• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

More $10 fee information. (i know, dead horse)

Oridus

Android Enthusiast
Apr 5, 2010
510
143
Wisconsin
So. Just because my interest was sparked, I decided to dig deeper into the $10 fee..


After a 7 day endeavor, I have found the following information, from 14 different people.

One of the things with the $10 data fee, when they say Premium data, is that even though most are not in a 4g network, users of the HTC Evo will get priority data usage over all other cellular devices in the data calling pool.

Long story short seeing as i'm hitting the hay soon is this. Basically, think of your cable internet connection. There are peak times, and non peak times. Peak times are when a lot of people are at home, logging on the net, and doing a bunch of data consumption. Everybody on a cable network shares a data pool. It's based on priority, but in a residential area, that priority is first come first serve.

During the peak times, data speeds tend to slow down marginally, sometimes significantly depending on the network load. During non-peak times, your data is at it's fastest.

3G Data services tend to follow this same principal.

With the Evo 4g, since customers are paying the $10 extra a month for the Evo, the Evo devices will get a priority on the data. This means that not only is your data cap lifted (the 5gig limit), but you are omitted from the data pool when it comes to data stream priority. This means that your Evo is like in a "non peak" time 24/7 because you're paying the premium data fee, meaning you're getting the fastest speeds possible at all times, even on a 3g network.

Now, like I said, this comes from 14 different Sprint reps, all by different names, called at different times, and over a 7 day period. Some were from varying departments, but 10 of them were from the account management department.

I don't know if this helps anybody get a little more insight, but I hope it does.

I never had a problem with the $10 fee in the first place, but now I am even more comfortable with it.
 
They finally found a marketing pitch that makes sense. I hope it's true. It will be easy to compare a different sprint phone (like a hero or moment) to the Evo during peak hours. :)

Yes. This would make sense.

"Even though you may not be in a 4g network area (which we hope to get to you soon), we're going to give your Evo priority on our 3g network over all other devices. That way you can use your Evo's great camera for uploading gorgeous pictures and video, and Evo's huge screen for watching streaming content with the fastest 3g speeds at all times, since your Evo will have priority on the data. That is what our Premium Data for Evo does for you". etc etc etc
 
Upvote 0
I honestly don't know what's the big deal about that 10.00 fee in the first place. The haters on all the reviews kept beating a dead horse about it. It's still cheaper than any wireless company around.Make your money Sprint that's what your in business for.

LOL calm down, I believe this actually makes sense. If they said this the first time around, I would bet there would be less people complaining when it first came out. Let's just say that their original version was lame.
 
Upvote 0
It's only even been discussed because it's the first fee for 4G. Just wait till VZW and ATT get their first LTE phones... It could get ugly. I have yet to see a company in the data/internet game lower their fees for faster tech. Funny thing is, even with the additional fee, Sprint is still cheaper than any of the top 3 carriers on comparable plans.
 
Upvote 0
1091232-riveting_tale_chap_super.jpg

Now letest be all those who despise the inner workings of thoust parcel carrier!
 
Upvote 0
I already thought this was the case, since a lot of people seem to be blazing with their EVO's. Some guy on another forum posted saying his EVO was going faster on his 3G connection as opposed to his Pre on his Wi-fi connection.

I know the EVO has better hardware and likely a better radio than the Pre, but it makes sense that EVO owners are given priority over data, it's Sprint's new flagship phone and they want everyone to perceive the EVO as an ultra-fast device.

Now if only they could have just said something like "The $10 fee ensures your EVO has access to premium data, including data priority over all other phones on thhe Sprint network. With this fee, your phone will be faster than ever."

That makes a lot more sense than telling me the screen is so big and the cameras are so cool that I'd basically be a fool to NOT pay extra for hardware features =P
 
Upvote 0
Well if its not BS, this will be great news. I'm interested to see how it performs in comparison to my Diamond on 3G. Thanks for taking the time to hunt down this info OP.

NP

so you're saying we should be seeing the fastest 3G speeds possible?

Yes, fastest 3G speeds available in whatever area you're currently in, at all times. No matter the time of day. Because your device has priority access to the network over other devices. Meaning if the network is under heavy load, your device won't be limited the amount of data streaming to it to save on resources. You'll go at the fastest 3g speed possible, everybody's non evo's devices will be limited due to network load (that slowdown during peak we're talking about).
 
Upvote 0
You did not have to do all of the work looking for a reason. Sprint wants more money, people want this phone, so they increase the cost per month.

Some people that don't live in a 4g network wanted a more justifiable reason, other than "all this great hardware means you'll use more data". So I simply did some extra work for them. That's all.
 
Upvote 0
As much as I would like to believe this, my internal BS detector is going off big time. This is a nasty strategy.

Let's assume that -- on 3G -- the priority of my data transfer was raised, and every other Evo customer along with it. If there were only X amount of available bandwidth, and we were anywhere near X, anyone whose priority was less than the Evo would be forced to wait until all the Evos were finished before transmitting. Translation: our service would get a degree or two better, but everyone else's would be noticeably worse.

Even if the Evo is heavily adopted, it would be used by what percent of Sprint customers? 10%, maybe? Making Sprint's service suck more for 90% of their customers is not a good business move... especially when a sizable chunk of those customers are business users with Blackberry devices and good corporate reasons for not switching to a device like the Evo. They wouldn't be able to say to those people, "But if you come buy THIS phone <and waving an Evo> your service will stop sucking again!" Those businesses will simply walk, and who could blame them?

I think the real truth is this: phones have been consuming more and more data for the last 5 years or so, and the phone companies have eaten up all their profits under their current model. A few years back, there were still a number of people who didn't have a cell phone at all. They've sold to all of those who will likely ever buy one... now new sales are limited to young people getting their first phone (offset by old people dying off), and stealing other companies' customers, which they can only possibly do to a fairly small degree.

So, in order to continue to grow their businesses, their best bet is to make existing customers pay more, and data is by far the biggest target. The pipes are getting full, and data is the biggest reason. To complicate matters, they have to do it in such a way as not to scare off the people they might be able to steal. So they pretty much have to spin any fee hike as "value added." Even though the real truth is, the only real value it adds is to Sprint's stockholders.

THAT'S what's going on now.

There really isn't any recourse. If it wasn't the $10 fee on the Evo, eventually it would be a $15-$20 fee for something else. Across the board, this is how the carriers play the game.

This will only ever change with a significant change in the data transmission paradigm... like the one we're seeing now with TV over the Internet, and people cancelling their cable altogether.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BlackDynamite
Upvote 0
As much as I would like to believe this, my internal BS detector is going off big time. This is a nasty strategy.

Let's assume that -- on 3G -- the priority of my data transfer was raised, and every other Evo customer along with it. If there were only X amount of available bandwidth, and we were anywhere near X, anyone whose priority was less than the Evo would be forced to wait until all the Evos were finished before transmitting. Translation: our service would get a degree or two better, but everyone else's would be noticeably worse.

Even if the Evo is heavily adopted, it would be used by what percent of Sprint customers? 10%, maybe? Making Sprint's service suck more for 90% of their customers is not a good business move... especially when a sizable chunk of those customers are business users with Blackberry devices and good corporate reasons for not switching to a device like the Evo. They wouldn't be able to say to those people, "But if you come buy THIS phone <and waving an Evo> your service will stop sucking again!" Those businesses will simply walk, and who could blame them?

I think the real truth is this: phones have been consuming more and more data for the last 5 years or so, and the phone companies have eaten up all their profits under their current model. A few years back, there were still a number of people who didn't have a cell phone at all. They've sold to all of those who will likely ever buy one... now new sales are limited to young people getting their first phone (offset by old people dying off), and stealing other companies' customers, which they can only possibly do to a fairly small degree.

So, in order to continue to grow their businesses, their best bet is to make existing customers pay more, and data is by far the biggest target. The pipes are getting full, and data is the biggest reason. To complicate matters, they have to do it in such a way as not to scare off the people they might be able to steal. So they pretty much have to spin any fee hike as "value added." Even though the real truth is, the only real value it adds is to Sprint's stockholders.

THAT'S what's going on now.

There really isn't any recourse. If it wasn't the $10 fee on the Evo, eventually it would be a $15-$20 fee for something else. Across the board, this is how the carriers play the game.

This will only ever change with a significant change in the data transmission paradigm... like the one we're seeing now with TV over the Internet, and people cancelling their cable altogether.


I think you are partially correct (about the pipes getting full). However Sprint could give preferential treatment to Evo users when it comes to data and NOT screw with current users of other data heavy devices.

It's more like having one lane open up for high occupancy vehicles. Except unlike the HOV lanes, Sprint can actually control who goes on it. Of course this doesn't mean that the HOV lane won't slow down as well when more and more people get on it. However there are still the 4 lanes for normal 3g and those folks on those lanes won't see a difference either way really.

Is it about making money because of unexpected data usage? Of course, however it's a good incentive to people who don't mind paying for it either way.
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones