US carriers look to tariff innovations
Mobile operators continue to focus on more innovative billing and tariffing models, with US carrier Sprint launching a plan guaranteeing unlimited calls, texts and data for the lifetime of the line of service.
The Sprint Unlimited Guarantee applies to both new and existing customers who sign up for the My Way and My All-in rate plans.
The My Way plan:
Customers first select the number of lines; all lines come with unlimited talk to any wireline or mobile and text.
Choose data for each line: $30 per month for unlimited data on smartphones or $10 per month for unlimited data on basic phones. Additional options include $20 for 1GB of data on smartphones or basic phone users can choose not to add data to their account.
Activate mobile hotspot functionality on a smartphone for $10 per month for 1GB of data.
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said: “As additional lines are added to the account, customers will see significant monthly savings. The Sprint Unlimited, My Way plan makes it easy for families to tailor plans to meet their wireless needs, making Sprint the clear choice for families.”
My All-In plan:
This provides unlimited talk, text and data and 5GB mobile hotspot usage for $110.
“The Sprint Unlimited Guarantee allows our customers to lock-in unlimited talk, text and data not for just the next two years, but for life. Sprint customers won’t have to worry about their wireless bill or managing their family’s wireless usage. While other wireless providers are moving away from unlimited service, Sprint champions it,” said Hesse.
Local rival T-Mobile instead focused on the device side, introducing a plan called Jump that will allow subscribers to upgrade their handsets up to twice per year.
Customers signing up to the rapid upgrade cycle will pay an extra $10 per month charge and will be able to swap their handset after six months.
T-Mobile was once thought of as a potential suitor for Leap Wireless (no longer in light of the news from AT&T) but has announced it is to actively target Leap’s prepay heavy user base.
The company said its Apollo 15 prepay plan would be about “T-Mobile network, T-Mobile devices, Leap customers.” Now however, Leap doesn’t look so niche a player as it looks likely to be brought under the AT&T umbrella.
