Sprint to Offer Unlimited Data Plans for Next iPhone, Even if LTE Included

[Leonard1818]

Well if they decide to pull that on us, I will certainly be looking for another carrier... Although so far I've used anywhere from 3 to 9 gigs in a month with zero slow down.

Agreed. I've been with Verizon for over a decade now (which is nothing compared to how long some people have been with them) and I realy hope they don't try to do that.

I'd probably simply tell them that I've been using < 2gb/month but hanging onto my unlimited plan so that it's available for future use and if they want to take it away I would certainly appreciate a pro-rated credit on my previous bills retroactively making my plan a 2GB plan.

They'll say no but what the heck right?!

 

[Michael CM1]

"We at Sprint will proudly offer unlimited data to all of our customers on the Now Network -- if you can get connected once you leave the big city. Suck it, rural boys and girls!"

If you thought AT&T's network had big gaps, try Sprint. I agree with the corn flakes post, although I like the early Ford motto. "You can have it in any color you want, as long as it's black."

 

[flipperfeet]

Maybe we should charge the carriers more

Admittedly the wireless telcos have to invest in new equipment to provide these higher capacity data services. But here is another side of the argument. The "airwaves" or spectrums are owned by the public and licensed to the telcos, they are sold at a fixed rate regardless of the signal density or rate of transfer. If telcos are going throttle back or charge based on consumption perhaps licensing should take a similar metered-approach. Telcos with graduated rate plans would be on graduated licensing plans. Those selling 3G services at a premium over 2G or metered limits would pay higher licensing fees than 2G, and so on for 4G and LTE. Those without premiums or metered limits would not be subjected to tiered licensing fees based on the same principles of metered used of public airwaves.

 

[Tiger8]

I love my iPhone on Sprint, and I don't feel that I am getting robbed every month!

 

[StinDaWg]

Haters gonna hate. I pay $50 a month for unlimited everything and 500 landline minutes. Sprint will have LTE in my area by the end of this year and then I will have the same speeds as Verizon and AT&T LTE at half the price.

If you are thinking of leaving Sprint right now is the worst time to do it. With Network Vision and LTE coming this year, as well as using 800 iDen and 2500 Clearwire for LTE in 2013 on top of their own 1900 spectrum they will have an extremely strong network going forward with unlimited data to boot.

 

[nick_elt]

Im glad I dont have an american carrier by the sounds of it!!!

 

[loon3y]

lol sprits so desperate.



but besides that how is the connection speed?


i mean if they offer true unlimited data, than why don't people go to sprint (besides the cost) what are the pros and cons of it rather than AT&T (no verizon part needed, verizon u still can't be on the phone and multitask right? thats crap)

 

[akira2501]

sprint SUX

slow as hell. YOu know it actually gimps your iphone. If sprint weren't the cheapest out there (68 for unlimited all) then there would be no way in the universe that I would be on their network. But hey, i do most of my data on wifi anyway so im not hurting.

 

[felux]

We will see how long that lasts. Sprints version of unlimited is unlimited now. I a signed a 2 year contract for an unlimited 4G WiMax hotspot in March 2011. By November their definition of unlimited was capping it at 5GB and only notifying by small print in the side of my bill.

Sprint is bait and switch. Stay away.

 

[snakesayan]

I love Sprint!

I'm so glad I'm with sprint! I get unlimited data! LA has good data speeds! Just in a week I used 2GB of data! I will easily go well over 10GBs per month! I love SPRINT! I used Siri, YouTube, netflix, safari, twitter etc. It all depends on where you live. So glad I don't have to worry about how much data I use... (cough) Verizon and AT&T subscribers! Hehe

By end of 2012 Sprint is gonna have there network updated, so speeds will be faster for people who aren't getting advertised speeds.

Thank god they are keeping unlimited data for now! I hope they never end it.

As long as Sprint continues there unlimited, I will stay with them

 

[SteveSwish]

Unlimited data doesnt make a difference when I only get 1 bar and 3G everywhere I go! CANT WAIT TO GO VERIZON

 

[Genetheninja]

I'm sorry but unlimited data means nothing to me. I had it with AT&T and it was such a waste. I looked into it when I had to drop it to get tethering for my iPad wifi and going back months on my bill statements I only use under 200mb a month... and I use my data A LOT! My current 4GB is overkill but it's the least I can get with tethering. I could jailbreak but I'm not really into that and my plan really doesn't cost all that much...

What's more important to me is not going over my minutes and I don't because I have thousands of rollover minutes and free cell to cell to any carrier with unlimited text....

 

[faroZ06]

Sprint is so slow it's like you're always throttled.

Yeah, you can't fall for the "unlimited" and "no throttling" trick. If everyone is unlimited, they are all hogging data. Now, if you have unlimited AT&T or Verizon, you are in luck! My friend uses a few GB per week on his unlimited Verizon LTE.

----------

I'm sorry but unlimited data means nothing to me. I had it with AT&T and it was such a waste. I looked into it when I had to drop it to get tethering for my iPad wifi and going back months on my bill statements I only use under 200mb a month... and I use my data A LOT! My current 4GB is overkill but it's the least I can get with tethering. I could jailbreak but I'm not really into that and my plan really doesn't cost all that much...

What's more important to me is not going over my minutes and I don't because I have thousands of rollover minutes and free cell to cell to any carrier with unlimited text....

Don't pay for tethering! You can do it for free!

----------

I'm so glad I'm with sprint! I get unlimited data! LA has good data speeds! Just in a week I used 2GB of data! I will easily go well over 10GBs per month! I love SPRINT! I used Siri, YouTube, netflix, safari, twitter etc. It all depends on where you live. So glad I don't have to worry about how much data I use... (cough) Verizon and AT&T subscribers! Hehe

By end of 2012 Sprint is gonna have there network updated, so speeds will be faster for people who aren't getting advertised speeds.

Thank god they are keeping unlimited data for now! I hope they never end it.

As long as Sprint continues there unlimited, I will stay with them

How fast is your data? Do a speedtest using the Speedtest.net app. I'm just curious to see how fast it is with all of the people hogging data like that.

I don't care one bit (hey, a pun) about the speed of my 3G because it is limited, so I won't be loading anything big anyway. However, if I had unlimited, I would care a lot about the speed.

 

[oban14]

What's the big deal? Verizon is already letting people with unlimited 3G keep their plan on 4G LTE.

And the speed/coverage crushes AT&T and Sprint.

 

[mikefj2004]

I want to....

Never have I ever wanted to believe in a company so badly and Sprint is that company. I love their initiative, I love their spunk, heck I love their unlimited data plans but neither of those things have made me want to make the change from AT&T. Why? Sprint's data is painstakingly and excruciatingly slow. My friend went to download an app and it took him about 12 minutes for that one app to download. A webpage, depending on how HTML intensive it is, took him about 70 seconds to render. AT&T on the other hand, far faster. That app that I wrote about earlier, on AT&T it took about 28 seconds. Sprint must improve their network if they ever hope to win over more customers. I would leave AT&T in a heartbeat as soon as Sprint drastically improves their network speeds and abandon this idea of WIMAX. By the way, I live in NYC, a place you would expect would have great data speeds being that it's a major metropolitan area. Or of not great at least reasonable. Sprint's data in NYC is just downright slow. There I say, I'd rather have dialup then surf the net on their network. Please Sprint, catch up quickly. I really wanna switch.

 

[faroZ06]

What's the big deal? Verizon is already letting people with unlimited 3G keep their plan on 4G LTE.

And the speed/coverage crushes AT&T and Sprint.

Verizon fanboy? Every carrier allows you to keep your unlimited plan with any upgrades to the service. Also, maybe Verizon is good in your area, but its coverage SUCKS in Los Angeles (at least compared to AT&T). The carrier you should get depends on your location. I'm guessing that Verizon has better coverage than AT&T where you are, unless you are just saying this without actually trying both first.

Oh, and the only way to have unlimited Verizon is to be a long-time customer who kept an old plan for a long time, like my friend did. The "big deal" is that Sprint is the only carrier to sell unlimited data plans, although I doubt the data speed is fast at all.

----------

Haters gonna hate. I pay $50 a month for unlimited everything and 500 landline minutes. Sprint will have LTE in my area by the end of this year and then I will have the same speeds as Verizon and AT&T LTE at half the price.

If you are thinking of leaving Sprint right now is the worst time to do it. With Network Vision and LTE coming this year, as well as using 800 iDen and 2500 Clearwire for LTE in 2013 on top of their own 1900 spectrum they will have an extremely strong network going forward with unlimited data to boot.

Sprint's speeds won't be the same as AT&T and Verizon. You probably know that the airwaves aren't everything; there is network capacity. I seriously doubt that AT&T and Verizon will have as much traffic with their limited plans as Sprint will with unlimited users trying to use as much data as possible (as I would do).

I'd be very surprised if Sprint was not horribly slow, as others have said. If they were fast, I'd definitely switch. Can some Sprint users run a few speed tests once LTE is out?

----------

Unlimited data doesnt make a difference when I only get 1 bar and 3G everywhere I go! CANT WAIT TO GO VERIZON

Careful... fast data speeds aren't very desirable when you're limited (unless you buy like 4GB per month). Man, I envy my friend, who has unlimited Verizon LTE and doesn't even use it for tethering (but he does use a lot of bandwidth pirating music from Grooveshark).

 

[faroZ06]

Can Sprint change their name to "Crawl" because that is how fast their network is.... Unlimited Slowness = Unlimited Torture!
At&t, the original and still the best iPhone carrier! Hands down... if you don't believe it, reply to this message while making a phone call

I don't even want to use calling and data at the same time... and I STILL accidentally try to end the call by pressing the Home button.

But AT&T is the best in Los Angeles and the places I need it, so I use AT&T.

----------

Sprint's data is slower, but I am able to get a signal with my phone in far more places than I ever could with AT&T. I don't need a 3G Microcell to use my phone in my own home, for starters.

Plus that data is unlimited, and for an extra $30/month, I get 5GB of personal hotspot data on top. Their pricing is far better than AT&T. I routinely pay $30 less a month for more data, unlimited text messages and more consistent service.

Another win for Sprint? I called them to get my phone unlocked ahead of a trip to the UK. It was the most painless experience possible.

You pay $30/month EXTRA for tethering? No no no. You should just get a free tethering app.

By the way, you can own a nice 27" iMac for less than $10 per month of you buy one then sell it two years later on eBay (it cost only $3.33/month to own a Mac Mini from 2009 for 3 years, which is not even the optimum selling time). $30/month is a lot of money, especially for something that is not practically useful.

 

[nws0291]

I still have my unlimited data plan with ATT. Just activated a Lumia 900 for the time being until the 5 comes out. My plan was upgraded to unlimited LTE with ATT same price. LTE tower went live the other night but still no LTE speed increase yet. Registry on the 900 is tweaked to show 4G like the iPhone when on 3G. It does not fake LTE though.

 

[StinDaWg]

Sprint's speeds won't be the same as AT&T and Verizon. You probably know that the airwaves aren't everything; there is network capacity. I seriously doubt that AT&T and Verizon will have as much traffic with their limited plans as Sprint will with unlimited users trying to use as much data as possible (as I would do).

I'd be very surprised if Sprint was not horribly slow, as others have said. If they were fast, I'd definitely switch. Can some Sprint users run a few speed tests once LTE is out?

Yes they will. They are upgrading their entire network and tower structure when they switch to LTE. LTE is better for network congestion because users get off the network quicker when there is faster speeds. The reason Sprints 3G network is slow is because it's CDMA. Verizon 3G isn't any faster. I typically get .5 to 1.5 MB downloads on Sprint 3G.

http://s4gru.com/ is a good site to read about news with Sprints LTE rollout.

----------

I still have my unlimited data plan with ATT. Just activated a Lumia 900 for the time being until the 5 comes out. My plan was upgraded to unlimited LTE with ATT same price. LTE tower went live the other night but still no LTE speed increase yet. Registry on the 900 is tweaked to show 4G like the iPhone when on 3G. It does not fake LTE though.

AT&T still throttles LTE data after 5GB and HSPA+ after 3GB.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/01/...ttling-changes-now-kicks-in-at-3gb-or-5gb-fo/

 

[faroZ06]

Yes they will. They are upgrading their entire network and tower structure when they switch to LTE. LTE is better for network congestion because users get off the network quicker when there is faster speeds. The reason Sprints 3G network is slow is because it's CDMA. Verizon 3G isn't any faster. I typically get .5 to 1.5 MB downloads on Sprint 3G.

Some people did a test, and there was a MR article even on Sprint being slower than Verizon (both on 3G iPhones).

But are you saying that Sprint will have a much greater network capacity than Verizon and AT&T? Because they would need that to feed all of those people who are using as much data as they can. Oh, and LTE will only increase the network load.

 

[Gooberton]

What I want to see is free tethering or rollover data on att with all data plans. That way you get the gigs you pay for and can do what you want with them. Unlimited makes no business sense, there will be throttling, tethering restrictions, etc, or it will cost $200 a month if you can tether at max speed 24/7.

YES! Rollover data is the answer, that would be amazing. Why not?

 

[surma884]

They should have data plans like voice plans. Nights and weekends free!

I wonder how it will all work out when Sprint rolls out family data plans. Verizon is going to have a plan like that this summer.

 

[SpyderBite]

When you use wifi efficiently, limited data is not an issue for most people. If you are streaming movies over Netflix while you're at work then you have issues with your priorities not your carriers restrictions.

I can't remember the last time I wasn't within 5 mins of a wifi hotspot. I use a lot of data & my average network data usage is about 512mb / month. The other 4 - 6 gb is via wifi. The carrier is irrelevant. If limited cellular data is an issue then you are using it incorrectly.

 

[surma884]

When you use wifi efficiently, limited data is not an issue for most people. If you are streaming movies over Netflix while you're at work then you have issues with your priorities not your carriers restrictions.

I can't remember the last time I wasn't within 5 mins of a wifi hotspot. I use a lot of data & my average network data usage is about 512mb / month. The other 4 - 6 gb is via wifi. The carrier is irrelevant. If limited cellular data is an issue then you are using it incorrectly.

The places where they have wifi, is it free? If it is free it won't be very fast unless your the only one using it. LTE is much faster than what people have in their homes and it is much faster then the wifi you get at most places (even the paid wifi).

 

[bluesamg]

i dont own an iphone but i regret getting a tbolt instead of iphone 4 at the moment the iphone went to Verizon.. well the piont of my commenting is i still have unlimited data on my 4g phone and waste 1gb a week on verizon.. i heard that sprint was slow at times. I think Sprint lte will be as fast as 10gb at a good area because Sprint still offers unlimited and Sprint might not pay for a lot of bandwidth.. So why stay on a slow network unless you are on wi-fi mostof the time. And when verizons 4g does get down I still have super fast 3g. So when Sprint upgrades to evdo rev.b it will only matter to people who have 3g phones.