Comments on: Sprint addresses data usage limit

Sprint will limit data, but not in every way that you might think.

[626f62]

I don't think the caps, in and of themselves are unfair. However, I don't think a plan should be called "unlimited" unless there are no usage limits. I applaud Sprint for not capping their "simply unlimited" plan. If they choose to apply caps to other plans, participation is the consumers choice.

[7aji88]

I totally agree, 5 GB a month should be fine for a cellphone but if you want to call your plan "unlimited" then it should be really unlimited.

[Lerianis]

Well, isn't there technology that you can hook a computer to a cell phone and use it like a modem today? If so, that 5GB limit begins to seem quite a little bit small, if you are surfing the internet.
I checked my downloading for one day recently using a program that checked both my bytes out and in, and I was shocked. I stayed away from my Bittorrenting software, all my other p2p software, and didn't download anything.... I didn't even watch movies online..... somehow, I was able to get up to a GB in one day.

[radiorange]

Regarding this:

"The caps are being applied to new and existing consumer and individual-liable accounts, but not corporate-liable, business contracts, Public Sector or government contracts."

After 1 hour and 30 minutes on the phone with sprint, I'm told, by the business unit:

"Business corporate is not exempt. It [the 5GB limit] applies to everybody across the board."

[radiorange]

REGARDING THIS STATEMENT:

The caps are being applied to new and existing consumer and individual-liable accounts, but not corporate-liable, business contracts, Public Sector, or government contracts.

After 1 hour and 30 minutes on the phone with sprint, I'm told, by the business unit:

"Business corporate is not exempt. It [the 5GB limit] applies to everybody across the board."

[radiorange]

Regarding this:

"The caps are being applied to new and existing consumer and individual-liable accounts, but not corporate-liable, business contracts, Public Sector or government contracts."

After 1 hour and 30 minutes on the phone with sprint, I'm told, by the business unit:

"Business corporate is not exempt. It [the 5GB limit] applies to everybody across the board."

[xelanmetallium]

I agree that the caps aren't unfair in and of themselves, but the fact that the plan is called "unlimited" and it really isn't strikes me as not right. I know that seems to be the standard since all the other providers do the same thing, but I find it to be a real shame.

[igneousquill]

I don't think the caps are unfair at all, but I agree with others that the terminology "unlimited" needs to be dropped from marketing. 5GB is quite a bit of data, and there are more and more hotspots available nationwide permitting people to access without going through their cell carrier. As far as corporate and government accounts, I tend to suspect that Sprint will be more lenient in their review of data usage for these lines, even if the 5GB limit is supposed to apply. Major business and government accounts are a huge source of revenue for cell carriers.

[Lerianis]

Are you joking? There aren't any hotspots in my neighborhood, other than my own, though I am in a rural area.

[danielszabo1981]

knew this was gonna happen before it was announced. let's go over business 101 again: bait and switch.

1) Here's our great plan: substantially better valued than the rest of the market
2) Enjoy new huge contractually based enrollment
3) Back out, citing technical limitations.
4) Enjoy new huge contractual enrollments for the next two years. Lucid, easy money.
5) Fat kats at top rub grubby hands together while smoking their fat-cow cigars.

bottom line? don't act surprised. these things work in patterns.

[ev61]

If I paid for a plan, then realized that I was using a lot LESS than I originally expected, would Sprint give me money back? Absolutely not.

[Lerianis]

You have a point there. Frankly, I believe everyone should be billed based on HOW MUCH THEY USE PER MONTH, and that there should be plans that are 9.95 per month or less than that.

[vi300187]

No Sprint probably would not give you your money back but they would let you change your plan without signing a new contract and without charge, Sprint is giving everyone the option to opt out of their contract if this is going to effect you. Atleast they are not doing like Verizon and just charging you with out telling you there is a cap. I see some peoples frustration but your talking about effecting a half of a percent of the users thats not a lot of people and i am sure i just like all of you will not be effeted. USE some common sense!!

[mariah36]

heres my problem and alot of other truck drivers out there. we live in our trucks 26-30 days or more. this is our access to everything. just to give you an example....downloaded a season of farscape, tv series....22 episodes.......9gb just to do that. sprint told me to buy them on dvds and that would solve the problem.....yeah like i can just pull into a place ...73 feet and 80000 lbs.....sure. so i guess itunes loses my money. and life in a truck get even more boring.

[vexxev]

This also hurts people like myself who travel a lot, but depend on mobile internet to manage websites (upload pictures, and video), and need to remotely manage servers at various client sites. 5gb suddenly vanishes when doing this kind of work.

[swahnich]

how could we trust sprint? they sign an unlimited contract, change it in the course of it.
they have to stand on the original contract or refund the whole amount of monies they received for breach of contract.
if anyone of us try to cancel or alter with a connection we would be penalized.
WHY NOT THEM?
I received a bill of over $699.00. I never knew about the changes until I was disconected.

[psychosquirrel02]

One thing that's not addressed here by anyone (including Spring) are the families who share a plan. Currently, 5 people in our household have phones under the Simply Limited plan and contrary to what it says in the article, we DID receive a notice that we had been placed on a list for going over the data usage limited.

We were told in this letter that if we were placed on this list again within the next 2 months Sprint would offer to buy our phones back and terminate our contract.

My point is that while the 5GB limit itself is a rip off to suddenly tag onto an "Unlimited Plan", what does this do for the families that share a cell phone service. Suddenly our limit isn't just 5GB, it's ONE for a service that is NOT cheap to begin with.

[psychosquirrel02]

no edit button... Ignore the typo's in the above, it's been a long weekend! Although perhaps my typo in calling it the Simply Limited plan was more of a freudian slip and not a typo at all...

[FLYINGEAGLE111]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME IM NOW BEING DROPPED BECAUSE IM GOING OVER MY LIMIT. ON MY UNLIMITED PLAN THE SALES GUY THAT SOLD ME MY SERVICE SAID YOU'LL AND I QUOTE NEVER EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GOING OVER ANY LIMIT. AND MY CONTRACT ISN'T EVEN UP FOR 7 MONTHS. SOME CONTRACT. AND 5 G PLEASE COMCAST IS 250 G A MONTH, I COULD SEE A 15 OR SO LIMIT BUT 5 PLEASE 70.00 FOR 5 GIG? IF ID A KNOWN THAT ID A DROPPED THEM.. SO IF YOU PURCHASE 7 MOVIES AND DOWNLOAD THEM IT WILL COST 8.57 IN DOWNLOAD FEES ON TOP OF THE COST OF MOVIE. THE DOWNLOAD FEE WOULD BE MORE THAN THE MOVIE PRICE WHAT A JOKE...

[Mikey9090us]

been a sprint customer for 5 years and had gotten my first connection card back in 2008 it had unlimited and stiil does but after i baught a 2nd connection card and used it in less than a week i got a notice of spending limit being over... called in and was informed about the change and that i had recieved a notice in the mail. hmm must have been hidden in with the bill i pay it at the store well i thought my new card would be just like the old-unlimited usage (and since i wasnt told of a limit when i got the card that nothing was new). so peering onto my bill a 8Gb overage charge i was shocked===409 dollars. they want to keep me as a costomer by offering 50 dollars in adjustments and tips on how i can prevent exceeding my limit..