When AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and just about every other cellphone provider announced that they now had a cap on how much data you could use on their networks; Sprint began to look like the best alternative to all of us – tethered data thirsty cellphone users. Because of its ability to provide cellphone users a way to tether their devices and search the internet all day, Sprint’s image went from a 3rd class cellphone service provider, to the unlimited data network king.
This feature gave Sprint, new customers, new fans, and the Sprint users became extremely “cocky” about their network being better then everyone else’s network, etc. And then sprint decided to make the same move that AT&T pulled off a while back. When Sprint received the rights to sell the iPhone 4S, they made the news official: Both NEW and OLD customers are getting capped under the new plan.
Now, before you start to go riot out into the streets, here is the only difference, as long as you use your phone to browse the internet, facebook all day, or listen to your favorite online radio station, you’re okay. But if you tether your device to a computer to browse the internet, you will be hit with the cap. They could have made a special deal where old customers get grandfathered into the new plan like Verizon did, this could have made them a bit more popular than they are. This new change may cost them hundreds of users since that’s really one of the only cool things they had going for them. With this change, sprint just became like every other cellphone network provider… with less coverage area and more dropped calls.
According to Ars Technica:
That cap is now official: both new and old customers are getting their plans capped. Tablet, netbook, notebook, USB card, connection card users who used to have a limited amount of 3G data and unlimited 4G data have a combined limit for both kinds, in tiers of 3GB, 5GB, and 10GB. For every additional megabyte customers use after that, they will be charged 5¢. Customers who use their phones as mobile hotspots will have that service capped at 5GB, with the same overage charge.
The change will happen in November, but it’s still not bad, they continue to be the kings of unlimited cellphone data. Tethering is really the only thing that’s going to be affected, at 5c per megabyte, it’s about $50 per gigabyte that you use. Most police departments use the USB internet card on their vehicles to get internet access for their computer systems, I wonder if Sprint will work with them since they are a law enforcement office? Either way, it looks like Clear Wire internet is looking as a safer alternative for online usage on the go around major cities.
Via: Ars Technica and Sprint
