Palm Pre $549 retail 47
Tue, 19 May 2009 7:04 pm EDT 
Coming in from all corners are calls and online discussions with Sprint's sales staff, and it seems that with the release finally pinned down they've actually been given some useful information. Like how much does the Palm Pre cost? We've been told that the Pre will be $199.99 for new contracts (after a $100 mail-in-rebate), but there are a good portion of us who are pining for the Pre and yet are not yet eligible for contract upgrade pricing. That's where the Sprint math comes in:
Retail Price - $549.99
2-year service agreement - $150.00
Instant rebate - $100.00
Mail-in rebate (MIR) - $100.00
Net price - $199.99 (after full upgrade rebate)
Current Sprint customers are eligible for new equipment upgrade discounts (in place of the service agreement discount) of $75 for 12 months and $150 for 22 months. Sprint Premiere customers can get the full $150 after 12 months.
47 Comments
So does this mean existing customers with the $75 or $150 upgrade credits doesnt get any of the Rebates? I dont want to pay $400 for the device!!!
Um where does it say 2 yr contract discount 200?
That instinct would do better on Craigslist!!!
I believe you still pay $199 even though you are eligible for the $150 upgrade discount.
$300! You will get a $100 back by rebate ..so total is $200. I think!
So if you're buying retail price do you still get the Instant discount and then the Mail In rebate (-200)?
This is exactly what I found out when I spoke to the dimwit Sprint rep. Why, oh why, do I persist in giving these clowns my money? I sure will upgrade to the pre--when I switch to Verizon in January.
I completely agree with Aaron--why is Sprint so determined to screw its most loyal customers? I have been a Sprint subscriber for 10 years, and have had to put up with pretty lousy coverage until about three or four years ago, when it became competitive with VZ. I bet Sprint's churn rate will be absolutely spectacular in the months ahead, as loyal customers basically tell Sprint to shove off and head to AT&T for iPhones. Or wait for the pre to be sold by VZ.
This wouldn't normally bother me. But the 755p that Sprint sold me is garbage--it freezes, it barely works, the GPS software I bought with it never worked right. I've been using Palm PDAs since the original Pilot, and the 755p is the worst of the lot. The other ones actually ran well.
I also don't understand all the techgeek hype for this phone in the press. What Possible good is this phone if existing Sprint customers have to pay for this thing what a netbook costs? Why couldn't any of these foaming-at-the-mouth fanboys take the time to even once mention that, if you're an existing customer, Sprint will screw you.
Please, don't everyone write in and provide some anecdotal B.S. about how their sprint rep said it was really $199 like for everyone else. If so, or if there are any Sprint-bots lurking here, some definitive statement of "corporate policy" (which their protoliterate sales reps chant like it's holy writ) would be nice. Meanwhile, I won't be getting a pre. Does Palm know that a major customer base is getting ripped off? Do they care?
!!!UPDATE!!!!
All those who have the $150 upgrade will get the Pre at the $199 price point.
Check out
http://forums.precentral.net/palm-pre/180233-mail-rebate-truth-uprgading...
for more info
:^/ The article above made it pretty clear that the $549.00 price is without contract. So, it seems that you can buy them that way.
Most other countries do not use CDMA, though I suppose there might be one or two. Don't count on it.
It should be possible to unlock the Pr? for use with another carrier, just as it has been possible with every other phone from Palm, or Sprint.
it doesnt make sense .. for a new customer they are offering 350$ straight discount ..and for an exisiting customer they are offering the same and also capturing the eligble upgrade..after this much of highdrama and much awating still we are 300$ distance to get that phone on hands.... being with sprint sucks and it becomes even worse ...