To Hell with Net Neutrality: Sprint to charge extra for Facebook access

[app103]

$12 A Month For Facebook – Sprint Tramples Over Net Neutrality With New Prepaid Plan

Today, Sprint dispensed with all subtlety. Without any pretense of net neutrality whatsoever, the carrier unveiled a plan with options to pay more for unfettered access to social media and streaming music, depending on the tier.

The Virgin Mobile Custom plan, sold under Sprint’s Virgin Mobile brand, provides unlimited access to one of four social media services – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest – on top of your data plan for $12 a month. An additional $10 will net unlimited use of all four, while $5 more grants unlimited streaming from any one music app. The base plan also includes 20 minutes of talk time and 20 texts, both of which can be upgraded. Lines start at $6.98 a month, $5 extra for “unlimited” access. Plans can be adjusted on the fly, even daily if so desired.

http://www.droid-life.com/2014/07/30/12-a-month-for-facebook-sprint-tramples-over-net-neutrality-with-new-prepaid-plan/

[40hz]

It strikes me more as what they see as a way to put a partial "unlimited" data plan in place.

AFAIK, Sprint doesn't offer new subscribers across the board unlimited data plans any more. I'm grandfathered in on one with AT&T. Which unfortunately makes getting a discounted new phone - or changing any of my existing services a lot of fun since I have to walk through a minefield of fine print and customer 'service' doubletalk to avoid 'accidentally' relinquishing my unlimited data plan when I do. (They almost got me last time.)

[Stoic Joker]

It strikes me more as what they see as a way to put a partial "unlimited" data plan in place.

Strikes me as a New Speak small step in changing how service terms are to be understood. They're acting like it's an increase in the "Data Plan" implying more bandwidth/traffic/access as we know and understand things now. When it really is a incremental step towards the cable TV provider-esq Social Network and Entertainment Channel Package.

...And all the horrors we've long feared and suspected will manifest true.

[wraith808]

It strikes me more as what they see as a way to put a partial "unlimited" data plan in place.

AFAIK, Sprint doesn't offer new subscribers across the board unlimited data plans any more. I'm grandfathered in on one with AT&T. Which unfortunately makes getting a discounted new phone - or changing any of my existing services a lot of fun since I have to walk through a minefield of fine print and customer 'service' doubletalk to avoid 'accidentally' relinquishing my unlimited data plan when I do. (They almost got me last time.)

I have one too... and am about to give it up.  I don't use anywhere near 2GB... and the family plan gets us all 10GB to share for a lot less than holding on to my unlimited I never use.

[Renegade]

It strikes me more as what they see as a way to put a partial "unlimited" data plan in place.

Strikes me as a New Speak small step in changing how service terms are to be understood. They're acting like it's an increase in the "Data Plan" implying more bandwidth/traffic/access as we know and understand things now. When it really is a incremental step towards the cable TV provider-esq Social Network and Entertainment Channel Package.

...And all the horrors we've long feared and suspected will manifest true.

^ Yeah... That.

I have one too... and am about to give it up.  I don't use anywhere near 2GB... and the family plan gets us all 10GB to share for a lot less than holding on to my unlimited I never use.

Dunno. Boiling frogs?

[Edvard]

From what I remember before I quit the telephone CS agent job, Sprint is now owned by a Japanese company (SoftBank) and in the valuation stage of purchasing, they said we were "giving away too much money".  So when a customer would complain about service being crap in their area (especially during tower upgrades... ugh) we could no longer offer them a discount to their bill to calm down.

So glad I don't work there any more...

[app103]

From what I remember before I quit the telephone CS agent job, Sprint is now owned by a Japanese company (SoftBank) and in the valuation stage of purchasing, they said we were "giving away too much money". 

I have not been a big fan of Sprint, not since they billed my husband $12,000.00 for a single month of cell phone service and refused to back down on it, insisting the amount was correct.