Sprint offers $100 trade-in credit for iPhones from competing carriers

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
In an effort to drum up subscribership and advertise its unlimited data plan for the iPhone 4S, Sprint revealed on Friday that it will begin offering a $100 credit to any customer who trades in an iPhone from another carrier.

The nation's third-largest carrier said that it would be offering non-Sprint users at least $100 for their iPhone to be used towards a new iPhone 4S if they start a line of service with a minimum two-year contract.

Sprint's announcement comes on the heels of reports earlier this week that revealed Verizon would be pushing to end unlimited data usage for its smartphone users come this summer when the company rolls out new shared data plans. The top U.S. wireless company issued a statement on Thursday clarifying that only subscribers upgrading to a subsidized handset would no longer be able to take advantage of the all-you-can-eat service.

Both Verizon and AT&T have come under fire for slowly squeezing grandfathered customers out of their unlimited plans, represented by Verizon's upgrade policy and AT&T's March decision to throttle heavy data users after they pass a 3GB per month threshold.

When it became the last of the big-three telecoms to offer the iPhone, Sprint announced plans to offer unlimited data to new customers when the top two wireless providers killed off their respective uncapped services in a move toward more profitable tiered solutions. AT&T was the first to axe unlimited iPhone data in June 2010, and recently CEO Randall Stephenson admitted that he wished the company had never offered the option. Verizon followed AT&T's lead in July 2011, a mere six months after the device launched on its network.

Sprint Offer
Sprint is offering iPhone users $100 to switch networks. | Source" Sprint


In a move to stand out from the competition, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse announced in April that his company will continue to offer unlimited data for the next generation iPhone sight-unseen, which means that users can utilize uncapped bandwidth even if the handset supports 4G LTE.

Earlier this week Hesse said that Sprint wouldn't make a profit from the iPhone until 2015, but has no regreets in making a bet-the-company move to ink an agreement to sell the handset that was later revealed to be worth $15.5 billion over the next four years.

"We believe in the long term," Hesse said. "And over time we will make more money on iPhone customers than we will on other customers."

To take advantage of the offer, interested parties must activate a new line by July 3 and trade-in their non-Sprint iPhone before Aug. 14.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    applezillaapplezilla Posts: 941member


    Lotsa luck with that. I want LTE in the next new iPhone.


     


    And that won't be with Sprint.

  • Reply 2 of 32


    I'd jump all over this if the iPhone 5 was out now. The 4S is not enough of a difference for me to switch to Sprint. 

  • Reply 3 of 32
    kimk69kimk69 Posts: 77member
    Eh. I would love to get the Fu*k away from at&t so they can suck
    On my unlimited/3 gig bull and go with sprint and a new unlimited
    Plan but there 3G sucks and there LTE most important won't be up to par
    For sure, barely. It would suck to finally get an LTE iPhone and not have the
    Service to power it so I guess I'll still be stuck with AT&T if I want LTE.
    The following year when Sprint gets set up better for 4G they'll probably
    Do away with the unlimited plans too. Watch.
  • Reply 4 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    applezilla wrote: »
    Lotsa luck with that. I want LTE in the next new iPhone.

    And that won't be with Sprint.
    This deal looks solid to me. Sprint is very aggressive in getting the coveted iPhone user on their network. Remember, not everyone cares about having the latest gadget. Some even believe that if they wait a year they will get the "kinks" worked out as if these devices aren't tested, a batch couldn't have component or production issue later down the road, or a defective unit — of which there will always be some — will not replaced immediately.
  • Reply 5 of 32
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post

    Lotsa luck with that. I want LTE in the next new iPhone.


     


    And that won't be with Sprint.





    Despite their rollout of LTE this year and the assurance that Apple wouldn't release a phone in the US with LTE support on only a few carriers, particularly since the appropriate chips to allow worldwide LTE access will be out by October, you mean?

  • Reply 6 of 32
    kpluckkpluck Posts: 500member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    This deal looks solid to me. 


     


    Then you probably need to look a little closer. Given that most people could get twice as much as what they are offering for a 4 or 4S, heck, I could probably get even more for than $100 for a  3GS, why would I give it to Sprint and get less?


     


    -kpluck

  • Reply 7 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    kpluck wrote: »
    Then you probably need to look a little closer. Given that most people could get twice as much as what they are offering for a 4 or 4S, heck, I could probably get even more for than $100 for a  3GS, why would I give it to Sprint and get less?

    -kpluck

    Sure, but those people who would consider selling their iPhone on eBay, Craig's List or in some other way to get cash to pay for a new phone are not the people they are targeting. The people they are targeting wouldn't consider it, know how to do it properly or safely, or simply don't want to bother with the hassle.

    From what I can tell no other national MNO is doing this. This article also says "at least $100" and doesn't specify which iPhone it is, what condition it has to be in, or even if it has to be working. Assuming at the minimum it has to be working and being used on a carrier when it's brought in that could still mean a hassle way to switch carriers and get a hefty price off your new iPhone price. If you check out Gazelle even the 32GB iPhone 3GS is listed for under $100.
  • Reply 8 of 32
    ifij775ifij775 Posts: 470member
    I love that Sprint is pushing unlimited data, AT&T and Verizon have to stay competitive with this plan out there.
  • Reply 9 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    ifij775 wrote: »
    I love that Sprint is pushing unlimited data, AT&T and Verizon have to stay competitive with this plan out there.

    And Sprint needs to stay profitable with this plan out there. It's a good tactic to attract users, as all the carriers have done it in the past, but in this modern age of heavy data use at some average usage per subscriber level the cost will make it impossible for them to continue this plan.
  • Reply 10 of 32
    christophbchristophb Posts: 1,482member
    solipsismx wrote: »
    And Sprint needs to stay profitable with this plan out there. It's a good tactic to attract users, as all the carriers have done it in the past, but in this modern age of heavy data use at some average usage per subscriber level the cost will make it impossible for them to continue this plan.

    My money is on the "Chase" being for the Verizon Cup in 2014. Let's see where the 'more competition at the losses and cost to shareholders' crowd is then.

    Edit: my 2014 money is on Tony Stewart, Verizon Cup winner.
  • Reply 11 of 32


    This will combat the nonsense about "AT&T is going to decrease subsidies for the iPhone".  That's nothing a but a negotiating tactic from AT&T.  There is a balance of power between the phone manufacturers, the carriers, and the consumers.  If AT&T lowers the subsidies they're offering (either through "upgrade fees" or forcing consumers to wait closer to 24 months for a full subsidy) then consumers have the option to move to a different carrier.  Sprint and Verizon are happy to offer full subsidies to new customers.  And now Sprint is offering $100 for your original iPhone - good luck getting more than $10 for that on eBay.  And when it comes time for AT&T and Apple to negotiate the new iPhone distribution contract, AT&T's bait-and-switch will be discussed.  And T-Mobile will be offering even better deals once they're on board with the LTE iPhone.

  • Reply 12 of 32
    dm3dm3 Posts: 168member


    I've had Sprint before and hated them. But I don't like how Verizon and AT&T are planning to jack up data prices. Tiered is ok if they're reasonable. It is not reasonable to go from unlimited to 2GB on LTE. You can use up a months data in a few minutes on LTE. LTE is not useful to the consumer. Its only useful to the carrier so they can cram more paying customers into the same bandwidth. Its much better to have a higher limit, than a fast speed you can't use. Its like being given a Formula 1 race car, but you can only race it in your driveway.


     


    I welcome the competition and am seriously considering switching back to Sprint when the iPhone 5 comes out, assuming they still have unlimited data, or at least some much higher limit like 5GB+. 2GB on Verizon is a joke.

  • Reply 13 of 32
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dm3 View Post

    Tiered is ok if they're reasonable.


     


    It wasn't reasonable before when it was $30 for 2GB… 


     


    Quote:


    LTE is not useful to the consumer.



     


    Of course it is! What isn't useful is the means by which LTE is presented.


     


    I've an idea:


     


    Apple doesn't have to become a telecom. Apple can CIRCUMVENT THE TELECOMS.


     


    Just put 802.22 in all products. Release a new AirPort family to serve as 802.22 base stations.


     


    You'll get fifty miles of range. You can connect to your home Internet at work. You can drive all about and stay on the same connection, no caps, no throttling, and pay relatively sane prices for it.

  • Reply 14 of 32
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SolipsismX View Post





    And Sprint needs to stay profitable with this plan out there. It's a good tactic to attract users, as all the carriers have done it in the past, but in this modern age of heavy data use at some average usage per subscriber level the cost will make it impossible for them to continue this plan.


     


     


     


    There is no evidence to suggest you are correct. Caps on data are really about gouging customers. Strain on the network can be solved by throttling traffic at peak times. 

  • Reply 15 of 32
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by dgrayson98 View Post


    Sprint is offering $100 for your original iPhone - good luck getting more than $10 for that on eBay. 



    It took me all of twenty seconds to go over to ebay and find an original iPhone with ten bids in for $101 dollars. There is a day left on the auction, and everybody knows the price climbs at the last few minutes. My point: iPhones hold their value very well. 

  • Reply 16 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    tbell wrote: »


    There is no evidence to suggest you are correct. Caps on data are really about gouging customers. Strain on the network can be solved by throttling traffic at peak times. 

    Reason and logic verify that I'm correct. You can't say that you can increase the average usage per user indefinitely without it costing the company money and hurting the network performance.
    [
    You've even verified my comment by suggesting an artificial limitation to the network and as someone whose profession was designing and configuring networks I can assure you that throttling the bandwidth of an unlimited number of users without adjusting any other aspect of the infrastructure will not cut it. There is always a threshold. Always!
  • Reply 17 of 32
    drdoppiodrdoppio Posts: 1,132member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post



    In an effort to drum up subscribership and advertise its unlimited data plan for the iPhone 4S, Sprint revealed on Friday that it will begin offering a $100 credit to any customer who trades in an iPhone from another carrier.


     


    Poor Sprint. This looks like a desperate move trying to peddle all the iPhones that Sprint already promised to buy from Apple. Let's hope that it works.

  • Reply 18 of 32
    For the past month radioshack has been selling the iPhone 4 and 4s on sprint, Verizon, and AT&T at a 50 dollar discount. Of that wasn't enough, RadioShack always accepts iPhones from any carrier as a trade in. iPhone 3GS gets around a 100 dollar trade in, the iPhone 4 a 130 dollar trade in, and the 4s a 230 dollar trade in. Why the hell would you go to sprint to get your iPhone, when you can go to RadioShack and get it at least 150 dollars cheaper?
  • Reply 19 of 32
    solipsismxsolipsismx Posts: 19,566member
    From what I can tell the phone doesn't even have to be working when you bring it in.

    sirkiller wrote: »
    For the past month radioshack has been selling the iPhone 4 and 4s on sprint, Verizon, and AT&T at a 50 dollar discount. Of that wasn't enough, RadioShack always accepts iPhones from any carrier as a trade in. iPhone 3GS gets around a 100 dollar trade in, the iPhone 4 a 130 dollar trade in, and the 4s a 230 dollar trade in. Why the hell would you go to sprint to get your iPhone, when you can go to RadioShack and get it at least 150 dollars cheaper?

    How much does Radioshack give you for the other iPhones you didn't mention? I can't imagine why someone with a 4S would be trading it in anyway.
  • Reply 20 of 32
    chris_cachris_ca Posts: 2,543member
    I'd jump all over this if the iPhone 5 was out now. The 4S is not enough of a difference for me to switch to Sprint. 
    You do realize that al the carriers will have the same iPhone 5? Don't know why you feel the model makes a difference if you get the same one on all carriers...
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