Sprint: No SERO with Pre 161
by Derek Kessler
Tue, 19 May 2009 1:56 pm EDT
Tue, 19 May 2009 1:56 pm EDTSorry guys, we really wanted to be able to tell you the good news of “any data plan will work!”, but I’m afraid that’s just not the case. In a posting on their official Twitter feed, Sprint put and end to any hopes of using SERO or Fair and Flexible or [insert your favorite non-standard grandfathered plan here] with the Palm Pre:
As we noted last month, Sprint will be requiring at the very least you sign up for the Everything Data Plan (unlimited data and messaging, available in 450 and 900 minute varieties), the Simply Everything Plan (unlimited everything), or an Everything Plus Referral Plan if you happen to have one.
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161 Comments
And even if you switch to the iPhone or the G1, you'll be paying more than getting the Pre and switching to Everything Data.
They're not forcing you to switch to the $100 per month plan.
It's been said MANY times that you can get the Everything Data 450, or the Everything Data 900, at $70 and $90.
It's an entirely reasonable thing to do, to try and get people who are on old plans from years ago to switch to more modern ones. They're not forcing you to do it, it's only if you want the Pre (which is expected to use more data on their network than other phones anyway.) So, if you want your cheap plan, then well, it's just a phone, not the second coming.
I doubt they'll let you activate in a few months on SERO, even if you get it on eBay. The rumor is that the Sprint system physically will not let a non-supported plan have an ESN for the Pre activated on it.
The SERO plans have unlimited data, just like the Everything Data Plan. Only they cost a lot less.
And you can use the replacement to SERO - the "Everything Referral" plans as well.
They are just not as good as the old SERO plans. But the cost is going up some like on all carriers. Fact of life if you want a phone that uses much more internet bandwidth and features than most older phones.
So, if they don't let you get the Pre, you'd what, go to Verizon and pay $200 a month for that, WITHOUT unlimited data on any lines?
Why do you keep saying that?
This person said that s/he's got an incredibly inexpensive plan, right now, and that nothing, so far, has been good enough to lure her/him away.
Where do you get that this person would jump from paying $130/mo to paying $200/mo? Was it the "kma" comment?
Sprint may regret this decision. As it is there are people who will NOT get the Pre because they want to keep SERO.
Others will decide that if they have to give up SERO to get a newer phone and pay more per month, then they will revisit ALL their options and maybe decide that another carrier better suits their needs.
I still don't get this last part: "Maybe decide that another carrier better suits their needs."
Well, if their need is to spend the least money, Sprint's plans are still cheapest, that's my point.
The people who think they're going to argue with Sprint about this don't have any firm ground to stand on, and Sprint could easily just call your bluff and you'd end up paying much more.
O.K. let me clarify...
Perhaps someone hates Sprint's costomer service, hates that their bill is wrong every month, hates that the coverage is spotty in certain areas, etc....BUT they put up with it because they have a REALLY cheap SERO plan and think to themselves "Yeah Sprint sucks...BUT I can't complain because I have a really CHEAP plan..."
Well now that person finds out that to get a Pre they have to pay a lot more than they pay now. So they may decide...Well I'll pay a lot more and get a Pre, great! BUT I'll still be stuck on Sprint and all the factors I hate about it...
SO maybe it makes sense now to pay a little more and switch to AT&T/Verizon/T-mobile and yeah it will cost more than Sprint...BUT I won't have to deal with all those things I HATE about Sprint but was willing to put up with because before I had such a CHEAP plan....
AT&T did the same exact thing, and that seems to have worked out for them. And as for the Pre using more data than previous EVDO phones, sure it does. Not only does it have the constant syncing to the cloud, have Pandora streaming built in, and have the Amazon Music Store (which is higher bitrate files than Sprint Music), it's got the best browser of any Sprint smartphone by far. For power users, sure, it'll be the same on any phone, but this is targeted at the mainstream, and if you don't think that data usage will increase greatly, well just look at AT&T's network after the iPhone 3G.
And if you're just with Sprint because you're paying $30 a month for a ridiculous plan, that's not exactly loyalty. I'm not apologizing for them, I just don't think throwing a hissy fit because you're going to have to pay more to get a phone you want makes any sense.
Lets see here my choices are continue my SERO $50 a month plan or switch to a $109 Family PLUS plan and get the PRE, the choice is easy Pre here I come!
I thought CU discounts were only 10 %
How did you get 25 %?
I only speak for myself, but I'm not hating on the SERO folks, I'm hating on the fact that you think just because you got a good plan that it should last forever. Things change, prices go up. But this gets ridiculous every time a new phone comes out.
And for the record, quit making up numbers. The most expensive single phone plan for Sprint is $99 a month, which would be around $300 cheaper than the number you gave.
Except the cable provider does increase the cost every few months to a year, and that's without changing anything.
You're paying 20% in taxes? Crazy, I'm down near 11%.
Maybe you should move.. you know, since your biggest concern in life is getting the cheapest cellphone plan possible and all. ;)
lucky you. 21% in chicago
I'm not sure they care all that much about losing SERO subscribers anyway.
As I've said, if the SERO people switch, they'll be paying more money anyway, so some will stay with an old phone, some will go elsewhere. And then they add in people who are going to be paying for a more modern plan which makes up for the small amounts of profit they're losing from people on SERO who do leave.
And yes, power users like the kind of people who are on message boards discussing phones use a ton of data, I mentioned that in my post. But, the majority of people who get the phones, even stuff like the Touch Pro, just don't use the data that heavily. You're the exception.
What is SERO anyway?
Since I've lived here the monthly rate went up $2 this year, $3 the year before. And that's basic cable with internet as well. Internet service is slower in the US than in a lot of other developed countries. Besides Japan, who is really ahead of us in cell phone technology?
all you can eat data, 500 anytime mins and free nights and weekends starting at 7pm for $30. Best plan ever!
i very much doubt that sero plans are killing sprint. thing about how many sero customers are with sprint just because of their plans? I know I am.
it's sprint. She doesn't.
A current SERO customer may choose option (3) after deciding that they do want a new generation phone and accepting that they will get a more expensive plan...AND that if they do pay more they are unwilling to put up with Sprint's bad coverage, bad costumer service, bad IT etc....stuff they were willing to put up with when they had a CHEAP SERO plan...
Just got off the phone with a Sprint rep who said that we would have to switch all of our (Family Plan) phones to the "Everything" (450, 900, 3000 etc.) in order to add the Pre to our current Family plan. Otherwise, I would have to have a separate Everything plan, which may be more in the long run.
We are considering an offer from sprint of $200.00 per mo (before Taxes) for the "Everything Family plan 3000 min". Its more than we're paying now but All of our phones would have unlimited everything (up to 3000 shared min anyway). Hmmmmm.
Then the other choice... Call Sprint on June 6 and order the Pre or camp out at the local Sprint or Best Buy Store and hope to get one then. I know that if I call Sprint, the $18 (or $36 activation) would be waived.
The iPhone is nice but AT&T doesnt even promote the iconic piece of pop culture in their cell phone ad's. I believe that if the Pre is all that it has been stated to be, it will once again place Palm (& Sprint) back on the map.
All I do know is that I have waited a long time for this and I Want A PRE!!! :->
You mean COULDN'T care less. :p
One thing I noticed people seem to forget with the required plans is that they include SprintNav.
I myself switched from a 1400 fair and flexible plan to the 1500 Everything data plan and am saving money. My only complaint is that sprint nav doesn't work with PalmOS phones. do I use all my minutes no not even half the minutes but if I need them I have them. but could I get 3 plans separate plans for three phones any cheaper no.
I understand how the Sero customers feel. you can't renew the contract with the new phone. But look at it this way, It's like car insurance, the older your car the cheaper your insurance gets (generally speaking), you want a new car that requires a new contract with new terms. Your discounts might carry over but you're flat rate will still be higher.
It's actually pretty nice that sprint allows people to keep plans they no longer offer. Once the contract term is up and it switches to a month to month contract they can technically change the terms if they wanted to (I'm sure in a handful of states they can't). Eventually Analog users had to buy digital phones.
I don't think sprint is trying to stick it to Sero users, I just think they've got new product that'll be in high demand, they've got new plans and they want people who get the new products on the new plans. You can't get any smartphone without a data plan anymore. Eventually all smartphones will probably require one of the combined data plans.
Of course sprint could've gone the Blackberry or Iphone route and require a specific data plan for that product, so that Sero users could ad a special $30 data plan to their existing plan. That way if you decided to switch to a regular phone you could drop the special plan and still keep your old sero plan.
Then there's always the option of going the retentions route, they might be able to offset the costs of switching to a new plan to make it more palatable. That is if you really have to have a Pre.
Now to those of you who'd rather cut off your nose to spite your face and switch to another carrier (with possibly poorer service) and pay a lot more money for a plan rather than pay a little more (iow pay 3 times more rather than twice as much) more power to you. I will laugh at you but it's your choice.
I just called *2 and went to "Cancel/Terminate".
Representatives there have been trained that the Pre is not compatible with any plan without the word "EVERYTHING" in it, unless you're actually a Sprint employee.
But I did get the pithy consolation pep talk :
"I wish I could get that pre phone too, but my family says I can't."
"We're the only carrier ever going to 4G, so we need the extra money."
"Our system has all the codes stripped out of it relating to the old SERO."
So you're not going to get anything out of Retentions but an ETF and sob stories about how they need more of your money.
please delete this reply
Okay do you have unlimited messaging, the $30 power vision plan, and sprint nav. All these are the requirements for the pre. all together it is about $50 per phone on top of whatever voice plan you have.
They anticipate that pre users will be using more data than any other phone user. (all their smartphones currently require an unlimited data plan which in my opinion is stupid because they could get more money from people if they let them use data at the pay as you go rate for people who decide not to get a data plan.)
Insurance rates are based on risk and value of car. Similarly as I just stated pre users are going to use the data portion more heavily than other phone users most likely. so they in a sense are a higher "risk" than other phone users so they are required to use a plan that will provide them with everything their phone needs so they don't have worry about paying for all the add-ons individually.
The everything data plan is much cheaper than a regular plan plus $50 in add-ons. and maybe an additional $10 for the 7pm nights and weekends.
I totally agree, I really wanted the Pre, but when I found out Pre=No SERO... It really made me think, is this new phone really worth an extra $360 a year? I'm waiting to see how it goes, we'll find out eventually if people are able to get the Pre off eBay and activate it on SERO that way.
I'm trying to keep my SERO plan as long as I can. If I upgrade to the $59 everything plus plan, which isn't that bad of a deal, that's still an extra $360 I'd pay every year. 10 years=$3600, 20 years=$7200. You look at it that way and giving up SERO is parting with a LOT of cash.
If the Pre really is a no go with SERO, with absolutely no way around it, I'm just going to get a Palm Pro. Windows mobile does everything I need to do, plus tethering ;) and $30 a month for unlimited tethering is just too awesome.
ATT is actually not lowering the price of the monthly plan, they are adding a limited Iphone plan (IOW probably a lower data cap)for $20.
All of you Sero customer get over it. Sprint is moving away from back room special deals becuase it is unfair to give huge deals that make Sprint no money and charge other customer fair prices for services. Services that are the cheapest in the industry by the way. If you want to keep your "deal", sprint is not forcing you to change. Keep your old phone and let the rest of us join the 21st century and actualy pay for the services we use instead of expecting a hand out from Sprint.
LONG TERM CUSTOMER. Yes sprint recognizes you as a long term customer in many ways. But expecting to pay 50% off what everyone else pays is ridiculous! Yes long term customer are appreciated by sprint but the moment you change to Sero or like discounted plan you become a "0 VALUE CUSTOMER". The Sero plans were meant for employees and families of employees as a "BENIFIT OF EMPLOYEMENT" instead some representatives and customer found out and duped the system. Sprint canceled the program due to the abuse. And for those of you who have family that work for sprint there is still a plan for you but your Sprint employed family member has to foot the bill. If they have not offered the plan to you that probably means they do not trust you pay them back.
What is hard to understand about having SERO or any other grandfathered plan & wanting to have the latest phone? I have been on Sprint for 10 yrs. That mean I stayed with them through all the drop calls, spotty coverage & poor customer service that has plagued the company since. I did get a SERO plan which was like a reward (not a handout) for years of loyalty. Now I have a Touch Pro but what was willing to give the Pre a chance because I have used Palm phones in the past & wanted to see how Webos stacks up. I don't see the point in making existing customers with unlimited data & text plans, switch to a newer plan with less minutes. I could care less about Sprint Navigation but If I did want it i could just pay the monthly fee which would still be cheaper when added to my current plan.
1. People stay with plans longer than they stay with a particular phone. Changing a plan for a phone seems backwards especially if the plan costs more for less.
2. All 21st Century Sprint phones do not need exclusive plans. Diamond 2 nor Touch Pro 2 will need a special plan just like the previous versions.
3. This phone has poor marketing. The majority of people that would have been lining up the 1st week to get this phone will be preexisting customers that are eligible for an upgrade or are willing to sell their current phone to help buy this one. If your already a Sprint customer that keeps up with the latest devices coming out then what are the chances that you do not already have a plan with unlimited data that you are already satisfied with?
I'm not like the other people claiming that they will leave Sprint for another carrier. I will stay with my $50 SERO plan that gives 1250 min, unlimited data, text & picture mail but I will just upgrade my Touch pro to the Touch Pro 2 or an HTC Android phone when available.