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Sprint's latest prepaid plan offers 2.5GB of LTE data for $60
Sprint has slapped a fresh coat of paint on its prepaid mobile by rebranding Sprint As You Go to Sprint Prepaid and launching all-new plans. The carrier has more attractive pricing too, though there's a caveat. The Smart Plus LTE data plan is $10 less at $60, but the previously unlimited data is now throttled after 2.5GB like plans on Sprint's Virgin and Boost Mobile brands. If you don't need network data, the basic Smart Plan is $45 for unlimited calls and texts (plus WiFi data), a $5 drop over last year. You'll also be able to pick any device you want, as long as it's an LTE Samsung Galaxy S3, LTE Galaxy S4 mini, 3G Moto G or pre-owned Apple iPhone 4s. With T-Mobile having just doubled down on data, we're not sure how tempting that sounds -- but if Softbank gets its merger, it may soon not matter.
Verizon's new prepaid cellphone plans let you buy rollover data
If you don't like commitment, a prepaid phone plan can be appealing -- but not if you have to predict your data needs well in advance. Verizon may offer a lot more flexibility with its new Allset plans, though. While there's only one base $45 per month plan for smartphones with unlimited calling, unlimited messages and 500MB of data, customers can tack on "bridge data" that rolls any unused megabytes over to the next month. If you pay $10 for 1GB of data or $20 for 3GB, you can hold on to any leftover capacity for up to 90 days -- a big help if you know you'll need some headroom during that summer vacation. There's a $5 pack if you only need 500MB of data for 30 days, and basic feature phone users can buy the same bridge packs. Basic feature phone owners can also use Allset, although their $35 base rate caps them at 500 minutes of voice. These aren't the cheapest prepaid plans we've seen in the US (see Virgin Mobile for a good example), but they may make sense if your internet usage varies wildly from month to month.
Rogers lets Canadians upgrade phones with no money down, plus a few catches
Where American carriers go, so goeth their Canadian counterparts. Rogers has revealed an upcoming Next program that, like its AT&T parallel, will let early adopters get new phones every 12 months for less cash than it would take using the standard upgrade path. As long as the contract price for a phone is $250 or less, you won't have to pay anything for it up front; you'll just shell out a flat $25 per month ($30 with insurance) and trade in your older Rogers hardware. The math potentially makes sense if you just have to get a new device every year. However, there are some big caveats you'll want to consider. You'll still be signing a two-year agreement when starting out, and you'll have to subscribe to "select" plans. We'll learn more about Next's true value when it's available in the near future, but those who despise contracts (or prefer their grandfathered plans) aren't likely to change their minds.
New AT&T plan makes it cheaper to share smartphone data off-contract
AT&T's current Mobile Share plans can be quite expensive for families and small offices that don't want to be tied to a contract. However, service is potentially more affordable through a new plan launching Sunday. The tier starts at $130 per month with two off-contract lines for new customers (existing contract customers can also sign up) and 10GB of shared data, but it costs a more modest $15 per extra line instead of the regular $25; the carrier reckons that a family of four could save anywhere from $40 to $100 per month over the regular rates. You can go for more than 10GB of data if your clan craves extra bandwidth, too. It's not clear if AT&T's deal will be enough to lure families away from low-cost carriers like T-Mobile, but it's certainly a better offer than before.
O2 reprices 4G contracts, 1GB plans now start at £17 per month
Now that O2's caught up to its UK competition with the launch of pay-as-you-go and data-only 4G plans, the network's revisited its standard contract tariffs and taken some sting out of those monthly charges. Two-year contracts now start at £17 per month for 1GB of data (unlimited everything else) and go up to £27 per month for 8GB. These are O2 Refresh plans, mind, so there's an additional monthly bill that goes towards the 4G handset you've opted for. In comparison, the cheapest 24-month contract we could find with EE was £19 per month for 500MB of data, 1000 minutes and unlimited texts, as long as you stump up £30 for an Alcatel One Touch Idol S. O2's altered its one-year SIM-only plans, too, now offering 1GB of data for £21 per month, 5GB for £26 and 8GB for £31. Monthly damage on EE for the same data caps are £21, £31 and £41, respectively. O2's revamped tariffs benefit new customers, sure, but there's something in it for existing ones, too. Anyone already on a 4G plan will get a bump to their monthly data limit, and those with 3G contracts can now jump seamlessly over to 4G, as long as their plan is for at least 1GB and they have a 4G-compatible phone. And, if they need to upgrade to an LTE handset, they can leverage a 25 percent saving on the outstanding line rental. We know you love tables, and you'll find one breaking down all of O2's new prices below the fold.
EE to split two-year contracts into speed-based tiers, adds new data-only plans, and more
EE's temporary summer promotion, which increased data caps on two-year contracts for new sign-ups, was due to end before October. It didn't, however, and today's news suggests why. Starting October 30th, EE is splitting its 24-month 4G contract-plus-handset plans (what we imagine is the most common route new customers choose) into two tiers based on max potential download speeds. Furthermore, new data-only plans are being introduced for power users, as well as gigabyte-based incentives to tempt you into letting EE deal with your home broadband and mobile. Head past the break for more intel.
T-Mobile to replace grandfathered plans with new rates
Many loyal T-Mobile customers will have to kiss their grandfathered plans goodbye. That's because the carrier is sunsetting legacy plans and moving subscribers to new ones, Big Magenta has confirmed to Engadget. While the company has yet to get back to us with the finer details of the switch, a spokesperson told us that affected folks will be provided with "similar or better features at a comparable price." An unconfirmed report that surfaced last week notes that clients will get special rates not available to newer patrons, with prices beginning at $20 -- the cheapest individual Simple Choice Plan costs $50 a month. A HowardForums user also posted a letter reportedly from T-Mo (posted after the break) that lends credence to that claim, as it moves an existing user to a $45/month scheme with unlimited voice, text and 4G data. The transition's slated to begin in November, but if you'd rather switch carriers, you'd better take advantage of this shakeup ASAP -- the company's giving you the option to do so without penalty fees until February 21st, 2014. [Image credit: Alex Schwenke, Flickr]
T-Mobile brings Simple Choice plans to business customers on August 26th
Coming August 26th, T-Mobile will make its Simple Choice plans available to business customers, effectively severing the tie between the cost of devices and mobile service. The pricing structure is geared to customers with six lines or more, with rates that start at $20 per line for unlimited talk, text and 500MB of overage-free / throttled data. Keeping in line with its approach on the consumer end, business users can then pay for additional data, starting at $30 for an extra 2GB and going up to $50 for unlimited 4G data (and 2.5GB of limited hotspot use). T-Mobile is hoping its new approach will be popular with the BYOD crowd, but it's also performing a balancing act with a subsidized Simple Choice Classic plan that runs an additional $20 per month. Meanwhile, companies with less than six lines can tap into T-Mobile's small business plans, which parallels the pricing that individuals pay.
The Elder Scrolls Online plans to update early and often
Players will be waiting until next year for The Elder Scrolls Online, but the development team is already looking to the post-launch environment. Creative director Paul Sage has stated that the team wants to have new content coming out for the game on a frequent basis. Sage emphasizes that players should always feel that something new and exciting is just around the corner, considering that many players will be chewing through launch content with lightning speed. The game's story will also be expanded post-release. A conclusion for the main story will be present in the game on release, but Sage states that it's simply a springboard into something bigger and better for the future. When asked about launch dates, Sage stated that the team cannot promise simultaneous release on all platforms, although the current target date for all incarnations of the game is spring of 2014.
Ultra Mobile brings 1,000 international minutes to all plans with Ultra Zero
Phoning abroad just got cheaper thanks to Ultra Mobile pushing free international calling to all of its service plans. With Ultra Zero, even if you're only paying $19 per month, you get 1,000 gratis minutes to call Canada, China, Mexico, Singapore and the UK. If you manage to use that up, it's one cent for each minute thereafter. In addition to that huge chunk of voice time and being contract-free, all of the carrier's plans include at least 50MB of 4G data and unlimited global texting. The company also cut its rates for calling Cuba, Haiti, India, Nepal, Nigeria and Poland by as much as half -- you know people in those countries, right? As long as you're rocking an unlocked GSM phone and slip in an Ultra Mobile SIM card, you should be able to reach out and touch someone for a whole lot less.
Verizon Wireless lowers the bar with 500MB Share Everything plan
Ah, the wonderful world of wireless carriers. You can almost guarantee that if one makes a move, the others will soon follow. We're still hoping that AT&T and Verizon will succumb to peer pressure and resume offering unlimited data plans, but until that day comes, you can look forward to lots of fine tuning of their tiered share plans. The latest move comes from Verizon, which has introduced its lowest cost offering yet: a 500MB shared plan that runs $40 per month. This rings in at $10 less than its 1GB shared data plan, but when combined with a single smartphone, you're looking at paying $80 per month for unlimited talk, text and 500MB of data that's subject to overage fees. Compare this to AT&T, which just announced a 300MB share plan that costs $70 once bundled with a smartphone. Either way, this presents a cheaper option for some, but it won't be fun keeping such a close eye on the meager data allotment. Update: This article previously drew a comparison that was based on the price of a feature phone at Verizon, which costs $30 per month. We've updated the article to reflect Verizon's $40 monthly charge for smartphones.
AT&T to introduce 300MB and 2GB Mobile Share plans on July 26th (updated)
AT&T's Mobile Share plans have sometimes been too expensive for customers who only need a little data. The carrier will soon be more accommodating, however: it's adding both 300MB and 2GB tiers on July 26th. The $20, 300MB pack costs half as much as the 1GB plan, and is intended mostly for basic phone users. We've reached out for more details on 2GB pricing, but it's not hard to see this new tier slotting neatly between the 1GB and 4GB offerings. Both new plans should represent better bargains for frugal customers, although they won't do much for bandwidth lovers -- Lumia 1020 customers will likely want some extra headroom. Update: AT&T tells us that the 2GB plan will cost $50, plus $45 for each smartphone.
EE details shared and PAYG data plans, NFC payment service, new router
There was only one form of bacon present at EE's breakfast event today, but plenty more to chew on, as the UK 4G provider shed light on its new shared plans and PAYG data-only offerings. The sharing scheme, launching on July 17th, will put up to five devices on one bill and allow them to feed from the same data allowance. Starting with any regular contract, you can add other phones or devices at any time. Snagging another phone SIM for one year costs £12 per month, or £17 if you only need it for 30 days -- you can also get handsets to go with those SIMs for additional dinero. Every phone plan you tack on includes unlimited calls and texts, but if you only need a SIM for data, it'll cost £5 each month on a two-year contract, £8 for a 30-day commitment, and more if you want a USB dongle, MiFi hotspot or tablet on top. EE had plenty more to tell us, so head below the fold if you're up for the full rundown.
FAA planning to let you use your gadgets in flight
I know those flight attendants are just doing their job, but I've always resented being made to "turn off" my iPhone and iPad during pre-flight announcements. Ever since Mythbusters disproved it, I've never believed that there was a problem between my iPad's wireless connection and the airplane's signaling (especially in Airplane Mode, which is what it's for, right?), and I've always secretly suspected that turning things off was just a ploy to make me rewatch those safety instructions yet again. Now, finally, it looks like the FAA is ready to relax those rules, after another report saying that there are no issues between consumer wireless devices, and airplane tools. The regulations themselves date back to the 1960s, when wireless devices were indeed very different, and it's about time these rules were laid to rest. Note, however, that the report doesn't mention actual phone calls -- this change, if made, would only be about turning devices on and off, not full wireless interaction. Certainly, there are good reasons to keep flight passengers quiet and paying attention during pre-flight announcements, and if that's what this is all about, then they should say that. But the "wireless interference" story has always been bunk, and hopefully, if this report is finalized, we should see the FAA turn the rule around officially in a few months. [via @martinvars]
AT&T GoPhone plans to support LTE, drop most data add-ons on June 21st (updated)
AT&T hinted that it was shaking up its GoPhone plans later this month, and it's making good on its word. As of June 21st, customers using the prepaid service will have access to the same LTE service as their subscription peers; AT&T will mark the occasion by selling the Samsung Galaxy Express to GoPhone users at $250 off-contract. The simplified smartphone plans are here as well, although they're better than previously expected. The carrier is dropping all data add-ons except for the $5 / 50MB pack, which is only available for a $25 monthly tier with 250 voice minutes and unlimited messaging. However, it will only cost $40 a month for a plan with 200MB of data and 500 minutes, and a $60 plan will offer 2GB of data with unlimited voice. AT&T's new strategy won't appease some data lovers, but those trying to avoid long contracts and harsh upgrade policies should be happy. Update: To be clear, this is the official launch of LTE -- some customers have had the faster service in advance. The plans should be new. Also, the company has told reader Jian that those with older Pick Your Plan rates can't join the 4G ranks without switching to a capped plan first.
Leaks detail PC Mobile postpaid contract pricing, launch delays
June 5th came and went, without the introduction of PC Mobile's new postpaid plans and smartphone lineup. MobileSyrup heard the launch had been pushed back to today, but is now reporting the MVNO is delaying it further. A few more details of what the Canadian carrier is expected to offer when it eventually follows through have emerged, however, including the all-important price points. Three contract tiers will be available, costing $35, $50 or $65 per month, with the number of any-use minutes and data allowance increasing with the spend. You'll also be able to purchase "stacks" that give you extra chatter time or megabytes for the month. Full details of the plans are available at the source link, but exactly when PC Mobile will begin promoting them alongside a refreshed handset selection is still anyone's guess.
AT&T extends upgrade period to two years, continues a worrying trend
The big US carriers tend to echo each other's customer-hostile policy decisions all too often, and that's unfortunately happening once again. Effective today, AT&T is shadowing Verizon by extending its standard device upgrade interval from 20 months to the full two years of a typical agreement. All of its new contract subscribers, as well as those whose terms finish in March or later, will have to cope with the longer waiting periods. There's little context for the decision in a corporate memo that we've obtained; we've reached out to AT&T for some background, and we'll let you know if we hear more. Whatever the motivations, it's clearer than ever that habitual upgraders need to either pay the full hardware price or move to more flexible providers. [Thanks, anonymous tipster]
AT&T's GoPhone prepaid service to undergo major changes, kill data options
AT&T's GoPhone plans are undergoing a major shakedown, and you'll get a preliminary taste on June 20th once existing data packages are given the axe. Smartphone users who want internet access on GoPhone's $25 or $50 plans currently have the option to purchase a 50MB data add-on per month for $5, a 200MB add-on for $15 or a 1GB add-on for $25. Only the $5 option will remain once the changes hit -- and we all know having to budget 50MB of data in a month is a sad, sad proposition. Subscribers to the $50 plan have it even worse as they won't be able to purchase any data add-on at all. Fortunately, the $65 plan that comes with 1GB of data remains untouched. Things might not be as bad as they seem. When we reached out to AT&T, a spokesperson said: Beginning June 20, we're making some changes to our AT&T GoPhone prepaid plans to simplify our offers and better align with what customers are choosing and telling us they want. We've begun letting customers know about the changes in advance, and we'll have more information on new, additional plan options soon. The mention of "new, additional plans" coming soon gives us hope that the company is introducing new options to make the service more smartphone-friendly once again.
EE adding shared 4G, PAYG data-only plans this summer, now boasts 500k subscribers
After adding monthly SIM-only plans to its product line-up last week, EE's announced a few new subscriptions that people will have access to at some point this summer. One is a shared option, which'll allow patrons to use their plan "across phones and tablets, or with other people." The other is a PAYG data-only option, so you'll be able to buy gigabytes without signing up for anything long-term, and gobble them up on your tablet, laptop, MiFi device or anything else with a SIM slot. We don't have any firm launch dates or pricing for either of these plans, but more is expected "in the coming weeks." In other news, the number of customers on EE's LTE network has exceeded the half a million mark, meaning around 200,000 new subscribers have come on board since April.
EE announces monthly 4G SIM-only plans starting at £23 for 500MB
Before other carriers in the UK get their 4G networks up and running, EE's looking to bolster its customer base by tempting you with an LTE fling, rather than a long-term relationship. The network already has 12-month SIM-only plans available if you don't need a device, but today has launched 30-day SIM-only options for the commitment-phobic. That freedom comes with a £2 mark-up per month over the year-long plans, however: the cheapest option rings up at £23 every 30 days for 500MB of data, with a maximum cost of £63 for 20GB. Every price tier comes with unlimited texts and calls as standard, and if you're intrigued by a no-strings-attached trial month, you can snag a SIM at stores, online, or over the phone right now.
