don't quite follow, how are you paying twice more than people on other carriers?
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He's saying postpaid vs prepaid he is paying twice as much
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
ckoadiyn said:
He's saying postpaid vs prepaid he is paying twice as much
Sent from my PC36100 using xda premium
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Ohhh sprint vs. Prepaid. Got it.
I am trying so hard to hold out until at least the end of 2012 to see if things will improve with sprint as far as better 3g performance and a decent lte foot print but I am really starting to have some serious doubts. It really looks like I may end up having to switch to at&t pretty soon.
themuffinman said:
I am trying so hard to hold out until at least the end of 2012 to see if things will improve with sprint as far as better 3g performance and a decent lte foot print but I am really starting to have some serious doubts. It really looks like I may end up having to switch to at&t pretty soon.
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Same here. I'll move my family to Verizon or T-MO while I move to prepaid AT&T goodness. That unlocked international Galaxy SII is starting to look better and better...
Afterall, it's literally the best phone out minus the Galaxy Nexus.
In metro detroit the data speeds are so bad that I can't even stream pandora without a 30 second re-buffering between songs. One day i tried to download roam control to force roaming on verizon and it was too slow to even start the download.
Speedtest.net app shows my speed at about 0.05 mbit the vast majority of the time with .3 mbit the max i've really seen and that is at 6:30am when the network is clear. And all this with an extra 10 dollar charge for the privelage.
Unlimted data is a catch 22 for me .. with sprint and using my phone constantly I can never even hit 2gb in a month because its so slow. With verizon i would hit 2gb in a couple days. This employee discount deal may be my excuse to get off of sprint and onto a real provider.
Between my contract and being on my parents contract before that I have probably been with sprint for about 15 years.. the funny thing is I cant ever remember being happy with their service.
DarkManX4lf said:
I don't quite follow, how are you paying twice more than people on other carriers?
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Because pre paid carriers get unlimited talk text data for about 50 a month. Since sprint is so terrible specially in the data department...its almost worth doing. You can get a pre paid carrier that runs on the Verizon network, so it's a definite option to consider.
What prepaid runs on Verizon?
Rob the plumber said:
What prepaid runs on Verizon?
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Heya rob, don't quote me but I am ALMOST sure it is track phone.
I have been getting absolutely HORRIBLE service with T-mobile lately so I was thinking of switching to Straight Talk with an AT&T SIM card. I just unlocked my Amaze, and I saved the thread for unlocking my DH's Galaxy S4G. My daughter is getting an unlocked phone I won on eBay in a cpl days.
So my current contract with T-mobile is up in January 2014. That is 17 months. I have 3 lines on my family plan that I currently pay $240 a month for.
$240/month * 17 months = 4080 I would pay to finish my contract
3 * $200 = $600 ETF (Early Termination Fee)
$4080 left - $600 ETF = $3,480
$45/month (Straight Talk) * 3 lines = $135
$135/month * 17 months = $2,295
$3,480 - $2,295 = $1,185 savings
That's a whole lotta dough...
The only problem with this comes purchasing phones in the future.... I typically don't have $500+ to shell out for a new phone. Also I would no longer have the insurance on my phones.
Before I present this to my husband, I was wondering if anyone here has any input on it? Have you made the switch? What did you do to get a new phone when your phone was obsolete?
If you are getting poor reception in your house, then you can likely get out of your contract.
As for phones, the Galaxy Nexus from Google is only $349. Nice phone, no contract, unlocked, works with ATT and T-Mobile. Not sure what future phones from Google will cost, but it's a reasonable assumption that something near the $350 price point will be available.
Also read that if you overdo the data or tether, the SIM will be suspended. Its rare. But possible.
Also, if you use the Straight Talk cards, you got to do it the day your 30 days expire. Do it earlier, and you lose the time remaining on your previous card.
I believe if you have it automatically charge your credit card its easier. However every time you add your 45 Time Card, it resets your 30 days. Its only annoying part.
But seems the website makes it easier so that this doesn't happen.
I used this service. Personally was OK. Or you could go and use Straight Talk $40 unlimited talk text and data.
But.... MMS stopped working on me. Wouldn't send MMS after my 10th MMS message.
As long as you have a bunch of unlocked phones/spares and not afraid it will break/accidents you are good. Personally I've not had phones die on me. LG (Never again), HTC, Samsung. They are reliable all reliable. And if any of them do break is if I mess up when flashing/rooting.
What is your current plan. I'm a former Rep and I can probably save you guys a lot of money by giving you my suggestions.
I still get great phone service with T-Mobile. The crappy part is the customer service (phone services). You should walk into a T-Mobile store and have them look over your plan and see if they can make any adjustments to get your bill down. I only pay $145 for my 3 lines. You should also check if they offer a discount with your company.
hasoon2000 said:
What is your current plan. I'm a former Rep and I can probably save you guys a lot of money by giving you my suggestions.
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Classic Unlimited Talk & Text 5GB Web 2 lines
4G Web on daughter's line. It doesn't give a GB amount...
We also have the insurance on all 3 lines
brainbone said:
If you are getting poor reception in your house, then you can likely get out of your contract.
As for phones, the Galaxy Nexus from Google is only $349. Nice phone, no contract, unlocked, works with ATT and T-Mobile. Not sure what future phones from Google will cost, but it's a reasonable assumption that something near the $350 price point will be available.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope... my house is the only place I get really good service. Its work and when I'm visiting my friend about 45min away that I get crappy service. I checked the map and it says 2G for her entire town. Maybe I should tell t-mobile I live there so I can get out of the contract LOL
My DH is the one who always loses his darn phone. Leaves it places LOL. The only time mine broke was when my little one thought it was a teething toy and got it all wet. My 15 year old goes through phones like clothes... I already put in a claim for her this year and got her a sidekick in which she cracked the screen shortly after. So now the adapter isn't working to charge it but I can't do a warranty exchange because the screen is broken and I wasn't about to shell out another $100 insurance copay for the POS sidekick so I bought her one on eBay for $30.
Nevermind you can't afford to go Prepaid option because there is no insurance.
Best you could do is threaten to port all your lines to T-Mobile prepaid service. When I did that, I got offered the 49.99 with Unlimited talk, text, and 2GB of data.
What my phone bill really is the $59.99 with a 10 dollar discount. Actually, my plan is the Value, meaning I can't get discount on upgrades. Need to pay full price for phone. I managed to add device insurance but I see it as waste since I haven't really broken any of my devices or damaged them by accident.
Just threaten to walk and you might get a better deal. Did that over a year ago.
Personally, I recommend going to the value plan. Much cheaper. You will save a lot in the log run. You can still add insurance to the phones but no discounts. Hell, I buy all my phones off of eBay and Craigslist. Much cheaper in the long run. Whoever's name is on the account may qualify for a discount program. Who's name is on the account and if they work at a company/go to school, you may be eligble to receive a discount on your plan ranging from 6% - 18%
I bought a year with my straight talk service. You prepay for eleven months and get twelve months service.
Straight talk offers:
CDMA phones = Verizon = 3G ^Cap Risk
GSM SIM = ATAT = 3G Lower
GSM SIM = T-Mobile = 4G Least risk
T-mobile sim will provide fastest data connection assuming you get equal or better signal and possibly true unlimited data!
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using xda app-developers app
Edit: dumbed down for 'ghost'
FutureAirways said:
Straight talk offers Atat, t-mobile sim cards for gsm phones right..but what you don't know t-mobile is the only company to get truly unlimited data on st. Also an this is big the t-mobile sim provides 4g service something the Atat one can't, because they have 3g , were t-mobile does not. But if you don't get service I guess it won't matter just food for thought. Same 45$ for 4g vs. 3g
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using xda app-developers app
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wat?
this entire post is confusing.
rachelm920 said:
I have been getting absolutely HORRIBLE service with T-mobile lately so I was thinking of switching to Straight Talk with an AT&T SIM card. I just unlocked my Amaze, and I saved the thread for unlocking my DH's Galaxy S4G. My daughter is getting an unlocked phone I won on eBay in a cpl days.
So my current contract with T-mobile is up in January 2014. That is 17 months. I have 3 lines on my family plan that I currently pay $240 a month for.
$240/month * 17 months = 4080 I would pay to finish my contract
3 * $200 = $600 ETF (Early Termination Fee)
$4080 left - $600 ETF = $3,480
$45/month (Straight Talk) * 3 lines = $135
$135/month * 17 months = $2,295
$3,480 - $2,295 = $1,185 savings
That's a whole lotta dough...
The only problem with this comes purchasing phones in the future.... I typically don't have $500+ to shell out for a new phone. Also I would no longer have the insurance on my phones.
Before I present this to my husband, I was wondering if anyone here has any input on it? Have you made the switch? What did you do to get a new phone when your phone was obsolete?
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Click to collapse
Jeez, $240 for three lines seems really high. That's a car payment right there. We have three lines on AT&T, and our bill averages $160 month. You must have every possible option available.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice"
Sent from my HTC One X, using XDA Premium
http://forum.xda-developers.com/announcement.php?a=81
hasoon2000 said:
What is your current plan. I'm a former Rep and I can probably save you guys a lot of money by giving you my suggestions.
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Click to collapse
I would like to hear your suggestions sir. Im planning on making the switch to straight talk as well. I have one line at&t, and i go over my 3 gb of data a lot!!! So it seems smart to switch for 45 a month unlimited everything! Right? Thanks man!
RATTLED FROM MY TEAM VENOM POWERED AT&T HTC ONE X USING ICS TAPATALK 2
zounduser said:
Im planning on making the switch to straight talk as well. I have one line at&t, and i go over my 3 gb of data a lot!!! So it seems smart to switch for 45 a month unlimited everything! Right?
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Click to collapse
This Straight Talk review seems to imply that their "unlimited" is really limited to 100MB per day and/or 2GB per month, after which you receive an excessive usage notification and service termination threat.
If you don't use allot of talk time, t-mobile's 5GB / 100 Min for $30 pre-paid may be a better deal.
brainbone said:
This Straight Talk review seems to imply that their "unlimited" is really limited to 100MB per day and/or 2GB per month, after which you receive an excessive usage notification and service termination threat.
If you don't use allot of talk time, t-mobile's 5GB / 100 Min for $30 pre-paid may be a better deal.
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Click to collapse
Ya dont think imma do the straight talk thing now!!!! I piss 2gb everymorning!!! lmfao!!!!
RATTLED FROM MY TEAM VENOM POWERED AT&T ONE X USING ICS TAPATALK 2
brainbone said:
This Straight Talk review seems to imply that their "unlimited" is really limited to 100MB per day and/or 2GB per month, after which you receive an excessive usage notification and service termination threat.
If you don't use allot of talk time, t-mobile's 5GB / 100 Min for $30 pre-paid may be a better deal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please see my previous post, if you use a straight talk branded phone (verizon network) or the atat sim card there is a higher chance you will get a cap. Ive read reports of Tmobile sim card users going over 7GB in a month with no problems!! Obviously straight talk pays these companies, when your data is costing them more than 45 dollars a month you get cut off. The Tmobile sim provides the least risk for that as they are currently the cheapest network provider!!
FutureAirways said:
The Tmobile sim provides the least risk for that as they are currently the cheapest network provider!!
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The problem is that there is apparently no clear language from Straight Talk on this, for any of the networks they resell. The service may be called "Straight Talk", but just try to get a "Straight Answer" from them on their limits.
The 5gb prepaid you speak of. Do those mins count towards texting. ?
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using xda app-developers app
codey895 said:
The 5gb prepaid you speak of. Do those mins count towards texting. ?
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Click to collapse
For t-mobile?
http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/monthly-4g-plans
The $30 "Unlimited Web & Text with 100 Talk Minutes" gets you 5GB data before being throttled, "unlimited" texts, and 100 min. talk time.
Not sure if anyone really cares or not but I just knocked $105 off my AT&T Family plan bill with their new Mobile Share Value Plans.
I'm not a sales agent for AT&T, I'm just letting my fellow XDA users know.
https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/data-plans.html#fbid=K-dU-76XrWB
This is a real deal if you have a large family plan like i do with 5 lines and all smartphones. I was able to lower my bill to $192 a month from $306 the previous month with one phone call. And even better we are getting 10gigs a month now vs the 6gigs i was on.
I know I'm going to take some heat for spamming the board but if one person saves some money I'll be happy
ok flame away
Not sure if its worth giving up an unlimited data plan for this plan.
Ya, I saw those plans, heck, it's even worth it for just 2 lines and 10Gig, $100+$15+$15=$130. I am paying 70 for my single line and only 2gig of data. I know, everyone will tell me to go to a prepay, but I HAVE to have the microcell so I am stuck.
lemonz23 said:
Not sure if its worth giving up an unlimited data plan for this plan.
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Click to collapse
yeah .. unfortunately we lost are unlimited plans back in 2009 when we all got iPhone's
clsA said:
yeah .. unfortunately we lost are unlimited plans back in 2009 when we all got iPhone's
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Click to collapse
Unl plans are caped at 3 GB... Then u get the slowest speed...
10 GB = $100 + 15 per device
15 GB = $130 + 15 per device
Completely worth it. Now if you do an upgrade after moving to the plan instead of paying 15 for that line you will pay 40... they are trying to cope somehow how T-Mobile works.
Sent from my HTC One using xda app-developers app
I went ahead and jumped on this. I had to give up 1 unlimited (LTE) data plan, which was throttled after 5GBs anyway. I think it's worth it to save $90/month.
We went to the value plan. Only two lines, so no massive savings. Went to from 6 to 10 GB for $10 cheaper
I was under the impression that once you switched to one of these plans, you no longer would get subsidized phone upgrades. Correct? In other words, the next time you want to upgrade you basically are on the AT&T Next setup (full unsubsidized price of phone broken out over x payments)
chp said:
I was under the impression that once you switched to one of these plans, you no longer would get subsidized phone upgrades. Correct? In other words, the next time you want to upgrade you basically are on the AT&T Next setup (full unsubsidized price of phone broken out over x payments)
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Click to collapse
This is correct. Also, if you have currently been in contract for 6 months, they will allow a switch to AT&T Next. I feel it will not be long before they completely go to this method, especially with T-Mobile and others doing much the same.
Ive held on to my 2 line unlimited everything plan for years, paying about $185 before taxes and fees. I think it makes sense to go for this new plan, which drops the price down to $150 while sharing 10gigs. i've only ever gone over 3gigs in a month two times.
codejunkie83 said:
This is correct. Also, if you have currently been in contract for 6 months, they will allow a switch to AT&T Next. I feel it will not be long before they completely go to this method, especially with T-Mobile and others doing much the same.
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Click to collapse
Okay, so if that is the case, it seems like you will only save money if you do not intend to take advantage of subsidized upgrades in the future (assuming still available).
chp said:
Okay, so if that is the case, it seems like you will only save money if you do not intend to take advantage of subsidized upgrades in the future (assuming still available).
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From a purely monetary standpoint, yes - however, when you compare the data that you receive (10 GB vs 4/6GB), you are still saving money if you use that much data. But without taking advantage of the subsidized upgrades, you would most likely even out.
chp said:
I was under the impression that once you switched to one of these plans, you no longer would get subsidized phone upgrades. Correct? In other words, the next time you want to upgrade you basically are on the AT&T Next setup (full unsubsidized price of phone broken out over x payments)
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Click to collapse
Do you remember where you heard this? It's the first I've heard about this aspect to the new plans, which means I may regret making the switch.
joshfalk said:
Do you remember where you heard this? It's the first I've heard about this aspect to the new plans, which means I may regret making the switch.
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My understanding from the AT&T rep (and my bill) is that each smartphone in the value plans are now $40 per month with a $25 monthly credit, so net $15.
If I upgrade using a Next plan, the $25 credit remains. (Next = a 0% interest loan to purchase the phone over 20 months.)
If I upgrade using a 2-year subsidy, the $25 credit is removed. (Making for a really expensive upgrade-- 24 * $25 + $200 up front = $800 for an iPhone 5S that I could purchase outright for $650.) Not that I'd purchase a 5S, but just an example of how an already overpriced phone just got even more expensive.
Basically, they really do not want people buying subsidized phones, and that's fine with me. I'd rather purchase the phone I want on my own timing and pay for it outright.
Up until the value plans it made sense to do 2-year upgrades because AT&T was already padding their rate plans with the subsidy cost, whether you upgraded or BYOP you paid for it.
Now, it makes more sense to just BYOP.
Yes you have to stay on the next plan, ability to get a new phone yearly or 18 months, to keep the $15/month. I also saved 50% on my phone bill.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
ronf1011 said:
Yes you have to stay on the next plan, ability to get a new phone yearly or 18 months, to keep the $15/month. I also saved 50% on my phone bill.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
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This is good news, I was worried that when i upgraded with NEXT it would go from $15 to $40. I guess I should have read into it a little more, but yeah, my family is saving close to $100 since we switched to the value plan.
Love this plan. Switched to it immediately.
The Next program is basically a phone leasing program. So if you pay $30/month for Next18, that $540 is gone when you trade in for the new one. It would be cheaper buying the phone out right then sell it when you wanted to get a new one.
HTCm7One said:
The Next program is basically a phone leasing program. So if you pay $30/month for Next18, that $540 is gone when you trade in for the new one. It would be cheaper buying the phone out right then sell it when you wanted to get a new one.
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Click to collapse
+1 and you are still dealing with the bloat. Going unlocked from here on out. These value plans are nice. Thanks @t-mobile! ? and AT&T for falling in line..
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
Upgrades?
I changed to the shared plan two months ago, losing my useless unlimited plan. I moved 5 phones. Two of them were eligible for upgrades at the time, but I was holding them for when I really wanted them. I need one now. I went to the ATT website and checked upgrade-ability. The two phones seem like they have subsidized plans available to them. I can also do the Next plan for any of my phones for the same price. So I can pay zero interest for 20 months, have no plan commitment, and pay in full for my daughter's new iphone over 20 months, or I can pay $199 for the phone, a one-time $36 upgrade fee, and commit for another two years of my shared plan. There is no change to the basic rate.
I currently have a rooted HTC Evo 4G LTE with Sprint, the contract is over and Sprint no longer wants to offer unlimited data. So it is time for me to find a new provider, a new phone.
Which provider has the best 4G LTE signal, which would be the best phone.
My requirements are that the phone be able to be rooted, and that I have control of the bootloader.
As far as I know HTC is the only bootloader that you can have control.
I think I want to go with T-Mobile, since they have a sensible unlimited plan...which would be the best phone for this project.
bgduece22 said:
I currently have a rooted HTC Evo 4G LTE with Sprint, the contract is over and Sprint no longer wants to offer unlimited data. So it is time for me to find a new provider, a new phone.
Which provider has the best 4G LTE signal, which would be the best phone.
My requirements are that the phone be able to be rooted, and that I have control of the bootloader.
As far as I know HTC is the only bootloader that you can have control.
I think I want to go with T-Mobile, since they have a sensible unlimited plan...which would be the best phone for this project.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I switched over to T-Mobile and a n5. Fabulous coverage and insane speeds. Although of course T-Mobile coverage isn't as great as Verizon and AT&T. Check sensorly for your area. But I do highly recommend T-Mobile. Also, Nexus boot loader isn't controllable. But the amount of development for the device is through the roof. If you're a flashaholic like me, then the n5 is the phone for you.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
bgduece22 said:
I currently have a rooted HTC Evo 4G LTE with Sprint, the contract is over and Sprint no longer wants to offer unlimited data. So it is time for me to find a new provider, a new phone.
Which provider has the best 4G LTE signal, which would be the best phone.
My requirements are that the phone be able to be rooted, and that I have control of the bootloader.
As far as I know HTC is the only bootloader that you can have control.
I think I want to go with T-Mobile, since they have a sensible unlimited plan...which would be the best phone for this project.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why is sprint making you change your plan? Did you go to the store? Because upgrading doesn't always entail a new plan, if you went to the store they may be trying to sell you more than the phone. Just my 2 cents.
Sent from my EVO using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Maybe they were promoting their new Easy Pay plans.
aarsyl said:
Maybe they were promoting their new Easy Pay plans.
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Sounds like it.
Sent from my EVO LTE
aarsyl said:
Maybe they were promoting their new Easy Pay plans.
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Click to collapse
That's exactly what they're doing. However, contact Sprint before you purchase a new phone and inform them that you would like to be grandfathered into your old plan. From what I was told, this can be done, but only BEFORE you purchase a new phone.
Given, you'll still deal with the Easy Pay, but same plan. You could also possibly just get your phone from Best Buy Mobile and still get a phone under the normal discounted rates for a two year plan.
I've heard that the Easy Pay is the new plan for everyone, and Sprint with no longer issue contracts, but month-to-month service. Payments for your phone will be divided over a course of 2yrs, I think, but it is not the same as an actual plan. You will have to pay the remaining balance for you phone as opposed to a termination fee.
I'm not sure how I feel about that...they told me that I can upgrade through Easy Pay, but I need to speak to them in person to find out the actual details and the benefits.
aarsyl said:
I've heard that the Easy Pay is the new plan for everyone, and Sprint with no longer issue contracts, but month-to-month service. Payments for your phone will be divided over a course of 2yrs, I think, but it is not the same as an actual plan. You will have to pay the remaining balance for you phone as opposed to a termination fee.
I'm not sure how I feel about that...they told me that I can upgrade through Easy Pay, but I need to speak to them in person to find out the actual details and the benefits.
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From what I've just experienced, you don't have to do easy pay. I changed my plan to the new "my way" plan and I can get my upgraded device anyway I want. I could use easy pay or purchase it outright at the discounted rate. I also have the option to use a third party vendor, like wirefly or on Amazon, which is what I'm doing. With easy pay, as it was explained to me by sprint rep, you pay a small amount up front. Then they bill you monthly, over 24 months and you end up paying full (non discounted) price for the device you choose. But I didn't have to change my plan, I chose to.
EVOlved human
atheistevofreak said:
From what I've just experienced, you don't have to do easy pay. I changed my plan to the new "my way" plan and I can get my upgraded device anyway I want. I could use easy pay or purchase it outright at the discounted rate. I also have the option to use a third party vendor, like wirefly or on Amazon, which is what I'm doing. With easy pay, as it was explained to me by sprint rep, you pay a small amount up front. Then they bill you monthly, over 24 months and you end up paying full (non discounted) price for the device you choose. But I didn't have to change my plan, I chose to.
EVOlved human
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Easy Pay sounds similar to the now-defunct "One-Up" plan. I believe you had to pay the taxes on the full, non-discounted price up front when upgrading, and then paying for the phone over the next two years, as I recall. Any remaining balance at the end of the two year period had to be paid in full.
Sent from my EVO LTE
I'm kind of hesitant to switch to another carrier mainly because of what is going on with a merger between them and T-mobile. T-mobile recently bought all of Verizon's 700MHz bandwidth, meaning better LTE coverage for Sprint as soon as the merger goes through, if it goes through at all.
I am skeptical about the success of the merger. Sprint will finally be a powerhouse, and I don't think that the regulators want that to happen.
I'm curious about what all the last 2 posters are privy to. I'm about to upgrade my device, and when I look on sprint site, it would be only 100$ for n5 or HTC One. But I went to sprint store and it was 50$ + 16/no and get 12/mo upgrade, but will also F up all other lines on my family plan. I don't wanna pay monthly for device, I wanna pay up front and forget about it, but I do want 12moupgrades.
All that said,on a 25mi trip, I just compared my LTE speed tests with my girls tmo speed tests, and hers were consistently higher than mine. And her device is a 4yr old pyramid that doesn't even have radios to accept tmo LTE. But hers kicked my ass. I wanna hear from anyone who has ideas on how to test them, or any secret info about why they think sprint may be about to be awesome. Again, while my LTE service speed tested about 3mbps on avg, her old tmo (no LTE) consistently got way better than my LTE in same places.
Word love tohearsome thoughts,cuz I'm ready to jump ship.
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scottspa74 said:
I'm curious about what all the last 2 posters are privy to. I'm about to upgrade my device, and when I look on sprint site, it would be only 100$ for n5 or HTC One. But I went to sprint store and it was 50$ + 16/no and get 12/mo upgrade, but will also F up all other lines on my family plan. I don't wanna pay monthly for device, I wanna pay up front and forget about it, but I do want 12moupgrades.
All that said,on a 25mi trip, I just compared my LTE speed tests with my girls tmo speed tests, and hers were consistently higher than mine. And her device is a 4yr old pyramid that doesn't even have radios to accept tmo LTE. But hers kicked my ass. I wanna hear from anyone who has ideas on how to test them, or any secret info about why they think sprint may be about to be awesome. Again, while my LTE service speed tested about 3mbps on avg, her old tmo (no LTE) consistently got way better than my LTE in same places.
Word love tohearsome thoughts,cuz I'm ready to jump ship.
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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My thoughts on this: if the merge was ever to come to pass, then you would technically be starting over as a new customer with Sprint. While I don't think that the merge will be successful, just keep that in the back of your mind.
More importantly, how is voice service with Tmo compared to Sprint? Which had more dead/low signal zones? And which device gives you better service at home? Yes, data is vital, but these are still phones, primarily. You have no idea how much you need good voice service until it starts to mess up, then you'll wish that you didn't make the jump.
Try using different apps, like SignalCheck Lite from the play store to compare the signal difference in various locations. Use both phones to leave voicemails on a third phone (land line or cell phone, doesn't matter), and replay both to see which is clearer. This last test will be a little skewed, of course, since you are using two different devices, and your LTE has newer tech inside it.
Lastly, if you want to make the jump, just take the time to test the Tmo network (or any other network) before you decide. This is not the type of mistake that you will want to regret. On another note, if the money being saved is worth the potential aggravation, then go for it. I'm not bashing Tmo in any way whatsoever, for I have been considering making the jump as well, but I'm quite comfortable with my Sprint service, and the repair center that I go to tends not to ask too much questions. Just don't bring them a rooted phone, and all is well.
Appreciate the lengthy feedback. My nearest sprint repair center loves seeing the cool sh1t on the ROMs I bring in, lol. Lucky me. That said, tmo looks like it'd be a little cheaper, not much. But their data speeds, even on 3g are 20x faster than the LTE I get from sprint. So many pros, so many Con's. Actually, they'll pay my etf, and there aren't many Con's. Prob be switching soo. And yearly upgrades, which I like. That said, I like that sprint leans on OEMZs t9 get the hardware they know customers want.
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scottspa74 said:
Appreciate the lengthy feedback. My nearest sprint repair center loves seeing the cool sh1t on the ROMs I bring in, lol. Lucky me. That said, tmo looks like it'd be a little cheaper, not much. But their data speeds, even on 3g are 20x faster than the LTE I get from sprint. So many pros, so many Con's. Actually, they'll pay my etf, and there aren't many Con's. Prob be switching soo. And yearly upgrades, which I like. That said, I like that sprint leans on OEMZs t9 get the hardware they know customers want.
Sent from my EVO 4G LTE using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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You've sparked my interest. How does T-Mobile do data? Is it truly unlimited? Or do they cap your speed after a certain usage?
Yes some are bone heads but some aren't. Here's my recent experience.
I have 4 phones on my account with a 10 gig shared data plan. My daughter wanted to move from Sprint to Verizon so my wife and I went to a Verizon store to help her through the transaction. One of the first things I do when I talk to one of the CS reps is state my position and what I want from this conversation with him/her. I like to see what they know or don't know. My rep, John, saw that I wasn't an average clueless customer and he immediately shifted into a smarter mode. Kudos for that.
So, my daughter decides on a Moto X. He runs the numbers and quickly figures out that it's much cheaper for her to join our family plan. No problem, we'll do that. She now pays us monthly for 1/5 of the total bill.
Then he pulls this one: "I'd like for you to look at the Edge plan for that Moto X." Ok, I'm not dumb, I've read all about the Edge plan. Yes it's no contract and yes you can switch to a new phone after a year but you pay for the phone as you go. I've looked at the numbers and it never makes sense to get Edge unless you just can't wait to upgrade phones. But boy do you pay for it.
Right now my opinion of John is changing. He's trying to pull a fast one. So I object saying, "I'm not interested in Edge." He comes back with, "What if I can prove it saves you money?" "OK, wise guy," I'm thinking, "do you take me for an idiot? Show me how smart you are, bonehead." Instead, I say, "Really? How?"
And he shows me. The way the Edge program works is that the monthly cost of the phone on an Edge plan is retail cost divided into 20 months. In the case of the Moto X it's $400 retail or $20 per month. Turns out if you have a 10 gig, or higher, data plan they discount the Edge program by $25 for EACH phone on the Edge plan. So, in her case the $20 plan minus the $25 discount reduced the plan by $5 compared to a 2 year subsidized contract. "So," I thought, "this guy really knew what he was doing."
Other advantages to Edge: The phone can be upgraded after 60% of the retail price is paid off. That's 12 months. If you want to trade it in sooner than 12 months then pay the difference to get up to 60%. This is a trade-in, you don't keep the phone. However, if you do keep the phone for 20 months it's yours to keep, no trade in necessary.
The break even point is phone that retails for $500. At that point the monthly payment is $25 and the discount is $25.
An HTC One and LG G2 are break even on Edge. A Note 3, S5 and LG G3 are only $5 more on Edge. All in all, it turns out, Edge is a pretty good deal if you have the 10 Gig plan.
In the end, my daughter was happy, I'm happy and it was a great experience. So, not all CS reps are idiots.
Nice too bad I have unlimited and won't be going the edge route
ihavenewnike said:
Nice too bad I have unlimited and won't be going the edge route
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You can say that again
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samcook2003 said:
You can say that again
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Yeah. Because of how much data I use, they told me they would give me all the deals of a more everything plan plus 20% off my whole bill. Then I said I already have 20% off through a worker who worked there years ago. They said it would add on top of that. So 40% off plus what ever more eveything. But given how much data I use, wouldn't do anything for me.
You lost me at "some aren't"
Nice experience. Not sure why you keep calling him a bone head in your mind. If you knew about the edge and the savings you get (-$25 for 10gb), then the sale would be as easy as in and out. But then again looks like you didn't know of that last part about the savings. Anyways congrats on your new phone purchase.
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Deekayy said:
Nice experience. Not sure why you keep calling him a bone head in your mind. If you knew about the edge and the savings you get (-$25 for 10gb), then the sale would be as easy as in and out. But then again looks like you didn't know of that last part about the savings. Anyways congrats on your new phone purchase.
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For now. The days of unlimited are coming to an end. Before long the only to keep unlimited data is to never change your phone.
TabGuy said:
For now. The days of unlimited are coming to an end. Before long the only to keep unlimited data is to never change your phone.
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As. Long as wee keep our current unlimited plans and buy our devices outright then I do not see how they can legally boot us off of unlimited.
droidstyle said:
As. Long as wee keep our current unlimited plans and buy our devices outright then I do not see how they can legally boot us off of unlimited.
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First of all, if you read your contract you'll see that they have the right to change the contract at any time. In essence, legally, they can boot you off of unlimited data anytime they want. There's nothing you can do about it, you signed the contract. Right now they won't do that because there are too many unlimited plan customers, including my phone, that it would get bad press.
Another loophole changes in August were people would have someone on their family plan buy a new phone and they switched the SIM card to be able to upgrade their phone without paying full price. That goes away on August 24th.
Right now the only way left to keep unlimited data is to buy a full phone at full price, not a discounted price. However, I expect to see that change in the future. I believe that within the next 12 months Verizon will change their policy with regard to unlimited. They won't kill it but you will lose it if your phone's MEID changes. In effect, the only way to keep unlimited data is to never change to a different phone. Lose your phone, break your phone, or upgrade to a new phone and your unlimited data plan will go away. Verizon has stated LOUD AND CLEAR that they don't like unlimited data plans and that they will eventually end.
droidstyle said:
As. Long as wee keep our current unlimited plans and buy our devices outright then I do not see how they can legally boot us off of unlimited.
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This forum has a link about the future of unlimited data. Basically Verizon will begin throttling people who use more data than they deem profitable.
TabGuy said:
First of all, if you read your contract you'll see that they have the right to change the contract at any time. In essence, legally, they can boot you off of unlimited data anytime they want. There's nothing you can do about it, you signed the contract. Right now they won't do that because there are too many unlimited plan customers, including my phone, that it would get bad press.
Another loophole changes in August were people would have someone on their family plan buy a new phone and they switched the SIM card to be able to upgrade their phone without paying full price. That goes away on August 24th.
Right now the only way left to keep unlimited data is to buy a full phone at full price, not a discounted price. However, I expect to see that change in the future. I believe that within the next 12 months Verizon will change their policy with regard to unlimited. They won't kill it but you will lose it if your phone's MEID changes. In effect, the only way to keep unlimited data is to never change to a different phone. Lose your phone, break your phone, or upgrade to a new phone and your unlimited data plan will go away. Verizon has stated LOUD AND CLEAR that they don't like unlimited data plans and that they will eventually end.
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First of all if you are not on a contract then they can not change anything.
kinstre11 said:
This forum has a link about the future of unlimited data. Basically Verizon will begin throttling people who use more data than they deem profitable.
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Yes I am well aware...see my posts in that thread.
droidstyle said:
First of all if you are not on a contract then they can not change anything.
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If you aren't under contract then they can do anything. They could end your unlimited data tomorrow and you'd have absolutely no recourse.
Edit: You are always under contract, the one you signed when you first joined Verizon. The phone may be paid off but the contact always exists as long as you use their network. You are just under the month-to-month portion of the contract.
TabGuy said:
If you aren't under contract then they can do anything. They could end your unlimited data tomorrow and you'd have absolutely no recourse.
Edit: You are always under contract, the one you signed when you first joined Verizon. The phone may be paid off but the contact always exists as long as you use their network. You are just under the month-to-month portion of the contract.
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No you are not under a contract when month to month. There are no binding terms keeping me locked to any set rules or conditions. However, there is the TOS I agreed to back when I first joined. Aside from that I have been a VZW customer for 15yrs and they have never ended or terminated any service I have had with them. They may discontinue a older plan, but they have never forced me off of any plan I was on. I have no reason to believe they would start doing such things. Just because they did away with the loop hole(add a line/transfer device/put dumb phone on added line) to keep unlimited does not mean they are going to start forcing people off thier unlimited plans. Even if they did, I would simply jump on a shared plan...it is what it is.
Boy did I luck out. Just read this about august 24th. I got a note 3 yesterday! Still unlimited.... and my upgrade I'd in November, seems like people better get their phones now! So what if you buy a used phone and swap sims?? Post Aug 24th...
TabGuy said:
Another loophole changes in August were people would have someone on their family plan buy a new phone and they switched the SIM card to be able to upgrade their phone without paying full price. That goes away on August 24th.
.
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That's not true, the only loop hole they are closing is that if you add a new line to get a smartphone you have to keep the data plan on that phone. You can still use an upgrade on another smartphone line then transfer the SIM, or if you have an upgrade on your unlimited, transfer it to another smartphone do the upgrade then swap the SIM cards(this is what I just did a couple of months ago). So basically I have an unlimited line and my wife has a tiered plan, we both get to use our upgrades, we just have to do the transfer gimmick.
gottahavit said:
That's not true, the only loop hole they are closing is that if you add a new line to get a smartphone you have to keep the data plan on that phone. You can still use an upgrade on another smartphone line then transfer the SIM, or if you have an upgrade on your unlimited, transfer it to another smartphone do the upgrade then swap the SIM cards(this is what I just did a couple of months ago). So basically I have an unlimited line and my wife has a tiered plan, we both get to use our upgrades, we just have to do the transfer gimmick.
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Exactly... +1
droidstyle said:
As. Long as wee keep our current unlimited plans and buy our devices outright then I do not see how they can legally boot us off of unlimited.
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I worked for Verizon, and have recently left to pursue other opportunities. I posed this very same thought to my account manager. She said that the most likely scenario is that there will be a point when they will absolutely remove unlimited data. They can say we are sorry but that phone cannot be put on a line with unlimited data. You have to also scour the terms and conditions. The company does reserve the right to terminate any plans and change existing plans. This is whether or not you are in contract. I am pretty sure they have a legal team that has already discussed this. I always see threats by people saying they will leave and go to this company or that company; but let's face it, choices for phone companies are very limited. You go to T-Mobile and you have limited areas, same with Sprint. The two companies that are in control are Verizon and AT&T. They have effectively formed a duopoly. It is not by accident that they have nearly the same exact plans. All I am saying is enjoy the data while you have it.
bairste said:
I worked for Verizon, and have recently left to pursue other opportunities. I posed this very same thought to my account manager. She said that the most likely scenario is that there will be a point when they will absolutely remove unlimited data. They can say we are sorry but that phone cannot be put on a line with unlimited data. You have to also scour the terms and conditions. The company does reserve the right to terminate any plans and change existing plans. This is whether or not you are in contract. I am pretty sure they have a legal team that has already discussed this. I always see threats by people saying they will leave and go to this company or that company; but let's face it, choices for phone companies are very limited. You go to T-Mobile and you have limited areas, same with Sprint. The two companies that are in control are Verizon and AT&T. They have effectively formed a duopoly. It is not by accident that they have nearly the same exact plans. All I am saying is enjoy the data while you have it.
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the problem with putting any stock in what your account manager says is the simple fact that one could speak to 10 different account managers and get 10 different answers.
Amen to that, verizon employees must not have group trainings as they All seem to have a different answer for you.
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Most people do not realize the 25 dollar credit per edge line per month on the bill.
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