Verizon's prices are killing me (compared to Sprint)

[Varking]

Problem is, there is no deal on Verizon even remotely close to the value you get through that referral deal linked earlier. If that email and number actually do work, that is easily the best cell phone deal on the market out of the big 4. Also, you can save your minutes on Sprint as well by using Google Voice there too.

 

[Backnblack]

that is easily the best cell phone deal on the market out of the big 4.

But that deal being on Sprint is a deal killer IMHO....Sprint here is horrid.

 

[Jaxidian]

that is easily the best cell phone deal on the market out of the big 4.

But that deal being on Sprint is a deal killer IMHO....Sprint here is horrid.

Both statements I think I'm agreeing with, and they make me cry... :'(

 

[Luxferro]

that is easily the best cell phone deal on the market out of the big 4.

But that deal being on Sprint is a deal killer IMHO....Sprint here is horrid.

Doesn't sprint use verizons network anyway?

Sprint Nextel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Backnblack]

that is easily the best cell phone deal on the market out of the big 4.

But that deal being on Sprint is a deal killer IMHO....Sprint here is horrid.

Doesn't sprint use verizons network anyway?

Sprint Nextel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Data is just 1X

 

[Jaxidian]

But that deal being on Sprint is a deal killer IMHO....Sprint here is horrid.

Doesn't sprint use verizons network anyway?

Sprint Nextel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Data is just 1X

Pretty much, unless you hack your device. There's a HUGE thread of people doing that with the Evo - it's clearly not yet a refined hack, and as such I don't think I feel comfortable having that as a backup plan.

 

[Varking]

From reading the official Sprint Forum it seems that even with that $129.99 referral everything program, you still have to fork over $10.00 extra a month per Evo on your plan. So if you and the wife both get one, you pay $149.99 per month.

 

[Jaxidian]

From reading the official Sprint Forum it seems that even with that $129.99 referral everything program, you still have to fork over $10.00 extra a month per Evo on your plan. So if you and the wife both get one, you pay $149.99 per month.

No, the plan is $109 + $20 Evo tax = $129. I already took that into account in all of my comparisons. If I deviated at all, it's because my wife will probably not get an Evo and I think I went back and forth on whether or not to include her Evo tax.

 

[meekless]

i saw an interesting tidbit about Sprint on G4 Attack of the Show

people who got the EVO started having a new service fee show up every month, and when G4 called Sprint to get an explanation, they got a different answer every time they spoke with a new rep

 

[Jaxidian]

Haha! Yeah, the "Evo Tax" is what a lot of people call it. Sprint's explanation for the fee is absolute bullpoo! They call it a "Premium Data Fee". But it is NOT a 4G fee. And it's NOT an additional fee to pay for the Evo. It's a fee that must be paid because the Evo can do "premium things" with data that no other phone can do. They need to call it what it really is: either an additional fee for 4G or an additional fee that goes towards subsidizing the Evo. But they won't because if it's a fee for 4G, then they piss off the people who don't get 4G connection. And if they call it an additional fee for subsidizing the Evo, then people realize they're paying $440 ($200 + 24*$10) instead of $200 for the phone, which is much more than the iPhone 4 and all other competitors. So yeah, they're being very vague and confusing about it because they are trying to slip that fee by everybody. Hence the slang name, "Evo Tax".

 

[sic0048]

That link is for a employee referral discount program. I assume you can qualify for that? I really isn't fair to compare a discount program with Sprint to the non-discount program with Verizon.

If you CAN get the Sprint Discount plan, then that is a no brainer IMHO.

So the Sprint discount link can be used by ANYBODY - you just have to have a Sprint employee's email address and 3-digit number. One of their VPs blogged his info for people to use (look on the right side in the list of links under "About"), hence ANYBODY can use it. For Verizon, either myself or my wife needs to be employed by a company in a select list - unfortunately neither of us work for a special company.

The fact that ANYBODY can get the Sprint's discount program is what's making this difficult to swallow Verizon's substantially higher price. We're not talking $10-20/mo.

Sweet! Thanks for the heads up. I had not seen that before. I currently do not have a personal cell phone (only a work phone), but will likely be in the market for one over the next few months. You just made it harder for me to totally discount Sprint. I don't think their service is very good here, which is why I have basically been thinking about Verizon.

But with another decent Android phone being annouced on Sprint, and the potential for lower monthly fees, I might have to take a look at Sprint again.

Just don't forget the bottom line - you are buying a network - make sure you are not going to be disappointed with it. It's not worth saving $$ every month if you cannot use your phone when and how you want to.

 

[sic0048]

Looking at the discounted Sprint family plan, it seems they charge $14.99 per "add a phone" - so you would likely be looking at $109.99 + $14.99 add a phone + 2x $10 EVO surge charge = $144.98 per month. (See the "Check out rate plan details" on the right hand side of that web site). Just something to keep in mind

 

[FolsomFear]

do you want to pay more for more coverage

or less for less coverage

thats the real question

 

[Jaxidian]

Not exactly true. While the add-a-line cost may be $15 per line, the $109 includes the first two lines. So you only pay $15 for lines 3-5. Give it a try using [email protected] and 383 as the two inputs (note: he publicly posted this info for all to use).

I just did it - see my attachment. Although, this excludes the $20 of Evo Taxes.

 

[Jaxidian]

do you want to pay more for more coverage

or less for less coverage

thats the real question

EXACTLY! And my answer is, I don't know! If it was a little more for a little more coverage, that's one thing. But it seems like it's a lot more for a little more coverage. That's what I don't have a definite answer to! I know the economy of diminishing returns is out to get me here - I just hate it!