Sprint

206 'Sprint' stories December 2010 - September 2015

Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program doesn’t offer much incentive over alternatives from carriers

Jordan Kahn Sep 10 2015 - 3:01 pm PT

Update: The chart above was updated to reflect Sprint’s just announced iPhone Forever upgrade plan pricing. Sprint is offering $22/month regular pricing ($15 for those that trade-in a device) through its iPhone Forever Upgrade program. Customers can upgrade every time there is a new iPhone, but they’ll have to pay off the remainder of the retail price to keep it. Yearly cost for all plans added.

With the launch of its new iPhone 6s lineup this week, Apple is competing directly with its carrier partners by introducing an iPhone Upgrade Program that aims to rival similar offers from T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, and others. Customers pay monthly instalments for 24 months, and they can optionally trade-in or pay off the device after 12 months to upgrade to a newer model. Apple’s own upgrade program offers some perks for consumers— the ability to get an unlocked device and use the carrier of their choice, for example— but how does it compare to the upgrade/financing programs from the other guys?

Below we compare the upgrade programs of the various carriers for an entry-level 16GB iPhone 6s and also take into account limited time promotions and other perks to find out who offers the best overall value.
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Handy flowchart outlines your options for picking up a shiny new iPhone [Poll]

Ben Lovejoy Sep 9 2015 - 4:30 am PT

20 Comments

In the old days, buying and paying for a new iPhone was simple: you typically paid $1-200 up-front, then the rest of the purchase cost was absorbed by carriers into the monthly rates they charged for their contracts. There was no easy way to tell how much of that monthly payment was for calls/texts/data and how much was paying off the balance of the cost of the phone.

Today, things are very different, with carriers being much more transparent about what you pay for your contract – if you choose to have one – and how much you pay for the iPhone itself. The WSJ has put together a simple infographic outlining the main options open to you …
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Sprint announces ‘iPhone Forever’, a $22/month yearly upgrade plan

Jordan Kahn Aug 17 2015 - 6:39 am PT

7 Comments

Sprint today announced a new $22/month upgrade option for iPhone users allowing them to pick up a new iPhone at anytime through a plan dubbed “iPhone Forever”.

iPhone users can now opt to pay an extra $22/month on top of any individual unlimited plan or family share pack plan and when a new iPhone is eventually released, they simply bring in their old device to upgrade to the latest entry-level iPhone model. Here’s how it compares to options from the other carriers…
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T-Mobile officially becomes #3 US carrier, Sprint CEO says company ‘now focused on customers, not rankings’

Stephen Hall Aug 4 2015 - 10:40 am PT

2 Comments

In case you didn’t notice (which is basically no one at this point, thanks to the more-than-loud John Legere), T-Mobile has tried to be as disruptive as possible over the last couple years. And now, Sprint, which has long been the third-largest mobile carrier in the United States, is admitting defeat. It seems T-Mobile’s tactics are working, and Sprint’s first fiscal quarter report released today shows that its 56.8 million subscribers are just shy of the 58.9 million that T-Mobile reported it had last month.

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iPhone 6S to double LTE speeds, run more efficiently with new Qualcomm chip

Mark Gurman Jul 1 2015 - 7:19 am PT

29 Comments

One of the main upgrades to the next iPhone’s internals will be a redesigned wireless system featuring a new Qualcomm-made LTE chip, as revealed by images of a prototype iPhone 6S logic board shared by a source. As shown in the image below, the new device will include Qualcomm’s MDM9635M chip, also known as the ‘9X35’ Gobi modem platform. This new chip promises significant performance improvements over the “9X25” chip found inside of the current iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, capable of delivering up to twice the theoretical LTE download speeds…

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Sprint expands free international data roaming to more countries, now 22 total

Jordan Kahn May 15 2015 - 1:41 pm PT

5 Comments

Sprint today announced that it’s expanding its free data roaming offer to a number of new countries, bringing its new total up to 22 locations around the globe.

New countries added today include: Colombia, Denmark, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Paraguay and Sweden.

Those add to the full list of 22 supported countries where Sprint customers can take advantage of the International Value Roaming feature, which allows customers to use data for free when traveling to supported countries abroad.

The full list includes: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Russia, Sweden, South Korea, Spain and United Kingdom.

Sprint begins roll-out of home/office iPhone setup service, co-brands RadioShack stores

Ben Lovejoy Apr 13 2015 - 5:05 am PT

5 Comments

If you want to upgrade your iPhone without the hassle of going to a store, Sprint will soon bring the phone to you and set up the phone there. The company’s free Direct 2 You service has launched in Sprint’s hometown of Kansas, comes to Miami and Chicago next week and will be rolling out to other cities later, with a total of 5,000 cars expected to be in service by the end of the year.

When our customers are ready for a new phone, we’ll come to them. Virtually, wherever they want. At their home, at their office, in a coffee shop or even a park. And this is about much more than delivering a phone. We are sending a Sprint expert who will make the entire experience convenient and easy.

Sprint says that qualified customers will be offered the service via text or email when they are due an upgrade, and will then be able to call the number given to arrange an appointment. The representative will help with setup and assistance during the visit, offering the same service you’d get in-store …
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Sprint says its new $90/month 12GB Family Share plan offers best value among US carriers

Jordan Kahn Feb 20 2015 - 8:53 am PT

14 Comments

Just one day after T-Mobile CEO John Legere announced the wireless provider surpassed Sprint to become the number three carrier in the country, Sprint today announced a new aggressive shared data plan that it says offers better value compared to T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.
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Virgin Mobile drops complete iPhone lineup from its online store

Zac Hall Feb 20 2015 - 6:38 am PT

24 Comments

Since the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus last fall, we’ve noticed that Sprint subsidiary Virgin Mobile USA has offered limited-to-no stock on its iPhone lineup with “out of stock” messages on each of their iOS device and seemingly no plans to replenish inventory. Specifically, the pre-paid carrier went head first into the holiday season without any iPhone inventory for shoppers.

Virgin later confirmed that it had no specific plans to carry the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus at the time, and now the prepaid carrier has completely scrubbed the entire iPhone lineup from its online store.
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John Legere says T-Mobile passed Sprint to become third largest US carrier

Jordan Kahn Feb 19 2015 - 1:31 pm PT

5 Comments

T-Mobile CEO John Legere announced during the company’s Q4 earnings call today that the company has surpassed Sprint to become the number three carrier in the country.

That would mean the carrier has reached its goal set by Legere to move ahead of Sprint by the end of last year (via The Verge):

“…Going into this year, they have 55 million customers… T-Mobile had 33 million customers. We merged with MetroPCS and went to 42 million customers, and we’ve since added 13 million customers to get up to, guess what, 55 million customers.”

So as of right now the two appear to be neck and neck based on the numbers Legere shared, but he also hinted T-Mobile’s lead would be easier to see over “the next quarter or two.”

[youtube=http://youtu.be/n72sk4fFSw4]

iPhone 6/6 Plus come to Ting as Sprint MVNOs no longer required to wait for new devices

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2015 - 6:25 am PT

9 Comments

Sources say Sprint is dropping a requirement that made the mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) using its network—such as Ting, FreedomPop, Straight Talk, Boost, and Virgin—wait a certain period of time, usually at least a year, before offering support for the latest devices.
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Verizon reducing plan rates by $10/month & adding new data tiers in latest promotion

Zac Hall Feb 4 2015 - 10:38 am PT

6 Comments

Verizon is following its More Everything holiday promotion today with a new limited time promo for its customers, the carrier announced today. Starting tomorrow, Verizon will begin offering customers data plans at new price points from 1GB up to 20GB with most price tiers being reduced by $10/month compared to their previous rates.

With the new plans, customers can take advantage of plans with the same data amount at a cheaper rate, or pay the same price and receive a data increase. Additionally, Verizon will introduce more data tiers with 12GB, 14GB, and 16GB options.
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Sprint targeting T-Mobile customers w/ $200 min. trade-in offer for switchers

Zac Hall Jan 23 2015 - 7:37 am PT

9 Comments

Just one day after T-Mobile unveiled its Smartphone Equality program letting loyal customers avoid credit checks, Sprint has announced a new promotion specifically targeting T-Mobile customers with an offer to make switching carriers easier. Sprint’s latest buyback and trade-in offer joins the carrier’s existing ‘Cut Your Bill in Half’ promo which encourages AT&T and Verizon customers to switch; T-Mobile was notably missing from that offer. Here’s how Sprint details the new promotion for T-Mobile customers:
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T-Mobile USA CEO responds to ‘unsustainable’ claim in typical Uncarrier fashion

Jordan Kahn Jan 20 2015 - 8:32 am PT

13 Comments

What does T-Mobile US CEO John Legere have to say about comments from parent company Deutsche Telekom this week calling his “Uncarrier” approach unsustainable?

“Its total bullshit,” according to a brief response from Legere referring to comments made by Deutsche Telekom CEO Timotheus Höttges in an interview earlier this week.

According to Re/code, Höttges “admitted that T-Mobile’s current approach is not sustainable” during the interview: “The question is always the economics in the long term … and earning appropriate money,” Hoettges said. “You have to earn your money back at one point in time.”

Höttges also noted that he was “intrigued by the idea of having a combination with Sprint and being the ‘super-maverick’ in the market,” referring to T-Mobile’s plans for a merger with the company that fell through last year.

On sustainability, Höttges claimed T-Mobile’s aggressive discounts and Uncarrier approach would not work long-term as the company invests approximately $4-$5 billion each year to keep up with the other carriers.

Despite disagreements on sustainability, Höttges did briefly attempt to praise Legere’s work during the interview: “His management style will never be adaptable to Germany,”Hoettges said, although he added that Legere’s competitive nature and desire to win are very much in line with the company’s culture. “I like people being disruptive… I like people who are brave. He is very much fitting to our DNA, how we want to be, even if he is very American in his approach.”

Sprint ‘iPhone for Life’ & ‘Easy Pay’ leasing/financing options coming to Apple Retail Stores

Zac Hall Dec 10 2014 - 12:01 pm PT

5 Comments

<a href="http://9to5mac.com/2014/08/01/angela-ahrendts-continues-debut-tour-with-employee-qa-new-york-city-apple-store-visits/" target="_blank">Apple SVP Retail Angela Ahrendts</a>

With the introduction of new iPhone financing options from wireless carriers, Apple has steadily been adding support in its stores for the latest payment options allowing customers to get an iPhone without paying the full price or even the $199 and up contract price.

Apple already supports financing plans from AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile either online, in its retail stores, or both, and 9to5Mac has learned that Apple is preparing to soon offer Sprint’s iPhone financing and leasing plans as well with support rolling out at some stores as soon as today.
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T-Mobile announces new $100 unlimited 2-line data plan, $100 10 GB 4-line plan

Stephen Hall Dec 9 2014 - 3:00 pm PT

26 Comments

AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon need to watch out. The “uncarrier” has announced yet another couple of reasons they hope will get you to ditch your current cellular provider for T-Mobile. Today, CEO John Legere and his cohorts have come out to announce that T-Mobile is now offering a 2-line family plan that comes with unlimited talk, text, and 4G data, for $100 a month.

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AT&T and Verizon warn investors of higher Q4 churn as Sprint and T-Mobile increase competition

9to5 Staff Dec 9 2014 - 12:12 pm PT

3 Comments

While the traditional wireless landscape in the United States has consisted of AT&T and Verizon Wireless as the heavyweights and Sprint and T-Mobile as the underdogs, the divide between the carriers appears to be quickly narrowing. Sprint and T-Mobile have both introduced highly-competitive plans and promotional offerings in the fourth quarter, leading many consumers to switch carriers at a higher-than-average pace.
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Sprint announces ‘Cut Your Bill in Half’ promo for AT&T & Verizon switchers

Zac Hall Dec 2 2014 - 8:27 am PT

25 Comments

Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure teasing the new promotion

Update: Sprint’s CFO says what you probably already know: saving you 50% if probably really more like saving you 20%, and current Sprint plans might already be cheaper. Amusing to see the CFO acknowledge it.

Sprint today announced a new campaign to attract wireless customers from competitors AT&T and Verizon with seemingly aggressively priced plans and an offer to help pay switching fees. Under the new promotion, which Sprint’s recently appointed CEO Marcelo Claure previously teased, the wireless carrier will offer to match Verizon and AT&T plans at half the cost for customers switching to Sprint.

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Sprint announces ‘iPad for Life’ 24-month lease for iPad Air 2 & iPad mini 3

Jordan Kahn Nov 13 2014 - 11:48 am PT

9 Comments

Sprint today announced it’s now offering an ‘iPad for Life Plan’, much like its similar offering for the iPhone, that allows customers to get an iPad for $0 down and monthly payments over the course of a 24 month lease. The deal is available for the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 with monthly payments varying depending on the storage capacity.
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Sprint’s new ‘iPhone for Life’ plan coming Nov. 14 w/ yearly upgrades, starts at $80/month

Jordan Kahn Oct 24 2014 - 7:47 am PT

8 Comments

After last month announcing its $70/month iPhone for Life plan that allows users to “rent” an iPhone and upgrade every two years, today Sprint announced that it will be launching a new 12-month lease option starting Nov. 14. That means that iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users signing up for the iPhone for Life Plan will now be able to upgrade every year, and the old 24-month plan will become available for the iPhone 5S.
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Sprint will begin sales of iPad Air 2, the first iPad w/ Spark support, & iPad mini 3 this week

Jordan Kahn Oct 20 2014 - 9:26 am PT

2 Comments

Sprint announced today that it will begin selling cellular versions of Apple’s new iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3 this week following pre-orders of the device kicking off through Apple, AT&T on Friday. Sprint also noted that the iPad Air 2, which includes support for 20 LTE bands and speeds up to 150Mbps over LTE, will be the first iPad that supports its high-speed Spark LTE network.

Sprint Spark delivers average wireless speeds of 6-15Mbps and peak wireless speeds of 50-60Mbps today on capable devices, with increasing speed potential over time. Sprint is on track to reach 100 million Americans by year-end with Sprint Spark.

The iPad mini 3, however, doesn’t support the Sprint Spark network and will instead be limited to Sprint’s normal 4G LTE network.

Sprint will have the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 later this week online and in-stores. Sprint customers can add the new tablets to a Family Share plan for $10/month per tablet, but the carrier is waiving the fee through December 2015 for customers with a 20GB Family Share plan or higher. It also has a limited time 100MB of data for $10 in addition to its normal tablet plans.

Apple is already taking orders for the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 that ship with its new universal SIM with support for AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile out of the box. Apple is expected to start shipping the new tablets this week.

Apple includes its own SIM card with cellular iPad Air 2, will allow switching carriers on a whim

Mike Beasley Oct 16 2014 - 12:21 pm PT

18 Comments

Since the cellular model of the iPad isn’t subject to typically two-year contracts, users have always been free to start or end pre-paid cellular data plans at will from the device’s settings. In the past, however, this meant buying your iPad from one carrier and being locked into that carrier’s plans.

With tomorrow’s launch of the iPad Air 2, however, Apple is changing that by including its own SIM card with each unit. This SIM card will work with multiple US carriers—AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile—and allow users to not only enable or disable a cellular plan as they see fit, but also switch back and forth between carriers to find the plan that works best for them at the moment.

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Boost Mobile to offer prepaid iPhone 6/6 Plus for $100 off starting Oct 17

Zac Hall Oct 10 2014 - 10:05 am PT

6 Comments

Sprint prepaid subsidiary Boost Mobile announced today that it will begin carrying the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus for customers starting next Friday on October 17th. As it has done in the past with the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, Boost Mobile will carry the new iPhone models for $100 off the usual retail price of each device. Below is Boost Mobile’s full pricing lineup for each storage capacity of both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus:
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Sprint offering free double data to family and business accounts through October 31st

Mark Hearn Oct 1 2014 - 8:55 am PT

10 Comments

Today, Sprint announced a new promotion that gives its customers “double the data” offered by AT&T and Verizon for the same price. The carrier’s 32GB, 40GB and 60GB Family Share Pack plans will change to 60GB, 80GB and 120GB at no additional charge. Similar to AT&T’s newest promotion, Sprint’s deal also comes to an end on October 31st.

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