Image from the Sprint / Pre Webinar
The last time we tried to give the straight story on the what plans would work with the Palm Pre on Sprint, we pretty much covered all the bases we could. The short version: Whatever plan you like, as long as it is an Everything Data or Business plan with Unlimited Data. The Big Question on lots of people's minds: What about SERO?
SERO, if you're not familiar, is essentially a 'special deal' plan that many many of our users managed to get on either by Sprint Employee Referral (the original means) or just plain getting in on it (the later means). There's actually more detail to SERO and people's plans -- enough to make up an entire Role Playing Game, truth be told. So rather than get into the mechanics of SERO (and EPRP, see comments), we'll get to the bottom line: SERO is insanely cheap and people love it.
So what about SERO? As we guessed way way back in January, it's going to be rather difficult to stay on SERO with the Pre. Our favorite Sprint Tipster has a new post up listing the plans that work with the Pre and one particular plan that doesn't: SERO.
The plans: Simply Everything Individual or $69, $89, or $99 and the Family/shared variants thereof; Business Essentials Messaging & Data in all its incarnations.
This will strike many as bad news, but here's the cold, hard truth: SERO was and is stupendous, but you also had to know it was too good to last forever. Considering that the Pre requires unlimited data to work as intended, Sprint's Simply Everything plans are a better deal than you can find on any other carrier.
It is possible that you could get your SERO plan with the Pre? Nothing's impossible (especially when you talk to the Retentions Department), but for most, the SE plan will be where it's at.
Thanks to Burnett and Franz for the tip!
Comments
Hope the servers are loaded up and ready for bear in the forums - firestorm coming!
Why? this has been known since January. Hesse made an identical presentation as he made with Instinct which also was no go on SERO. The only phones announced identically by Sprint - out of hundreds of launches were Instinct and Palm Pre. They used the Instinct launch script!
Well, it looks like I won't be getting a Pre. Perhaps when my current two-year is up I'll revisit this, but I'm only in year one of a current two-year deal with my Treo 800W enjoying the fruits of SERO. No reason for me to jump to the Pre and pay the extra money.
The SERO plan as we know it no longer available however it has been replaced with the EPRP (Employee Plus Referral Program) and is essentially $10 off the Simply Everything plans. So instead of paying $69.99 you would pay $59.99.
A quick Google search for SERO will provide a wealth of information as to how you can obtain this discount.
"No longer available" is a overbroad statement though. What you mean is "no longer available to people who wish to get a new contract TYPE." It is absolutely 100% available for people who are on SERO and renewing contracts. The great majority of people do not change contract type when renewing with Sprint. My current Sprint plan has not been offered to new customers for five years and has been renewed twice.
You can renew your current SERO.
That is without prejudice to Pre not being available on SERO
Correct Aero. I meant not available to sign up for... but yes... still available if you already have it.
what about everything plus?
My situation is unique but I think I should be able to get a Pre. I technically have the "Everything Messaging" Family Plan with 1500 minutes. However, due to a billing mishap Sprint has given me data packs on all 3 lines that allows for unlimited web/email/data usage! That being said, it is more like the Everything Data Family plan but I don't pay for the "data" because it is free!
This plan should work right?
Let the crying being.... LOL
Sprint does offer discounts to employees of many various companys. I know that both my parents and I, (Dads in a union, moms a nurse, and I'm an engineer) get 20% discounts on any plan. So with a Simply everything plan its still possible to get a great deal.
What a bummer. I'll still put off getting a new phone until the Pre comes out, just to see if there's some sort of backdoor way to get it to work with SERO. Otherwise, it looks like I'll have to do without the latest and greatest.
Wait a sec, I thought they said ANY plan with unlimited data would work? I have an old 2000 anytime minutes shared plan with unlimited data/text/roaming on both lines and PowerPack Ultimate (or whatever it's called) on the main line.
After all the discounts (corporate & loyalty) & after taxes, I pay $75/month. Why would I want to switch from that to a plan that's double the price? This really ticked me off with the Instinct, but at least that device was a dud, so I didn't feel that bad.
For individuals concerned about SERO, get the phone as part of your account but with a new number and cancel on the 31st day. This way you get the phone, the rebate and u get to switch the phone to ur SERO plan. Downside, the ETF is $200. my problem is unique because I have a third party retail employee Sprint plan with unlimited data, txt and 3000 anytime minutes. What will happen in my situation?
Not sure if that will work. I remember reading that people who tried to do ESN swaps with the Instinct onto a SERO plan were for the most part unsuccessful.
That being said, I'm still holding off getting a new phone until it's confirmed that there is no backdoor way to getting a Pre with SERO.
Let's be honest, if you wanna stay With an old plan, then keep your old phone. How errogant can you guys be that sprint is loosing money because of you. They're not under contract to have in there service. So if you want new technology, then support the company giving it to you.
Either way, the simply everything plans are still better than iphone plans or Verizon blackberry plans. So seriously. Shut up already.
spoken like a champ.... if you're gonna cry like a little boy not getting his way, do it somewhere else! shift with technology and still benefit from great service and pay less!
agree. and even some newer phones work with Sero, like HTC diamond, and the Touch Pro.
I am currently out of contract and have been since December. I have month to month SERO so I'm hoping I can call them up and say "Pre on the same plan or I go get an iPhone with AT&T". Sprint is desperate. And if I'm going to pay $99/month for service I'm going with the iPhone.
I stick with Sprint because its cheap.
Lowest individual plan with sprint for the Pre is 59, not 99.
And the lowest with the iPhone is what, $69, $79? I'll easily pay a small amount more per month to get a proven phone with apps and an MP3 player I'm familiar with.
I hope Sprint is reading this, requiring existing customers to bump up their plan for no reason wont bode well. I have SERO which is everything your SEP is, why should I pay more? You want to keep me? Keep my plan, otherwise I'm gone. iPhone 3.0 is soon....
Nope..lowest for iphone with unlimited text is 89. So if you want to pay 30 more per month, go for it.
Sprint will keep you. Because 30 a month is too much for you to pass up or you wouldn't be whining over it. No matter how much you bluff you'll go to the iphone.
Watch me, I almost switched and then I heard the Pre news. I've been drooling over an iPhone for awhile, but if I can get an iPhone like device for the price I'm paying now I'll wait it out. If not, I'll go with what my original plan was.
iPhone + AT&T
You sound ridiculous! So let me get this straight, you willing to pay at least $30 more (and it will be even more if you want unlimited text and earlier nights and weekends) than a Sprint plan (which offers more features) because your mad that the new plan won't be as cheap? Let us use logic for a moment, if your issue was the great deal that you currently have with Sprint wouldn't it make sense to pay a little more and still have a great deal with Sprint? Our has logic just escaped you in our tantrum?
No, read what I said again. I want an iPhone, I really dont care if I have to pay their prices for it. But a cheap plan + the Pre is just enough to dissuade me from jumping on the iPhone bandwagon. Get it?
the lowest with the iPhone is $89, then an extra $9 to get nighttime at 7pm. AT&T had different plans for their PDA phones than their regular phones.
I have a $30/mo SERO plan which includes unlimited data. I don't see (from a technical standpoint) why I couldn't use the Pre with it, but things are increasingly seeming like Sprint won't allow it. Pretty disappointing, but not entirely surprising. Hopefully there will be a way.
Yeah, technically the plans are the same. But some people are saying that since the Pre uses more data they need to charge more for its plan. Something about using *more* of your unlimited data I guess.
I have a SERO plan with unlimited data and unlimited txt messages. What is stopping me from ordering a Pre full price and using it with my current plan? Usually they say the phones are $150 or $100 if you sign a 2 year contract. Well I would pay for full price if I could keep my contract where I am saving plenty every year.
I guess we can't really tell till the thing comes out. I don't trust some of these sprint employees, because there usually are ways to provision any phone with your current plan but it doesn't mean every feature on it will work.
Agreed - I would pay up to $600 for the Pre if they let me use it with SERO. Sort of like the iPhone when it first came out - it was $600 but you could get it to work on the pay as you go phones.
The same thing that stopped all the other people trying to add an Instinct to their SERO.A CSR will tell you your phone is incompatible with your plan and will recommend you to upgrade your plan. There are stories of people who SAY they were able to get an Instinct on their SERO, but I think they're blowing a lot of hot air.
The pre, just like the instinct, cannot be activited on a sero account. CANNOT.
right now I just get a basic plan, I was going to add 15 dollars to get unlimited data and 5 bucks to get 300 texts. Would this work out? Sounds like it won't.
no, it won't. You'll need to upgrade to the $70/mo everything data plan.
Why would you want to take a chance on limited data with SERO?
When did SERO start including unlimited Nav? I had a SERO plan a year or so ago but it did not include Nav which the Instinct and Pre both use outside the normal "Sprint Navigation". It's not so much the "Unlimited Data" that is differnt...it is that the plan you have now does not include Navigation. Now what Sprint should do is allow you to add Nav for $10 a month like they already do. That way people can keep their current plan and really have everything the SEP palns have.
Accept sprint wants you to have a everything plan, so you will be locked into keeping the Nav. What i mean is you can't cancel extra's with the everything plan like you can with older individual plans. With forced everything plans, sprint has you locked at that price for the remaining of the contract.
Why would you want to take a chance on limited data with SERO?
A: Because it's not limited? We're grandfathered in to UNLIMITED DATA plans. Why do people not f-ing understand that SERO plans are SEP plans but half or 1/3rd the cost.
Dear Adam,
Why do people not f-ing understand that the 99% of people aren't even supposed to BE on the SERO plans, and even if they are, they shouldn't feel entitled to use the Pre on that plan.
Get over yourselves.
Sincerely,
The Internet
I guess you weren't around when the program was opened up to the general public and a Sprint executive even encouraged people to sign up for it. That's when I (and a whole lot of other people) signed up for it.
Seriously! Entitlement at it's worst.
Agreed!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus
The guy who claims to be "The Internet" is telling us to get over ourselves? interesting.
Sprint customers are the absolute worse. It's not even funny how spoiled they are, and yet they are quick to bash it. Nothing but "What has Sprint given you lately" in numerous blogs and forums, and different schemes to receive their already cheap bill, and then don't understand why Sprint is on its last days. I have a 30 dollar plan which is impossible to get from different carriers, but if I can't get what I want, I'll just pay around 120-160 for my plan and a very expensive phone. That will show Sprint. I used to have the old SERO plan with all kinds of perks added to it thanks to a forum that shall not be named, but I decided to let it go and get the Everything Plus. If the Pre didn't work with that plan, I'll just get the Niagara. Why should I cry like a little girl when I have a 59 dollar plan with a very huge corporate discount? I'd rather hope the Pre will really start to turn things around then threaten a phone company like a real douche.
FWIW, here is a conversation I had yesterday with a rep online:
04/27/2009 03:12:44PMSystem: "Please hold and the next available agent will be with you shortly."
04/27/2009 03:12:54PMSession Started with Agent (Ronnie)
04/27/2009 03:12:54PMSystem: "Hi! Thanks for waiting. Because we take your security and privacy very serious, please be prepared to provide your account PIN or password or security answer."
04/27/2009 03:12:55PMSystem: "Thank you for contacting Sprint. My name is Ronnie. How may I assist you today?"
04/27/2009 03:13:40PMShappy: "Regarding the Palm pre, this website: http://insidesprintnow.wordpress.com/**********/**********/**********/sp... states that a SEP will be required. Does this mean I won't be able to keep my SERO plan if I get the pre?"
04/27/2009 03:14:14PMAgent (Ronnie): "One moment please."
04/27/2009 03:18:45PMAgent (Ronnie): "I appreciate your patience."
04/27/2009 03:18:55PMShappy: "thanks"
04/27/2009 03:20:09PMAgent (Ronnie): "Please allow me a few moments to contact our sero department?"
04/27/2009 03:20:36PMShappy: "ok, thank you. if you would prefer to e-mail an answer, that is fine too"
04/27/2009 03:21:02PMAgent (Ronnie): "I apologize I am unable to email."
04/27/2009 03:21:12PMShappy: "no problem"
04/27/2009 03:26:46PMAgent (Ronnie): "Yes, it can be on the new sero plan which is the employee referral plan."
04/27/2009 03:27:09PMShappy: "great, thank you for checking on that for me. have a great day"
Note it took about 5 minutes to get the answer, which means that the rep actually did check to see.
Right, she is talking about the new employee referral plan, with is an "everything" plan, not the old sero, which is an F&F plan.
I wonder if the Sprint Wireless Adv F&F 500 plans will be eligible? It's cheaper than SERO, but it's the same plan family members of Sprint employees are on.
Thanks Shappy, it looks like the EPRP is good to go. It worked for the Instinct as well but I wanted to make sure.
Why is everyone so pissed at people who want their SERO plan? Just because we signed up when they opened it up to the public and you didnt? Just because we know how to get a better deal?
Nobody is upset that you got a great deal. I am actually glad for you. What is silly is the attitude of entitlement that folks with a SERO have. If you want the Pre and your plan does not qualify chnage your plan like everyone else or don't, that is cool but shut up about having to change. And to say that you would go from a $30 plan to a $100+ plan out of spite for having to pay $30 more (which is still the cheapest thing out there). Is just plan stupid and nonsensical! Adam you go ahead and leave Sprint you will sure show them! :-)
Oh and FYI to piss you off a little more. I have the SERO Plan + 24% Corporate Discount + $5/off a month. I pay about $18/month for my entire phone bill.
Good to hear I can keep my SERO!
Had the same conversation as Shappy with an online rep yesterday.
Here is the transcript of my conversation
04/27/2009 04:20:07PM MROZ: "wanted to know if you had any details about the Palm Pre"
04/27/2009 04:20:22PM Agent (Ymani): "Sure, one moment please."
04/27/2009 04:20:26PM Agent (Ymani): "I'll send you a link."
04/27/2009 04:21:08PM Agent (Ymani) sends page: "http://now.sprint.com/nownetwork/productPage.html"
04/27/2009 04:21:15PM Agent (Ymani): "Please click the link above."
04/27/2009 04:21:36PM Agent (Ymani): "Is this the information that you were looking for?"
04/27/2009 04:26:07PM MROZ: "not really. already knew that."
04/27/2009 04:26:30PM Agent (Ymani): "What type of details are you referring to?"
04/27/2009 04:26:42PM MROZ: "the big question I need to know is if I will be able to keep my SERO F&F 500 plan when i upgrade to it"
04/27/2009 04:27:22PM Agent (Ymani): "Yes, you wouldn't have to change your plan with this device."
04/27/2009 04:27:43PM MROZ: "you 100% positive?"
04/27/2009 04:28:23PM Agent (Ymani): "Yes I am."
I love me some new tech. And I'm really jonesing for the Pre. If all goes well, and the price is right, I'll upgrade my phone and my wife's to the Pre on the release date. But we've got SERO. And in this economy, with my income, I can't give up SERO at a cost of about $700/year. If I can't keep SERO, the Pre will have to wait. Here's hoping the non-subsidized price will be within my grasp.
where are you getting the $700 number from? what sort of sero plan do you currently have? of the lower rung sero it's $30, which now goes to $60, so that's $30x12 = $360
$360 x 2. Both my wife and I have SERO plans, and I'd like to upgrade both accounts.
ah, gotcha.
THere is no such thing as a simply everything plan for $69. please get it right. it is the EVERYTHING DATA PLAN. geez. The Pre does not need a Simply everything plan, Everything Data will suffice. and that is what is $70.
Seriously, why do people quote an online chat as if it were a credible source? Those Sprint chat "agents" are more clueless then regular phone reps. Thats even worse than saying "but the guy in the Sprint store told me so". I would like the Pre to work on SERO as much as anyone else with the plan, but its been pretty obvious for awhile now that it just isn't going to happen. The Pre is obviously a lot more important to Sprint than the Instinct ever was, so why would Sprint let people with SERO plans buy them all up when they are trying to push their simply everything plans to normal customers that are actually profitable. Thats just the truth of it, especially with Sprint's financial position.
I agree, while speaking with one of these "agents" they told me, "You will have to dial *2 to get that information."
My family and I have had the Fair and Flex 800 plan for 5 years now. We have the added unlimited vision data. My sister-in-law (who is added onto our plan) got a Blackberry Pearl in January. We did not have to change to the Simply Everything at that time, but she had to add the Blackberry service fee ~35 per month, I think.
It's not a SERO plan, as far as I know. I'm not the primary phone holder. My husband has a Treo 700 and is not eligible for a new phone rebate until this fall. I've been up for one since January. The wait is killing me!
Anyway...any other words on the old Fair and Flex plans? It's been working so well for us that we hate to change anything.
i hate all of you
Ok... lets get off SERO for a second.
The way i see it, the price is $129 for family Everything Plan, if i want the PRE.
I have 5 phones. 3 of them are NOT DATA CAPABLE.
It appears, that instead of paying $9 per additional phones 3,4 and 5 - i instead, would have to pay $19 per additional phones 3,4 and 5.
is this true?
If so, why? Those phones will use no more bandwidth, no more functions or features, so why would they double my cost of phones 3,4,5 just because my phones 1 & 2 are now PRE instead of TREO?
Has anyone heard of Sprint providing less cost per ADD-ON phones, when the phones being added are not data capable and thus dont need the "data" part of the plan?
Just finished a call with Sprint.
Yes, $19 per month for even nondata phones.
There is no mix & match.
So if you want the PRE, get your freakin wallets out, cuz its going to cost you more per month for the phones you aren't even upgrading, that aren't going to use any more bandwidth, functions or features.
Hey, maybe my TREO isnt that bad afterall.
Just looked on the Sprint website and now they are only showing a everything plan for $99.99 per month. What happened to the 450 minutes for $69.99 and the 900 minutes for 89.99 or whatever it was? When did they get ride of the lower minute and lower priced plans? It appears our only option, if we get the pre is the $99.99 per month......
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