Following our story on Sprint’s decision to cap their mobile broadband packages at 5GB of bandwidth per month, Sprint sent over an email in hopes of clarifying things a bit.
Straight from the email:
- The vast majority of current users (about 99.5%) shouldn’t be affected. Whether it’s the 300 MB roaming limit or the 5GB limit on total data usage, that’s enough data to meet the regular monthly usage habits of almost all of our customers.
- Going over either limit will not cause a card to suddenly stop working.
- Going over once in a while is OK. We’ll check usage using a rolling, three-month basis. Customers would have to exceed the limit in two out of three consecutive months to face termination.
- Initially, we are contacting customers first, to make them aware of the new limits and give them a chance to change their usage, if they want to continue using the service.
- We’re investigating additional options for customers who need to use more data. (More details to come.)
- The Simply Unlimited plan is not affected by the data usage cap, which only applies to connection card and phone-as-modem plans.
- Users will be able to check and monitor their total data usage on Sprint.com beginning June 8.
- 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. We’re working on additional processes and pricing to appropriately address the needs of heavy roaming and data users among the corporate liable customer group.
Our main issue with the change is that Sprint is currently selling the $59.99 plan as “unlimited”, a word which many a carrier has tried to redefine to mean “lots, but still limited” in the fine print. When we asked Sprint if the policy change affects plans with “unlimited” usage, they responded that it does — but that they are planning to “change the plan name from “unlimited”".
Still the idea of the cap is still unsettling. Especially for users who use this as their primary source of data and those who have taken advantage of Sprint’s linksys wi-fi package.
I can understand PAM data getting a 5GB cap but not Mobile Broadband cards.
Big mistake Sprint.
The only good news is that its not too late to fix this.
Here’s an idea:
Why not advertise/gloat that Sprint has truly unlimited/better data & no caps?
I’ve gotten quite a few people onto Sprint from others because of the data advantages they have over anyone else.
The plan is perfect as it is, don’t mess with it. Embrace it.
I’ve put up with Sprint for phone and Data services since they offered unlimited data for the cards. What kills me is I just upgraded my data card 45 days ago. I’m going to have to look at AT&T since they offer free WIFI. Way to keep customers that stuck around loyal Sprint, I can’t wait until the company breaths it’s last breath.
Sprint overcharged my small (US) company for over $50,000.00. We caught them doing it and now they refuse to refund the over-payments. You can read the full story at http://www.sprint-really-sucks.com
I also wrote an open letter to Dan Hesse the Chairman and CEO of Sprint Nextel. It is a good read so please consider reading the letter.
http://www.sprint-really-sucks.com/open-letter-dan-hesse.aspx
Peace out Sprint, thanks for pissing off and alienating your last remaining loyal customers. Congrats on digging your hole even deeper, douche bags.
Well I guess this means good bye to sprint for me.
I’m paying $59.99 a month to sprint for my internet (which is actually more than faster dsl and cable companies charge) and since it’s my primary internet connection, I regularly hit about 10-15gb a month. (Just watching a few youtube videos a day adds up, let alone streaming movies, playing online games, downloading demos, and so on.)
I’ll start taking a look at Alltel now, since they seem to be the last carrier to mean “Unlimited” when they advertise it as such.
At least we’ll get out of our ETF fee, since Sprint is crippling our data services by imposing such a restriction on what was always advertised as unlimited data.
Shame Sprint, real shame that when you’re losing 1+ million customers each quarter, you are giving even MORE people to leave you.
I am new to broadband. I just purchased an unlimited plan. Are you stating Sprint will be lowering unlimited plans to 5G if you are an individual?
I need to be informed so I can get out within my 30 days of trail. Help.
REGARDING THIS STATEMENT IN THE ARTICLE:
“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.”
SPRNT SUCKS DONKEY DONGS
HESSE is a LIAR A FOOL OR BOTH
ANYONE who listen to the puke out of the mouths of CLEARWIRE and believes it is a fool.
i recently got the same thing at verizon and was told unless i download whole netflix, etc. movies everyday iwould never go over. well let me give you an idea of what bs this was. i watched an hour long bad quality video of a debate on you tube and that alone used nearly a half a gigabite. that would be a half a weeks worth of the limit in one hour. these companies are full of sh** when they tell you its well over what most people would use.