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.