Comparing the Cell Phone Plans of Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile 88
For the first time since being released back in June of ’09, people in the States will soon have more than one carrier to choose from when looking for webOS powered phones. The Plus variant of the the Pre and Pixi are slated for release on the 25th of this month on Verizon, and we know that a launch on AT&T can't be too far behind. Both Verizon and AT&T have recently made some significant modifications to their phone plans, making it a little confusing for those in the market for a new Palm phone, so big ups to BillShrink for compiling a comprehensive (and we do mean comprehensive) comparison of the major US carriers’ phone plans.
The basic story is this: Voice + Text + Unlimited Data for the three carriers breaks down thusly:
| Minutes | Verizon | AT&T | Sprint |
| 450 | $89.99 | $89.99 | $69.99 |
| 900 | $109.99 | $109.99 | $89.99 |
| Unlimited | $119.99 | $119.99 | $99.99 |
Sprint wins on nights and weekends (theirs start at 7pm instead of 9) and mobile-to-mobile too (Verizon and AT&T are in-network only). Sprint also tends to be the cheapest of the three for family plans, as well.
Even though the Palm Pre Plus is the bees' knees, the original Palm Pre is still great, so the above chart combined with signal quality in your area is what you should be using to decide between Sprint, Verizon, and (future) AT&T. Anybody out there swayed to switch?
[via gigaom]
88 Comments
First lol, I have Sprint havent had any problems. Had Verizon and they billed me for text even though I had unlimited. Sure they have greater coverage but I am a midwest guy so its all good here and I save more than twenty a month with discounts. Getting ready to upgrade to Pre and I cant wait. 10 days and a wake up!
until the day comes where I need to run 50 apps simultaneously, I think I'll save that 20 bucks a month and keep my mobile-to-any mobile at Sprint.
Sprint comes out on top again. I hope one day people realize Sprint is one of the top tier carriers.
I just hope that Sprint does not add tethering. I do not want to pay for what I already get for free with mytether. I have been tethering on Sprint for about 5 years now. There has always been a way to do it, wither with cables or by buying software. I don't use it much, maybe 2 - 3 gigs a month, but I like that I can use my data plan.
I see your point. The one thing I would like to see is the MiFi like functionality on the next Sprint WebOs device with a reasonable price added to your plan. Say 19.99... I would possibly jump on that.
I love to use MyTether. I use it to for my iTouch to get online.
I've had sprint since 2000 . Always been good and customer service has always been exceptional. Wouldn't switch even if those others were cheaper. They are playing catch up to sprint.
I've been a customer since 2000 too. Back when I was in college and needed a cell phone, AT&T (who was Pacbell at the time) wanted a $1k deposit, Sprint wanted $125 and set a $125 spending limit on my account. Needless to say Sprint has treated me well, given me very fair pricing, and has had rock solid performance across the country for me. I know I get better data connections than my friend's on AT&T here in Southern Cali and I get 3G out in places that would be considered the boonies, while they are getting Edge/2G in major metropolitan areas when they travel. So Sprint is keeping me, plus on Sprint I get the free Verizon roaming, so it's the best of both worlds. My only gripe is CDMA's limitation of no data and talking at the same time.
Amen on the no data and talking issue. The only problem is that it is not a limitation for EVDO Rev A. Theoretically we can do data and voice at the same time, Sprint and Verizon seem to want to have the feature disable for some reason. Maybe it's a bandwidth issue, dunno!
Oh well for the quality of service, nice pricing, and the way they treat me, I don't mind it. I honestly don't have that many instances where I need data and voice at the same time. Just more of an annoyance when you get signed out of your instant messaging services and signed back in when you make a phone call or text.
Actually, IIRC, Sprint/Verizon would have to convert the voice call into data (VOIP) and run it over the EVDO connection rather than the voice channel. Difficulties include having to seamlessly switch the voice channel over to the data channel, probable reduction in voice quality, dropping of the call if you lose the EVDO connection, etc.. Again, I could be wrong, but this is what I recall from looking at the the issue a while back.
Makes sense, thanks for the info!
From what I recall, that's correct. And I believe you need to be near peak EVDO-A bandwidth capability for it to work seamlessly. Of course even with a perfect signal the max throughput of 1.8 Mbps doesn't happen. Best I've ever seen was ~1.1 Mbps. Typically around 700 kbps in the midwest boonies.
And dear "fastest network," except in lead-lined caves I always have my 700 kbps minimum on Sprint. ;-P
There is no technology to allow CDMA to do this.
GSM can because they have one tower for voice, and another for the data.
No, as pointed out just above, it can happen on newer revs of EVDO too if everything is converted to VOIP.
This all reminds me... why is it we never saw an upgrade to Rev. B? That would have changed the peak spec from 1.8 Mbps to 14 Mbps. Yeah it's not 4G, but damned close. And they wouldn't have had to worry as much about breaking the backhaul over backwards. Even if it only hit 5 Mbps typical, that's pretty fracking awesome.
I can't remember where, but here in the last week there was a Rev.B deployment...on some small island country in the Indian Ocean. I'd post a link to the article about it, but I can't find it right now.
The answer to your question is, as usual, $$$! Wimax is incredibly cheaper to deploy since you only need a tower every 10-12 miles. And, since it's 4G, has bandwidth to spare (for future ugragades/speed increases)and can be converted easily to LTE if neccessary, Sprint is putting their money on a safer bet. And less money than they would have to put into upgrading all their towers for Rev. B.
That's exactly why I got them back in the day. The spending limit was a great way to keep deposits low and ensure that I didn't cost them money by running up a huge bill and not paying it. After that I stayed because the unlimited data was $10/month (later $15) and I could afford to keep it on my Palms and HTCs.
Agreed bdot! Sprint needs to be recognized by the general public as one of, if not, the best carriers in the US. As far as value for the money goes, Sprint is unbeatable. Their network is great! and since most of their plans include roaming for free, if you don't have service on the Sprint network, you'll be roaming on the Verizon network. I would say that Verizon has a very strong network but you definitely have to pay a price to use it. I pay $115 a month for 4 Pre's with 1500 shared mins, unlimited texting, data, and nights starting at 6pm, pretty damn good deal I'd say.
So it's like, Get Sprint, and still use VZW's network since we can roam on it :D
Mother eff VZW, Red bastages
Johnny Dangerously...classic.
Ahhhahaha... do remember there are roaming limits, though. And if you're roaming like crazy you will hit those limits and get zinged.
It is slightly tempting to switch to VZW since my wife still has a plan with them because all of her family is with VZW. I don't know that they included the extra $10/mo in this comparison that VZW charges to use GPS. If not then VZW is $30/mo more expensive than Sprint. That's a $360/yr + taxes difference. I would rather save that money and use it to upgrade to the new Pre on Sprint whenever it comes out.
Don't forget that you can sell your used Sprint phone on ebay and make a decent amount of money. There are plenty of people on ebay who want to buy phones that don't require them to re up their contract. That's how I upgrade every year at no cost. Plus if you wait two years your phone is 2 model years old at that point equaling less money.
When I got my Pre I put my Touch Pro up on craigslist. It was only a few months old since I got it from Asurion in exchange for a broken Mogul. Some dude needed a cheap Sprint WM phone so he traded me a 32GB 1st Gen iPod Touch for it :D
Never would have shelled out for one of those but for a phone I had basically written off it was a nice trade.
8 lines on Sprint here - saving a small fortune every month :)
At least you guys have 3 network offering palm pre (AT&T will get it very soon), we Europeans have just one, O2 coverage in my area is absolutely shit.. I cant wait for palm to branch out to other networks.
Don't ATT and VZW still charge extra for navigation? That is included with Sprint.
Yes they do, for another $10/month. Over a 2-year contract that is an additional $240! Sprint gives it to you for free.
Pretty much, any other network does not have a bundled package like Sprint's three Everything plans do.
Again, You get EVERYTHING with Sprint (add-on's wise), and with the other carriers, they give you Unl Voice for the same price we get Unl voice + everything else.
This would be like a man leaving his wife because the "other woman" has a slightly larger chest. I mean.....REALLY? Sprint has been very good to me, and the Palm Pre by far is the most advanced phone I've ever had. I previously owned the Motorola Razr 2 and before that, a Sanyo MM5400. The Pre has worked flawless for me and I haven't even really pushed this phone yet. But....in the spirit of "keeping up with the Jones", if Sprint & Palm come out with a Pre 2.....of course I'd be interested!!!
If you have poor cell signal at home, you can call Sprint and they will send you an AirRave box that connects to your home Internet connection. It sets up a mini cell tower in your home. Sprint did it for me for free. I like Sprint.
I thought you had to pay a monthly fee for using the airwave?
I get very poor Sprint signal at home, but Verizon is great there. Sprint is fine everywhere else. So with Roam Only app I can basically have a Verizon phone at home without paying the higher prices. Now, if only somebody would write a WiFi HotSpot app and put it in the app catalog, then I'd be set (except for that extra RAM).
That WiFi hotspot app is called MyTether. You can pick it up for a 'donation' of $15.
Will MyTether allow multiple connections? And I thought I heard once that Sprint would kick you off if you rigged up tethering - is that really true?
You can have up to 5 WiFi connections at once, and Sprint seems to not care (as long as you keep it under your 5 GB cap) AT&T & Verizon DO care and may or may not suspend your service, if they don't they will charge you the per MB fee for every MB you used (1 GB x .45 cents = $450).
In my experience over the years, as long as you're not a selfish d*** about how much you use the tethering, Sprint doesn't seem to mind. The 5 GB cap is probably a pretty solid line, so it's not an internet replacement.
Personally I've never used it for more than an extra < 1 GB of data. (When the home internet goes out or I'm on the road without a connection.) Never had a problem.
the only reason I would leave sprint is if att gets something better and the full retail is a good price. Sprint has the best prices for smart phones and the coverage is just as good as verizon in jersey. I have a sweet plan with att I'm not using right now that would be the only reason I would switch.
Another thing not mentioned, you have to add the "texting outside of Verizon network", that's another 9.99 a month. Plus with Sprint's free mobile to mobile (how many people under the age of 60 still use a land line), Sprint wins hands down!
Sprint is the best as far as value goes. The one thing that was not emphasized enough in this article was that for 69.99 you get 450 minutes but UNLIMITED MOBILE TO MOBILE CALLING!!! Most people hardly ever call landlines anymore. I rarely use 250 of my 450 anytime landline minutes and my mobile to mobile usage in always over 1000 minutes. So for me it is like I am getting an unlimited EVERYTHING plan for 69.99 a month. The service could be better but I gladly deal with a few dropped calls and a bill thats $50 cheaper every month. Plus Sprint gives you extras like Navigation for free!
they did mention it, although rather subtly. all they said was that vzw and att were in-network only with their m2m where as sprint is in and out of network meaning all mobile on all carrier is free. i too am with sprint and wouldnt switch service for the world. always had superb customer service as well as coverage. hell, i looked at my phone bill just last month and i had only used 2 minutes out of my 450. and i had used my phone quite a bit! thats when i first noticed the "any mobile, any time". imagine the look on my face when i read that :)i have converted many people to sprints service, they also love it.
Yeah and don't forget to factor in the huge savings we all get with Sprint's free mobile-to-ANY mobile. It's fun to call friends on their I-phones during the day and talk for an hour. (Free for me, 60 whenever minutes clicked off for them!) The Dopes!
P.S. And you can still let them feel superior by asking THEM to look something up on the internet while they're talking to you. I guess in a weird way, we Sprint subscribers are contributing more revenue to the other carriers!
I've been with sprint since 1999!! Seen my friends switch to every carrier with issues. As long as they continue their great service i'll probably retire with them!!
Nope! Sprint still the best bang for the buck! Ill wait for the new devices in the summer on Sprint.
Like I said in other articles, it needs to be emphasized that Sprint has Any mobile, Anytime. Unlimited calls to ANY cell phone in the US (as long as you're not roaming, which doesnt happen much to me AT ALL) and 450 minutes to analog lines. Even after those 450 minutes to landlines, you STILL get free nights at 7pm and weekends on those. I use only about 100-200 minutes of that every month, and about 2k minutes of mobile calling. All this for about $55 after my discount. Also, that $55 includes Sprint TV AND Sprint Navigation, which Verizon will charge extra for both. The way I like to look at it, i get Unlimited EVERYTHING for $55 bucks a month. $69 for no discount. The other carriers wont come even close. I know all the precentral people here are Verizon lovers (their marketing is awesome), but the fact is that where Sprint has service, it is usually better and faster than Verizon's network. (Verizon does have a larger network thought). I f you have good Sprint service, there is no question about it. Sprint is the way to go.
what about unlimited pics & vids? Is that in the $69plan or only the $99 plan?
yes, mms falls under unlimited data.
it's in both the 450 and 900 plans
Yeah, those 7pm nights alone have saved me HUGE. Part of why I've stuck with Sprint.
I live away from friends/family. Once or twice a week I'd call home for an hour or two after dinner (7 pm). Recently realized that was adding up to almost 1000 mins/month.
And it's only better now with free mobile-mobile! My last bill I only used ~100 anytime minutes. With those freebies, it's practically unlimited calling.
thats $480 over 2 yrs to switch to VZW not worth it just to get a new Pre to run 50 apps on. I am good where I am at...I would rather stay here with Sprint and put that towards a new WebOS phone in the future...
+1 acv4 ... this did fail to mention the any mobile any network feature. I am only on 450 minutes and I dont even use my house phone and I barely scrape the surface on it!
The current differences between the Pre and the Pre*Plus aren't enough for me to sacrifice paying a higher monthly bill and switching carriers... plus what about the early termination fee for not fulfilling your contract? Living outside the DC area, I have no issues w/ my coverage or the network...
I've had Sprint for as long as I've had a cell phone (2004?). Coverage was a little lackluster at first, but I'm pretty satisfied with the coverage now. The Pre was definitely my best investment under Sprint, and I'm satisfied with the plan cost for how much I get out of. Would be silly, for me, to pay for the new phone and increase in plan rate for a bit snappier version of what I have. Tethering isn't especially important to me (definitely not for the cost), and I only use a few cards at a time at most. I will definitely upgrade when a new Sprint Pre becomes available, but I'm very happy with the price and service which will keep me right where I am.
Just for grins, I tried to set up a plan with ATT the other night that reflected my plan on Sprint (E.D. Family Share 1500, 4 lines, 25% discount [a discount that anyone can get, just Google it]). So to make sure I was comparing apples to apples (lol - make that palms) I tried to set up a plan with 4 iphones. Guess what. You're only allowed two iphones on a family plan with ATT. you have to get 2 family plans to have 4 iphones. Add n&w@6, and unlimited text, and navigation, you're looking at almost 4 times the price for the same service as 4 Palm Pre's on Sprint.
Funny thing is, I checked this in June and it wasn't as expensive. I think ATT added the 2 iphones per plan limitation since then.
I'm staying with Sprint. Thanks!
Well it's about time sprint gets some love for their service. When the pre first came out, people were all flustered about sprint being the exclusive carrier & talking smack. But I think sprint, although a bit weak in the Fresno area, really gives you a lot of bang for your buck. I think I've made about $100 from their referral rewards program. I, for one, am a happy customer.
NB: There are certain ad-ons for both AT&T and Verizon that are included on Sprint data plans (eg: turn by turn nav). So keep that in mind too and look at what extras you would want/what extras come with the carriers (I particularly like the included Sprint TV app, combined with the NFL this season was especially nice. Idk if something like this is included with the other carriers or not but it's still cool)
also not to mention that in Sprint's $69.99 plan it also includes unlimited data and sprint navagation simlpy the best plan
what about unlimited pics & vid? I would switch in a heartbeat to the 69.99 plan if it had that?????
yes, unlimited means umlimited
One other point, on Sprint Unlimited Family plans you get text/data/navigation included for every phone. On Verizon/ATT you pay extra for EACH line, which adds up quite quickly. There really is no comparison.
Lets not forget that you can upgrade your device every year if you're on one of those plans and are a Sprint Premier customer. Just last month I got an additional 200 minutes free and a $5 rebate on my next bill "just because". That's another perk of being a Sprint Premier Customer.
Yeah, factoring in the hardware cost with Sprint's yearly upgrade discount saves you another $300-$400 depending on the phone.
Also, last time I checked ATT didn't have accident/loss insurance on the iPhone.
I'll stay with Sprint...but will welcome the Verizon Pre Plus users to the party!
I've had Sprint since 1999 and have no reason (or intention) to switch. I've always been more about the data than the voice and Sprint's data network has always worked well for me, from my Treos to my Pre (even my short-lived Windows Mobile experience on the HTC Touch Pro). The plans just keep getting better and they offer good discounts through partners, work, etc (I'm paying just under $60/month - including all taxes - for my 450min-everything plan).
Over 10 years there has been the occasional issue, usually a billing snafu, but when called on it Sprint has always resolved it instantly and usually kicked something in for the trouble. I'm excited to see the Pre hit Verizon though, since V has double the subscribers of Sprint, so theoretically that should potentially at least double the number of webOS users out there in the US. More webOS devices, more stuff!! I worry about underpowered devices like the Pixi diluting the webOS app market potential though, i.e. stuff that only runs on the Pre and not the Pixi which means less potential devices to sell to for some developers (but that's more a Palm issue, nothing to do with Sprint).
Anyway, very happy with Sprint, glad to see others chiming in too (usually I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness when I say that!).
I would like to remind everyone to look into the employee discount program. Sprint offers a variety of discounts for different companies. I am saving 23%/month, so I end up paying around $53 for the $69.99 plan. Here is the link. If your company is on there just call sprint and let them know.
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/245535
Also I believe with some listings such as AAA you get the discount for just being a member and not an employee.
Hey, Verizon man up and give the Pre Plus free nav like you do for Droid*
DROID is a trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. and its related companies. Used under license.
Should I have put a EXCLAMATION point? Dang, that would have put it over the top. AAA triptix still free?
I already switched last year from VZW to Sprint for the Pre and I'm not planning on switching back for the Pre Plus. But I'm glad to see Palm on more US carrier networks.
It would take an awful lot for me to switch from Sprint. I love my service... Voice quality is a little lacking but I survive! For the price difference I'm loving what I've got going here. Being a Premiere Customer I get to upgrade yearly. Can't wait to see what Palm has in stock for June/July 2010!!!
I switched from ATT to Sprint in August & never looked back (except to call 5 times over 5 months before finally getting my overpayment back.) ATT had us paying nearly $100 a month for 700 min with no data, texting, etc... Plus I get a discount through work for both Sprint & ATT but ATT refused to apply it the whole time we were a customer. First it was because we had combined billing, then because we didn't have the right phone plan after we decombined our bill. Went to Sprint & got awesome phones, 1500 min and unlimited everything else for just $20 more. Ended up being less once they applied my discount, which was so easy my jaw dropped. Last week my wife's pre started acting up (couldn't hear the other person), we took it in & when we came back, they just gave her a brand new Pre! I'm just amazed. I'll be loyal to Sprint for a very, very long time.
my pre is doing the same thing(can't hear my calls sometimes) what sprint store did ur wife go too? My sprint store F's me over all the time & I refuse to go there nemore!
well, the store is in OP, KS about a half mile from their corp headquarters. Maybe that's why their good.
I switched from Verizon to Sprint in July for the Pre, and I just find Sprint to be more honest with me. My coverage seems to be slightly better, too, oddly enough. My old Verizon Centro used to drop out in places where my Pre doesn't. What I hated about Verizon was their little tricks for getting me to pay extra fees. They let you slide on your bill quite a bit, but they just tack on fees and charges. They encourage you to tether, but you've got to watch your data usage or else you're going to get hit with a nasty phone bill. Not only that, they put me through such a run-around when my Centro's backlight broke that I had to use a Centro with no backlight for 6 months until I got my Pre. There is nothing at all fun about having to carry a flashlight with you to see your phone at night. When I goofed up my Pre (my only return...and it was my fault), they overnighted me a new one, no questions asked. I didn't even have the best insurance, they just made it happen. The bill is cheaper, too, I get unlimited everything, it's nice. I just have to pay on time, and I can definitely deal with that. I dig Sprint so far, even a Pre Plus isn't going to make me switch back.
Not quite an apples to apples comparison. Sprint navigation is included in their plan. That's a $10/month charge on VZ and similar on AT&T.
I have four phones on my plan (unlimited text and data). With my 27 percent discount, my bill (after taxes are added) is $157 and change a month. I haven't looked closely at AT&T and Verizon's plans since they changed the pricing structure, but I don't think they will be able to come close to that.
Now i know that we are in a recession. Not every body is struggling, that said Sprint was my first cell phone{on my own}for 5 years it was a nice experience. Once in a while problem with bills which they fix every time. Coverage was good in CT. Now i am a medical service tech so i have been every where in New England. Every 3rd call was a drop call. It got to the point it was ok. Drops did not even bother me. Fast-forward every-body i know has verizon. So i made the switch. Its amazing how much better coverage is. The drop calls are so far in between that i look at my phone like what just happened. Remember it was ok on sprint. i will never leave verizon.
in conclusion if you are in a position where every dollar counts get sprint.
But if not struggling get verizon its just a better overall experience.
Sure, but if you would have stayed with Sprint, bought a Pre and downloaded the 'Roam Only' app, you would have the best of both worlds! You know what they say, "A fool and his money are easily parted."
Ive been a Sprint customer for over 3 years now. Signal strength, call quality, and data speed have always been great on Sprint in and around Houston. I have 0 incentive to switch from them right now, even with the Pre Plus.
Cant wait for 4G to make its way to Houston. Ive tried it on my freinds laptop, and its pretty impressive.
Heres to wanting a Palm Pre with 4G!
so the minimum plan on either verizon or at&t will cost those who leave sprint an extra $480 over the life of a 2-year contract? i'm bad with numbers, but i think that's what we're looking at. so the question becomes, is the extra umph, plus the cost of a subsidized verizon or at&t pre or pixi plus, plus $480, worth the ability to have 50 cards open at once and twice the storage capacity?
For individuals, Sprint beats Verizon (and AT&T if they've started matching Verizon's prices).
For shared, on an apples to apples basis, Sprint beats Verizon. But there are plans that can be constructed on Verizon that are cheaper than on Sprint. These plans remove features that are required on Sprint.
More details here:
http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pre/224857-sprint-vs-verizon-pricing.html
Well if you think having the type of phone we have with no features is worth it...then move to Verizon and pay less if that's the case....for that buy an old school flip phone for phone use only.
That's before taxes too dude. So keep adding the extra charges.
I have been on Sprint since 2000 too.
I get a 25% employer discount and my total montly bill is $166.
I have 5 lines sharing 1500 minutes + an airave at home, because we live on the outskirts of town and do not have good service out here.
We routinely use less than 1000 of the anytime minutes, but average a total talk time of about 5000 min/month. We also tranfer a few Gigs of data per month along with several thousand text messages.
I have never had any issues with sprint customer service. Every time I've had a question or billing problem they have taken care of it promptly.
I use my Pre all the time and have no immediate intention to switch to any other carrier.
If I'm not mistaken, I think it's unanimous....
Sprint wins.
End of story.
That is not a Fair Chart at all.
With those Prices you don't get everything with AT&T or Verizon.
Txt is outside that as GPS TV and it also was Data plans I switched from AT&T last year to Sprint for the Pre.
I pay as much as I was paying on AT&T, but now I have 2 Phones with ALL INCLUDED DATA TV GPS And minutes and in AT&T was one None Full plan for one phone and basic on the other one.
They are Thieves.
The mobile plan is the real clincher for Sprint in my book. Before that took effect, we routinely used close to our 1,500 minutes on the family plan. Now we barely crack 300. Coupled with recent improvements in their customer service, I'm not looking to switch from Sprint anytime soon.
AT&T is charging the same rates as Verizon!? LMAO Good bye AT&T!
I've been with Sprint for a long time. They have always had, and probably always will have, the least expensive plans. Sprint includes plan features for free that VZW and AT&T charge extra for - crazy. No way I'm switching away from Sprint.
I always wondered what the deal was with verizon and att always going at each other but none seems to put sprint in the mix. It's allways verizon with better map coverage and att with faster downloads but they never try to compete with sprint. Hhmmm. I woder is it because they know they don't stand a chance going against sprint "the most dependable network" or because of their unmattched pricing. Just throw 4g in there and sprint is "moving fowards" not to mention if you use another phone you can also get their nextel direct connect for the same price.
If you really looking to save money then don't go for contract at all, I have a Straight Talk prepaid plan that gives me unlimited talk, texts and data for $45 per month on Verizon's network nationwide and whatever people are selling on this site, Verizon was rated the best network by Consumer reports at the end of last year.