We're not sure what took them so long, but Sprint finally has joined its fellow major carriers in offering an unlimited plan for a flat rate -- the now industry standard $99 -- only this time it's for all the marbles. Instead of just the unlimited voice offered by
AT&T and
Verizon, or the voice + SMS that
T-Mobile has on offer, Sprint is undercutting the competition with a $99 plan that includes voice, data, text, Sprint TV, GPS and more. "Simply Everything" is available today to both CDMA and iDEN customers, and is open to existing and new subscribers. If you've got a family plan, it's $5 less for every line you add ($99 + $94 + $89 and so on). While those with the gift of gab but no desire to surf the mobile webs might be disappointed that the rumored
$60 unlimited voice plan didn't materialize, this certainly undercuts the competition by healthy margin for the smartphone crowd, which is exactly what we were hoping for out of Sprint.
posted Feb 28th 2008 9:12AM
There go my 700 kbps downloads in DC.
They have had unlimited voice plans avalible ever since the merger. ???
this is truly amazing. imgaine how much sweeter this is with a 25% percent corp discount. ulimate everything for 75 bucks a month
What do you mean you don't know what took them so long? They had an unlimited plan before all the other carriers did. The only thing new here is that they lowered the price from ~$119 to $99.
This will be great competition for the market $99.99 for everyting. At&t is offering same thing for refular phones 144.98 with data, text, mms, and nav. For PDA.Smart Phones it is 159.98 with data, text, mms, and nav. Verizon is 139.99. This is great, you can pick any phone with Sprint and it's the same price, what At&t is charging, you can walk out of a Sprint store with a phone and PC Card, Unlimited! And T-Mobile, yah they don't have any data So there out of the water in terms of data customers.
This is the best deal this side of Helio. I wonder if AT&T & VZW will move to counter.
$99 includes tethering or no tethering?
tethering is not included but i know they offer for other devices Phone as a Modem for $15, so i bet you can add that.
Well packet just FYI, that 119.99 was not avalibale in all areas, it was only in select markets, like 4 to be exact.... so they are slow to role it out, hell even US Cellular launched on last week....
Yes, that's true, they were slow to roll *a-hem* out the plan on a nationwide basis. But the point I'm making is that Engadget is ignoring the fact that they had one at all.
I have at&t and I really hope that they adopt this plan too so I can hop on it asap. I would be happy to pay $99+taxes to be able to talk, text, im, navigate, and browse as much as I wanted with no limit.
Here is some inside scoop boys on the what exactly you hard earned $99 bucks gets you...and yes I am on the inside.
The simply unlimited plan includes:
* Voice
* Text
* Picture and Video Messaging
* Nextel Direct Connect and Group Connect
* Data services
o E-mail
o Web surfing
o GPS Navigation
o Exclusive Sprint content like NFL Mobile and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile
o Sprint Music
o Sprint TV
o Ability to download songs, games, ringers, call tones and third party apps (additional charges apply for downloads)
* The “Simply Everything” $99.99 plan as compared to Sprint Competitors:
o Verizon = unlimited voice and data plan is $139.99 ($99.99 unlimited voice + $39.99 for data and unlimited text)
o ATT = unlimited voice and data plan is $134.99 ($99.99 unlimited voice + $35 for data and unlimited text)
o T-Mobile = unlimited voice, text, picture messaging and IM is $99.99 (T-Mobile offers simple Web access for an additional $5.99 to their $99.99 plan; but it’s important to note that T-Mobile operates on a slower 2G network compared to Sprint’s high-speed 3G network.)
* For families, “Simply Everything” includes an incremental $5 discount per line up to 5 lines.
o Line 1 = $99.99; Line 2 = additional $94.99; Line 3 = additional $89.99; Line 4 = additional $84.99; Line 5 = additional $79.99 for a total of 5 lines for unlimited voice, data, text and NDC at $449.95
Q: Does unlimited voice include roaming?
A: Yes
Q: T-Mobile offers unlimited voice and messaging for $99.99. But does T-Mobile offer an unlimited data plan, comparable to Sprint, Verizon and ATT’s offerings?
A: T-Mobile does not have the same data capabilities as Sprint. While they do offer simple Web access for an additional $5.99 to their $99.99 plan, they do not include Navigation, Music, TV, or unique Sprint content. And remember, t-Mobile operates on a slower 2G network compared to Sprint’s high-speed 3G network.
Q: Will this plan be offered to the base or just new customers?
A: We are excited to offer these plans to our existing customers as well as new customers
Q: Is this offer for consumers only or does it extend into business?
A: “Simply Unlimited” is for any customer, up to five lines.
Q: Is this plan being offered to both IDEN and CDMA customers?
A: The “Simply Everything” plan is available for both the CDMA and iDEN platforms – again, simplicity! Another plan we are unveiling is designed for our core iDEN users who do not need as much data. This plan includes unlimited voice, unlimited data, and Nextel Direct Connect. This $89.99 plan is also available for CDMA and does not include the premium applications of Sprint Music, Sprint TV or GPS Navigation.
Q: Will this plan require a contract or a contract extension for current customers?
A: Existing customers can simply switch without extending their contracts on existing lines; New and existing customers will be asked to sign a two year agreement for new line activations;
Q: Will this price plan cover all devices?
A: Yes, except for Blackberry devices. Blackberries will continue to have a premium.
Just wanted to add, NVP discounts will not count towards the unlimited plan pricing.
AND IT DOES COVER BLACKBERRY service for BIS just not the BES which is only $20 more!!!
The phrase "gift of the gab" conveys an aptitude for fluent speech, not a habit of speaking a lot.
I wanted to add that ....
SELECT T-MOBILE MARKETS and SELECT T-MOBILE PHONES ARE 3G LIVE ALREADY
They are very hush about which markets are LIVE, and which phones are LIVE, but they are out there.
As for the CONTENT, unless its a smartphone, your likely NOT going to get Music, TV, or Navigation of any sort with T-Mobile... YET!
I love how Sprint mentioned on their earnings call that iDEN connection problems are down....of course the reason connections are down is that everyone left the Nextel side ...... so of course there is no congestion...therefore fewer dropped iDEN calls...
Note that PAM (Sprint's term for tethering) isn't included in the new $99 plan. Not only that, it's apparently unavailable as an add-on, at any price. What's a tethering Blackberry user gotta do to catch a break 'round here?
My girlfriend and I have two phones drawing off the same plan. I just spoke to Sprint. Our "reward" in the Simply Everything Plan is that our current combined plan, which now costs $109 a month, would be converted into a plan for each phone at $99.99 and $94.99 a month = $194.98 a month. Sprint can stuff it!
tethering is available for and additional $15/mo for blackberry users
Bad for Families
Exactly my point "No Deal". The Simply Everything plan is NOT family-friendly. The first line costs $99, the second line costs $95, the third line costs $90. That's WAY too much money! There's no way families will convert to this. I see only a small number of well off singles wanting this plan. I pay $120/mon for three lines sharing 2000-mins and we always have hundreds left over. We get unlim n/wknds, mo-to-mo, 500 txtmsg/mon, and unlim web access. "Simply Everything" would cost us $99+$95+$90 ! Not happening.
Maybe their family plans are already better than the others and they're trying to capture highly-paid singles with this, but I just don't see that as a big subscriber segment for them.
come on people lets be fair here basically you are getting almost everting that sprint can offer for one single price i think is fair to get an additional 5.00 discount per line
The Family Plans might be more viable for businesses that have few employees yet need the voice and data orgy that is unlimited.
WHat about sprint users that sign up for the simply everything plan that do not have direct connect? Will they be able to use it unlimited when Qchat comes out as long as they get a phone with qchat capabilities? Or will it have to be added on? I'm assuming that it will be included since it says "simply everything"...if someone has any info please add your 2 cents.
I just switched my bosses over and look like a hero. Saved $140 per line!
I was glad to see others remark about how the plan won't make much sense for family plan folks like me... I almost had cardiac arrest when I saw that you'd have to put everyone in the family on an almost $100 plan! I have 4 phones on mine, the other 3 folks rarely ever call anyone outside our group of 4, let alone would have a clue what to do with the data network! I agree, it will only be for the well-healed single types. All of us already got unlimited nights and weekends (the main time I make calls anyways), unlimited Sprint-to-Sprint, unlimited data - all they're really offering here is unlimited 7am - 7pm. Certainly not something to pay a small fortune for. Four of us share 550 anytime minutes, and use maybe 300 of them! But my plan is $79 a month for 4 phones, not counting my $20 Vision.
HOW DUMB ARE THE PEOPLE AT SPRINT? I GET UNLIMITED TEXTING, 23OO MINUTES, UNLIMITED MINUTES AFTER SEVEN O'CLOCK, MOBILE TO MOBILE FREE, AND 20 DIFFERENT NUMBERS WITH UNLIMITED MINUTES ON ALLTELL WITH FIVE PHONES FOR JUST $230.00 A MONTH. IF I WENT TO SPRINT MY BILL BEFORE TAXES AND OTHER CHARGES WOULD BE $445.OO A MONTH.
BUT ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO CAN'T ADD WITH A FAMILY PLAN JUST JUMP RIGHT ON THIS EXPENSIVE BAND WAGON.
This is an unimited plan for people who use all the4se features. Everyone loking for family non-sense is idiotic. Why would you expect to get unlimited everything for that many people so cheaply. This plan is clearly not about talk minutes. Its about having unlimited data access and GPS use and unlimited talk/texting. If all of those are not of value then its not that big of a deal obviously. I'm a consultant and pay about 160+ for all of those services on verizon...this plan is the cheapest around BY FAR for business professionals who require more than just talking and texting. If you are looking for talk/text plans then why are you examining unlimited data plans etc?