AT&T To Sprint

[SpicyTime]

When I lived and traveled around L.A. and Orange County, I had consistent signal and high 4G speeds with T-Mobile. Unfortunately, I haven't had the same experience when outside of this area. I have to resort to WiFi calling now that I'm in Sunnyvale, and I don't get 4G everywhere I go.

I'm thinking of trying a new carrier, but it's hard to beat T-Mobile's prices (especially on grandfathered plans). Maybe I'll switch if things go to hell after the AT&T acquisition.

 

[heat901]

ive been debating this for sometime because I can get a bigger discount off my plan for sprint then at&t... but I really don't know if I could make the plunge then regret it later...

 

[foghorn67]

ive been debating this for sometime because I can get a bigger discount off my plan for sprint then at&t... but I really don't know if I could make the plunge then regret it later...

Sprint is cheaper if you forget about the $10 premium for smartphones (previously only 4g smartphones, now any of them).
However, they give corporate discounts to almost any company.
When I was in the queue for a salesman to get me started on a plan, the concierge took down my name and we went through a ton of companies until I fit into one one of the discounts. It ended up being the conglomerate umbrella my company fell under.
And it was good for knocking off the $10 premium data fee and then some.

 

[Lyfer]

Depends on where you live and if you travel alot. Coverage maps are your key.


I travel alot and VZW has the best coverage where I travel to compared to anyone. LTE is a super sexy as well.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Sprint is cheaper if you forget about the $10 premium for smartphones

It either is or it isn't. I thought Sprint was still the cheapest bang for your buck even with the $10 premium?

 

[lothar]

It either is or it isn't. I thought Sprint was still the cheapest bang for your buck even with the $10 premium?

Sprint is NOT cheap.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=32142051&postcount=22

 

[Fingolfin269]

Sprint is NOT cheap.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=32142051&postcount=22

How does it look sans corporate discount? I'm thinking that matters more for most. Not to mention unlimited data and basically unlimited minutes included. (unless you make a ton of land line calls)

 

[Genx87]

I have always had good luck with Sprint. Rarely a dropped call and their data worked.

I had an iPhone 4 on AT&T last Winter for a few months. Dropped calls all the time. Data was fine though.

On Verizon now and typically good except the house I just moved into I get 0-1 bars. Amazing how I found the one house this happens lol

 

[heat901]

Sprint is cheaper if you forget about the $10 premium for smartphones (previously only 4g smartphones, now any of them).
However, they give corporate discounts to almost any company.
When I was in the queue for a salesman to get me started on a plan, the concierge took down my name and we went through a ton of companies until I fit into one one of the discounts. It ended up being the conglomerate umbrella my company fell under.
And it was good for knocking off the $10 premium data fee and then some.

I think my company does like 23% off for sprint and 15% for att(confirmed with my current plan).

 

[BeauJangles]

It either is or it isn't. I thought Sprint was still the cheapest bang for your buck even with the $10 premium?

On a true SERO account, nothing can touch Sprint, even with the $20 in extra fees for using smartphones and 4G.

500 anytime minutes
unlimited nights and weekends starting at 7
unlimited mobile to mobile calling
unlimited data
unlimited text
4G (yes, it sucks but still a perk)

That comes to ~$50 / month.

If you just have a classic SERO plan, it's $30 / month but you're limited to using WoMo 6 phones or regular dumbphones.

 

[zerocool84]

Even with the $10 smartphone fee, no one touches Sprint for what you get. Of course you can get cheaper elsewhere but you have to monitor how you use your phone, everyone else throttles or charges extra after a measly 2GB.

 

[lothar]

How does it look sans corporate discount? I'm thinking that matters more for most. Not to mention unlimited data and basically unlimited minutes included. (unless you make a ton of land line calls)

It is there for you to see in the pictures for you to see. You can see the before and after discount prices if you know simple addition and subtraction.

Corporate discount shouldn't have any effect anyway...It's 20% on Verizon/Sprint and 22% on AT&T. That 2% extra difference for AT&T is only $1.80/month...Not significant.

If Sprint didn't have the extra $10 3G/4G tax, they'd be cheap enough for me to signup without even looking at pre-paid plans.
Verizon used to be very cheap until 7/7...now they're the most expensive. Not worth it.

 

[lothar]

On a true SERO account, nothing can touch Sprint, even with the $20 in extra fees for using smartphones and 4G.

500 anytime minutes
unlimited nights and weekends starting at 7
unlimited mobile to mobile calling
unlimited data
unlimited text
4G (yes, it sucks but still a perk)

That comes to ~$50 / month.

If you just have a classic SERO plan, it's $30 / month but you're limited to using WoMo 6 phones or regular dumbphones.

What is the difference between Sprint's SERO and their regular plans? Are SERO plans eligible for corporate discount?

 

[Dulanic]

What is the difference between Sprint's SERO and their regular plans? Are SERO plans eligible for corporate discount?

If you need to ask you don't have one. If you don't have one it doesn't matter as they are no longer available.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

I was a Sprint customer for years. They kept trying to overbill me... charge me for roaming time when I never went anywhere... etc.

Three years ago I bit the bullet and got an iPhone. AT&T has been fairly good to me but I'm really tired of paying $180/mo when I can get the same service with Srpint for $99. The Android platform seems to have caught up to Apple as far as apps and the like. I'm really thinking about bailing on ATT and switching back to Sprint.

I've already fulfilled my 2yr obligation to ATT so it won't cost me anything.

Anybody here have any experience with the Motorola PHOTON?

 

[you2]

The photon has generally received good responses but there are a couple of software glitches. The most glaring is one that will make the phone stop working till a power cycle; annoying but not the end of the world. I played with one in a store for a bit and they let me take it outside. The screen is excellent but a few are bothered by the pentile design (it did not bother me and I tested text and imges). The screen is very visble outdoors (the evo3d completely wash out in bright light; and yes I know how to adjust brightness - btw the photon was more visible on auto than on max brightness).
-
The speaker is incredibly good and reports are good battery life ( I want to emphasize that I do not own one - i'm waiting for the sg2 due in a couple of weeks so I can compare with the photon before deciding).
-
The biggest negatives are moto-blur (you can install your own launcher without root); the glitch that causes the phone to stop working (rumour is that it is related to the auto shut off feature that kicks in when you put the phone in a pocket; and sprint will eventually push a fix); the boot loader can be unlocked but currently doing so will cause the lost of 4g access - rumour is it wipes the keys required for 4g.
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Phone reception is suppose to be exceptional from all reports; but 3g/4g nothing special (this is in regards to the antennae - phone reception is important to me and the aspect of the sg2 that concerns me).
-
Anywayas I've been following the threads on phoneandriod and played with it a couple of times in the stores since I'm leaning towards this device. I did not check gps lock time - also I'm unsure if the hdmi is a complete mirror like it is on the evo3d.

 

[ghost recon88]

Are SERO plans eligible for corporate discount?

Already tried and the answer is "no". Michigan State has a corporate discount of 23% per plan, so I got ahold of our Sprint rep and asked him if I could get the discount taken off my SERO plan. He said since the SERO plan was already so "heavily discounted" that they couldn't discount it any further. It would have been epic though, 23% off the $50 unlimited everything plan

 

[foghorn67]

It either is or it isn't. I thought Sprint was still the cheapest bang for your buck even with the $10 premium?

It still is because it's truly unlimited. You are not throttled or billed after 2GB.
And everybody under the sun can fall under a corporate discount.

 

[vshah]

I was a Sprint customer for years. They kept trying to overbill me... charge me for roaming time when I never went anywhere... etc.

Three years ago I bit the bullet and got an iPhone. AT&T has been fairly good to me but I'm really tired of paying $180/mo when I can get the same service with Srpint for $99. The Android platform seems to have caught up to Apple as far as apps and the like. I'm really thinking about bailing on ATT and switching back to Sprint.

I've already fulfilled my 2yr obligation to ATT so it won't cost me anything.

Anybody here have any experience with the Motorola PHOTON?

tmobile has a new 49.99 unlimited value plan if you are willing to buy your own phone. might want to look into that if they have good coverage in your area.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

tmobile has a new 49.99 unlimited value plan if you are willing to buy your own phone. might want to look into that if they have good coverage in your area.

Yeah... just started looking at that. Looks like they have full coverage and they're getting a new phone that seems like the shit... Samsung Hercules. I've been looking around at that phone for a bit this morning. It sounds like it gets released in October and I'm starting to like it... a lot.

T-Mobile is looking like a no-brainer right now. Any down side I should be aware of?

 

[zerocool84]

Yeah... just started looking at that. Looks like they have full coverage and they're getting a new phone that seems like the shit... Samsung Hercules. I've been looking around at that phone for a bit this morning. It sounds like it gets released in October and I'm starting to like it... a lot.

T-Mobile is looking like a no-brainer right now. Any down side I should be aware of?

Just the 2GB limit then throttled to 2G speeds after that. If that doesn't bother you then definitely jump on it.

 

[Knavish]

Sprint is NOT cheap.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=32142051&postcount=22

Sprint's advertized prices aren't *that* much better than the other carriers, but I disagree with that thread you've posted. It looks like the ATT screenshot has *NO* texting included. If you plan on using txting very much, you'd have to add $20/month to the ATT plan, right?

I seem to know more people who have SERO or some other weird Sprint plan they're granfathered into that give very good rates, especially on multiple lines. (Not that this helps new customers...)

 

[lothar]

Sprint's advertized prices aren't *that* much better than the other carriers, but I disagree with that thread you've posted. It looks like the ATT screenshot has *NO* texting included. If you plan on using txting very much, you'd have to add $20/month to the ATT plan, right?

I seem to know more people who have SERO or some other weird Sprint plan they're granfathered into that give very good rates, especially on multiple lines. (Not that this helps new customers...)

You've never heard of this thing called Google Voice?
If one is going to get a "smart"phone, then one might as well use it's smartness.
If one is buying a dumbphone, then yes a text plan is required.

Grandfathered plans are great, but they don't help my situation.

 

[alent1234]

You've never heard of this thing called Google Voice?
If one is going to get a "smart"phone, then one might as well use it's smartness.
If one is buying a dumbphone, then yes a text plan is required.

Grandfathered plans are great, but they don't help my situation.

google voice sucks because its a land line. its a lot cheaper to use the telco mobile to mobile unlimited minutes

 

[Knavish]

You've never heard of this thing called Google Voice?
If one is going to get a "smart"phone, then one might as well use it's smartness.
If one is buying a dumbphone, then yes a text plan is required.

Grandfathered plans are great, but they don't help my situation.

I do use google voice on my phone, but really just for voicemail. I use my G.V. # as a local number, and the out-of-state cell number as the old number that all my friends / family remember from the past. Occasionally I do have delays receiving G.V. voicemail txts & messages, so I'm slightly wary of using it to replace all the Sprint services. Maybe it's just the latency of downloading the audio...

I suppose I would make all my friends / family edit their address book if it came down to an extra $10 or $20 per month!
----
I do sympathize with your situation. I've had to consider (for complicated reasons) leaving the old plan that I'm currently on & it looks like pretty much every phone company wants to charge well over $70/month for a smartphone with a dataplan.