Overview:
Sprint-Nextel, one of the oldest telecommunications companies, in the USA, prides itself on providing innovation and excellence for their clients. Sprint and Nextel merged in 2004 and since then have together been one of the most popular wireless companies in the USA.
Pros: Sprint has a variety of plans for users to choose from, including eight individual plans, nine family plans, eight direct connect plans, and fifteen Direct Connect plans. Every voice plan has unlimited nights and weekends starting at 7 pm for no extra cost, although if you want early nights and weekends, you’ll have to pay $5.00 extra per month. All family plans can have up to five lines included. You can choose to add 50 add-on minutes for $5.00 extra per month.
Cons: Features aren’t standard for every plan. Some plans include things that aren’t included in others. There are activation fees of $36 for each plan and termination fees are a bit more expensive than some other companies. A deposit to set up an account may be required per line.
Detailed Provider Information:
Plans: There are four Sprint Power Pack plans. They range in minutes from 450 to 2000, and prices range from $39.99 to $99.99. You get unlimited mobile-to-mobile and unlimited nights and weekends starting at 7 pm. You also get domestic long distance. There is an option to upgrade to a 4000 or unlimited Power Pack plan.
The Sprint Power Pack Direct Connect plans range from 450 to 2000, much like the Power Pack plans, and the price range is also the same. However, instead of unlimited mobile-to-mobile, you get unlimited direct connect access from Nextel. You also can choose to get unlimited nights and weekends for free, starting from 7 pm. You can choose to add unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling for $5.00 extra.
There are five Sprint Power Pack Family Plans. These range in minutes from 550 to 3000, and the price range is $59.99-$149.99. You get unlimited nights and weekends, unlimited nationwide long distance, and the plan includes two lines. You can choose to add up to five for each plan for an extra $9.99 a month per line. You get unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. If you choose the Sprint Power Pack Family Direct Connect plans, that feature is replaced with unlimited direct connect access from Nextel. The prices for the Direct Connect plans are the same as the Power Pack, and the monthly minutes are also the same.
Sprint offers Free Incoming Plans, which basically means that you get unlimited incoming minutes. This plan is compatible with Sprint phones. There are four plans in this category, ranging from 300 monthly minutes to 1000 minutes. The price ranges from $49.99 to $99.99. You also get unlimited mobile-to-mobile minutes. You can choose to add free unlimited night and weekend minutes starting at 9 pm to your plan. Earlier nights and weekends will cost $5-$10 extra per month. The Direct Connect plans in this category include unlimited direct connect access. If you want to add unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling, it will cost $5 extra per month.
Sprint also has a basic plan. This offers you 200 monthly minutes at $29.99 a month. You can choose to add unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling for $5 extra a month or direct connect for $0.15 per minute. Both plans include unlimited nights and weekends starting at 9 pm.
Lastly, Sprint has a Business Essentials category. There are six plans in this category, with minutes ranging from 400 monthly to 4000. The price range is $39.99 to $199.99 and has unlimited mobile-to-mobile calling. The plans come with two lines; additional lines up to five cost $25 a month per line. The plans also have domestic long distance and the ability to share minutes between Sprint phones. If you get the Direct Connect version of a Business Essentials plan, unlimited mobile-to-mobile is replaced with unlimited direct connect access. All services are charged per line.
Customer Service: Sprint has several methods of customer service. You can contact them by phone, email or browse their database to find your question. You can also chat live with their sales reps on the Sprint site. They have a separate department for businesses. You can also check your account online.
Credit Check: Offers are subjected to credit approval.
Contract: The minimum contract is two years for most plans. A termination fee of up to $200 is charged to people who break their contract early.
Payment Options: You can choose to pay online, by cash, by check, or by PCS payment card, for prepaid plans, which are offered at Sprint. If you are paying by mail, you can send a check or money order.
Text and Picture Messaging: Text messaging is an extra that can be included with any plan. You can choose to add picture mail, instant messaging, or mobile email to your plan. Prices for picture mail and mobile email range from $15 to $20.
Data Plans: Sprint has several data plans, but they don’t include voice minutes.
Find out more about Sprint data plans at BBGeeks.com.
Downloadables: You can choose to download games, ringtones, screen savers, and applications. Downloading charges may apply as well as the cost of the downloaded item.
International Calling: Sprint offers several voice and data coverage plans for customers who call or travel overseas. Rates will depend on the country that you are calling. Sprint also offers cruise ship roaming, which also costs extra, but is quite convenient for people who travel on cruises a lot.
Roaming Charges: Roaming charges are incurred when users are overseas. For many plans, there are no roaming charges.
Calling Features: All Sprint and Nextel plans come with voicemail, call waiting, caller ID, caller ID block, three-way calling, call forwarding ($0.20/minute), and numeric paging.
Activation Fee: For all voice plans, there is a one-time $36.00 activation fee. For family plans, you will have to pay $26.00 for each additional line.
Nationwide Long Distance: This is included with nearly all voice plans; data plans will incur long distance charges if voice is included.
411 Calls: $1.79 plus airtime.
911 Calls: 911 calls are free.
Phones: Sprint-Nextel has a pretty impressive array of phones available to you right now. With all the hottest features, you are sure to find a phone that suits you. Try the LG Fusic.
Some Additional Phones Available:
MotoRAZR by Motorola
Several popular Sanyo models
Various Samsung phones
BlackBerry, Treo and other SmartPhones
I have been a Sprint customer for about 8 or 9 years. I pretty much feel apathetic towards all the cell phone companies so I have not had a reason to change companies, but feel that Sprint does not give me too much incentive to stay either. You would think they would reward customer loyalty, but they really don't. As far the service, reception is pretty good. I used to get a lot more dropped calls than I do now, so that is good. But I am also frustrated that they force you to purchase new phones by making the service on old ones obsolete. I also am not completely satisfied with the phone choices available. It seems like other cell phone companies have a better variety of phones with better/ more features. Since Sprint ropes you into a contract, it is usually inconvenient or impossible to switch providers without paying the fees. So I have stuck with Sprint, mostly because I don't beleive the grass is greener with any other company either.
I've been a Sprint customer for about 3 years now, and I've never had a problem with them. They seem to have plenty of coverage (very few "black hole" areas), and their customer service is pretty solid. Recently my boyfriend and I were charged for extra text messages when we shouldn't have been (we have a joint plan that allows for unlimited text messages each month), and when we called to complain about it, the rep apologized and removed the extra charges immediately.
I know a lot of people have had horror stories about Sprint (but really, isn't that true for all providers?), but I've never had a major issue with them, so I'm content to keep using them.
I've had Sprint for a few years now and am generally happy with their coverage and service as a whole. That said, I do from time to time experience dropped calls, but nothing too worrisome.
I am not happy with sprint at all, have been with them for about five years now, loyal costumer here… but that loyalty has degraded, disintegrated due to their horrifying costumer service… I am not one to play games and have very little time… I feel like they waste my time in the stores… they can never solve my problems… when I call I always get somebody that it’s hard to hear or understand, doesn’t understand the issue that I am calling about or knows how to help me, their phones are not up to par with other providers… the reps lie to you and are rude, they are everything you don’t want out of a customer service experience… their billing statements are always wrong… not kidding… and by no small margin… they are expensive… mostly I just pay it to avoid dealing for an hour with their costumer rep… they don’t do anything to retain their loyal customers… I am just tired… just waiting for the contract to be over because I don’t feel like paying their 200 bucks early cancelation fee… which is outrageous… my advice to all would be costumer… Do yourself a favor and avoid my monthly nightmare…