• Sprint Killing Unlimited Mobile Hotspot Data Plans Ahead of Next iPhone Launch

    by
    Phillip Swanson
    Published on 2011-09-22 03:48 PM
    44 Comments Comments


    Sprintfeed is reporting Sprint will begin limiting its mobile hotspot plans to 5GB of data starting October 2 in advance of the next generation iPhone launch.

    Sprint will still offer their “unlimited” data plans for data used on cellular devices, but is limiting those who purchase the $29.99/mo mobile hotspot plan to 5GB of data a month for hotspot usage. Limiting mobile hotspot users to a paltry 5GB a month seems to undermine the entire purpose of connecting multiple devices including laptops and tablets to a mobile hotspot. These devices use considerably more bandwidth than their smaller handheld siblings and have the potential to burn through 5GB of data rather quickly.

    Additionally, reports have surfaced rumoring that Sprint will phase out unlimited mobile data plans after the launch of the iPhone on their network. If this happens the only remaining carrier to offer unlimited data will be T-Mobile (albeit with usage caps), and there is no guarantee how long that will last. AT&T and Verizon have already abandoned unlimited data plans for new customers, and AT&T is actively throttling “grand fathered” unlimited data users who exceed 5GB of bandwidth a month.

    Current Sprint users enrolled in the unlimited mobile hotspot plan won’t be offered the luxury of having their plan grand-fathered through the end of their contract, let alone next month. Sprint is planning to “migrate” current users to the new plan and notify them of the change via bill messages or postcards with the change taking place the first billing cycle after users receive their card. Why not send a text message or email? Oddly enough none of this applies to Tablet customers, CL customers with a Corporate ID or those with a Master Service Agreement.

    Hopefully you fall into one of those aforementioned categories.

    Source: SprintFeed
    This article was originally published in forum thread: Sprint Killing Unlimited Mobile Hotspot Data Plans Ahead of Next iPhone Launch started by Phillip Swanson View original post
    1. Categories:
    2. iPhone,
    3. Apple,
    4. Mac,
    5. iPad
    Comments 44 Comments
    1. Poseidon79's Avatar
      Poseidon79 - 2011-09-22, 03:49 PM
      Sprint execs aren't stupid. They've witnessed what happens to mobile networks when millions of iPhones are activated on the same network in a short period of time. They know the same thing is going to happen to theirs and are taking steps to try and lighten the imminent load. Granted this makes the higher bandwidth users cry but the other 97% will benefit.
    1. freddiepr's Avatar
      freddiepr - 2011-09-22, 03:55 PM
      Well, I was considering Sprint for my next iPhone... With this news I'll rather stick with at&t for now. Thanks for the headsup Sprint !!!
    1. hitman10's Avatar
      hitman10 - 2011-09-22, 04:05 PM
      I wish they did something like that in Canada, then I could get out of my 3 year contract. And not pay a min. of $3000 w/o the surplus charges that they love to impose on your account. But really. Perfect time for those people who wanna get outta the plan. If a contract was signed they cannot change what you already have if so.. I believe you have a 30 or 90 day drop out period w/o and penalty. They wont agree that check for yourself.

      Found a website...
      HTML Code:
      http://smartcanucks.ca/how-to-get-out-of-a-cellphone-contract-early/
    1. liquidzoo's Avatar
      liquidzoo - 2011-09-22, 04:17 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by hitman10 View Post
      If a contract was signed they cannot change what you already have if so.. I believe you have a 30 or 90 day drop out period w/o and penalty. They wont agree that check for yourself.
      No such luck with most American carriers, and Sprint in particular unless they've changed their policies since I worked for them. Terms and Conditions state clearly that they can change any part of the contract if there is a need to do so, and all they have to do is notify the customer of the change. The only way you can dispute and get out is by not using your phone, at all, from the minute you receive the notification. Continuing to use your service constitutes acceptance with the new terms (and it says this right on the email, which most smartphone users check on their phones...).

      Lawyers love writing contracts like this, and get paid good money to do so.
    1. maddawg05's Avatar
      maddawg05 - 2011-09-22, 04:28 PM
      So what you're saying is Sprint has an 'open' contract. Shoot why bother to have a contract but a piece of paper saying I agree to stay with Sprint for 2 years period. Sprint would have no obligations...they can jack prices up as they see 'needed'. That's way too much control.
    1. jmacsoloist's Avatar
      jmacsoloist - 2011-09-22, 04:52 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by liquidzoo View Post
      No such luck with most American carriers, and Sprint in particular unless they've changed their policies since I worked for them. Terms and Conditions state clearly that they can change any part of the contract if there is a need to do so, and all they have to do is notify the customer of the change. The only way you can dispute and get out is by not using your phone, at all, from the minute you receive the notification. Continuing to use your service constitutes acceptance with the new terms (and it says this right on the email, which most smartphone users check on their phones...).

      Lawyers love writing contracts like this, and get paid good money to do so.

      Holy Hell, no more switching to Sprint for me! This just royally chaps my @$$. I've been bending over and taking it from AT&T paying a freaking arm and leg for 900 anytime minutes on my iphone because I use unlim text and data and can't get that with lower plans. Text and web is the only reason i have a phone and ATT charges me $130 a month for it. I was looking forward to the lower cost of sprint with 4G but not having unlimited data AND being on 4G, a 2Gb (or close) limit will be gone in no time fore me. It's starting to look like im gonna have to go buy me a Zach Morris phone or something!

      P.S. Thanks for the heads up about this!
    1. Poseidon79's Avatar
      Poseidon79 - 2011-09-22, 04:57 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by maddawg05 View Post
      So what you're saying is Sprint has an 'open' contract. Shoot why bother to have a contract but a piece of paper saying I agree to stay with Sprint for 2 years period. Sprint would have no obligations...they can jack prices up as they see 'needed'. That's way too much control.
      That's pretty much how all service contracts are written these days for phones, internet, cable, etc. It's really not the end of the world considering there is active competition with keeps company's prices and offers fair. There are laws that protect consumers also from price gouging and unfair treatment which is how most class action lawsuits are supported. At the end of the day no one forces you to sign anything and you can go back to living in the stone age with no modern amenities.
    1. jose060789's Avatar
      jose060789 - 2011-09-22, 05:27 PM
      Man, am I happy to be grandfathered on my unlimited plan on AT&T
    1. RICO_'s Avatar
      RICO_ - 2011-09-22, 05:50 PM
      It's coming.....like I said......soon Sprint will do away with their Unlimited Data plan all together.
    1. Tylus's Avatar
      Tylus - 2011-09-22, 06:35 PM
      freaking awesome. AT&T has led the charge and now every other carrier is just as screwed up as they are.Awesome that everybody keeps charging tons of $$$ for the services, but they won't upgrade their networks. Glad I'm a grandfathered AT&T customer. just have to be really careful I don't exceed my bandwidth so they won't arbitrarily change my plan
    1. Donnutt's Avatar
      Donnutt - 2011-09-22, 06:44 PM
      That makes a lot of sense. As one of the 97% of smartphone users that don't go over 2gb a month, users that have the "I can use 200gb a month if I want to" really piss me off.
      Sprint is just preparing for a HUGE bandwidth load and limiting the greedy people.
    1. i.Annie's Avatar
      i.Annie - 2011-09-22, 06:48 PM
      Go figure. Once a cell carrier gets the iPhone, the unlimited data is killed.

      I didn't want to get stuck with Verizon, but dang I think I will be now bc my contract won't end until Sprint's unlimited data is long gone.

      Fingers crossed for VZW 4G to get on iPhone in the next year, and hope the 4G coverage doesn't suck as bad as my 3G coverage
    1. Poseidon79's Avatar
      Poseidon79 - 2011-09-22, 07:06 PM
      Quote Originally Posted by Tylus View Post
      freaking awesome. AT&T has led the charge and now every other carrier is just as screwed up as they are.Awesome that everybody keeps charging tons of $$$ for the services, but they won't upgrade their networks. Glad I'm a grandfathered AT&T customer. just have to be really careful I don't exceed my bandwidth so they won't arbitrarily change my plan
      I used to have the exact same opinion as you... until I dug a little deeper and found out WHY they aren't expanding their network. Government regulation (especially smaller local governments) have not allowed carriers to build new towers or even make changes or upgrades to existing ones without a 180 day review period which regularly gets ignored. I read an extremely in depth article about this a few weeks ago that I'm trying to find. It stated that more than 70% of all CURRENT wireless permits for expansion or rework are buried in the local government approval process for over 9 months. The FCC had a new law past that was supposed to limit this process to 90 days which has not been affective at this point.
    1. i.Annie's Avatar
      i.Annie - 2011-09-22, 07:13 PM
      Huh, thats interesting.

      Well I never was one to really get mad at it but I did/do wish AT&T would have better plans. Like maybe give me 5GB for $35 or something instead of maxing out at 2GB. Same with other carriers. I think 2GB is too little and I don't ever use more than 5GB a month. That will control those data hogs and give others who aren't greedy with data a chance.
    1. Poseidon79's Avatar
      Poseidon79 - 2011-09-22, 07:21 PM
      Off topic but this is why people don't understand how important T-Mobile is to AT&T right now. If they can buy EXISTING infrastructure it makes the process to expand and upgrade doable in a much shorter period of time than fighting literally thousands of governments for new construction and permit approval.
    1. i.Annie's Avatar
      i.Annie - 2011-09-22, 07:27 PM
      I was wondering why AT&T is so set on buying T-Mobile. That makes a lot of sense now that you explained it.
    1. Mes's Avatar
      Mes - 2011-09-22, 07:30 PM
      Easier to buy than make. Doesn't help the amount of data, just puts existing bandwidth in fewer hands.
    1. i.Annie's Avatar
      i.Annie - 2011-09-22, 07:32 PM
      Yeah, really wish they'd up the limit to 4 or 5 gigs. I don't see AT&T acquiring T-Mobile beneficial to me.
    1. Mes's Avatar
      Mes - 2011-09-22, 07:34 PM
      It benefits no one long term. Can't ever remember a time when less competition benefited the consumer.
    1. i.Annie's Avatar
      i.Annie - 2011-09-22, 07:38 PM
      I enjoy your philosophy Mes lol (no sarcasm, for real!) It's true though, I secretly hope Sprint wins the fight in keeping AT&T from acquiring T-Mobile. I plan to switch back to T-Mobile eventually if it ever gets the iPhone (hopefully when my VZW contract is near ending). Switching quick before the unlimited data ends for T-Mo too lol.
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