The Internet is abuzz about Sprint’s Any Mobile, Anytime plan and according to numerous articles Sprint consumers will be automatically ‘upgraded’ to this new plan which I think is a downgrade in disguise.
In case you are not familiar with the plan, for $69.00/month we can call anyone on any mobile network and are provided unlimited data services - SMS, Internet, etc. Every article I have read asks if this is a game changer for mobile operators. I am here to say it is not and that Sprint is using calling plan trickery.
Here lies the problem. You only get 450 minutes of anytime minutes which will be counted when calling land lines, and presumably to and from your Google Voice number. That means, if you call non-mobile phone numbers more than 22.5 minutes a day on average Monday-Friday, you will go over your minutes and be charged $0.45/minute. Yikes! Anyone with a semi-talkative mom, grandma, or any mobile-phoneless friend will get a big big bill.
On a personal level, I have been experimenting a lot with Google Voice and this new plan seems to have been carefully designed to neutralize it.
Free SMS = No advantage for Google Voice
Free Mobile to Mobile on all networks = Google Voice is not included and actually becomes an unattractive option because calls through Google Voice will count towards the 450 minutes.
I was considering Sprint because they have the Pre and the HTC Hero coming out, but if they ‘upgrade’ everyone to this new plan and get rid of their $99/month Simply Everything plan, they will lose my potential business.
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