Here We Go (Sprint Prepaid 4g) (NYSE: S) in [Market-Ticker]

Posted 2012-05-08 14:44
by Karl Denninger
in Company Specific

Here We Go (Sprint Prepaid 4g) (NYSE: S)

Come and get it...

$35/month, unlimited data and messaging, 300 minutes voice.

$45/month, unlimited data and messaging, 1,200 minutes voice.

$55 month, unlimited everything.

Evo V 4g phones, $299.99

Service begins May 31st on either Boost or Virgin (same network, different names, slightly different prices.)

One very important difference -- on Boost you can enable the hotspot option for $10/month more without having to hack firmware or root the device. There is a soft 2.5Gb/month data cap (reduces performance to 256kbps when hit; enough for web browsing but not multimedia) but no hard limit or overage charge.

The field is getting more competitive, which is not good for the big legacy contract carriers such as AT&T and Verizon. Assuming Sprint can actually sell this service at a profit they're going to get plenty of business.....

Discussion below (registration required to post)

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User Info	Here We Go (Sprint Prepaid 4g) (NYSE: S) in forum [Market-Ticker]
Dan721 Posts: 2776 Incept: 2007-08-23 Phoenix, AZ	Oooh. I was just about to pre-order the new Evo for my wife tonight. We have a family plan and the all-in rate has been competitive with the prepaid plans....but this is, as you've been predicting, a game changer. Thanks for posting. Edited to add.... These are re-branded Evo 3D and Evo Design phones. For those that are familiar with them, they are on the Sprint WiMAX network, not the new LTE network that is rolling out. I don't believe Sprint had announced plans to continue expanding its WiMAX network, but I might be wrong. Many (myself included) have Evo 4Gs with no home 4G service. The re-branded phones WILL have Android 4.0 ICS. Last modified: 2012-05-08 15:00:40 by dan721 2012-05-08 14:49:07 Permalink
Dashingdwl Posts: 9752 Incept: 2007-06-26 los angeles	That easily crushes my legacy, unlimited everything T-Mobile plan. I'm paying $70-75/ month. ---------- When you are hard and disciplined, you can be principled. People fear you because they have no leverage against you. It's the truest form of Liberty. Last modified: 2012-05-08 14:50:09 by dashingdwl 2012-05-08 14:49:30 Permalink
Musicandnature Posts: 1949 Incept: 2007-12-05 NJ	Gen you back in at 2.35ish ? Looks like support around this level. ---------- Since it costs a lot to win, and even more to lose, You and me bound to spend some time wonder'n what to choose. Goes to show, you don't ever know, watch each card you play and play it slow...Wait until that deal come round, don't you let that deal go down, no no. Garcia/Hunter. 2012-05-08 14:58:21 Permalink
Jotapay Posts: 16724 Incept: 2008-08-26 Austin, Tx	What is the benefit of staying with VirginMobileUSA now? Sprint should have much better phones. 2012-05-08 15:01:07 Permalink
Arpwatch Posts: 3051 Incept: 2009-11-06	It will be nice if a GSM carrier would adopt similar pricing. I like my sim card. 2012-05-08 15:04:30 Permalink
Docj Posts: 998 Incept: 2009-09-10 Duck & Cover	Good question, Jotapay (I'm on the VM $45/mo plan which is essentially the same as what Karl highlights above from Sprint). I'm in no rush to get rid of my LG Optimus (3G) phone from VM but neither am I wedded to it. Sprint certainly seems to have more phone options, but it's not clear which phones work with which plans (something that drives me nucking futs about ALL these bastards). ---------- The preservation of liberty depends upon the intellectual and moral character of the people. As long as knowledge and virtue are diffused generally among the body of a nation it is impossible they should be enslaved. - John Adams 2012-05-08 15:12:43 Permalink
Genesis Posts: 130678 Incept: 2007-06-26	Boost and Virgin ARE Sprint. ---------- I don't care* if it makes sense -- only if it makes money. -- Me* Bank (n): See scam, fraud and theft. *Eat a bankster -- they're low-carb.* *What part of "shall not be infringed" was unclear?* 2012-05-08 15:14:07 Permalink
Jotapay Posts: 16724 Incept: 2008-08-26 Austin, Tx	I pay Virgin right now for service. Is it just the rebranded EVO phones offered with this Sprint deal or will there be more Android models available? Samsung Galaxies? Last modified: 2012-05-08 15:16:42 by jotapay 2012-05-08 15:16:26 Permalink
Genesis Posts: 130678 Incept: 2007-06-26	Don't know down the road -- the Evo is the first one, I suspect there will be more, probably including the Galaxy S2. ---------- I don't care* if it makes sense -- only if it makes money. -- Me* Bank (n): See scam, fraud and theft. *Eat a bankster -- they're low-carb.* *What part of "shall not be infringed" was unclear?* 2012-05-08 15:18:15 Permalink
Jotapay Posts: 16724 Incept: 2008-08-26 Austin, Tx	<--- Crosses fingers. I've wanted a Galaxy II for a while but didn't want to pay the monthly bill for it. I'd switch in a heartbeat if I could get a Galaxy II/III with this deal. 2012-05-08 15:19:19 Permalink
Genesis Posts: 130678 Incept: 2007-06-26	The S2 is a very nice device..... ---------- I don't care* if it makes sense -- only if it makes money. -- Me* Bank (n): See scam, fraud and theft. *Eat a bankster -- they're low-carb.* *What part of "shall not be infringed" was unclear?* 2012-05-08 15:19:54 Permalink
Maybe-not Posts: 73 Incept: 2011-04-26	My contract is up this month on Sprint. I've been waiting to get the new EVO, almost pre-ordered yesterday. This is a difficult decision. I wonder if the mobile to mobile will be free? If it is 300 minutes is more than enough. Could I take the EVO 4G I have now and just transfer? 2012-05-08 15:26:02 Permalink
Seanmiller Posts: 80 Incept: 2009-10-29 North Denver	Their only problem? They are going to cannibalize this postpaid customer and turn a $160/mo bill into two $35/mo bills and save me a cool $90 every month. Hell, its probably worth breaking my contract to do. Last modified: 2012-05-08 15:38:09 by seanmiller 2012-05-08 15:37:43 Permalink
Irritatedcitizen Posts: 72 Incept: 2011-05-20	Can you buy ANY network-compatible device (either unlocked, new, or off the used market with a clean ESN) and activate it on this plan, or just phones in their stable? Because THAT is what I have wanted to do on Verizon for literally years. Heck, I might not even care if the Galaxy S II ends up being one of their phones, because I doubt I need more than that can provide for the foreseeable future. 2012-05-08 15:50:01 Permalink
Mari Posts: 1012 Incept: 2010-03-05 Central MD	Sean, it might be true that you'll be paying less, but then they'll get two more $35/mo bills from a current Verizon user who is paying $90 a month without any data plan. I think our contract is up in August, but need to verify that. My daughter goes to college in 15 months and adding data plans to both our phones will be great. Even with the taxes and fees, my bill will probably stay about the same. My only question is their service area in Maryland. Even with Verizon, our house has more dead zones than your average cemetary - and this is in a an urban/suburban town just outside Baltimore... Thanks for the heads-up, Karl. ---------- I bleed purple and orange! 2012-05-08 15:55:16 Permalink
Djsnola Posts: 197 Incept: 2009-03-16 New Orleans	This is a game changer. What quarter will we see if they start cannibalizing or not? third or fourth? 2012-05-08 16:03:56 Permalink
Mayorquimby Posts: 13907 Incept: 2008-09-18 The Archaic Past	I'd like get excited about a beaten down stock that can triple but keep in mind a few things: 1. Many people such as myself get discounts from work. My iPhone plan costs $53 with 3gigs data, rollover, taxes, fees, everything. I use about 2/3 of that. 2. Sprint will offer unlimited data but at some point, strain will eat into profits no? 3. Many many people are on family plans and pay less than $40 a month per person with AT&T and VZ. 4. Coverage issues. 5. Packages with other services and ability to get hot phones like iPhone. Still....for $2.3x - why not take a ride and see? ---------- They who wish to hurt you, work within the law. - Morrissey Gold is theft. 2012-05-08 16:15:24 Permalink
Crzymorse Posts: 1184 Incept: 2010-06-25 Maryland	I think people have to work off their current plans, probably only 4-5% of people come up every month as most plans are 2 years. I guess Sprint is still subsidizing the phone on some level but the price looks great. 2012-05-08 16:17:59 Permalink
Gen_maximus57 Posts: 4579 Incept: 2007-09-03 Tampa	Verizon is toast, their top notch network can only go so far. I'm still on the $25 plan with Virgin and I don't know how much longer they are gonna let me stay on it. Verizon has way too much overhead and I think their employees are unionized. 2012-05-08 16:26:06 Permalink
Poodlelover Posts: 143 Incept: 2012-02-02	Those really are not bad prices. Reminds me of republicwireless.com, which started Beta last year with more this summer. It's only $19 for now and totally unlimited everything, but not 4G and also they want you on wi-fi as much as you can be. Also it's impossible to get now unless you've already been accepted into the beta. My last two year contract ran out a month back with Verizon. I'd be hard pressed to get one again and rolled the phone into a pre-paid account, which with my usage cut the monthly price down to around 60% of prior. 2012-05-08 16:46:51 Permalink
Sparticlebrane Posts: 287 Incept: 2009-08-25 Banned	Quote: It will be nice if a GSM carrier would adopt similar pricing. I like my sim card. Straight Talk has a SIM card option if you're already using a phone compatible with AT&T or T-Mobile. http://straighttalksim.com/ $15 for their sim card (one-time fee), $45/month for unlimited everything, you can keep your old phone number. The catch: you have to sign up for their recurring billing cycle through a credit/debit card. 2012-05-08 16:49:06 Permalink
Chuckmak Posts: 312 Incept: 2011-01-05 City of Bridges, PA	Hopefully they bring a more advanced android w/ a slide out keyboard like the transform ultra I currently use on Boost. If they do, I'm all on it! I wonder if Boost will continue its shrinkage plans for their 4G WiMax service. 2012-05-08 17:00:52 Permalink
Rrman Posts: 6223 Incept: 2007-10-27 Baton Rouge, LA	Sparticlebrane will Iphones work with straighttalk? 2012-05-08 17:22:11 Permalink
Bikemechanic Posts: 602 Incept: 2008-09-25 31415	I have been on Virgin pre paid with the 45$ prepaid plan. I think its 1300 minutes with the 2.5 3g data, and I don't have 4G network stuff in my area (s) yet. The thing I would look at, if you do go to Virgin sprint etc, is investigate a little android program named EASY TETHER, 10 or 5 $ cost depending on where you buy it. Works Great, I don't think Sprint or Virgin, Boost and even Tmobile care about tethering anymore fyi. STRAIGHT TALK lol not for me. If you have a problem forget about it. There customer service is the worst I have every encountered. Its horrible, I left and went to Virgin M and its much better than ST. The CSR's are all foreign, read a book and if its not in the book you are ***ed. You get bounced and bounced arouond and they LIE LIE LIE> I wouldn't go back to them no FN way. Last modified: 2012-05-08 17:41:01 by bikemechanic 2012-05-08 17:37:54 Permalink*

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