Contemplating the "unthinkable"

Going without data is going to be tough... Luckily I'm on a grandfathered $19.99 unlimited data plan, it seems that data keeps getting more expensive, instead of cheaper.

 

I couldn't do that. For me, it's the opposite. I could ditch the voice side of my line, and life well enough with just data and SMS.

 

I don't think I could do without data, but to save $40 a month I would try.

Sprint really needs to rework their family plans.

 

Good luck! I could not do that. Keep us informed on how long you remain 'master of your domain'

 

I don't blame you for wanting to save $40/month. That's why I keep my old grandfathered $10 unlimited data plan. It's a lot better than switching to a smart phone and an everything data plan which probably cost me $30 to $40/month more for two lines. The Rumor Touch has enough features to keep me happy.

 

Good Luck!!! I had a smartphone on a family plan over a year ago... my data usage plummeted and I was tired of paying $24 extra for the privilege. I went from a Pearl to a Samsung Glyde (with PPU data). I really didn't miss unlimited data at all. I upgraded to an enV touch, with a mandated data fee. Despite the fee, I am enjoying life without spending $24 extra... Just hate Verizon has the most pitiful selection of non-data required phones... it makes you want too pay for data to get a nice phone. At least Sprint has a decent phone selection where data isn't required.

 

If you're going to go without data on your cell phone it may be worth looking at the availability of wifi. I have several friends who switched to an ipod touch and use random free wifi for data. It is another device to carry but it might be something to consider.

 

I might could manage without data if I still could use a smartphone and wifi. However, I can't go without a smartphone, and I don't want to carry a phone AND an iPod Touch.

Are you able to just get a data block and keep your Android phone?

 

I'm on an older grandfathered plan w/T-Mobile. I pay $85 a month for unlimited everything. But at the same time AnthroMatt, $480 a year is quite a bit! Could you keep data on your phone only and drop it off the other lines? Also, would your carrier allow you to drop data for voice & text only? T-Mobile wouldn't let me do that when I asked before. I would have to get a "non" smartphone if I did.

Chris

 

The current Sprint family plans are "all or nothing" either all lines have data ($20 per extra line) or none do.

 

The new family plans just don't make sense for a lot of people. I have two lines on my old "fair and flexible" plan, with the $10 unlimited data, sms, etc., on one line and voice only on the other. My sister uses that extra line, and averages about 20 minutes a month! I think the TP2 will be the last phone I'll be able to get with my plan. I may switch to an everything plan, and move her to a prepay when the contract expires on her phone. - sheureka

 

If you're dropping data only to save $40/mo, you could save money in other ways too (without sacrificing data)...

New customers and existing SERO (and sometimes lucky legacy) customers have the option of switching to EPRP plans (see my sig), which average to about a 15%+ discount more or less (depending on the plan you pick and how many lines).

And all customers have the option of adding a NVP discount, which is probably the easiest way to save money with Sprint. NVP discounts range from 10%-27% (I believe), and if your company doesn't have a NVP discount with Sprint, then there are other "legal" ways of getting an NVP discount on your account: students & teachers get 15% off their monthly bills, credit union members get 10% off their monthly bills, and even signing up for a FREE AOL email address gets you an automatic 10% off your monthly bill. All you have to do is qualify for the discount, call up Sprint CS and tell them to add the discount to your account (2-year contract extension required). NOTE: ONLY ONE (1) NVP DISCOUNT IS APPLIED PER ACCOUNT, SO CHOOSE THE HIGHEST % ONE YOU QUALIFY FOR!

Right now, based on your monthly rates you quoted, it sounds like you're paying FULL PRICE (without any discount) on your Sprint plan. With so many NVP discounts available, you should be able to get at least a 10% discount on your plan (a $15/mo savings off your Everything Data Family Plan). It's not $40/mo... but maybe it'll make your plan affordable enough to keep your data. If you can qualify for a 15% discount or higher, then that would be even better!

 

Got it! If you're getting 20% discount on your lines already, stick with that.

As for being "forced" to get data for all lines if you want it only on one line, this reminds me of the B3G1F (Buy 3 Get 1 Free) offers you see in supermarkets and other retail stores. Sometimes if you MUST buy 3 items to get 1 free (you can't just buy 1 item and get a 33% discount... 1 item is sold at full price). From a consumer's perspective, Sprint's plans are already extremely cheap for what you get (compared to AT&T and Verizon), and I think that the "all-or-nothing" approach Sprint has with data and messaging is because they only want (or can afford to let) people pay a certain "minimum" price-per-line (especially on family plans) to earn a specific minimum RPU. If they let people add data "a la carte" like the other carriers, they would earn much less RPU than they want (or can afford) and hence they don't allow it with the "very reasonable" prices they're offering right now (especially with EPRP or NVP discount). AT&T and Verizon doesn't add/keep people below a certain RPU... why should Sprint operate differently? (I'm pretty sure RPU is why Sprint killed off the original SERO and replaced it with the "less desireable" EPRP.)

If you want to see some ridiculous pricing, just look at Verizon's or T-Mobile's current smartphone data pricing ($30/mo/line) or AT&T's past smartphone data pricing ($30/mo/line)... or even AT&T's current data pricing ($15/200MB/mo/line, $25/2GB/mo/line). These prices are with-or-without family plans. Sprint (in your case) gives you data for $40/mo/3-lines = $13.33/mo/line for UNLIMITED data. Sprint (in my case) gives me data for $45/mo/5-lines = $9/mo/line for UNLIMITED data. Even though 4 of my lines don't use data that much (basically only for pushed emails if there's no computer access), I'd rather pay $9/mo/line for UNLIMITED than $6/mo/line more for 200MB or $21/mo/line more for unlimited... hence why other carriers can "afford" to do "a la carte" and Sprint can't (doesn't). (We're also very lucky that Sprint allows NVP discounts to discount EVERYTHING billed monthly... instead of just the voice plan, but we pay full price on features like messaging and data like AT&T and Verizon does to many of their discounted plan holders.)

 

Just to clarify - AT&T and Verizon both allow company discounts on data as well as voice.

In fact, my company discount for data is actually higher than my voice discount. Same with my husband's company.

It would be nice if they decided to bundle data packages for mutliple lines, though.

 

That is not the case for all companies. Many companies only allow company discounts for voice only, no add-on packages... or just the data package at a lower % and nothing for text add-ons... or just the text package but not the data package... etc... It all depends on the agreement that AT&T has with the company.

With Sprint, it's impossible for them to do that with the Everything plans since "everything" is bundled into 1 price.