Users Binge at the Wireless Buffet
Sprint PCS is trying to back away from a part of their "unlimited" data plans, as they noticed that some customers had noticed a loophole. One of the unlimited data plans would let people connect PDAs and laptops to their PCS Vision network for $100/month. A bit pricey, to be sure. It didn't take long for customers to realize that they could, instead, just order basic mobile phone service from Sprint PCS, including unlimited data for as little as $30/month - and then hook that phone up to a computer with a cable and software provided from Sprint PCS's own website. Sprint has now pulled the cables and software from their website and claim that if you want to connect your laptop or PDA you need to buy a special card and the costlier plan. This seems silly. Why not just admit they made a mistake? Now they're opening up the market for some other company to come along and provide the software and cable - and users will still connect using the cheaper plans, giving Sprint less money.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team