Sprint Goes Unlimited

So we have unlimited across carriers for $99.99. Below was the score as of yesterday:

AT&T - voice only, messaging $20 extra, data $15-$20 extra
Verizon - voice only, messaging $20 extra, data etc. $20-$30 extra
US Cellular - voice only, messaging $15 extra, data $10 extra (1x only)
T-Mobile - voice and messaging

Then BAM! Sprint now owns the unlimited nationwide space. Not by price, because a price war here would kill everyone, particularly Sprint and possibly T-Mobile, but by features. Check this list out.

Sprint - voice, messaging, Sprint TV, NASCAR updates (for the Nextel Cup crowd), data (YES!), e-mail, GPS services, Sirius radio and walkie talkie

In other words, I don't think you can add on another feature to the plan beyond this $100 per month. Okay, maybe roadside assistance or international long distance, but that's about it.

They also are going to intro a $90 per month plan (okay, $89.99) similar to T-Mobile's, with unlimited voice and messaging. Okay, maybe everyone should take back what they said about a price war not happening. Who's betting Verizon\AT&T\T-Mobile will lower their prices as well? Im thinking they won't go lower than $90, because going to $80 would mean the carriers would have only three minute plans for all their customers, where they had six (450, 900, 1350, 2000, 4000, 6000) a few weeks ago. But they might do so...but I doubt they will undermine Sprint's cost. Just meet it.

Another cool thing is the family plan option. Instead of charging a full $100 or $120 for every line added like AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, the price per line actually gets LESS as more linesare added. $5 less per line to be exact. So for the five-line limit your bill for everything is $100 + $95 + $90 + $85 + $80 (plus taxes and fees). Or maybe, if it works the same with the $90 plan, $90 + $85 + $80 + $75 + $70, which is quite decent for all that usage considering Verizon would charge $140 + $120 + $120 + $120 + $120 for the former and $120 + $100 + $100 + $100 + $100 for the latter,. So you could actually save $170 over five lines by going with Sprint. Versus $20 by going with T-Mobile. Very, very sweet.

I'm not getting this plan, but anyone who is on the $80 plan on Sprint right now and has the messaging addon would be well advised to upgrade to unlimited. After all, it's the same price and you can ditch any other phone at that point :). The only reason I'm not getting the plan is I don't even use my 500-minute plan (through SERO), so getting all those addons would still run me well below the $100 price point, even including taxes and fees. But if you use all those features (for which you would need the now-$150 Motorola ic902 Deluxe "hybrid" phone) this deal is just plain ridiculous!