Sprint EVDO Unlimited no more.....

[Guest]

[mjolah]

EVDOinfo.com is reporting that they have confirmed that in 30 days or so, Sprint will be limiting consumer EVDO usage to 5gb or less.  They also report that Sprint will be allowing existing customers to terminate existing contracts without penalty when the change goes into effect.

I have a Treo 755p and an OQO 02 with Sprint.  I expect the OQO will get turned off (out of protest) and I'll use the Treo as a modem via bluetooth.

Perhaps OQO should weigh in with Sprint to let them know that OQO users, obviously being an elite, intelligent (and good looking) group should be treated more like corporate customers (for whom no limits will apply) than like the rest of the world....

Thoughts?

By the way - is there any way to check current useage?

[hxpii]

It's already that way with Verizon. At least they haven't totally shut down the service. Besides I never go over that amount and I surf the web everyday. Cheers. 

[jupiter]

EVDOinfo.com is reporting that they have confirmed that in 30 days or so, Sprint will be limiting consumer EVDO usage to 5gb or less.  They also report that Sprint will be allowing existing customers to terminate existing contracts without penalty when the change goes into effect.

I have a Treo 755p and an OQO 02 with Sprint.  I expect the OQO will get turned off (out of protest) and I'll use the Treo as a modem via bluetooth.

Perhaps OQO should weigh in with Sprint to let them know that OQO users, obviously being an elite, intelligent (and good looking) group should be treated more like corporate customers (for whom no limits will apply) than like the rest of the world....

Thoughts?

By the way - is there any way to check current useage?

yeh i have a treo and oqo as well,gonna do the same thing

5gig is nothing,id blow over that easily

so they still gonna offer internet for 59.99 a month fore a mere 5 gig?

[stuartguthrie]

I reckon it's ridiculous! I've been following this issue for quite a while in Laptop mag. How can a company offer an 'unlimited' service and then put restrictions on what you can do and how much you can use it? Apparently earlier this year they disconnected 13,000 users for going over 5 gigs and for using P2P services. They should have thought about this more carefully before advertizing the service - surely it would occur to them that there will be some people who would use it as their only internet service.

Just my two cents.

Stu

P.S. Is the Treo 755P HSDPA / 3G compatible? I have the 750 but I can't stand the Windows Mobile operating system. I have a LifeDrive and love the Palm OS - so much easier to use.

[Picasso]

I will be killing my flipstart Sprint and going with a sero tethered all in one plan I think.

I think spint is shooting its self in the foot. It needs to start to up the bandwidth to all its cell sites for the wimax role out. The CEO said it would only affect 6% of the users? WHY THE HELL DO IT. Just call those people tell them to chill. I may not even use a full 5gigs a month now, But to have a limit it ugh!

Sprint is doing this just for the video channels. It needs to free up bandwidth.

[JCC]

I think spint is shooting its self in the foot. It needs to start to up the bandwidth to all its cell sites for the wimax role out. The CEO said it would only affect 6% of the users? WHY THE HELL DO IT. Just call those people tell them to chill. I may not even use a full 5gigs a month now, But to have a limit it ugh!

I agree that this is a bad move for them for PR reasons if nothing else. I don't like bandwidth caps on general principle. It's probably not going to help them stop losing subscribers.

However, with a truly unrestricted, unlimited plan, how do you think those high bandwidth users would react if Sprint "just call[ed] those people [to] tell them to chill"? Unless there is something in the user agreement that says the user can't simply use as much bandwidth they want, how ever they want, I'd think Sprint can't actually do anything about those high bandwidth users without being sued.

I don't have a Sprint data plan, so for all I know, they may have a "no P2P services" clause or something. To actually enforce this accurately means they'd have to keep track of what everyone of their 52.8 million users are using bandwidth for. An internet service that's keeping tabs on exactly what I'm doing with the bandwidth, IMHO, is even worse than one which meters it. Finally, 6% of 52.8 million is 3.16 million. I don't think it's feasible to call 3.16 million users every month.

The best answer, of course, is for them to add bandwidth to their network. It doesn't look like their in any sort of financial shape to do that though. (This move isn't likely to help them get there.)

[fixup]

I think the cap limit is a very good thing and I hate those who abuse the network resource. Bandwidth cannot be increased unlimitedly, we already have a very congested air.

I wish we have a similar law on gas usage, so people won't drive SUVs and trucks and we don't pay $4/gal and our brothers and sisters don't have to swap their blood for oil.

[mjolah]

The problem with it, fixup, is that a lot of us have invested a lot of money in hardware based on an "unlimited use" policy.  Now, my investment (including an upgrade to a REV A modem in my OQO) is useless because a small percentage of people abuse the bandwith.  Put a "no abuse" policy in place, then for the month or two a year I go over 5gb, I won;t get shut off or receive a $10,000 bill....

If they had a 5gb limit in place previously, I probably would have invested my dollars elsewhere - on a different mobile solution.  Now, I'm basically f'ed, with an OQO (which I love) that is hard-wired only for the Sprint network (at a cost of $149 initially, and $249 for the upgrade).....

[sacornel]

I have the unlimited plan with Sprint.  I've noticed that every time I use my Sling Player or watch a You Tube video, my connection will become disconnected.  The connection will automatically be reestablished, but I'm not sure if this is a hardware problem or a trick by Sprint to keep you from using too much bandwidth.  I never lose a connection when I'm surfing the internet... only get disconnected when Slinging or watching a streaming video.

Anyone else have a similar problem?

[fixup]

As long as you are not using huge amount of data 7/24, you have nothing to worry about the new policy.

Spend some time in mobile-files forums and you'll know how to unlock/hack your hardware.

We live in a system that's controlled by big companies through lobbists. As a small individual, the only way to get fair treatment is to use/share our knowledge.  Why pay them $$$ each and every month to be treated like this while you can get prepaid unlimited EVDO Rev. A data virtually for free?

[Picasso]

mjolah, great comments. As the owner of a cell/wireless router I have the same thinking. It's now going to be useless to me!

I dont think anyone will be "unlocking/hacking" around this one. Sprint does not watch bandwidth use at the device end.

As for the slingplayer/youtube. Yes I also get drops when I use both. Also been getting droped now when tuned into a shoutcast station. Yet I can set it down walk away and 3 days later I'm still connected. I dont know if its sprints app that poops or what. Gonna try ndis for a little see how that goes.

[DavidT.]

I use my Sprint EVDO quite a bit between all my devices.  Infact it's my primary connection to the internetz while I'm at work (like now  ) but even so I haven't reached 5GB of usage yet.  I just mainly browse and don't do too many videos or downloads.  It is very sad to see a limit at 5GB though.

[fixup]

You can easily unlock/hack the device and use it with other services. You don't have to hang on Sprint only.

Before I bought OQO, I learned how to unlock CDMA devices on mobile-files. Otherwise, why would I ever buy a $$$$ device for Sprint (or Verizon) only?

It is very easy, all you need is QPST and QxDM. Believe me, you don't have to be a hacker to hack your devices. These software are used by QualComm employees, I'm sure an OQO owner is smarter than them.

[jupiter]

The problem with it, fixup, is that a lot of us have invested a lot of money in hardware based on an "unlimited use" policy.  Now, my investment (including an upgrade to a REV A modem in my OQO) is useless because a small percentage of people abuse the bandwith.  Put a "no abuse" policy in place, then for the month or two a year I go over 5gb, I won;t get shut off or receive a $10,000 bill....

If they had a 5gb limit in place previously, I probably would have invested my dollars elsewhere - on a different mobile solution.  Now, I'm basically f'ed, with an OQO (which I love) that is hard-wired only for the Sprint network (at a cost of $149 initially, and $249 for the upgrade).....

I feel you 100% on this. Bout the OQO 02 and Rev A upgrade in hopes that i can use my internet access whenever and for whatever I wanted. I do download music and movies from time to time but I say so what. If sprint offered unlimited I should be able to do whatever I wanted with the service. This 5 gig cap will make me cut off my service but now i have a 2 grand gadget that might be sitting. I guess i can tether with a phone but its just not as convienient. Before I bout my oqo i looked to make sure unlimited service was available, if it wasnt I would never have purchased

[jupiter]

You can easily unlock/hack the device and use it with other services. You don't have to hang on Sprint only.

Before I bought OQO, I learned how to unlock CDMA devices on mobile-files. Otherwise, why would I ever buy a $$$$ device for Sprint (or Verizon) only?

It is very easy, all you need is QPST and QxDM. Believe me, you don't have to be a hacker to hack your devices. These software are used by QualComm employees, I'm sure an OQO owner is smarter than them.

who else is offering unlimited serivce now? i thougth verizon had a cap?