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Poll: If 4G data costs more than 3G data for the EVO, will you still get it?

If 4G data is mandatory and costs more than 3G, will you get the EVO?

  • Yes! I don't care about monthly recurring costs.

    Votes: 19 35.2%
  • No! Price gouging is wrong. / I don't live in a 4G area

    Votes: 33 61.1%
  • What the hell is 4G?

    Votes: 2 3.7%

  • Total voters
    54
pointless thread Hesse already stated publicly in a keynote just after the EVO announcement that they will NOT charge anything extra to use 4G, if you have a data plan you are covered... 4g is cheaper technology for them to utilize than 3g anyway, why would they charge EXTRA

1. HTC EVO 4G landing on Sprint mid-June, 4G to be a $10-20 add-on? -- Engadget Mobile

2. Just because something is cheaper does not mean a corporation will pass those "savings" on to the customer. (cf Verizon Wireless).
 
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It's the hotspot feature that will be an addon and it's driving me nuts that these people are just repeating the incorrect info. Hesse and every insider info out there says it will not cost any more. It makes no sense to charge more.

Sprint and Verizon didn't start charging more when they upgraded from 1xRTT to EVDO or to EVDO Rev. A. TMo doesn't charge extra if you are lucky enough to get into an HSDPA+ area. It's suicidal to think people will pay an extra monthly fee for something that is an added feature in a growing number of areas.

What *is* common is to have carriers charge a bit extra for tethering plans. Tethering is seen as an addon and a premium feature so they typically charge more for it. There are always ways around that and I'm sure they will still exist. Still, it is cheaper than the old tethering plans.

Personally I will get this phone and use it on the Wimax network here in Baltimore. I will not be paying extra to tether but I may install a 3rd party program to enable tethering if I find I need it every so often. My laptop already has integrated Wimax so I'm not too pressed to tether here in town anyway.
 
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i dont live in a 4G area :(

Exactly. It is a new feature and rolling out over major cities and into others as time goes on. It would be stupid to charge or in any way separate this from the normal service. The way they have always presented it is that you can use your current plan and this phone just like you always would and when you enter an area where Wimax is available you will have faster speeds.

Think of it like the rollout of 3G. They didn't charge extra but as phones all started supporting it and it was available in more places, they changed their plans to be based on different amounts of minutes coupled with unlimited data. With the growing ubiquity of 3G it redefined the plan structure.

Likewise, as 4G becomes more common they will likely change the plan structure again in maybe 3-5 years. As it has been suggested by Sprint employees, the plans will likely be moving more to a data-only thing where you pay for different blocks of data (think of maybe a 5GB/15GB/Unlimited tier system rather than 450/900/Unlimited minutes with all-you-can-eat data).
 
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Since there was no price gouge for 3G AND this is supposed to be Sprint's ticket to competing with the big boys, I would certainly hope they wouldn't be stupid enough to charge extra for 4G. Of course, I also think it's stupid to require people to pay for a data plan if they get a smart phone through their service provider as well, so what do I know?
 
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They already said no extra charge.

That was far from official - until official prices start coming out I'm cautiously optimistic. They also said android 2.1 and the rumors is they're trying for the next android. Also Jackson says the RAM/ROM numbers could change. Just because they said it at the unveiling doesn't mean it will be in the final product 3 months or so down the road.
 
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I don't really care either way, an extra $10 bucks a month won't stop me from getting the EVO. I know most carriers don't charge extra but look at AT&T, they went from a $20 data feature to $30 when the iPhone 3G came out. And please don't start flaming about Apple and AT&T, I'm just using them as a example. And really if you look hard you can see that VZW use to only charge $15 or so for data until they switched to EVDO Rev A/3G. But Sprint is the underdog here and they need to do everything they can to attract new customers so honestly I don't see them raising the price.
 
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Depend's on the price... honestly this poitn it moot. Sprint's CEO during CTIA stated there would be no extra charge. Seriously how could they?!?! There aren't enough cities with 4G to utilize the service and wi-fi is a service I already have at home and is provided free at most other places you would visit anyway... 3G is fine for me, I more than likly wouldn't be paying more.
 
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I voted yes, as I would pay (a little extra) for 4G.

But going back to what has been stated, Hesse clearly stated that 4G would NOT cost extra. All though I do believe they might charge for the 4G Hotspot.

Now before anyone says "Well Verizon doesnt charge for their Hotspot" lets remember, theirs would only be 3G, which I have a feeling was a little trick they are pulling to keep customers onboard.

If Sprint decides not to charge extra for either of the two, they are really going to be able to steal some customers.

Verizon gets the Incredible, 3G, while Sprint gets the EVO with 4G....if Sprint has (no extra charge) 4G w/ free Hotspot....and throw in the cheaper plan already, with free m2m.....

Well just which phone/service would you go with?(Albiet depending on your service location)
 
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I don't really care either way, an extra $10 bucks a month won't stop me from getting the EVO. I know most carriers don't charge extra but look at AT&T, they went from a $20 data feature to $30 when the iPhone 3G came out. And please don't start flaming about Apple and AT&T, I'm just using them as a example. And really if you look hard you can see that VZW use to only charge $15 or so for data until they switched to EVDO Rev A/3G. But Sprint is the underdog here and they need to do everything they can to attract new customers so honestly I don't see them raising the price.

But that was not the case for PDA phones. I knew a guy who was a ATT sales rep and I always told him that if he could cut me a deal and beat what I paid on Sprint that I would switch. Since I had a Treo at the time and later a Mogul, they had similar phones but it was $45/month for unlimited data on a PDA. I was under the impression that they actually lowered it for iPhones in order to hit a more mainstream price point.

That's what this comes down to. With something like data you aren't charging for a *thing* where you can base cost on materials, development, marketing, delivery, etc. You are charging for a service which is more nebulous. You need to count it in with total cost of operating the network but they have more room to adjust the price to maximize profits. A lot of times this means keeping a price lower to get more subscribers. Adding costs would lost them more money in potential subs than they would gain by adding on costs to the ones who go for it.
 
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If and when 4G comes to my area, I will definitely get it. Especially if I can use it as a replacement for my home DSL connection. As long as the tethering costs less than $48 a month it will save me money!

I live in St. Paul, which is about 10 miles away from Minneapolis... hopefully when they say "Minneapolis" in their upcoming 4G areas, they mean Minneapolis-St. Paul collectively rather than only Minneapolis.
 
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Yes they did. Sprint charged more for Power Vision(EVDO) over regular Vision(1xrtt).
Sprint and Verizon didn't start charging more when they upgraded from 1xRTT to EVDO or to EVDO Rev. A. TMo doesn't charge extra if you are lucky enough to get into an HSDPA+ area. It's suicidal to think people will pay an extra monthly fee for something that is an added feature in a growing number of areas.
 
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Yes they did. Sprint charged more for Power Vision(EVDO) over regular Vision(1xrtt).

dbpaddler, I just wanted to acknowledge that you are correct. Sprint did systematically increase the charges for the data add-on priece until it just made more sense to upgrade to a Simply Everything plan... overall I do pay more than I did in the past (before I got the Palm Pre.) That being said, for me and my wife it was totally worth it for the data, SMS, MMS, and other great features beyond voice (Google Voice helps to sweeten the pot too ;-)

Sprint's current business strategy is different today than in the past with "Vision"... Sprint is in a tight situation now and they need to accomplish two basic things: 1) keep existing customers who really want all the data features, and 2) they need to attract new customers with awesome phones and the lowest prices for premium data services. With this new strategy in place, I would predict that Sprint 4G data (not hotspot) services will be NOT cost any more. The hotspot service will cost something more, but it depends to some degree what Verizon does... might be free... might be $10-$20/mo... fair to me. The other thing I expect is that Sprint will offer new video and TV services that will cost more... they have to take advantage of the new 4G network as soon as possible... with the HTC EVO 4G new services will be critical to keep that feeling of "WOW" we'll get when we first see that big screen on an Android device!
 
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Personally, and what I'm seeing, I would love the 4G part to stay the same. The Hotspot may very well be 10-20 more for its use, but even if it was alot more, I would not blame Sprint for doing so. This phone knocks the crap out of any other phone out there and a premium might come along with its use. Regardless I will get it since I will be replacing my 3g/4g data card and that alne will save me a bundle in the long term.

TS
 
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