Sprint/VZW Price Comparison (AKA Why is VZW's TP2 so much cheaper?)

[SweetBearCub]

EDIT The comparison below is using a SERO plan, which I acknowledge is unfair. I have since found the login credentials to Sprint's Everything Plus program page, and have added that comparison to the bottom of this post. These plans can be gotten by anyone, so they're fair.

Ok, having read a few thread/posts on the fact that VZW's TP2 is $150 cheaper than Sprint's, I did some digging and hope to illustrate here just why that is.

I'm using my own SERO plan for comparison since that's what I have and know. For VZW's, I tried to match it as best I could.

My plan
----------
- 500 Anytime Minutes per month
- Unlimited PDA/smartphone data
- Unlimited text/MMS messaging
- Unlimited M2M (Sprint to Sprint)
- First Incoming Minute Free
- 6pm N&W (6:01pm to 6:59am) ~13 hours
- TEP (Repair/Replace Broken/Lost/Stolen Devices)
- Unlimited Calls to/from Any 3 off-network Numbers
- Detailed Billing
- 15% acct-wide discount

$31.45 + taxes & fees
$349.99 TP2

VZW
------
- 450 Anytime Minutes per month
- Unlimited PDA/smartphone data
- Unlimited text/MMS messaging
- Unlimited M2M (VZW to VZW)
- 9pm N&W (9:01pm to 5:59am) ~9 hours
- TEP (Repair/Replace Broken/Lost/Stolen Devices)
- Detailed Billing

$109.97 + taxes & fees
$199.99 TP2

VZW is $78.52/mo more expensive, includes 50 less anytime minutes, has no first incoming minute free, has 4 weekday hours less of N&W calling, and no unlimited calls to any off-network numbers. (You need a plan with at least 900 anytime minutes for that.)

Including the cost of a TP2 over 24 months for each carrier, this is how it breaks down:
Sprint - $1,104.79 over 24 months - $46.04/mo (Rounded Up)
VZW - $2,839.27 over 24 months - $118.31/mo (Rounded Up)

On plans alone, VZW is almost 3.5 times more expensive than Sprint for less features.
Taking the TP2 discount into account, VZW is still over 2.5 times more expensive per month.

Now I will give VZW a few points. One, their TP2 looks nicer than ours, in my personal opinion. Two, when counting only native network coverage, VZW excels. However, since both carriers have roaming agreements, this is mostly a moot point. Three, depending on who you ask, VZW has better customer service. However, this is also subjective. Some people can go a very long time with absolutely no reason to call customer service. In that case, it's also a moot point.

EDIT: For those who object me comparing a discounted SERO plan to a VZW plan, I apologize, I just found the login credentials for the Simply Everything Plus program, and was able to access those plans. Using those plans, it breaks down like so:

Everything Plus Data
---------------------------
- 500 Anytime Minutes per month
- Unlimited data
- Unlimited text/MMS messaging
- Unlimited M2M (Sprint to ANY MOBILE)
- 7pm N&W (7:01pm to 6:59am) ~12 hours
- TEP (Repair/Replace Broken/Lost/Stolen Devices)
- Unlimited Calls to/from Any 3 off-network Numbers
- Detailed Billing

$66.99 + taxes & fees
$349.99 TP2

VZW
------
- 450 Anytime Minutes per month
- Unlimited PDA/smartphone data
- Unlimited text/MMS messaging
- Unlimited M2M (VZW to VZW)
- 9pm N&W (9:01pm to 5:59am) ~9 hours
- TEP (Repair/Replace Broken/Lost/Stolen Devices)
- Detailed Billing

$109.97 + taxes & fees
$199.99 TP2

VZW is still $42.98/mo more expensive, includes 50 less anytime minutes, has 3 weekday hours less of N&W calling, and no unlimited calls to any off-network numbers, landline or mobile. (You need a plan with at least 900 anytime minutes for only unlimited calls to any 5 numbers.)

Including the cost of a TP2 over 24 months for each carrier, this is how it breaks down:
Sprint - $1,957.75 over 24 months - $81.58/mo (Rounded Up)
VZW - $2,839.27 over 24 months - $118.31/mo (Rounded Up)

On plans alone, VZW is more than 1.6 times more expensive than Sprint for less features.
Taking the TP2 discount into account, VZW is still almost 1.5 times more expensive per month.

[8notime]

Wouldn't this comparison be more relevant if a new customer could actually sign up for SERO? I can't believe how this discussion pops up in so many threads and forums. There's one primary reason why we Verizon customers pay more than you Sprint customers do, and that has to do with service. If it weren't for that I'd be back with Sprint paying those dirt cheap prices you're paying. Sprint is not struggling because they are exceptional.

[isdnmatt]

Right? How that is it fair to compare VZW to a grandfathered plan? Why don't you compare your SERO to my government discount? Is that fair? Plus as was mentioned, service is first class.

[SweetBearCub]

Originally Posted by 8notime

Wouldn't this comparison be more relevant if a new customer could actually sign up for SERO? I can't believe how this discussion pops up in so many threads and forums. There's one primary reason why we Verizon customers pay more than you Sprint customers do, and that has to do with service. If it weren't for that I'd be back with Sprint paying those dirt cheap prices you're paying. Sprint is not struggling because they are exceptional.

Originally Posted by isdnmatt

Right? How that is it fair to compare VZW to a grandfathered plan? Why don't you compare your SERO to my government discount? Is that fair? Plus as was mentioned, service is first class.

My apologies. I acknowledge that the comparison is unfair. I had misplaced the login credentials for the Everything Plus page, which has current discounted plans that anyone can sign up for. I have since found them and added the updated comparison to the bottom of my initial post.

You can find them here, at http://mcguireslaw.com/2008/07/16/ps...erything-plus/

They are being given by Russ McGuire, a sprint official.

[8notime]

A lot of my friends think I'm crazy for shopping at Whole Foods, when there's a Safeway up the street. I guess I'm willing to pay a little bit more for a quality experience.

[mikenerd]

Originally Posted by 8notime

A lot of my friends think I'm crazy for shopping at Whole Foods, when there's a Safeway up the street. I guess I'm willing to pay a little bit more for a quality experience.

Well put.

[bikeandestroyx]

not sure why those plans are so much more expensive, we pay the exact same on verizon as a comparable sprint plan. Plus we get much better service, with sprint our house is a "dead zone".
Its work the couple cents more we pay a month... lol

[boredandtattooed]

Originally Posted by SweetBearCub

Everything Plus Data
---------------------------
- 500 Anytime Minutes per month
- Unlimited data
- Unlimited text/MMS messaging
- Unlimited M2M (Sprint to ANY MOBILE)
- 7pm N&W (7:01pm to 6:59am) ~12 hours
- TEP (Repair/Replace Broken/Lost/Stolen Devices)
- Unlimited Calls to/from Any 3 off-network Numbers
- Detailed Billing

first... good thread man!!!

this is wrong though.. its:
-450 minutes
-umlim data
-unlim txt/mms
-7pm
-TEP cant be included or discounted by sprint.. those are services to 3rd parties and therefore no regulated by sprint
-NO 3 off network thing either since its now the Anymobile/Antime things

and thats for 69.99 source: http://anymobileanytime.sprint.com/?...R_Freedom_Plan

***by the way, if your roaming, it will use your anytime minutes and not the "any mobile anytime" minutes... read first line of fine print on right of screen... "not eligible on international or raoming calls" or something to that effect..

[SweetBearCub]

Originally Posted by boredandtattooed

first... good thread man!!!

this is wrong though.. its:
-450 minutes
-umlim data
-unlim txt/mms
-7pm
-TEP cant be included or discounted by sprint.. those are services to 3rd parties and therefore no regulated by sprint
-NO 3 off network thing either since its now the Anymobile/Antime things

and thats for 69.99 i thought

ty.

Nope, it's 500 minutes for $59.99. The fact that it's the new version of SERO gives it 50 more minutes per month and knocks $10/mo off the price. I already put unlimited data/text/mm & 7pm N&W in the details.

I have no idea how Sprint discounts my TEP 15% (since I have the 15% loyalty discount), yet they do. It's right there on my bill every month. Also, I already put that the "calls to any 3 numbers" on my SERO had been changed to "calls to any mobile" on the EP Data plan.

[Noir]

am I the only one reminded of the new plan that had 450 minutes for 69.99 and unlimited text and internet included???