Sprint Also Decides to End 2-Year Contracts for Smartphones

[dgstorm]

Sprint has moved forward with their plans to end 2-year contract plans on smartphones. An internal document was leaked which details the Now Network's plans to join the rest of the US carrier industry in eliminating contract subsidized plans. Sprint actually announced their plans to do this back in August of last year, but they are just now finalizing their process to make it happen. Apparently, this new end to 2-year contracts on Sprint will only apply to phones. Customers will still be able to get tablets on Sprint's network with a subsidized plan.

Reflecting on the final death throes of the 2-year subsidized contract, that's all of the big carriers in the US now. T-Mobile started the ball rolling, Verizon later joined in, Sprint announced after that but is only just now following through, while AT&T ended up last to the "announcement" party.

Source: AndroidCentral

 

[PereDroid]

On a "Reactive basis"... in other words when a customer bitches about it.... nice.

 

[xeene]

Verizon still has 2 year contracts and subsidized phones they just don't want you to know about it.

 

[jackiescivic]

From my understanding, Sprint is taking them away from new customers, not those who are upgrading an existing line.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

 

[PereDroid]

Only to people in contracts and then "only select customers on a reactive basis".
Translation "tell em all, no contracts: anyone complains or threatens to leave over it: contract them. We aren't losing one customer over this".

TapaTurboII

 

[kodiak799]

Verizon still has 2 year contracts and subsidized phones they just don't want you to know about it.

Right. This isn't really a surprise. Handwriting has been on the wall for a few years that the carriers wanted to get out of the subsidy business.

I suppose it's a good thing if you think you'll have a "universal" phone and jump ship every few months to whomever offers the best deal. But to me this would be money out of our pocket - except the subsidy has propped-up and inflated retail prices of phones.

To me this is a non-starter because most people won't shop around every few months, so there's no magic bullet for plan prices. Just give me a good price - I couldn't care less about 2-yr contracts.

 

[RyanPm40]

On a "Reactive basis"... in other words when a customer bitches about it.... nice.

Made me laugh hysterically, knowing that my girlfriend is with Sprint and that her mother will definitely be one to scream at them over the phone about it (heck, she just did it a few weeks ago and lowered my girlfriend's bill by close to 20 bucks a month...)

 

[RyanPm40]

Verizon still has 2 year contracts and subsidized phones they just don't want you to know about it.

Yep, 3 out of 5 on my family share plan still have 2 year contracts, and when I signed up for the Edge program last August, I still had the option to keep my 2 year plan.

They gave me a discounted deal that made Edge cost less than my 2 year plan, though, so I went ahead and took it.