It's a New Day for Data for American Consumers

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Aug. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- It's a new day for data in the wireless industry as Sprint (NYSE: S) announces the Sprint Family Share Pack – a new shared-data plan that offers double the high-speed data at a lower price than AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

Consumers today are using wireless data at an exponentially increasing pace and expect data to be a part of their lives – whether they are using Facetime, connecting with friends on Facebook, uploading pictures on Instagram, or sharing them on Snapchat.  Wireless customers, however, are frustrated by low data allowances with immediate data overages and complicated monthly bills. Now after rolling out its network improvements, Sprint can end these frustrations and provide the best value for consumers with the introduction of the Sprint Family Share Pack.

The Sprint Family Share Pack, offering double the high-speed shareable data¹ for smartphones, basic phones, tablets and mobile broadband devices, will be available starting Aug. 22. For example you can get four lines and 20GB of data for $160 compared to 10GB of data for the same price from AT&T or Verizon.

But wait, there's more. To kick off Sprint's "new day for data" campaign, Sprint is offering a limited-time promotion for the Sprint Family Share Pack: For a family with up to 10 lines, get 20GB of Shared Data and Unlimited Talk & Text for only $100 a month through 2015² – and, as an added bonus, customers will get an additional 2GB per line for up to 10 lines. For a family of four, that's a savings of $60 per month better than AT&T's and Verizon's current pricing through 2015; double the data of Verizon; and more than double the high-speed data of AT&T and T-Mobile. 

For example: 

"Sprint is offering the best value to data-hungry consumers. Period," said Marcelo Claure, Sprint CEO. "We are doubling the high-speed wireless data because today's customers rely so much on their smartphones and tablets. We make it simple and easy for wireless consumers to get the data they need at affordable prices to make their lives easier, more productive and enjoyable. We are so certain that this is the best value on wireless today that for any customer who wants to switch to our new Sprint Family Share Pack, we will reimburse them for the cost to end their contract with another carrier."  

Sprint Family Share Pack – How it Works
Sprint is changing the wireless industry with this plan that provides consumers value and flexibility, plus unlimited talk and text.

Customers can build their own plan in three easy steps as shown below.  First, choose the data allowance. Second, add up to 10 lines of data access with unlimited talk and text while on the Sprint Network.  Third, include your tablet devices for $10 per month per line and mobile broadband devices for $20 per month per line. There is no early termination fee and no annual service contract with non-discounted phones.

Everyday pricing for competitors that have shared data plans

Limited-time Promotion for Customers Switching to Sprint Family Share Pack 
In addition, for a limited time, for customers who bring their number and activate on the Sprint Family Share Pack, Sprint will buy out their families' contracts with a Visa Prepaid Card worth up to $350 ².  This switching offer will be available at Sprint stores and Sprint Telesales.

With the limited-time promotion, Sprint is waiving the data access charge for handsets, tablets and mobile broadband devices on 20GB or higher data allowances for up to 10 lines. To qualify for the offer customers must switch their number from another carrier to Sprint.³   All devices must be purchased through Sprint Easy Pay.

The Sprint Share Pack gives wireless customers a good reason to come to Sprint, but the company is not done making bold moves, Claure said.

"Simply put, we are offering the best deal on shared data," Claure said. "We have more news coming later this week about plans for individuals. We want customers to think twice before choosing another wireless carrier."

America's Newest Network
The Sprint Family Share Pack comes as Sprint already has built its 4G LTE network to serve more than 255 million people, with more on the way.

"Customers are seeking a strong network experience, and at a good value," said Rich Karpinski, Principal Analyst at 451 Research. "The price and amount of sharable data associated with this new Sprint offering plays to that next wave of mobile demand."

In addition to Sprint's all new 3G network and its 4G LTE network, Sprint is deploying Sprint Spark, a technology offering turbo data speeds and designed to support a new generation of online gaming, virtual reality, advanced cloud services and other applications requiring very high bandwidth.

Available today in 27 markets across the country, Sprint Spark is an enhanced LTE service that's built for data and designed to deliver average wireless speeds of 6-15Mbps and peak wireless speeds of 50-60Mbps today on capable devices, with increasing speed potential over time. Sprint plans to reach 100 million Americans by year-end with the service.

About Sprint
Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served more than 54 million customers as of June 30, 2014 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint as the most improved U.S. company in customer satisfaction, across all 43 industries, over the last six years. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America in 2011, 2012 and 2013. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

¹ To improve the data experience for the majority of users, throughput speeds may be limited, varied or reduced on the network
²The $100 offer is available Aug. 22, 2014 – Sept. 30, 2014 when customers switch to Sprint. It includes $15/mo./line access chargers waived through 2015. Valid only on 20GB or higher data allowance. 

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SOURCE Sprint