Palm Pre True Price Plan Comparison

Thanks for you analysis at off Contract price. Please update / post when anyone finds out how and if the Instant Rebate - $100.00, Mail-In Rebate (MIR) - $100.00 apply to off contract purchase. This is how I plan to purchase mine.

I'm going to have to do my own research to see how the family plans compare. Aside from the Pre I'm buying for myself, I'm also getting one for my wife. Right now I pay about $100 on at&t. I've got an iPhone but she only has a Shine (no data). I hope I won't have to be paying double what I'm paying now.

If you don't use as much voice (I'm usually under 200 daytime minutes a month), you should be able to get the Pre with the Everything Plus referral plan at $60 a month -- everything unlimited but voice which is 500 minutes instead. That would reduce the cost by another $960 over two years.

well, that didn't take long. i only checked out the Sprint family plans but so far i like what i see. the Everything Data Family plan is $129.99 a month (in my area) for two lines! i can definitely live with that. i'm having trouble figuring it out on at&t for the iPhone 3G. but from what i can tell, i'd be paying at least $169 a month for comparable unlimited data. that plan i'd be getting like 1000 minutes less than what i would with the sprint plan. i think i'm sold.

Are you required to get Sprint's "Simply Everything" plan to get a Pre? I don't talk on the phone all that much, so unlimited minutes would be a complete waste of money for someone like me. Ditto for unlimited text messaging -- I don't text much, and of course if you have unlimited data there are ways to use that to bypass the carrier's SMS charges.

Or to put my question another way: what is the CHEAPEST overall service plan for the Pre?

@Joe - Simply Everything Plan is NOT required but an Unlimited Data Plan _is_ required (because the Palm Pre is basically _always_ connected to wireless data).

I hope this helps.

Cheers, A.

@Joe: There is different levels of the Simply Everything Plan, and the differences are in how much voice you choose to have. Data is unlimited, as is SMS/MMS texting. You also get Sprint Navigation (GPS) which is sweet, and Sprint TV.

If any of you are currently a sprint customer they have a very nice function when you review you bill online called "Sprint Plan Optimizer" / "Are you on the best plan", with graphs that look at you previous months bills (voice, data, SMS). This will allow you to compare your current plan with the new plans required for the Palm Pre. Once there click the "See additional plans" and it displays your current plan and the plans that can be upgraded to, in my case (#1) Everything Data 450 (#2) Everything Data 900 (#3)Simply Everything. Then if you click the "See this plan" button it will do a one on one compare. In my case I will go with the Everything Data 450 and it will be only $9 more than i'm paying now with my Centro. The compare is good b/c now I pay seperate for voice, SMS, data pack, 7pm start. The "Everything" rolls up the voice, SMS, data, 7pm. 450 is a perfect pack for me and my usage.

Does this price include taxes and all the other small charges that end up on your bill?

What do you think the "real" bill is for the simply everything plan after all the fine print?

The Sprint Simply Everything Plan is definitely a good deal assuming the wireless coverage is adequate in your area. Unfortunately for me, my international travel for work prevents me from going with a CDMA phone.

I'm just so surprised and upset that Palm has basically castrated its amazing new product by making it a CDMA phone and thus worthless for those of us who travel abroad for business. I would love to avail of Sprint's attractively priced plans, but I do believe this is a case of you get what you pay for. I'd rather pay $50 more a month for AT&T for a phone that truly keeps me in touch no matter where I am. This new Pre, when shackled to a US-only plan, just feels like a non-starter for the international business user. I guess it's great for families and individuals for whom being able to use their mobile number overseas is not an issue, but how much intersection is there between those people and people who need a phone that is also super-computer? The product is for the aggressive business user, but the service is for the casual personal user. This makes no sense to me at all!! The iphone is a far less powerful business device but would be easier for me to own because of its capacity to function in Europe. It's very annoying to have to choose between the product that I want and the service that I need. I would sincerely love to have a Pre, and I am just devastated that I am unable due to its service limitations.

@jolala - please remember that a GSM version of the Palm Pre _will_ also be released. There's no ETA yet but I would guess early Q4 (October) via European carriers. Sprint does have a Palm Pre exclusivity in the US until Jan 2010.

Cheers, A.

I currently have 5 phones on Sprint with only 2 that have data with unlimited texting. With taxes and all we pay about $165 per month. I will only switch out my Mogul if I can slide the Pre into my current plan. If not - I'll keep what I have.

I had high hopes, but the fact that it does not include an external card slot, will not work as a modem, plus tied to Sprint makes this a loser for me. The first thing a phone should do IMO is get connected and Sprint's coverage is pretty weak compared to ATT. No coverage and you lose GPS, tv, and all the fancy netowrk features hyped here. My first phone was with Sprint and I loved the price and customer service, but connection was spotty in practice, and still is according to their coverage maps. Secondly, my trusty centro works great as my laptop modem. Thirdly, for $160 I added real GPS to my phone so have it all the time regardless of cell coverage. Hopefully this time next year I'll be able to upgrade my centro with a really cool & practical smartphone but for now - centro is still tops.

I switched over to Sprint to get the new Treo Pro. (Could not wait long enough for the PRE). I have been supprised by the coverage with Sprint. Coming over from Verizon, I am paying a lot less and have not had any problems with service. I think that you also have to remember that Sprint has agreements with people like Verizon to cover roaming where they don't have service. (and roaming is covered). I pay 129 a month for unlimited data, texts and 1500 minutes for my phone and my wife's centro. No one else could even get close.

For the international business person. Please stop. If you are smart enough to be doing business overseas then you should be smart enough to understand that you are a fairly small market compaired to everyone else that is going to use this phone.

And to those who keep complaining about Sprint's coverage, remember your market is different from another's market. Here in K.C. Sprint has been tops in coverage for me. I choose Sprint personally, but for work I had Verizon and now they've moved me to AT&T. I drop out of coverage in different places on AT&T on a regular basis, but rarely lose a connection on Sprint. In my experience, AT&T is the worst in K.C. I know others who here who would agree too. So your comments are subjective and not U.S. wide based. And I'm not against AT&T either, as I choose them to provide my TV and internet, and am quite happy in those categories.

I would have to agree that AT&T's coverage is not great every where. I have Sprint & have not had any coverage issues no matter where I travel. I live in South Florida and just recently went to Myrtle Beach and my friends that had AT&T were having major issues getting a connection. We were on a hotel on the beach and they were literally hanging off of the balcony to use their phone. I also just got back from Champaign, IL and my phone worked great there as well. I have a Centro and will be getting the Pre on the 5TH (got invited to the Pre Launch Party)...

Sprint is completely ignoring their existing customers with data plans prior to the advent of their Everything plans. I really want this phone and I currently have full data on my centro, but to get it I would have to change to the everything data. I also have 3 other people on my plan which also means they all would have to switch. It comes down to almost $500 a year more if I were to have a Pre. That just isn't reasonable. Sprint is missing out considering how big a hit Palm and Sprint both need this phone to be.

@Steve. I have the same issue you have. I have unlimited data,text and mins on my current plan. (locked in a few years ago) I am told I still would have to get the everything plan. Makes no sense. I decided not to get the Pre. 5 lines unlimited voice 500 text and a lil data included on 4 lines my line(5th)everything included. Sprint wants all the grandfathered cheap pricing out.( I pay 160 plus tax for 5 lines)

There's one more advantage to Sprint which I have not seen mentioned here yet. There's a secret sprint coupon code that extends a $25 prepaid visa card from Sprint for all new Sprint activations. I tried it and it works...I received my free $25 prepaid visa card in 11 days. For all of you on the fence trying to decide whether to switch to Sprint, this is a great incentive. Here are the rules:

1) New sprint service must be activated in the US
2) $25 for each new line activated
3) Must use the secret refernence number code within 10 days of activation.
4) Must redeem from your new Sprint phone line.

Instructions on how to redeem the free $25 prepaid visa card:

1) Dial #733 from your new sprint phone and following the instructions.
2) When it comes time to enter a reference number/referral number, use this secret reference number: 9515875333.
3) And that's all...new free $25 visa prepaid card is sent to you within two weeks.

While I can't argue how great Sprint's network is in terms of coverage and realizing the price I was getting into when I signed up over a year ago, Sprint's unlimited plan has competition on its own network. Boost Mobile on Sprint's network has the same unlimited plan for $50 less and no contract - regardless of the calling area, the savings would be huge. I'm not complaining as a Sprint customer because of my service, I just wish the price model was kept more uniform across the company. Maybe Mr. Hesse, as Sprint's president, should really notice how unfair this practice is - I have at http://sites.google.com/site/sprintcustomersunite