Sprint to Cap Mobile Hotspot Data to 5GB Ahead of iPhone Launch

[chrmjenkins]

Sprint ALREADY has a 3G Cap.

For the article to make sense the new iPhone on Sprint MUST have 4G capabilities.

Not necessarily. If they are expecting data usage to go up with the iphone, they don't want users, 3G or 4G, using too much of it. Their network could become bogged down and leave a bad taste in existing users' mouths as wells as users of the iPhone on their network.

 

[ghostface147]

Just bring the iPhone to Cricket....hahahaha

 

[diamond.g]

I had an iPhone 3G on AT&T and I had simultaneous voice/data from the start. The only network in Verizon that allows this is the LTE network, meaning that the new iPhone 4S or 5 won't be able to either. Sprint will have the same issue.

SVDO phones don't have that problem...

didn't some of the same people say Apple would never release a CMDA phone either?

No one would ever admit that now...

 

[btrav13]

It's not so much the price that bothers me, it's all the little rules and nickel and diming and bizarre prices.

For instance, 1GB of overage on Sprint costs FIVE TIMES what it does on AT&T. What the hell excuse is there for this?

Also, you MUST buy a 4GB plan on AT&T in order to tether. You're just not ALLOWED to tether on the 2GB plan, even if you stay under 2GB. You'd expect AT&T to *want* you to tether on the 2GB plan, so you'll go over and pay overages!

If they just said "You pay this much for this much bandwidth and can use it any way you want, and here are the overage charges" that would be a lot better. That's how home ISPs operate, afterall. Why must the wireless industry be so complicated and stingy with their rules and regulations? It's absurd.

And here we are again, back to you saying that since YOU personally want to pay less (which we all do) and that YOU personally don't want ******* data service (from a pre-paid company for instance) and that YOU personally don't want ZERO data service (which is also an option for you that you don't want to take) that THEY ALL (VZN, Sprint, ATT) are all WRONG and they are using BIZARRE pricing structures (with the left-unsaid hint that they're trying to screw us all).

We as consumers want to come out with as little money as possible for what we own, while the corporations we buy from want to maximize profitability. Is there any company or service you buy from that prices everything exactly according to your personal demand? My stupid home internet service shouldn't go up in price just because I want to cancel the cable tv service...but guess what? It did exactly that.

It's obvious you want an iPhone. It's obvious you want the data and the ability to utilize all the functionality of the phone. But you only want to do it on your exact personal terms? The company you buy from isn't allowed to sell it's products in "buckets" or "packages"? They aren't allowed to penalize you for using more than you agreed to?

The over-head in Wireless is absolutely insane. The iPhone itself costs the carriers $600...what did you pay for your last iPhone? Where are they supposed to make the money up? When the demand for "minutes" was huge, we had the craziest pricing structure on minutes one could imagine. That demand fell, rate plan prices per minute dropped dramatically (hell, two of the big 4 now give you free calls to all other wireless customers) and no one really sweats minute overages or minute plan pricing much anymore.

Guess where all the demand is now? DATA. Guess what puts the absolute most strain on networks? DATA. Guess where all the capacity issues at ATT came from that allowed VZN to talk about how much better their network was? DATA. With the iPhone still costing the carrier $600 and you prancing outta the store with it for $200, guess where they're going to make up that $400 loss plus all the overhead of running their operation? DATA.

Please, for the love of all that's holy, stop with the "The Wireless Companies are so EVIL" talk. If they're that evil, then cancel your service, get a basic phone, and provide them less profit. But if you even think about checking this thread from an iPhone, get over it and realize that they are in business to make money, the phone you're using costs them a huge chunck of money per unit, and the data consumed on it is the most costly part of their network operation and then be happy that you can afford to have such luxuries in your life that are completely pointless to actual "living". It's an iPhone, and you're either streaming Jersey Shore on Netflix or watching kittens bite a baby's ass on youtube.com. Pay the money and hush.

Hell, if you want to get mad, get mad that Apple charges $600 for a PHONE and that their margin on said phone is about 60% profit on every damn one of them. VZN isn't making a 60% profit unless snowballs have a great chance at surviving a day in hell. Oh, and neither is ATT nor any other carrier that might one day carry this amazing product.


Shew, /rantoff.

 

[GooMan]

You act as if they're selling the soda for $1.19 and then throwing the profit in their vault in the back and laughing maniacally or something. There's so much overhead that goes with running a business, it's not as simple as you make it sound.

Like the guy said, if you're so confident that its that easy, why aren't you out there running you own fast food spot where soda costs $0.89? You'd get customers since that's around 25% cheaper, and since it's that simple, you'll be an overnight millionaire right?

Hold on there buddy, slow your roll. Some guy on here said he didn't believe there was that much profit on drinks at McDonalds. I merely offered a real life example proving there is that much profit on drinks in fast food. That is all. I never said anything even remotely resembling what the profit on drinks are used for or how to run a business.

 

[btrav13]

No one would ever admit that now...

Someone should totally sink the time into going back and finding all those people and then they should be banned from using the word "iPhone" in any opinion thread at all ever again The smart ones amongst us could then continue to keep the forums alive with actual intelligent posting.

 

[voonyx]

Hold on there buddy, slow your roll. Some guy on here said he didn't believe there was that much profit on drinks at McDonalds. I merely offered a real life example proving there is that much profit on drinks in fast food. That is all. I never said anything even remotely resembling what the profit on drinks are used for or how to run a business.

Forgive me for thinking you had a point.

 

[kingtj]

We'll see ....

I'm not that surprised about the 5GB data cap on tethering/mobile hotspot usage. That's sort of a "cover our butt" move for Sprint, to make sure the service isn't slammed with people using it as their exclusive way to get online with all the machines in their house or apartment, for just a $30 per month add-on charge. Sounds ridiculous to those of us in a major city with good broadband options, but there are *definitely* a lot of folks in outlying areas who would use/abuse this option the minute they figured out it was available, since their internet options are otherwise limited to satellite ($'s), or dial-up modem.

I'm far from shocked. This was to be expected. And it goes without saying that unlimited data on phones will also come to an end in the not-too-distant future. It's the same luring game Verizon played on its customers.

----------

Who do you think handles most of Cricket's network for them? Sprint.

Just bring the iPhone to Cricket....hahahaha

 

[nylonsteel]

re original article

i'm sorta ok with this

rooting for sprint to provide more competition to monopolist att vz

on a grander scale the usa needs to build out mo betta wireless system and cheaper data plans with higher speeds

 

[diamond.g]

I'm not that surprised about the 5GB data cap on tethering/mobile hotspot usage. That's sort of a "cover our butt" move for Sprint, to make sure the service isn't slammed with people using it as their exclusive way to get online with all the machines in their house or apartment, for just a $30 per month add-on charge. Sounds ridiculous to those of us in a major city with good broadband options, but there are *definitely* a lot of folks in outlying areas who would use/abuse this option the minute they figured out it was available, since their internet options are otherwise limited to satellite ($'s), or dial-up modem.




----------

Who do you think handles most of Cricket's network for them? Sprint.

Cricket already throttles your speeds when you go over your allotted transfer amount.

 

[Wicked1]

They are fishing for customers once they reach all they will get, they like AT&T and VZ, and T-Mobile will go the way of Data Reduction, none of the carriers can afford to keep up at the current pace, and Sprint is not going to get Millions of new accounts just bc of unlimited, there service is very spotty, at least where I live adn work.

 

[nmnickmatta]

Sprint to Cap Mobile Hotspot Data to 5GB Ahead of iPhone Launch

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[tigres]

More good news from Sprint...

From Engadget:

"Sprint may have plenty of changes in store for its upcoming "strategy update," but it looks like one crucial policy will remain in place -- unlimited data plans. Speaking to reporters at Mobilize in San Francisco yesterday,company CTO Stephen Bye confirmed that even though competitors like Verizon and AT&T are phasing out their unlimited plans, Sprint remains committed to providing its customers with infinite data. Doing so won't come without costs, since, as Bye explained, not all unlimited subscribers eat up the same amount of data. But the exec pointed out that these efforts are counterbalanced by the relative simplicity of managing unlimited schemes, and don't seem quite as prohibitive when compared with the hidden customer support costs involved with more complex, tiered plans. Yet despite all this optimism, Sprint seems fully aware that some major expenses are on the horizon, especially with a revamped 4G LTE network in the pipeline and, perhaps, with the iPhone 5 on the way. "Is there pressure? Yeah," Bye acknowledged. "There's a challenge for all engineers to work on how we get the cost structure down." Bye went on to reiterate, however, that although a new data network may attract new investors, it's ultimately Sprint's unique data plans that will keep its customer base intact."

Sprint to keep unlimited data?

 

[voonyx]

From Engadget:

"Sprint may have plenty of changes in store for its upcoming "strategy update," but it looks like one crucial policy will remain in place -- unlimited data plans. Speaking to reporters at Mobilize in San Francisco yesterday,company CTO Stephen Bye confirmed that even though competitors like Verizon and AT&T are phasing out their unlimited plans, Sprint remains committed to providing its customers with infinite data. Doing so won't come without costs, since, as Bye explained, not all unlimited subscribers eat up the same amount of data. But the exec pointed out that these efforts are counterbalanced by the relative simplicity of managing unlimited schemes, and don't seem quite as prohibitive when compared with the hidden customer support costs involved with more complex, tiered plans. Yet despite all this optimism, Sprint seems fully aware that some major expenses are on the horizon, especially with a revamped 4G LTE network in the pipeline and, perhaps, with the iPhone 5 on the way. "Is there pressure? Yeah," Bye acknowledged. "There's a challenge for all engineers to work on how we get the cost structure down." Bye went on to reiterate, however, that although a new data network may attract new investors, it's ultimately Sprint's unique data plans that will keep its customer base intact."

Sprint to keep unlimited data?

haha what else would they say? "We are scared and are figuring out ways to tier data"? Of course they're going to say this, it's marketing to get more customers....