Sprint changing ETF and starting Overage charges

AlexSian

Mobile Broadband Consultant
Those of you interested in Sprint EVDO data card service may be interested to know that effective 11/02/08 their monthly service returns to an "unlimited" plan, but like verizon's, will incur an overage charge after the first 5GB usage per billing month.

Sprint's overage charge will be considerably less painful than Verizon's, though any overage charge is painful, nonetheless.

After the first 5GB of usage, each Sprint EVDO GIGAbyte will cost "just" $50 (cheap, compared to verizon's $250/GB overage)

In addition to the new overage charges, Sprint's early termination fee (ETF) will change from being a flat $200 over the term of contract, to a "prorated" fee that reflects $10 x each month remaining in contract, with minimum $50 and maximum $200 charge.
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
Alex
I have had a Sprint air card for about two years in May of 2009. Does that include the existing users or does that just mean those that purchase new service.
 

AlexSian

Mobile Broadband Consultant
Alex, I have had a Sprint air card for about two years in May of 2009. Does that include the existing users or does that just mean those that purchase new service.
our information indicates that contracts started BEFORE 11/02/08 will be "grandfathered", and not subject to overage charges.
 

kakampers

Past Heartland Ambassador
Same as Verizon...as long as we keep the plan we have, we continue to have unlimited usage. Guess we'll stick with what we've got.
 

erond

Member
our information indicates that contracts started BEFORE 11/02/08 will be "grandfathered", and not subject to overage charges.

We've had our Sprint EVDO for over a year, and signed up for the "unlimited" plan. We got Sprint "Mobile Broadband" because, well, we are mobile. We just got a nastygram from Sprint saying we've used a lot of data, especially while roaming and that per their terms of service we need to stop doing that.

Our problem is that we have an EVDO card and wireless router, both sold by Sprint, and there is no way to know if you are roaming or not. Sprint's answer was to "turn off roaming" which is both a cumbersome process and defeats the purpose of using the service for travel.

They were at least "nice" enough to let us cancel the account with no ETF. It feels like they are trying to get rid of anybody that *uses* (not "abuses") the service, which is why they are making it so easy to get out of contract.

We are looking at alternatives, including using our phones to tether. The main reason we stuck with Sprint was the "unlimited" that others didn't have. Now that Sprint has the same 5GB cap as the other providers, there is nothing tying us to them.
 
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