18Jul/10215

Sprint says “Premium Data” is for “Shrimp and Crab”.

This is a phone conversation that took place on July 1st, 2010, between myself and a Sprint Executive Analyst. This conversation took place due to my complaint at the Better Business Bureau. I was asked to speak with them, so that we can talk about my complaint.

The person I am speaking with is who responds to the BBB complaints and other inquiries with the executive offices. This isn't a regular call center Supervisor, this isn't a Sprint.com/chat Supervisor.. this is Sprint's "voice of the company" department.

I have provided a transcript here and also added the transcript in the video.

It's a little long, but it's .. a great listen.

.

Highlights:

,

7:02 minutes

Sprint: [..] the fee was decided at a last minute, just because of the amount of data that we expect you using the EVO.

20:30 minutes

Me: [..] it appears that the manufacturer of the phone is describing their device, and you are in addition describing the device as well, is the customer who is paying the $10 fee for premium data, are they paying for a hardware device for everything month for $10 dollars?

Sprint: it’s the amount of data, it’s the additional amount of the data that they'll be using on our network because of that processor.

Me: so, would the speed of the processor of the hardware processor, which was described to me by the Public Relations manager and let me see if I can quote her, she stated that the.. the super-fast snapdragon processor, it includes a camera, it includes a super-fast snapdragon processor so that navigation on the phone is quicker and the apps load faster, so does the phone as described by her, it what she is basically saying is that the apps will load faster, because that’s what a processor does, not necessarily data usage

Sprint: [mumbled] and therefore, you would be able to multi-task, and use data on multiple applications at the same time, and on other phones, you would not be able to do that.

38:00 minutes:

Me: Your reply to me is that the $10, the $10 premium data add-on is for unlimited data usage, my plan already has unlimited data, what would be the difference between this and I went to say, an all you can eat buffet, that was basically all you can eat, and this term, this is all you can use, what is, why would the $10 premium data fee ensure that I have unlimited data?

Sprint: it would be for shrimp and crab.

Me: OK um..

Sprint: The shrimp and crab is not included in the regular buffet.

Me: OK, what is shrimp and crab, what is the comparison to shrimp and crab on the HTC EVO?

Sprint: the high quality video, like I said, the YouTube application, it’s the other phones have, they do have the YouTube applications, they do have the ESPN and things like that,the ESPN that you’d be able to stream on the EVO is different , it’s higher quality, like I said, it requires more data, when you’re using that actual feature.

39:50 minutes

Me: OK and you said that in the applications you can use Sprint’s TeleNav, and Google maps, are you aware that the Samsung Moment has those applications as well?

Sprint: Right, but it’s not the same applications, it’s a little bit different.

Me: What is different about it?

Sprint: It has more features and the actual quality of the product is superior to what you have on the Moment.

Me: Because I can see it clearly?

Sprint: Yes.

Me: Using the hardware of the phone that I purchased?

Sprint: Right.

Me: And that’s what the $10 add-on adds?

Sprint: The hardware and network go hand in hand, we’re going to go round in circles, we’re not going to get anywhere, the $10 fee is here to stay, it’s not, I mean it’s not.. we’re not really getting anywhere.

Check out the video or read the transcript. I spoke with his Supervisor a few days later and will be posting that conversation as well... it gets even better.

Note: I am located in New York and New York State Law states that I am able to record this conversation since there was at least one party aware of this recording.

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Rene B.

Hello... I just spoke to sprint cleark, supervisor and manager about the same problem. From what I gathered, what it comes down to is that sprint is charging customers (out of 4G areas) for a service that is already working under 3G areas. They call it "Premium data package", which the word explains itself, that it has to do with a better data service, which the phone doesn't need, because obviouslly the phone works well in 3G areas.

I think they are just trying to compansate for all the extra data that a person might or might not use, since the phone normally (not always) oporates using more data than the usual phones... ALTHOUGH I was already paying for "Unlimited 3G data" which is all my phone can use since there is no 4G in my area. So no real change in service.. just in price.. DOESN'T BENEFIT THE CUSTOMER, JUST THE COMPANY.
John Longo

This is extra-amusing for me, because this is an argument I've been having with Sprint for years. They are just doing it in an even more overt and shocking way with the Evo. I've been with Sprint for 10 years now, and within the past few weeks I finally changed my plan to one of the "new" all data plans. I finally caved in, but for the past several years they've been telling me I can't have a phone like the palm pre or the pixi, or anything similar, because in order to have one of those phones I would need one of their "current all data plans." My problem with that was I already had a phone with an all data inclusion, so why would I pay more for the same service? Recently when I told them if they wouldn't give me a phone that would suit my needs and if they were insistent on charging me more money for the same services, that it was extortion and I would have to raise the issue with the CA Public Utilities Commission (California saves the day with its consumer protectionism - its one of the only states that treats a cell phone like a public utility - like your gas and electric). They immediately put me in touch with a high ranking executive in Regulatory affairs. Ultimately, its taken this long for them to get their "current" all data plans down in price where it would match what I had previously, but its crazy that people don't make more noise about this. They can't sell plans with terms that are financially appealing to their bottom line, without the foresight of what those plans might equate to down the road. And just because new technology becomes available, it doesn't make it okay for them to extort their customers. Don't like that you sold people a plan at a price that now is less lucrative to your bottom line, too bad so sad Sprint.
Chris Taylor Jr

I hope we can nail these guys. Now they want to charge older grandfathered accounts a $10 use a new phone fee.

2 years ago the terms for sprint were pretty simple. you could ESN change to any tech compatible phone you wanted too. Then they changed it and started to "declare" some phones off limits for no reason except they are "cool"

its a because we can fee. If I want to use the Epic I would have to pay a $10 Use a new Phone fee AND a $10 4G that is not 4G fee. $20 for the privilege of using a piece of hardware I own. Most people can't see past their nose. I don't see a $20 fee I see $2400 in penalties over the next 10 years (been with sprint 15 years) thats a lot of money for he priviledge of using a new phone AND ITS COMPULSORY because eventually I won't be able to FIND a phone that meets my needs that is not "off limits" and requires the new fee. They are effectively telling me your account is canceled just as soon as you run out of used phones. I thought that was illegal?

Someone needs to put a stop to this. If you want to UPGRADE your phone. OK I am 100% with sprint saying you need to change your account to this higher priced account if you want us to foot the bill for the device (subsidy)

but sprint says these fees apply even if I buy the hardware OUTRIGHT no subsidy. sprint really should have NO SAY in what sprint compatible hardware I use if they are not subsidizing it.

the 4g should be FOR 4G and should be optional. Want 4g pay for 4g don't want it disable it. Especially since I can not get 4g where I live.

This is literally no different than a gas station suddenly charging you MORE per gallon because you drive a nicer car for the SAME GASOLINE.

Do they really think I will use more data on an Epic than I would on my current phone a Touch Pro 2 or my BB 8330? are they serious?

another good analogy. Your Internet Provider deciding to charge anyone who uses a Dual Core processor or faster OR anyone who uses a screen larger than 19" more per month because you can "display more content"

The fee needs to be labled exactly what it is. A Because we can fee and it needs to be optional. Subsidize your phone mandatory fee buy your phone outright NO FEE.

My account already has unlimited data I don't want your "premium data" fee and Navigation is worthless since both Garmin software (superior by far AND uses no data at all!!) and Google Navigation are superior free alternatives.

I don't care about "anymobile" I have plenty of minutes already thank you. I don't care about BIS as BB's work just fine without BIS.
Aikanae

I think what Sprint is actually saying is that if you can afford a phone like that, you cam afford a little more per month and a way to do that is claim that "unlimited" is now limited. You can also say similar things about their prepaid plans advertising "unlimited" web etc but restrict web access to their own sites, no ringtones downloads, etc. There's little wonder why the US is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to phones and internet.
RAWR!

The caller of this is an idiot. AT&T charge Iphone users $30 to use the iphone. Be glad Sprint isnt charging that same amount. With the iphone 4 you cant even use the video chat unless you are in someone elses wifi network. With the HTC EVO you can use it anywhere you please! The phone is better! The plan is less expensive (EVEN WITH THE $10 addon)! And it is the first 4G phone! Even if you arent in a 4G area, the 3G is so fast and smooth it is nothing like AT&T's horrible 3G coverage. AT&T also has the most dropped calls according to a recent survey done by Changewave Research. WHO WANTS THAT??!
Airen Edebiri

This has nothing to do with the iPhone, which AT&T does not charge an extra $30 for. The iPhone costs the same as all their other smartphones; minimum $85 a month with 450 mins, unlimited texting, and 2GB data. Perhaps you may want to consider actually being correct before calling others idiots. The point is, Sprint is charging extra for 4G, when most people don't have 4G, and they even said 4G would be free.

"With the HTC EVO you can use it anywhere you please! "

Hrm. I don't get Sprint signal indoors at my college campus, while my friends on T-Mobile and AT&T call and text away with no problems. Would getting an EVO fix that for me? :-\
Anonymous

I just actually listened to part of the conversation...Why haven't we heard more about the email OP received, which he read at 30:21?

"With the HTC 4G the data capabilities are so rich, customers may lose themselves in endless surfing, users will typically consumer more data due to the enhanced experience and the premium data add on ensures that they have the bandwidth to accomplish this..." [The email goes on to list features of the phone that CAUSE the average user to use more data on the Evo than an inferior phone]

OP concentrates on the completely irrelevant portion of the email as if owning the kickstand, screen, etc themselves incurs an extra charge, when the email CLEARLY stated in the beginning that the reason for the fee was to make up for the extra bandwidth an average Evo user would use.

I didn't listen to the whole conversation, but to me it seems that the OP's focus on soundbites from explanations Sprint has tried to give completely flusters the rep on the other end. OP continually says the same thing over and over and the rep simply has no idea how to get it through to OP because the only thing OP is stubbornly thinking the whole time is "When is he going to say 'the fee is pointless and we want more money'" instead of concentrating on actually understanding the real explanation.
Farhan Ahmed

If ""If
AAA

Yikes... Hit sssasssssa
Caperi

Erm, I thought they clearly stated the fee wasn't for 4G. Sprint never charged an extra fee for smartphones, but now they've realized that this is a problem if they wish to be able to continue to provide unlimited data (which, by the way, no other major carrier does). Rather than punish the entire smartphone userbase, they decided to put a fee on the newest, most powerful phones (with which your average user is likely to suck up more data than a lower end smartphone user).
Anonymous

The fee isn't for 4g, like you said. 4g is a benefit you get with it, assuming you're in an area with it.

I don't know if everyone is just too dumb to understand what the fee is for, or just using it as the worst excuse for not liking it.
Jdmm72

Sounds like Micheal Govea from Sprint Executive Services...
Dave

Wow! What a fine example of someone that needs to get a life. Last I checked Sprint, AT&T and the rest were in business to make a profit and add customers. If you do not like the fee then go with a different carrier (and pay more anyway) or don't buy the EVO. Seems pretty simple to me. Bugging this people just to make a personal point or get some odd pleasure seems like a waste of time. You clearly very talented and your drive could be used in more positive direction.
Airen Edebiri

Interestingly enough, you likely have no idea what his or anyone else's personal life is like. Just looking at his Facebook, I think he has enough of a life, and that's probably why he you haven't heard much from him recently.

Making a profit is fine, but usually that profit is from some extra service or tangible feature. Sprint does not really provide either with their $10 fee and are essentially profiting off nothing. More importantly, most people who dislike the fee don't care about the cost, they care about knowing exactly what they're paying for. There is no clear explanation (4G? Increased data usage? Phone hardware?) that makes sense and that that is the point of this site.
Anonymous

Are you that narrow minded? First of all YOU can use as much data as you want. Sprint is letting you, the customer, take someone out to a 5 star restaurant and spend as much money as you want there. Now, the AVERAGE customer is content with going to a McDonald's and does so, and Sprint can afford to allow a certain amount of people go to higher end restaurants if they wish to do so. The problem is, Sprint has been continually building 5 star restaurants closer and closer to their customers (i.e. releasing more powerful phones). Now, certain customers are so close to those restaurants that most start going to them instead of McDonald's (i.e. start using more and more data). Sprint, noticing the spike in usage, decides that the threshold for making a decent profit has been crossed, and they must charge extra to support these customers who live closest to the 5 star restaurants. There's your proper parallel, not a completely biased pathetic attempt to twist it the situation to your favor.

In the US, the market for a product declares what the price of a product should be. Following that idea, Sprint is MORE than fair in its prices. After a brief look at the individual plan pricing, I had realized Sprint and T-Mobile should be even (AFTER adding Sprint's 10$/month), while Verizon & AT&T were much more expensive. So no, Sprint isn't cheating you out of anything and is still completely fair.

Trickery? "To use our newest smartphones, you must pay an extra 10$/month" Sounds pretty plain, simple, and direct to me. Not at all a statement that might trick your average customer. As for an explanation, I now see why Sprint hasn't issued a definite statement - people like you fail to comprehend the [apparently] complex reason for why they would need to charge more.

Dissent is great...When it's for legitimate reasons, not BS like this website.

In case you want me to explain the reason again, I'll try to make it simple for you.

1) The Evo and most new phones being released by Sprint now are more powerful and capable of performing tasks, including data using tasks, more efficiently than, say, the Moment and other older phones
2) Take the median data user of the Evo, vs that of the Moment, and you'll see a greater amount of use from the Evo user
3) It goes to follow that Evo users use more data, on average, than Moment users
4) It wouldn't be fair to jack up all the prices/create tiered data across the board just because average Evo users have crossed the threshold deemed to be acceptable data use by Sprint
5) To make up for the difference, Sprint puts a mandatory fee on Evo users to keep them on par with Moment users
6) Why mandatory? Otherwise they would have to say you must pay extra to get untiered data, and people like you would be all up in arms because your data use hasn't changed from Moment to Evo, but you don't care about how other people would react to a switch.

Another angle could be that when Sprint started releasing good smartphones (i.e. Androids), they realized that those users were using a TON more data than other users. It soon got to be a problem and they only finally decided to put the fee on phones starting with the Evo.
Anonymous

Woops, this was meant to be a reply to the conversation in the next post.
Anonymous

Anyone who's fighting the fee is an idiot, plain and clear. For one, Sprint can charge $10/month for anything they please, and they don't even have to tell you why. That's the beauty of the US, go live in China if you can't handle it (alternatively, go pay an extra $50/month for another carrier and an inferior phone). Furthermore, the fee is completely fair. Sprint provides unlimited data, unlike every other carrier in the US. Until the Evo, they did not have a phone as powerful and capable of making use of all that data. Now they come out with a phone with great hardware that is much more capable of making use of that data, and they chose to charge extra because the average Evo user will use much more data than a customer using an inferior phone. Sprint hasn't done a very good job of explaining it, and 99% of what has come from their employees probably isn't coming down from the top, but they don't need to explain it.
OutrageousJon

Wow! You don't sound like a shill for Sprint at all! (**PLEASE NOTE SARCASM**) Now lets step back to reality, shall we? No sane person, without a corporate/PR motive, is going to say it is completely fair for a company to charge them an extra fee for something they were already getting. It is a fact that I routinely run through 5-7 GB's of data EVERY MONTH on my samsung moment (*rooted and equipped with wifi tethering*). I'm not going to use any more data just because my phone is faster, and it shouldn't matter if I did because my plan comes with UNLIMITED DATA! If they want to charge more for additional data, then they have to set a cap on the plans that don't have the compulsory fee and make it optional to pay more for truly unlimited service. So they can't realistically convince a logical person that they are charging this fee for additional data. Unlimited is without limit by definition and there is not an amount larger than that. They can't charge for 4G because most of us can't make use of that, and they already said it would be free (and repeatedly denied it having anything to do with 4G). The one thing you are right about is that a company can charge whatever they like, or think that the market will allow. However, it is unethical to try to disguise it as something that it can't reasonably be. Sprint should just sack up, quit being such pussies about the whole thing and admit that they want to get more of your money like the larger networks, even though they don't begin to compare to them. I say Fvck Sprint! As soon as it is convenient to do so, I'm buying a Samsung Vibrant outright on ebay and going to T-Mobile where I pay less, have no contract, and no BS fee for a non-existent service. Fvck you Sprint...Fvck you hard...right in the A$$. You greedy bastards!
Anonymous

Just because you manage to use 6GB of data on your Moment doesn't mean everyone does, nor are you the standard when it comes to using more/less data when switching from phone to phone. Your 6GB means nothing, what does matter is the AVERAGE use of the thousands of customers using a Moment. Logically, an AVERAGE Evo user is more inclined to use up more data because of the superiority of the Evo to the Moment.

If there was an 'unlimited' supply of anything, it would be free and easy to obtain. While Sprint has been the only carrier to keep "unlimited" data as close to unlimited as humanely possible, they are not gods. They still need to maintain a reasonable level of data use. They (Yes, THEY. It's their network and they can make decisions to keep themselves alive and well as they please. Again, leave the US to join up with some Commies if you don't like companies making their own decisions) determined that the the threshold of AVERAGE data use that they could afford would be crossed by the AVERAGE Evo (again, as they said, because of its superior capabilities) user, and as such a fee needed to be added to offset that crossing of the threshold.

No, they do not have to follow your one-of-many solutions to excessive data use by their customers. The way they chose to handle this works extremely well -- only a small percentage of their customers (Evo users, as of now) are at all affected (Apparently Sprint has determined that the AVERAGE of the remaining customers does not cross the threshold to the point where they would need to tier their data), and making the fee optional (otherwise placing a tier on solely Evo users) would wreak havoc because then people like you would be exclaiming that THAT is an injustice.

Oh my god! You think a company might be trying to make money! Stop the presses!... Why don't you go live in your fantasy world where everything is centered around you and nobody cares about themselves if it's that much better than real life?

And for the record, I'm in no way affiliated with Sprint besides being a completely satisfied Evo customer. Incidentally, I recently swapped my T-Mobile family plan for Sprint, saved over $20/month, got unlimited texting & data on all phones (versus just 1), got over twice as many minutes (700 vs 1500), free mobile-to-mobile (no crappy MyFaves), and superior phones themselves. And supposedly T-Mobile is the cheapest of the other three...
OutrageousJon

Unfortunately for you and your pals over at Sprint, your argument just doesn't hold water. Yes, there are just far too many holes in your logic. If you sell something that is "UNLIMITED", then you can't later turn around and say it actually means "As much as you want, well...actually just a little more than the other guys will give you." Let's illustrate a parallel. Imagine taking someone out on a date. You tell them all week long that they can go to any restaurant they want and order anything they want. So they choose to go with you, instead of other options. Then you pick them up and say that they can go to any restaurant they want, as long as it is a McDonald's. Then you get there and tell them they can have anything they want, as long it costs less than $5. That sort of thing isn't right, it isn't fair, and you'd be lucky not to get stabbed in the eye. I understand the absolute need to be profitable in business. However, there is a very clearly defined line between collecting a fair price for a service, and taking advantage of your clientele. Sprint has crossed that line with this policy. I call them once a week to complain about it, and I'm looking for the right opportunity to stop using them all together. More people need to do the same. Let your voice be heard and your displeasure be known. Drag this nasty little bit of corporate trickery out into the cold stark light of public opinion. They prey on peoples ignorance and complacency. They tell people all kinds of lies to get them to accept this fee. I've even been told that the phone just won't work without the add-on, because it is special. In reality, it won't work unless you pay the fee because Sprint wants more money, no other reason. They are getting their money, and they'll keep collecting those millions until we manage to get people to pay attention to what a slimy business practice it really is. All the sheep out there that blindly accept whatever Sprint wants to charge them, just so they can have the newest shiny thing, need to wake up. Dissent is natural and is something that should be exercised regularly, especially when people are obviously taking advantage of you. If you don't like that then maybe you should "leave the US to join up with some Commies." Freakin D-BAG Sprint Shill!
Anonymous

Are you that narrow minded? First of all YOU can use as much data as you want. Sprint is letting you, the customer, take someone out to a 5 star restaurant and spend as much money as you want there. Now, the AVERAGE customer is content with going to a McDonald's and does so, and Sprint can afford to allow a certain amount of people go to higher end restaurants if they wish to do so. The problem is, Sprint has been continually building 5 star restaurants closer and closer to their customers (i.e. releasing more powerful phones). Now, certain customers are so close to those restaurants that most start going to them instead of McDonald's (i.e. start using more and more data). Sprint, noticing the spike in usage, decides that the threshold for making a decent profit has been crossed, and they must charge extra to support these customers who live closest to the 5 star restaurants. There's your proper parallel, not a completely biased pathetic attempt to twist it the situation to your favor.

In the US, the market for a product declares what the price of a product should be. Following that idea, Sprint is MORE than fair in its prices. After a brief look at the individual plan pricing, I had realized Sprint and T-Mobile should be even (AFTER adding Sprint's 10$/month), while Verizon & AT&T were much more expensive. So no, Sprint isn't cheating you out of anything and is still completely fair.

Trickery? "To use our newest smartphones, you must pay an extra 10$/month" Sounds pretty plain, simple, and direct to me. Not at all a statement that might trick your average customer. As for an explanation, I now see why Sprint hasn't issued a definite statement - people like you fail to comprehend the [apparently] complex reason for why they would need to charge more.

Dissent is great...When it's for legitimate reasons, not BS like this website.

In case you want me to explain the reason again, I'll try to make it simple for you.

1) The Evo and most new phones being released by Sprint now are more powerful and capable of performing tasks, including data using tasks, more efficiently than, say, the Moment and other older phones
2) Take the median data user of the Evo, vs that of the Moment, and you'll see a greater amount of use from the Evo user
3) It goes to follow that Evo users use more data, on average, than Moment users
4) It wouldn't be fair to jack up all the prices/create tiered data across the board just because average Evo users have crossed the threshold deemed to be acceptable data use by Sprint
5) To make up for the difference, Sprint puts a mandatory fee on Evo users to keep them on par with Moment users
6) Why mandatory? Otherwise they would have to say you must pay extra to get untiered data, and people like you would be all up in arms because your data use hasn't changed from Moment to Evo, but you don't care about how other people would react to a switch.

Another angle could be that when Sprint started releasing good smartphones (i.e. Androids), they realized that those users were using a TON more data than other users. It soon got to be a problem and they only finally decided to put the fee on phones starting with the Evo.
Sooo hating Sprint right now!

I wish more people would do this. Every year Sprint adds more and more fees, and they don't even explain to their employees what they are for. You can tell by the way the customer service explain. Every conversation with them is like ametuer improv! They are a huge corporation and they have great lawyers, and people are intimidated, or may not have the money to hire someone that has the power to really make a difference. It's such a shame what Sprint gets away with. Sure, $5 here and $10 there doesn't seem to make a difference, but for a billion customers paying it, Spring just make a butt-load of money and it makes me sick!!!!
Cjc Sela

Your 10$ fee argument can actually be applied to the $30 hotspot fee. If my plan is already unlimited data, and I have purchased (not rented) a phone with hotspot hardware then what is the $30 a month for. If it's for the extra data I can eat up connecting multiple devices then I don't really have an unlimited data plan. I have an "as much data as my phone can use by itself plan". If its for the hotspot ability, well I own that hardware if I own the phone so that doesn't seem right either.
Yes we have the right not to use a business if we don't like how it is run, but there is nothing wrong with "reporting" bad business so that consumers are aware of how they are being treated.
Airen Edebiri

Well I can agree with them on charging for the hotspot. Tethering your computer or multiple devices will use up much more data than you might normally use on your phone, which would increase the cost of providing your data services. The data plan is intended to be used only for the phone; that is how they estimate data usage and adjust their prices accordingly. However, the idea of a phone having a faster processor, bigger screen, and better camera making it use more data is ludicrous IMO. That is why the argument for the $10 fee does not hold up, especially when other carriers with similarly-equipped devices do not charge extra for increased data usage - at least not because the phone has a faster processor, bigger screen, and higher resolution camera.

With that being said though, I have never paid for tethering and never will lol. There are too many free or cheap tethering alternatives available (for pretty much every platform of smartphone, and even a few non-smartphones) for me to give $30 a month away for *occasional* tethering.
Bree

why dont you just stop bitching 10+ $ is still nothing compared to how badly verizon robs everyone, you just need to STOP BEING A CHEAP BITCH
Airen Edebiri

It's not about the price dude...$10 a month doesn't break most people, it's just the idea of not knowing exactly what you're paying for. If you buy a Ferrari and the dealer tells you that you have to pay an extra $100 a month because it's a Ferrari, wouldn't you ask him why? Surely if you can afford a Ferrari, the extra $100 a month probably isn't much to you, but it just doesn't make sense to pay an extra monthly fee for something you already own. Similarly, $10 a month isn't any amount of money to me, but it just doesn't make sense for me to give out my money and not receive anything in return.
DCRocks

If a simple $10 fee keeps the sprint plan unlimited, and helps to ensure that Sprint does not run into the network issues AT&T has, it is a VERY small price to pay. And after all is said and done, if you don't like it, don't get the EVO.
Adam

hey have you tried the corporate office yet? try calling Lori Kohler 866-727-0665 that is her direct line i would like to know how that turns out
Elvis2b

I dont have an EVO, can I get a discoun t on my Blackberry since my phone isn't capable of using everthing the EVO is? They are charging you for what you have the capability of using, and not what you ARE using. Why dont they just come out and say that they are financing the new 4G on the backs of the new users. Rediculous!!
Kevin Seise

I asked the customer service chat guy what the difference was between unlimited and premium. They have referred me to an executive analyst or something like that. I don't have the chat log in front of me at the moment. Seemed kind of odd that they can't explain their own product.
Jadawin

"Sprint: ... like I said, the $10 add-on fee is just going to based on the capability with what the phone has and to just recover some of the costs that we expect you for using the actual data services."

Translation #1: It's a $10 service charge for 3G/4G services and that the $100 Everything plan does NOT include "Everything".

Translation #2: Our Unlimited everything does NOT include unlimited data when using a 4G device, UNLESS you pay the extra $10 fee.

Translation #3: We did the math and we cannot afford to keep Dan Hesse's promise of not charging you extra for the 4G service; but we are too scared to admit it (or our PR dept. said it would make us look bad) so we are lying about it and giving it a misleading description.

Take it how you want, but right there, THAT right there is grounds for a serious lawsuit. And you wonder why Sprint is defending that idea that the $10 is for using the base features of a superior device....
Kevinob11

I honestly get that this is upsetting. I absolutely wish that sprint did not charge the $10 dollar fee. However on what gounds would you sue sprint? I understand that the customer service rep is pretty unintelligent, but that is why he is paid 8 dollars an hour. If they paid customer service reps more than that do you really think they could have such inexpensive plans? I don't like the 10 dollar fee, if I could I would gladly talk to Dan Hesse and attempt to convince him to remove it. However if they make you aware of the 10 dollar fee (whether the idiotic customer service rep knows what it is for or not) before you sign the contract, and you do not agree with that fee then don't sign the contract. Go to verizon, go to T-mobile.

Yes the fee is stupid, but they are a business and can therefore charge whatever fee you agree to in your contract. They are still the cheapest provider with the best phones. Deal with it.
Jadawin

Kevenob11: It's not about disliking the fee; it is about being lied to. It's a charge for a service that was originally promised to be free. When Sprint realized the mistake, instead of retracting their "free" statement, they are trying to call it a fee for something absurd; example: paying to utilize the hardware of the phone AFTER you've already bought the phone. Nothing like buying a car (in full) and then paying the car dealership an additional amount each month just because you are driving a luxury model.

"Deal with it." - That's EXACTLY what this site is trying to do! Get a straight and HONEST answer!
Amos

wen u take a pic on the evo and u wanna send it throw mms it re-sizes it automatically to a lower kb so there's no point of us paying the 10.00 fee
Gherro

So, if the $10 add-on is Shrimp and Crab, why isn't it optional? You don't HAVE to buy them when you eat at the buffet.
Nate

That... was epic. hahahaha
Dasayayin

@Explainthefee: I hope I am not breaking your rules by posting this good news. Today from yahoo.com

iPhone jailbreaking (and all cell phone unlocking) made legal

Mon Jul 26, 5:30 pm ET

Owners of iPhones and other smartphones are one step closer towards taking complete control of their gadgets, thanks to a new government ruling Monday on the practice of "jailbreaking."

This weekend has seen a flurry of activity about digital rights, but the biggest news dropped Monday morning, when the FCC announced that it had made the controversial practice of “jailbreaking” your iPhone — or any other cell phone — legal.

Jailbreaking — the practice of unlocking a phone (and particularly an iPhone) so it can be used on another network and/or run other applications than those approved by Apple — has technically been illegal for years. Most jailbroken phones are used on the U.S. T-Mobile network or on overseas carriers, or are used to run applications that Apple refuses to sell, such as Safari ad-blocking apps, alternate keyboard layouts, or programs that change the interface to the iPhone's SMS system and the way its icons are laid out.

While technically illegal, no one has been sued or prosecuted for the practice. (Apple does seriously frown on the practice, and jailbreaking your phone will still void your warranty.) It’s estimated that more than a million iPhone owners have jailbroken their handsets.

Apple fought hard against the legalization, arguing that jailbreaking was a form of copyright violation. The FCC disagreed, saying that jailbreaking merely enhanced the inter-operability of the phone, and was thus legitimate under fair-use rules.
The upshot is that now anyone can jailbreak or otherwise unlock any cell phone without fear of legal penalties, whether you want to install unsupported applications or switch to another cellular carrier. Cell phone companies are of course still free to make it difficult for you to do this — and your warranty will probably still be voided if you do — but at least you won’t be fined or imprisoned if you jailbreak a handset.

In addition to the jailbreaking exemption, the FCC announced a few oth er rules that have less sweeping applicability but are still significant:

• Professors, students and documentary filmmakers are now allowed, for “noncommercial” purposes, to break the copy protection measures on DVDs to be used in classroom or other not-for-profit environments. This doesn’t quite go so far as to grant you and me the right to copy a DVD so we can watch it in two rooms of the house, but it’s now only one step away.

• As was the topic in the GE ruling I wrote about, the FCC allows computer owners to bypass dongles (hardware devices used in conjunction with software to guarantee the correct owner is behind the keyboard) if they are no longer in operation and can’t be replaced. Dongles are rarities in consumer technology products now, but industrial users are probably thrilled about this, as many go missing and are now impossible to obtain.

• Finally, people are now free to circumvent protection measures on video games — but, strangely, only to investigate and correct security flaws in those games. (Another oddity: Other computer software is not part of this ruling, just video games.)

— Christopher Null is a technology writer for Yahoo! News.

Follow me on Twitter and join me on Facebook!
Risket

Isn't Sprint's 4G service basically just Clear (clear.com). Would the fee be going towards paying for another party's service to be added on to your existing service? I'm sure Clear wouldn't just let Sprint use their service for free. Sprint is probably paying something for it and this $10 is what covers the cost.
Obits2

Sprint owns a majority stake of Clear, so this is like Sprint paying Sprint. Sprint says that this is not a fee for 4G. Clear is 4G, so by Sprint's own words, this is not a fee to pay for Clear. What is this fee? The world may never know...
Risket

That makes sense. I think if they just said the fee was for 4G it wouldn't be such a big deal. I don't get why they're saying that's not what the fee is for. It seems clear to me that is exactly what the fee is for. It should be an add-on option for those who don't live in a 4G area, or for those who don't really need 4G because their 3G is fast enough.
Airen Edebiri

If they come out and say it's for 4G, they have to first deal with Dan Hesse's statement at CTIA that their 4G would be free. Next, they would have to find an easy way to separate those on 3G/4G from those on 3G only. But most importantly, they wouldn't make as much money if they didn't charge the 3G only customers the extra fee - the majority of Evo owners are likely not in 4G areas, so that's probably a few million dollars a month they'd be losing out on.
Cse22

I dont have 3G or 4G in my area! All of the data usage or about 90% or it is over WiFi! So I dont exactly agree with being charge the $10 and I dont even have 3G.
JOSE PALACIOS47

10 DOLLARS FOR EACH EVO SO DO THE MATTH HOW MANY ARE ACCTIVATED 400000 700000 X 10 I THINK I KNOW WHY SPIRNT AAD TEN DOLLAR TO THE EVO OWNERS TO PAY COMERCIALS TO PAY NASCAR
Airen Edebiri

Supposedly, Sprint has sold 300,000 Evo's. That's AT LEAST an easy $3,000,000 each month, for almost nothing. It would be even more if they could get some more Evo's in.
Kbh159

"Shrimp and Crab" are included in a basic price at a buffet here in Kansas City where the Sprint headquarter is located in.
I don't know where the rep's office is, but I can definitely say he's also in Overland Park, KS with Dan because he mentioned he is the person who is handling this kind of direct issue to Dan!!! Such a liar!!!!!!! :)

I just wanted to mention the shrimp and crab were not proper examples for this issue.
Chris L

I love how he insists it's not a charge for 4g data but still says to expect it on all 3g/4g phones! WTF!
BMG4ME

I would be happy to pay the $10 if it included the hotspot feature, which it doesn't. In addition the phone can be tethered without the hotspot feature, but that only gets enabled if you enable the hotspot feature. Also the 4G is slower than the 3G where I live.
Mordekai

One other thing that I haven't heard/see come up. Would I still have to pay the $10 Premium Data "Add-on" if I bought the phone out right? $450.00 retail + $10.00 x 24 Months = $690.00. So I would be paying 1.5 times for the phone?
Obits2

I asked that question on a sprint chat. Sadly, the answer yes. You would have to pay the $10 fee even if you bought the phone unsubsidized. This is a "because I can" fee. Sprint wants to raise the price of its plans for 4G phones, but at the same time doesn't want to give up saying "Our $70 is worth more than their $70" or something like that.
Airen Edebiri

http://explainthefee.com/categ...

See question #2

This is another major problem with the fee - it increases the cost of the phone over time. My friend who bought his Evo for $600 (plus another $76 after accessories and tax) from Best Buy is still paying another $10 monthly for his Evo.

Even if you get the subsidized $199 pricing, over the course of your 2 year contract, you still pay $440. Keep it longer than that, then it's like you never really had your phone subsidized in the first place, you just made very small payments for it over time. And if someone switches to another smartphone that requires that same add-on fee, they're still paying extra for their phones.
zxt

When you say its a little long I thought it was like 10 minutes or so....I didn't know its almost an hour :)
Getfucked

this is fake, i work for Sprint and this is not anyone in our executive office, if it really was you would post a name here. I will for sure be bringing your site up a little further in some meetings I believe you have nothing better to do with your time but lie and come up with propaganda, and lies, and the moment does not work with quik lol super funny. plain and simple its a $10 premium data fee either you pay it or get a different phone, very simple its due to the fact you are using more bandwidth and bogging down the network in the terms and conditions it states at anytime sprint may make changes, an executive analyst haha your funny on this one the guy who "acted" like a Sprint executive representative needs some more training from you, k? good luck but your not getting anywhere.
Dasayayin

What a guy, why don't you give us your name and rank if you represent sprint?. I guess you do not care about you teammate. when was the last time you went to sprint.com and check their rules and regulations?. Did you forget what the explanation for the premium add-on is?. To me you are just a sad little puppy that works for sprint in a kiosk making minimum wage(!!I will for sure be bringing your site up a little further in some meetings!! that you are conducting or listening to??) You my friend are a joke you never rattle a teammate when the he's trying to defend his company even when being lied by his own boss(company).
Airen Edebiri

I don't think he should give out his name and position with a username and posts that are not not even appropriate to post on Sprint's own forum. Not a good way to represent your company honestly.
explainthefee

Email me from your Sprint employee email address and I'll give you his name
and supervisor's name.

You think I'd really do something illegal and face getting sued over $10?
Thank you though for agreeing that this person who is the "voice of the
company" sounds a "lil" off.
Airen Edebiri

You seem to be unaware of the possibility of incompetent or untrained people working for Sprint lol. Why does this have to be fake, just because the guy didn't know what he was talking about? And after a phone call like that, it's very important that he didn't post the guys name or he might get into trouble, or even fired. Call it propaganda if you like, but there's little leeway with the facts on this site. Pretty much everything posted here is true and to the point. Can't say the same about Sprint's explanation of the fee.
Ekcacal

Like everything new, there will be these add on fees. In 2011, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile will have the same type of fees as well for their service. After awhile, you'll see these fees gone. Since Verizon is playing with LTE (which won't be available until next year on their network), they're fee will probably be much higher. Oh, LTE means Long Term Evolution which is another version of WiMax. Yeah, $10 maybe a lot right now but, Sprint is the only one with 4G right now here in North America. Can you just imagine what 5G will be like when it comes out? We'll have the best of both, WiMax/LTE on one phone.
Airen Edebiri

Why in 2011? T-Mobile is upgrading their network to HSPA+ which is comparable to Sprint's 4G. They've kept the prices the same (prices that were already equal to, or cheaper than Sprint) and don't charge any fee for their high end phones while Sprint does. Verizon and AT&T don't charge any extra fee (with the exception of the iPhone, but that's a different plan altogether), so why does Sprint charge?

4G is just a marketing term. T-Mobile's HSPA+ is just as good as 4G, since the speeds are the same on average. More importantly though, there's nothing wrong with them charging for 4G if you have it in your area. I wouldn't quite say Sprint is the only with 4G, at least not in terms of the practical speeds. The problem arises from the fact that most people don't have 4G, but everyone who buys a 4G phone pays an extra fee for what appears to be nothing.
no_fee_for_me

People don't want 4G, they just want the phone. Sprint knows that and they are taking advantage of that fact. I have a friend who barely uses any data on her HTC EVO. And it's not like this fee was already included in the buffet, they added it on and told you that you have to pay the 10 dollars whether or not you eat the shrimp or crabs.

would it be fair to charge people 10 dollars extra at a buffet even though they do not want shrimp or crabs? Or perhaps they are allergic to it?

This 10 dollar fee a month is a premium phone tax, and it's complete bullshit.
Fail

Half of the comments on here are just an epic fail...everyone is talking about $10/mo. network buildups and anticipated costs and Dan Hesse being a liar....what happened to the original argument?

How does hardware specs justify a premium data add on title?

You have a "wicked" fast processor...what happens when it's no longer a "wicked" fast processor...or better yet, can someone define "wicked" fast and put a number to it, so this way we know when it's no longer wicked fast and can start a new arguement?

You have a kickstand...WTF...what if I have a case on my phone that doesnt allow me to use a kickstand, or better yet, the case has it's own kickstand.

You have a 4.3" screen...I didnt know that having more screen real estate taxed a carriers network...I'm terrified of what will happen to ATT and all the iphone users when the Dell streak and its 5+ inch screen hits the market if that's the case....

In order to get the answers you need to break it down logically, no seriously, pretend you are taking to your 4 year old niece or nephew (if you have one).. How does a kickstand qualify as a data plan....honestly it hurts my brain even thinking about it...
Fail

okay...I would like to retract part of my comment but not the general meaning behind it....I need some lessons myself apparently...kickstand has nothing to do with it...I was just wrapped up by the "Can I use the kickstand in the south pole?" question....

::sigh::
explainthefee

The reason why it was brought up, was because the Public Relations manager (Emmy Anderson) mentioned it to me, when she emailed me directly.

Link: http://explainthefee.com/2010/...

As far as her email, the kickstand is "included" in this data experience..
Fail

I feel better now....I thought I was going bat$h!t stupid for a second...well, that's still not entirely out of the question...but regardless...Can someone please tell me where it says that the 10 dollar fee is for anticipated 4G development cost, and in what right does Sprint have in charging everyone with an Evo for something that everyone with an Evo can't utilize at the moment? If in fact that's even the underlying meaning, which I do not believe to be true, it should be outlined on their website.

P.S. $10 bucks says the Sprint rep on this call gets canned ....
Dasayayin

That is the problem MR. BRAD, the big man Dan Hesse already said that 4G was going to be free so they can't go with that as an answer for the $10 add-on
Brad

The logical step for Sprint would be to say that 4G is faster and truly unlimited, therefore causing the $10 higher cost of the service (but should ONLY charge the $10 in the markets where 4G actually exists). Once it's rolled out completely, they will have to adjust their pricing structure, leaving people currently without 4G phones on older grandfathered plans that are not structured with the fee. But once they upgrade their phone, the switch is made.
There is WAY too much ambiguity for me in this whole transcript. It sounded like you were beating around a vague bush and purposefully trying to confuse the Sprint rep, who obviously was not qualified to handle a person like you. The question I should have heard at the beginning of that conversation should probably have been, "What is the basis of this fee?". To which Sprint could reply, "You are basically being put on a much faster service that delivers better content. This service is truly unlimited and will have more and more 4G content and features added that won't be accessible on the older 3G network. The costs associated with designing, building and rolling out this service, like service upgrades of the past, are partially recouped with a pricing structure that changes with technology. Blackberry and iPhone users experienced some of the same questions in the past. We apologize for any confusion." And then you say, "Oh I get it. You can't build a better, faster network without getting some of the customers to help pay for it." And Sprint says,"NOW, sir, you are a genius!"
phone guy

I didn't listen to the conversation, I only read the transcript and as an ex-employee of Sprint (an ex retail employee that would have to answer questions similar to this one on a daily basis) I can already tell you that this guy is blowing smoke up you know where. This guy is totally unprofessional and flip-flopping on his answer. 1) The high quality video gab is bs, because the Hero on 3G has high quality video through the same youtube app. 2) The lame "hardware goes hand-in-hand with the network" oust is lame because I highly doubt HTC is getting a piece of the extra $10/month. 3) They cannot blame it on the processor because again, the Hero was the phone with the most powerful processor prior to the EVO and no extra fees were incorporated for Hero users. 4) They cannot assume that because the phone has extra abilities like multitasking and 4G, people will use the phone to browse the web more and charge them extra for an assumption of the sort. It is disappointing to see that people like him are representing Sprint because I can honestly say that the company is striving to please each and every customer and truly does care about customer satisfaction. Simply put, that individual employee is not educated about the product or service in the manner he should be and instead of telling the truth that he does not know the specific reason for the charge, he is guessing at what the reason is and feeding the customer that. I would imagine the extra $10 charge is for added cost to the company for the expansion, maintenance, and usage of the 4G network, which is a fair and justifiable charge. I think he would be better off saying so if in fact that is the case...
OaklawnM4M

The $10 fee is for WiMax 4G and your ability to push data at speeds faster than a typical Cable Modem instead of paying $59 for a second number and an OverDrive module. Plus you can tether the 4g on your EVO with your laptop.. and this can *NOT* be done with the Samsung Moment of other 3G Phones at this time.
Wshomo

Well i would be more than glad to send you a video of my moment being tethered to my laptop.
Jouchee14344

His explanation fits with the response you've been getting from Sprint reps about the connection between the hardware and "data experience". It would have been nice if they had been clearer on that in the beginning.

This sounds like nickel and dimming the consumer to death. Not only do I have to pay for the internet, I have to pay for the speed of the internet, and I have to pay for the amount of data I (MIGHT!!) use OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. WTF!!!! Sounds like we're all paying for a cap. Internet throttling.

So theoretically how much data am I allowed on an HTC touch pro 2? How about a Samsung? Blackberry?
So does this mean if I overclock my phone's processor which would allow me to process data faster does that mean I'm stealing from Sprint??

Ok I'm pissed. I'm buying insurance and I'm overclocking my phone. Sprint can pay for my phone bricks in response to me paying for their hidden cap.
Gary

This is really quite embarrassing for Sprint. An executive analyst has this substandard communications skill? Where is the "synchronicity" with Sprint's message about using 4G on their network? I seriously can't believe that every new 4G capable phone will be hit with an additional $10 per month, or else Sprint is going to find a lot of people avoiding an upgrade. If their claim is that the EVO will use much more data bandwidth to require that $10 surcharge, then HTC has made a mistake in the design. Given how processors are getting better, faster, and CHEAPER, why does the phone require more bandwidth? It should require LESS for the same usage as before. And if there's an issue with apps that may abuse the network, simply block them.

If Sprint is worried about heavy usage with the EVO, then create a reasonable cap and provide enough information for users to know which apps are the bandwidth hogs. And... charge another $100 for the phone to be done with it. But no... because the iPhone can be had for $199, Sprint believes it needs to be competitive and offer the EVO for $199... then "hide" the extra cost in this monthly charge. That's a sleazy way of operating.

If anything, Sprint should make the $10 surcharge only applicable for the 1st year of ownership. I'll bet that Sprint will be making more improvements on their network over the next year and this "extra bandwidth drain" should be lessened considerably... and again, for those aggressive use customers. I just don't like the idea of this surcharge continuing year after year.
Raechel Reiter

Well justifying it is crap. I know we probably can not fight it. But my usage of data is not high enough to warrant the fee. I would not mind being capped to save the $20 a month on both phones.
Jspencer

Truth is it is going to cost Sprint less money to move the bigger amount of data on 4G as opposed to the slower 3G. The added cost is in upgradeing their networks to the 4G. If this guy is the last step in escalation "you know", then Sprint needs to review their requirements for how people communicate for them in an official capacity. The fact that you got directed to this guy lets you know how serious they take you.
Dasayayin

To those morons defending the fee or justifying it, please do not come up with your own explanations as to way the fee is being implemented. As far as I know sprint has not said anything officially other than the phone is beautiful with a wicked fast processor and a kick stand as a reasoning for the $10 fee nothing about data here. The big kajuna Dan Hesse screwed up when said that 4G was going to be free so sprint came up with this BS 'cause the big boss is always right.
Mtnmedic

Shrimp and crab. Interesting.

My only question is.....where's the butter?
Isaac

I'm sorry - hate to say it, but I side with Sprint on this one. I mean, I understand paying the additional $10 fee sucks and is ridiculous, but I understand as to why it's being charged. And trust me - I'm one of those people that calls business ALL THE TIME and usually tends to get stuff reduced/free/discounted.

But sorry - I just felt that the points you were making were just going around in circles. Most of your arguments were not valid, in my opinion and I felt you weren't really listening to the point he was making.

It sucks - but it's a higher quality phone with advanced features.

NOW - what sucks is that they are charging $30 more a month if you wanna use the phone as a WiFi Hot-Spot. Why don't you concentrate your energy on THAT! That's what I really wanna know...
Switch

"It sucks - but it's a higher quality phone with advanced features"

So the next time i go by a BMW i should expect them to tack on extra money/month just because it's high quality and it's fully loaded.

And you say you understand WHY this $10 fee is being charged, please elaborate, maybe we can just circumvent Sprint and you can give us the $Million answer.
Kevin Ryan

"...it's a higher quality phone with advanced features."

Then charge more for the phone at the time of purchase. Don't charge me $10 a month for the same unlimited data that I'm already paying for. A fool and his money are soon parted...
Edwardo

You're right. Sprint should eliminate your unlimited data plans and charge you for your usage.
Kevin Ryan

Here's the bottom line: Sprint is taking the lazy approach with this fee. It's easier to charge every EVO owner the $10 fee rather than charge the fee only to those who go over a cap. And they can't really set a cap because their normal plans have "unlimited" data. They can't call it a 4G fee because they said they wouldn't charge extra for 4G. So they've painted themselves into a corner. They'd have to re-tool their plans and change their marketing, or do the extra work of tracking data usage and billing for overages. That said, I believe that is exactly what they should do. Charging a *mandatory* $10 fee for "premium" data based on the phone hardware is ridiculous. Data is data. Make the fee optional. Give people the choice of no fee with a cap and overage charges, or the $10 fee and no cap. But don't presume to know how I'm going to use the phone and how much I'm going to tax the network.

Someone stated that even with the fee, Sprint is still cheaper than everyone else, so who cares. Here's an analogy for you: Just because I get beat up by the weakest guy in the bar doesn't make the assault any less wrong. It just makes me a pussy for letting it happen.

I love Sprint, but their implementation of this fee is wrong. Keep up the blog and the fight!
Glimmung

If cheap folks don't want to pay an extra 10 bucks a month, don't get the phone. Stop the whining and get a job that pays you enough so that 10 bucks looks like what it really is: throw away chump change.
Switch

You also come off as a small picture kind of guy, Oh, ten buck, No Problem that's throw away money.

But in the big picture as us grown up like to view things, that $10 fee adds up especially with a two year commitment plan,which will add up to $240.00 on top of your normal plan.

And you are assuming that people can't afford this and that's why they are voicing their opinion. which is not true in my case, i'm not going to get into how much i make a year because it's tacky, but i can comfortably say it is well above the National average, and I wouldn't have a problem paying the $10 fee if it was for a clear cut specific reason, but there is not one. It is just like someone else posted, they are being lazy and charging everyone for the same thing but not everyone is reaping the benefits of the same service.

So pretty much it's like selling a high performance car, and telling people that with their concrete roadways your car will out perform any other, but not all of or roads are concrete some people will still have to drive on dirt roads and still pay the same price just because their car has the same capabilities as those with concrete roadways.
Car=Phone
Concrete roadway=4g service areas
Dirt Road=3g service areas
Wshomo

Well if you could read and comprehend a word i said, i didn't compare the EVO to any other device. The EVO's 4g is faster than the EVO's 3g hense the Concrete roads and the Dirt roads.
facebook-15206476

That analogy makes no sense... roads!? The EVO is faster on 3G than the other devices are..... FACT. Definitely read about it, then tried it out first hands with some Moments. Go try that yourself, and come back with a better analogy....
Wshomo

WOW, i just re-read your post and you are an idiot. Do yourself a favor and put down the video games and read a book....
Obits2

The 3G is not faster. The processor is faster. The processor is a hardware feature that you pay for when you buy the phone. Think about home internet. Does your ISP charge you more because you got a faster computer that can load videos faster? No. The Moment is slower because of the Moment's hardware/software, not because of slower 3G. There are not different 3G towers for each phone.
Airen Edebiri

How is the Evo faster on 3G? It gets the same speeds as any other 3G phone. If you think the browsing is faster, that's because the processor loads faster, not because it downloads the website faster. Have you done actual speed tests side by side?
Switch

Spoken like a true frivolous spender. If you keep that mentality up you'll be broke before you know it. But next time it will be your cable company, and then your utilities, if they all keep tacking on your "Chump change" amount and justifying it under some very unclear and trite manner you wont have a bucket to spit in.
facebook-15206476

fallback.... its $10....... Even with the xtra data costs + the plan + hotspot, some are still paying less than competitors.... So where do you get off trying to trash my dude's financial stability?? If you want to do that, than you need to be complaining to AT&T and Verizon why their plans are that much more high (esp w/ AT&T's garbage network) and now tiered data....
Wshomo

"Fall Back"?????

Why because you can't understand why i would be a little comprehensive about paying a unclear fee, or because you don't like my tone of Typing.

Listen here Mr./Mrs./Ms. John Hopkins I'm glad your employer pays for a percentage of your phone bill and data fees. But if you don't mind paying extra money for something good for you, go throw yourself a Parade. All I'm saying is that i don't plan on keeping quite until i get a clear cut explanation of this Mystery fee. I've worked too hard in my life to get the financial stability that i have, and i'm not going toss my money around like it's nothing. It's as simple as that.
Airen Edebiri

AT&T is only $5 more a month for a comparable smartphone (not the iPhone) and Verizon is $10 more a month. T-Mobile is the same price ($80month) or less ($60/month) if you buy your phone up front. The difference between Sprint and the other carriers is not that much nowadays. If someone is looking to get a Galaxy S, which all 4 carriers are offering , there isn't as much incentive as there used to be to go with Sprint if you don't have 4G in your area. Same thing applies with other (like the Droid X and Droid 2) high end phones too.
Dasayayin

This is from engadget.com.............Verizon switching to AT&T-style limited data plans later this month?
By Chris Ziegler posted Jul 20th 2010 7:24PM ExclusiveHang on to your megabytes, folks, because it looks like the Brave New World of limited data is truly upon us. AT&T and Verizon tend to follow each others' moves pretty closely -- the two carriers regard each other as their nearest competitors, after all -- and we're hearing that Big Red intends to move to some sort of tiered bucket strategy on July 29. We don't have details on whether the pricing will be identical to AT&T's ($25 for 2GB, $15 for 200MB), but we imagine it'll be within shouting distance if not. Of course, Verizon has been sending this message for a long time -- even before AT&T was -- so it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that this is going down. You might say that Droid Does Caps, eh?
Switch

Anyone who has a problem with someone lobbying for a cause needs to re-evaluate their Citizenship.

It is our Right and Obligation to make our voices heard, because if we don't have a voice how will anyone ever hear us.

And Sprint had to know that the $10 fee would raises some eyebrows. They should have had a clear cut answer and reasoning behind it before they put the phone to market with the fee, instead of just last minute " Oh, well maybe we should tack on that extra $10 fee and hope no one questions us about it"
Letjknow

You can make up the fee if you are a student. Sprint offers 28% discount to most Universities and other kind of discounts for a variety of employers...
facebook-15206476

Johns Hopkins employee..... get 24% off my bill, and job pays another $45 for data costs.... sweeeeeeeeet!!!!!!
Asxt

My university does not offer 28% discount. You cant assume that all students make up this fee!
Edwardo

Why are you being such a dick to random people like this? Get over it. The fact is you have to pay an extra $10 a month for your phone. It's no different than when they introduced data packages for Blackberry/PDA devices. You don't like the extra $10 fee? Then don't get the god damn phone. Easy decision. Stop this pointless garbage.
Outrageousjon

What a hypocrite. Spewing profanity over the fact that people are expressing their displeasure in being forced to pay an unreasonable fee. Why do you even care? You said that if we don't like the fee then we shouldn't get the phone. If you don't like the discussion then go away and keep your curses to yourself. You can be a waste of space somewhere else where we don't have to suffer you
Obits2

Think about your statement.
1. Sprint is lying to its customers
2. You conclude that customers who complain about being lied to are dicks.
3. They are not "random people." They represent Sprint.
Edwardo

So by that logic because someone represents an organization they can be treated like garbage if you have a complaint? I don't get this line of thinking. I guess you've had to have been on both ends to understand where I'm coming from.
Obits2

My first job was at Burger King. Imagine this scenario:
1. You go to buy a whopper.
2. The sign says "Wopper for $3."
3. I tell you that the total before tax is $5.
4. You say, "But the sign says $3, what is the extra $2 for?"
5. I respond, "This in not a charge for the Wopper."
6. You say, "Then what is it for?"
7. I don't give you an answer. I basically just keep telling you "This is not a charge for the Wopper." In different ways.
8. You talk with a manager.
9. The manager can't give you an answer either.
10. You think "This doesn't make sense, the sign said $3."
12. You talk to the owner.
13. Still no answer.
11. By your logic, you're a dick for asking about this $2 fee. As opposed to the owner who has told his employees to make stuff up and lie to the customers. After all, you don't have a right to know what you're paying for/sarc