Sprint has launched the BlackBerry Curve 8530 online and via Telesales today, with retail sales beginning on January 10th of next year. Pricing is set at $149.99 after new 2 year agreement before an additional $100 mail-in rebate, bringing the total to $49.99
The Curve 8530 features a Wi–Fi radio, 2.0 megapixel camera, GPS support, EV–DO Rev 0 instead of Rev. A, 256MB ROM/128MB RAM, BlackBerry OS 5.0, 2.5 inch landscape QVGA display, microSDHC expansion slot, 3.5mm headphone jack, dedicated media player controls, Bluetooth with stereo audio support and speakerphone.
The device is also the first to require an Everything Data service plan for activation on consumer accounts without the BlackBerry Internet Service add-on, with all future BlackBerry devices on Sprint falling under the new requirement going forward.
This probably means that all new windows devices are going to require everything plan also. Lets hope sprint is making a right choice by doing this.
Yeah, but all the other carriers make data mandatory on BB and advanced devices, Sprint still comes out ahead as far as price is concerned. Consumers are greedy and think they deserve something for nothing. What would be the point of having an advanced data device if you didnt want to use data?? just look cool??? I mean really
At $55 X 24 = $1320, is that something for nothing to you?
I just swapped my defective Palm Pro for another, I could have picked the HTC Tour 2 as my last Fair & Flexible plan Smartphone device, however I opted not to extend and reset my contract.
As I posted a couple of months ago, we knew what was in the pipes for us veteran SPRINT customers .
I still, strongly believe as a consumer,
one should have the “freedom of choice of hardware” from their carrier without being forced into “plan changes”, also,
the $70 Smartphone minimum monthly rate, which has silently been adopted by AT&T, VZW and SPRINT as the minimum cost standard, amounts to nothing but an industry wide price fixing sceme, let us see what steps the FCC and U.S. Congress will consider adopting in 2010.
Thank You
Actually ATT started that, you can pick and choose phones at your leisure but plans are another story. Keep your legacy plans, pay full retail or ebay/craigslist for phones so no new contract is necessary or find a new carrier but this restrictions argument is getting really stale. New devices require new plans and it’s been that way for almost 2 years so either crap or get off the pot
Sprint is smart by allowing corp-liable account to keep legacy plans and use the BB Data Pack add-ons. They know having large accounts retool their plans would be a nightmare. Consumer accounts have 10 or less phones on them, so its easier to make the switch to an ED plan. There’s gonna be some annoyed customers, but this is the way its gonna be. Gotta adjust and get used to it.
@phonedude
Your right about other carriers mandating data plans on all smartphones. I have no problem with that. The issue here is current plans that have UNLIMITED DATA. If your current plan has UNLIMITED DATA which works on any PHONE in their lineup they should allow you to use it. With blackberry I understand paying extra for bb data but some of those unlimited plans that are not Everything plans include bb data. That is the issue here. Making you switch to a more expensive plan when your current data plan works just as good.
Anyway…sprint still does have the best plans on the market but forcing plans isn’t helping them in stopping the exodus of customers.
Hopefully they have something up their sleeve to help them out.
@jj,
Dont look now jj but it looks like sprint is finally turning the corner in regards to stemming the tide of losing customers. They seem to be righting the ship, slowly but surely. It’s taken awhile, but i think they can now see the light at the end of the tunnel.
it’s not the data, it’s the cost of data AND gps and all the other required crap. family plan needs data but the rest don’t but am required to buy for everyone.
Not to mention this is SLOW DATA. speed up the rev. to fast…. won’t consider crippled phones.
bring back fair and flexible plans….
The way the statement read to me was that if you had a consumer account and already had BIS, then you could activate this phone.
However, if you had a consumer account without BIS, then you would need an everything data plan.
It makes it seem like getting a BIS addon to a legacy account will be trouble..
woohoo good thing i got in when sprint did the $10 bis buy up for sero plans….looks like ill be able to keep a bb and stay on sero…FTW
Doesn’t the Pro Pack they include BIS?
The Blackberry Personal Pack includes BIS, but it will NOT work with the 8530. You will need a Everything Data plan. Sprint kind of dropped the ball and sprint.com makes it seem like you wont need to change plans, but you will. The BIS buy up on the 8530 will only work on corporate liable accounts. Regular consumer or individual liable accounts will need to switch plans. There has been internal documentation to prove this.
Anyone on SERO ($30) will not be able to get this phone. They will be required to switch to the Everything Plus Referral plan for $60. That $10 BIS Buy up will do you no good with this phone.
@Sprint Tech
Your professional input is much appreciated !
Thank You
One persone on sprintusers claims to have gotten their 8530 activated on SERO with that $10 BIS buy up. They posted a screen shot of their account and everything. Other people have posted no luck with getting their legacy plan to work though. I am guessing that $10 buy up code was somehow not coded properly so the system allows it. I’d expect that to end pretty soon though.
you also have to remember only certain sero accounts were allowed to add on the $10 bis not all accounts. so you have to take that into consideration.
Is this available on the free & clear as well?
If you aren’t already on one of the plans above, you’ll need one of the following add-ons:
Pro Pack or BlackBerry Personal Pack- $30/line/mo. with messaging, email (BlackBerry personal email access), Web, GPS Navigation, Basic TV and Basic Music. Available for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile/Palm PDA Sprint devices only.
BlackBerry Web and Email Plan – $39.99-$49.99/line/mo. for business devices with personal and work email access. Available for any Sprint or Nextel BlackBerry device. (Available with Business Essentials plan).
BlackBerry Worldwide – $40.00 – $69.99/mo. for business devices with personal and work email access at home and abroad. Available for Sprint BlackBerry devices only.
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Seems in Fact, standard blackberry rules apply.