Update: Sources have sent in a few clarifications we fell worth passing on. First, SMS is no longer bundled with Vision. On the new Vision offerings it will be $5 for 100 messages and $10 for unlimited. Grandfathered customers with 100 message buckets in their Vision packs will still be able to upgrade to unlimited for only $5.
In addition, ReadyLink prices will drop. The new rate is $10/month for the primary line, and $5/month for shared lines.
On July 7th, just before Sprint�s shareholder meeting to vote on the Sprint Nextel merger, Sprint will make major changes to their consumer offerings. Read more for a complete rundown�
Good Bye F&C. The first major change is the death of Free & Clear nationwide plans. While Sprint will still offer F&C Area-wide plans, Sprint will only offer Fair & Flexible nationally. This is a major change for Sprint and for the wireless industry. In contrast, Cingular�s rollover is only available on mid-to-high range minute plans.
However, the devil is in the details. Fair & Flexible will continue to require a two-year agreement. That�s right, if you want a nationwide plan, you now have no choice but to sign a two-year agreement.
Night & Weekend Minutes. Something a lot of people talk about frequently is a pushback even further from the existing 7 PM option. While Sprint has tested a 5 PM option as well, on the 7th Sprint will strike a balance between the two and launch a 6 PM option. This add-on will be $10/month, and will be in addition to the 7 PM option.
California. The state�s courts have thrown out the cell phone �bill of rights� passed into law, so Sprint will revert to the 14-day return policy. Sprint declined to comment when we requested details in regards to this change.
Vision Packs. Vision packs will be changing too. The Premium Pack will drop to $10/month, returning the $10/monthly option to plan brochures ($10 Vision was also available in a �classic pack� which included Web-only access). However, Premium Pack will reduce the download credit to $5 to new users.
Pictures Pack will now include Video Mail at no additional charge, and will otherwise remain the same.
The re-introduced Multimedia Pack will build on the new Pictures Pack, include Sprint TV, and cost $20/month.
Add-a-phone Add-on Pricing. Sprint will radically change how add-a-phone lines handle plan add-ons. New accounts will follow a simple rule: add-a-phone plan add-ons cost half the price of what the main line would normally pay. For example, the Pictures Pack would cost $7.50/month, and the Multimedia Pack would cost $10/month. Plan-wide addons, such as Free & Clear/Flexible America will continue to only be a one-line charge, yet apply to all accounts.
BCPE. Business Connection Personal Edition will be reduced in cost to $10/month from the previous $15/month.
Rebates/Upgrades. This is another area of major change to Sprint. Sprint will increase the 18-month timeframe to 24-months for the full $150 rebate. However, Sprint will implement a rebate tiering to allow for anyone with a phone that has lasted through its 12-month warranty to upgrade as follows:
24 Months+: $150 Rebate on 2-Year, $75 Rebate on 1-Year 12 � 23 Months: $75 Rebate on 2-Year, $25 Rebate on 1-Year
Sprint also noted that the ability to provide instant application of handset upgrade rebates for existing customers to an account/purchase will be made available later this year.
EV-DO. Sprint Stores will begin to promote EV-DO to data card customers, especially in areas that will have existing EV-DO coverage. Sprint has hinted that the consumer product name for EV-DO will not be Vision, or will at the very least build on Vision, and that it is not �Wireless High-Speed Data� as many have speculated, it is a name in plan/service, and not product usage.
Sprint has also hinted that data rates do have the potential to change. Sprint cautioned employees that attempting to add a Vision plan to an EV-DO device will trigger an error, and hinted that there will be special EV Casual Rate plans.
