Lots of folks have been looking for some clarification on the service plan options for the upcoming Palm Pre… who am I to disappoint? So here are the options that users will have to choose from (whether you’re a new or existing customer, the options are the same):
Simply Everything – Individual or Family/Shared
- $99/1st for Individual & $89/2nd+ for family/shared
Everything Data – Individual Plans
- 450 Min – $69.99
- 900 Min – $89.99
Everything Data Family – Shared Plans
- 1500 Min – $129.99 (lines 1&2) / $19.99 each(lines 3-5)
- 3000 Min – $169.99 (lines 1&2) / $19.99 each(lines 3-5)
Business Essentials Msg & Data – Individual/Pooled
- 0 Min – $55.00 (1 line) / $55 per add-a-phone (40¢/min)
- 400 Min – $69.99 (1 line) / $55 per add-a-phone
- 1000 Min – $89.99 (1 line) / $55 per add-a-phone
- 1400 Min – $109.99 (1 line) / $55 per add-a-phone
- 2000 Min – $129.99 (1 line) / $55 per add-a-phone
- 3000 Min – $179.99 (1 line) / $55 per add-a-phone
- 4000 Min – $229.99 (1 line) / $55 per add-a-phone
And for the most frequently asked question of the day…
What about my SERO plan? – You’ll have to switch to the EPRP program if you want the Palm Pre. I know you don’t want to hear that, but that’s the way it is, and I can’t see it changing considering the push behind it.
Oh – and WOW at all the places that picked up my Pre FAQ post… thanks to everyone that’s visited the blog from all the other places online, but in reality I’m just a person with a blog that occasionally likes to write about what’s going on. I’m much more active on our internal blog than I am on here, so that’s why you don’t see a lot of posts on here.. as I’ve usually already posted it once, and don’t have the time to do it all again for the public side, despite that most of you call can’t see that anyways, but i digress. Oh, and why does everyone immediately assume I’m a guy just because I’m a geek?
I believe you are right about this, and have no reason to think otherwise. I just wish there was some way we Sprint customers could have a voice on this. As I commented on the previous post, I am a 10 year Sprint veteran, and my plan is PERFECT for my needs right now (even the Sprint Plan Optimizer says so!). It is making my stomach churn to think about having to pay a ton more a month just to be able to use a Pre. Is there nothing that can be done for people like me? I am willing to pay slightly more, but the way I read these plans, it would cost me no less than $50 more a month than what I am paying now for my wife’s line and my own.
Did you write sprint about this?? I am in the same boat and have sent letters asking them to change there policy! That is a crazy rule!!
What about a family plan where one spouse (me) wants a Palm Pre and a data plan and the other spouse (my wife) does not want to pay extra for a data plan? AT&T offers the ability to pay a flat $30/mth on our existing shared (non-data) plan for a data plan for one spouse which results in a combined monthly cost of $99 ($69 for shared plan + $30 for single line’s data plan). I don’t see anything like this in your post. Will Sprint have something like this for those of us wanting just one Palm Pre on a shared plan?
Mark–this is exactly my issue as well. I would gladly pay for an everything plan if I could do an add-a-phone type thing for $20 since my wife does nothing but use a couple of hundred minutes a month (no data, no messaging). It may be cheaper to separate our lines into different accounts, but I would hate to have multiple bills.
If you look at Sprint’s plans on the site, you should find a Simply Everything set of family plans.
I have the same issue. Right now, my family has Everything messaging for $100. My brother needs data so he has an “a la carte” data add-on that I think costs $15-$20 / month. My parents definitely don’t need data, so it’s not worth it to upgrade to Everything Data. I want to upgrade to the Pre from my current phone. Hopefully Sprint will let me a la carte a data package like my brother has.
[...] berichtet der Autor über die Tarife, mit welchem der Palm Pre verfügbar sein wird. Die Tarife fangen bei ungefähr [...]
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[...] Here you go: Palm Pre Monthly Service Plans « Inside Sprint Now [...]
In your previous post you mention the requirements as Simply Everything/Simply everything data, and do not include, as you have above, the regular everything data. Probably just a typo, but you may want to correct this error in your original post, people are becoming confused and other sources are repeating the error. This site for example, in which he says that a “simply everything plan is required”.
oops, forgot to include an example of a website repeating the error: http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/9749/sprint-insider-clarifies-many-palm-pre-details/
Well? Are you a guy or a girl? Alien perhaps? No wait…Robot!
I give up! What are you???
BTW, thanks for taking the trouble of letting us know more about the Pre.
[...] Mike asks: (link to his comment) [...]
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I think I’ll go with the Everythign Data 450 for $69.99
What about the Everything Plus Referral Program? That should be considered an ‘Everything’ plan by the system in regards to the PRE right?
yes, EPRP is an everything plan ok on the Pre.
Haha I’m an idiot I didn’t even realize the new acronym was EPRP haha, I was still calling it something else…whoops haha thanks NYC
I was reading that the Pre doesn’t support Sprint Picture Mail. does this mean that I can’t send a picture from my phone to someone else? If so, why? The data plans come with picture mail and this project has been in the works for quite some time. The Pre should be able to send pictures. It makes no sense that I can’t send pictures. I don’t send pictures via my phone very often but I still would like the option.
(She?) said that the Pre can do MMS, which is the industry-standard multimedia messaging system. Picture Mail is Sprint’s method for accomplishing kind of the same thing. So, the Pre’s ability to send pictures will be better (as I understand it).
Wait a sec, I thought Sprint implied previously that ANY plan with unlimited data would work? I have an old 2000 anytime minutes shared plan with unlimited data/text/roaming on both lines and PowerPack Ultimate (or whatever it’s called) on the main line.
After all the discounts (corporate & loyalty) & after taxes, I pay $75/month. Why would I want to switch from that to a plan that’s double the price? This really ticked me off with the Instinct, but at least that device was a dud, so I didn’t feel that bad.
I’m guessing the answer is “no”, but I thought I’d ask anyways….
Will the Sprint “Free & Clear” plan with unlimited data work with the Pre?
If not, will Sprint have an “upcharge” (like $20 for BIS or $30 for BES on the Blackberry’s) to allow the Pre to work on the F&C plans?
well, now it has made it easier to price an iphone. the data/voice plans were why I stayed with Sprint in the first place.
can i use the Everything Plus family plan for the pre?
I’m in the same boat as some others here. I have a 2000 minute Free and Clear plan, 2 lines, unlimited data and sms on both lines for about $85 month.
My wife isn’t too keen about spending an extra $45 a month to be able to use the Pre.
If i’m not able to just add a vision/data plan for $15 or $20. I’m not getting a Pre :(
Right now I share minutes with my wife for $65, going off this my only option is $130 a month! That’s hard to swallow because we use 200-400 minutes max. Usually about 250. Plus my wife doesn’t need data or text.
Tosh, I’m in the same boat. My wife and I have a shared plan with 550 shared minutes for $65/month. It appears that our only offer with Sprint is to either (1) get the Everything Data Family – Shared Plan with 1500 minutes for $129.99 (which is DOUBLE our current monthly expense), or (2) get separate plans where I would have the Everything Data – Individual Plan with 450 Min for $69.99 and my wife would get a Talk plan with 450 min for $39.99/mth for a combined monthly cost of $110/month (still $45 MORE than our current cost).
I’ll pay $20-25/mth to add data to one phone (which is still $250-300 a year just for data) but I’m not willing to pay $45/mth to add data to one phone. And I’m certainly not willing to pay an additional $65/mth so that my wife also has a data plan that she has already said she will not use and does not want.
It isn’t that hard to figure out that yours and my situation is a common one across America. Sprint ought to be able to come up with a plan that is competitive. If not, I guess I’ll stick with AT&T and wait for the new IPhone 3.0 to come out. I’d rather have a Palm Pre but saving $50 or even a $100 on the cost of the phone doesn’t come close to making up for the extra $360-$840 I would spend for a Sprint data plan vs. AT&T’s simple $30 Iphone data plan add-on which is just tacked on to one’s current plan.
Glad to see more people are in the same boat as I.
Perhaps we should start an online petition?
I’ve never come close to using 450 minutes in a single month in my life. I need an Everything Data / 200 minutes / 39.99. Maybe I’d even go for 49.99. Put it in the Suggestion Box and see if they want to do it :-)
Can you answer my question please?
I want to be able to use the Palm Pre but unfortunately we have to switch new Sprint plans, and like everyone else we have a la carte features at discounted prices. We are willing to switch to the EPRP Family but only if get the 27% Employee Discount we have right now… is that possible?
you should have the same discount when you switch plans. just call customer service and let them know.
[...] to create a petition for something like this when no official details have been announced. But recent information has come to light that makes it very likely that new plans will be required. My question to the [...]
I was in an online chat session with a Sprint rep today and mentioned that I currently had a $80 family share 700 plan but was interested in the Palm Pre.
Was told by the rep that I only had to add the $30 data plan to my phone and i would be covered.
Obviously this is one rep and before the official Pre unveiling, but it seems very odd that Sprint is not doing anything to stem the rumor mill and / or keep existing customers (who are near the end of their existing contract and have no qualms about switching to an iPhone!!) happy.
$30 data plan? Wow, I thought there was a $15 or $20 data plan.
The $30 is for the PRO pack, that includes data, GPS, AND unlim. messaging.
I asked a Sprint rep a few days ago on the phone if my plan would work for the Palm PRE and at first she said it wouldn’t and that I would one of the Everything plans. She said something about needing data for the Palm PRE so I told her how I already have unlimited data with my plan. She put me on hold to double-check if my plan would work and came back to say it would because data is what is needed for the Palm PRE (similar to what Kevin reported).
Sounds to me like the Reps were just told you need data. Now if the their bill system won’t allow that in the end, that’s one thing, but they seem to be of the current mind set that that data is all that’s required.
FYI: I currently have a F&F plan with unlimited data.
I contacted Sprint’s Corporate Office customer service line and talked to one of their senior reps. Like you both I have a F&F plan with unlimited data as well and I had mentioned that too her and how I had been hearing rumors from different people (like this article for instance), different things from different regular customer service reps and so on and so forth and simply asked her if she could clear this up for me. She responded very politely and aknowledged the fact these are just rumors and will only continue to get worse as the anticipation for this phone draws near. She made it very clear however that nothing has been decided as of right now (everything is still in the planning stages) however, after things have been they will be making the official announcement.
I have to agree with her though, what has been made official is the fact that the phone will be released before the 2nd quarter ends which is the end of June and that is all! As the date draws closer and people’s anticipation continues to boil, the rumors will just keep coming up… The best advice I can give is to just wait and find out once things have become official.
Sigh… I was afraid of this. I have an EPRP that I changed to to get my instinct, but I’ve been holding on to my SERO 500 quietly paying my 30 bucks or whatever per month and *HOPING* that this would not be the case (it’s like that classic car in our garage… one day it’ll be awesome again).
I’d gladly pay the fee to drop my EPRP and keep my SERO only. Looks like I’ll just give the SERO to a jobless relative as it’ll be cheap for them… not like I’m using it anyway.
Insider- I think the assumption to you being male is that it’s just the typical expectation. (The usual suspects?) I’m a Tech Support Manager for a provider, and we’re all guys in this little phone filled room. Maybe your office is different?
Besides, I think all of our little geek minds might explode with excitement at the thought of a person of the fairer sex being as techy as them. I mean, that’s like EVERY nerd’s fantasy. That, and… gamer girls.
See?!? There’s a reason that the world has MMOs… you need to keep the geeks contained! (MMmmMm.. pixelated toys)
To the secret Sprint/Nextel author: You mention that we won’t be able to get a Pre if we have the SERO plan unless we switch to EPRP. What if we buy the handset from a third party and have Sprint activate it on my SERO plan? Would that work or will they flat out not allow it? If they won’t allow it, then WTF!!! I guess they really are starting to feel the effects from everyone with the SERO plan.
Ok, about the SERO reference you made: The one work-around I could see is to buy the phone out-right on ebay or without a contract, and just do an esn swap from my current smartphone on the $50/mo SERO plan. I will have to see if that is possible after launch, otherwise I will have to pay $90/mo for what I need, aka normal pricing :(
No one in the blogosphere seems to have answered these two questions:
1) What if we pay full retail for the Palm Pre to avoid the “requires new 2 year activation on a qualified plan” discount terms. Wouldn’t this allow those with “old” plans that include SMS and data to get a Pre? After all, most of us could stream music and video all day long on our existing phones (well I guess up to 5GB in a month), so why now force a switch to a higher priced plan if we do NOT take the equipment discount?
2) What happens when the Palm Pre is available on Verizon in January 2010 and Sprint no longer has the exclusivity? Will they still be aholes and force a switch to certain plans, knowing that many people would rather have Verizon for the increased M2M pool and better overall service (network, in building penetration due to 800mhz vs 1900mhz and customer – see Consumer Reports).
The blog author says we’re just too sentimental with our plans. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think 20 months on SERO constitutes on “old plan”.
Why doesn’t Sprint take on page from AT&T and just tack on a $10 surcharge for a Pre data package if we don’t take one of the “approved plans”.
All of the Pre hype is great for Sprint, but I can keep my current plan and smartphone for a few months longer and wait it out until Sprint no longer has the Pre exclusivity. Then we’ll see the plan terms improve once they have to be competitive with the Big V.
Okay, I’m a weird one – I have 4 phones and 4 plans – 2 Nextels with the everything messaging with 450 minutes for $49.99 each. Plus, my husband and I both have blackberries – but no phone with those. His is a $39.99 a month unlimited data only plan and I have a $49.99 a month unlimited data only plan (and no, I have no idea why the amounts are different). From an online chat with “Jessica” earlier today, I was told that I could get a Pre and utilize my $49.99 a month data only plan. However, I had earlier sent an email to Customer Care asking the same question. They didn’t respond until after the chat, and of course, the answer had become no – I would have to purchase a new plan. I have no desire to pay $20 a month more for essentially phone service on a device that I don’t need phone capabilities! Right now, since the Pre also doesn’t support tethering, I’m considering waiting for my contract to end and switch to Verizon & the BB Storm.
Super article – I will visit once again.
I just chatted with 2 E-reps, they both said that I could NOT alacarte Data and have the Pre. One I told I didn’t have data and wanted to know if I added it if that would be compatible, the other I told I already had the alacarte data and wanted to know if it was compatible. In both cases I was told I’d have to upgrade to one of the plans that “comes with” data for it to “work with the system”. I guess I don’t understand how it makes a difference where the data comes from, pretty sure it just makes a difference in their pocketbook. I’m willing to pay $20/mo to add data to my bill, but I’m not going to pay $20/30 moth to get a compatible Pre package with LESS minutes than I currently have! If both these reps are right, this thing is going to sell like a rock on Sprint.
So I have the OLD sero plan 500min/month unlim text and unlim internet for $30! I wanted to get the palm pre but I would have to pay $60/month for the same plan I have now. They said that I would still be paying less than others which is $69.99 for 450min/month.
Does anyone know if I could just buy the palm pre from someone then call sprint to swap my current phone and my rate plan wont change?
I am not going to pay more than $30 if I dont have to .
Can I use the palm pre for nextel’s direct connect?
Mike-
No, it does not have the push to talk feature.
as what i see the palm is mutch cheaper than the iphone