[Achill3s]

Dial *2 from your Sprint phone and press zero several times and you will get a CS rep that can tell you how long you've been with Sprint. Took only a few minutes for me.

[j_grouchy]

wow...I just went on chat with a rep and found out my sign-up date was June 16, 2001. Guess I'll be a Gold member starting June 17! Sweet!

[prethadd81]

What's weird to me is that sprint just upgraded us to the silver package.We didn't ask for it.I'm on a everything data family plan.November will be 2 yrs since we had our plan.My girlfreind upgraded about a month ago.But I didn't yet.Does that mean when April comes that we will be charge an $10 each when we upgrade? Since my girlfriend upgraded does that means she added another year to our contract or just hers?

[Achill3s]

What's weird to me is that sprint just upgraded us to the silver package.We didn't ask for it.I'm on a everything data family plan.November will be 2 yrs since we had our plan.My girlfreind upgraded about a month ago.But I didn't yet.Does that mean when April comes that we will be charge an $10 each when we upgrade? Since my girlfriend upgraded does that means she added another year to our contract or just hers?

You will be charged $10 each when you upgrade (i'm surprised that she hasn't already been given the $10 fee when she upgraded).

I believe only her phone/line was added another year. You still have not upgraded so you will not see the $10 fee or the added time until you upgrade. However, you should chat with a Sprint rep to be certain.

[Boregardo]

What's weird to me is that sprint just upgraded us to the silver package.We didn't ask for it.I'm on a everything data family plan.November will be 2 yrs since we had our plan.My girlfreind upgraded about a month ago.But I didn't yet.Does that mean when April comes that we will be charge an $10 each when we upgrade? Since my girlfriend upgraded does that means she added another year to our contract or just hers?

April 1st change to premier status has nothing to do with the $10 add for smartphones. Starting January 31st, anytime you switch to a new device that's a smartphone whether it's an upgrade, a phone bought at full retail without upgrade, something bought off of ebay, or just a phone you already own, you will be charged a $10 premium data charge. If your girlfriend upgraded prior to January 31st, she should not have the charge on her line. If either of you were to activate a new smartphone right now for any reason (other than TEP/warranty replacements) you would be charged the extra $10/ month fee.

If want to know the current status of your contract, you can view the details at sprint.com. Generally, when you use a full $150 upgrade, your contract is renewed for 2 years from that date but it should just be for the line that used the upgrade.

[j_grouchy]

It does get confusing when you're off by a year for upgrades. I wish the yearly upgrade deal was an option for more than just the primary line...doesn't seem all that fair that I can upgrade every 12 months but my wife has to wait 22 months each time. She can beat a phone all to hell in half that time, but I'm the tech-nerd who is more interested in the device capabilities and I usually keep my phone in good shape.

[PrinceAlbert]

It does get confusing when you're off by a year for upgrades. I wish the yearly upgrade deal was an option for more than just the primary line...doesn't seem all that fair that I can upgrade every 12 months but my wife has to wait 22 months each time. She can beat a phone all to hell in half that time, but I'm the tech-nerd who is more interested in the device capabilities and I usually keep my phone in good shape.

Upgrade a phone on day 1. On day 2, call sprint and switch the phones on your account.

[h-cubed]

Upgrade a phone on day 1. On day 2, call sprint and switch the phones on your account.

Thats what I did, but I did it the same day @ BestBuy...

[j_grouchy]

Upgrade a phone on day 1. On day 2, call sprint and switch the phones on your account.

Not sure how that makes sense. Then wouldn't I be stuck with her one-year old phone for another year? Maybe I'm just not seeing how that works...

[Achill3s]

Not sure how that makes sense. Then wouldn't I be stuck with her one-year old phone for another year? Maybe I'm just not seeing how that works...

I think he meant switch phone numbers on the devices. You keep your physical phone but switch the phone number.

[h-cubed]

No not switch the phone #... get a upgrade on the available line and activate it on the # you want to have it activated on. Sprint doesnt like you doing it but it is more than possible. Downright doable even!

I used my upgrade at BestBuy last year and got my wife a Samsung Intercept. I then had the phone activated under her #. Now her upgrade eligibility is coming up this March and I plan on using it this Summer for the Pre3 on my #

[j_grouchy]

No not switch the phone #... get a upgrade on the available line and activate it on the # you want to have it activated on. Sprint doesnt like you doing it but it is more than possible. Downright doable even!

I used my upgrade at BestBuy last year and got my wife a Samsung Intercept. I then had the phone activated under her #. Now her upgrade eligibility is coming up this March and I plan on using it this Summer for the Pre3 on my #

Well, that doesn't always work out so neatly. My next upgrade is 3/1/11 (or 6/17/11 when I become a SP Gold member)...wife's next upgrade is 1/1/12. If I got a new phone and activated it on her line in March, I would then have to wait until January to activate her upgrade on my line. Then the next upgrade of March 2012 would go to her line and the following upgrade in March of 2013 would go to mine...then 11/2013 to hers, 3/2014 to mine, 3/2015 to hers, 9/2015 to mine, 3/2016 to hers, 3/2017 to mine, 7/2017 to hers....and so on. It gets confusing and it doesn't work out to a real 12 month cycle for both of us. It would be more like varying between 12 to 18 months between upgrades.

[h-cubed]

Well, that doesn't always work out so neatly. My next upgrade is 3/1/11 (or 6/17/11 when I become a SP Gold member)...wife's next upgrade is 1/1/12. If I got a new phone and activated it on her line in March, I would then have to wait until January to activate her upgrade on my line. Then the next upgrade of March 2012 would go to her line and the following upgrade in March of 2013 would go to mine...then 11/2013 to hers, 3/2014 to mine, 3/2015 to hers, 9/2015 to mine, 3/2016 to hers, 3/2017 to mine, 7/2017 to hers....and so on. It gets confusing and it doesn't work out to a real 12 month cycle for both of us. It would be more like varying between 12 to 18 months between upgrades.

I guess it didnt really make a difference for me because we are on a shared family plan and the 2nd line could only upgrade ever 2 years anyways and for my wife, she is pretty happy with her phone and will probably keep it for a while. If not I can always buy her something off Craigslist and get my upgrade back if I truly need to.

[RacingInIowa.com]

Works just fine to switch upgrades.

Mine was available since June 2010 but I was waiting
for Palm to come out with a new phone.
(We all know how that turned out)

My daughter broke her phone in January and wanted a new one.
Her up grade isn't until July 2011 so I called Sprint and told them
that since there isn't an acceptable replacement yet for my Pre
that we would like to switch upgrades, they did it with no problems.

She has her new phone and my upgrade is now July just in time for
the Summer release of the Pre3.

Also as far as the Silver/Gold plan issue, I called to check mine
and I became a Sprint customer June 14, 2001 and they said it
will switch to Gold in April. Guess they figure close enough to
the 10 years.

[j_grouchy]

Works just fine to switch upgrades.

Mine was available since June 2010 but I was waiting
for Palm to come out with a new phone.
(We all know how that turned out)

My daughter broke her phone in January and wanted a new one.
Her up grade isn't until July 2011 so I called Sprint and told them
that since there isn't an acceptable replacement yet for my Pre
that we would like to switch upgrades, they did it with no problems.

She has her new phone and my upgrade is now July just in time for
the Summer release of the Pre3.

Also as far as the Silver/Gold plan issue, I called to check mine
and I became a Sprint customer June 14, 2001 and they said it
will switch to Gold in April. Guess they figure close enough to
the 10 years.

One thing I didn't think to ask was whether I would immediately qualify for the upgrade once I reached "Gold" status or if it only becomes available at the first of the month. I suppose worst case would be a two week delay...I hope.

[katnou]

I've been with sprint since Dec 2001. I had 3 lines on a family plan with my sister you had 3 lines. So we were 6 lines on a family plan. Constantly pressured by sprint to change to 2 accounts when we each wanted to add a line. Now they are not regonizing my years on the other account. Lost 8 years of being on never late on a bill and loyalty. And somehow they have lost 2 years on the orignal account for my sister. We would have been gold in Dec. Somehow I feel cheated as the # I have now I've orginated with sprint in 2001 and has never been canceled by me but my years of service are being canceled by sprint!

[mikepikefl]

You will be charged $10 each when you upgrade (i'm surprised that she hasn't already been given the $10 fee when she upgraded).

I believe only her phone/line was added another year. You still have not upgraded so you will not see the $10 fee or the added time until you upgrade. However, you should chat with a Sprint rep to be certain.

Whoa now that is something I didn't understand. I thought the $10 fee was only if you changed your PLAN not your PHONE. So if we upgrade to a new smart phone on an existing plan we get a $10 per month surcharge? Can I assume the worst that on a family plan that's per line?

So much for the "Simply Everything" Plan.

My wife has been buggin' for AT&T and the iPhone, it might be time. I will not sit idly by while my bill goes up $20 a month on my "unlimited plan", because I have a phone that can USE IT.

Plus on a GSM network you can talk and use data at the same time, and there is actually a tower in my town. GSM also lets you manage call waiting calls individually. And Apple is about to release whatever their next iteration of the iPhone is. I'll see what AT&T can do for me. Maybe it'll be better, maybe it won't, doesn't hurt to look.

"Simply Everything" and "Gold Premier". What oxymorons.

[j_grouchy]

Whoa now that is something I didn't understand. I thought the $10 fee was only if you changed your PLAN not your PHONE. So if we upgrade to a new smart phone on an existing plan we get a $10 per month surcharge? Can I assume the worst that on a family plan that's per line?

So much for the "Simply Everything" Plan.

My wife has been buggin' for AT&T and the iPhone, it might be time. I will not sit idly by while my bill goes up $20 a month on my "unlimited plan", because I have a phone that can USE IT.

Plus on a GSM network you can talk and use data at the same time, and there is actually a tower in my town. GSM also lets you manage call waiting calls individually. And Apple is about to release whatever their next iteration of the iPhone is. I'll see what AT&T can do for me. Maybe it'll be better, maybe it won't, doesn't hurt to look.

"Simply Everything" and "Gold Premier". What oxymorons.

Yes, $10 per line. I think Sprint should have addressed this differently...it's essentially an automatic data tier rate.

You'll still pay more for AT&T. Simultaneous voice and data is, I suppose, an advantage - though it is a feature I have never in all my time felt a need for and wouldn't be willing to pay the premium for.

[bodyshop]

Not sure how that makes sense. Then wouldn't I be stuck with her one-year old phone for another year? Maybe I'm just not seeing how that works...

Unless you plan on upgrading together every time, you can let her use your upgrade & swap the numbers back. You get an upgrade phone, then put your number back on your old phone & put her number on the new phone. Problem solved. That way you still have your same phone & she gets upgrade. That's only if you can't wait the 22 months. You did say she beats a phone up fast, right?

[mikepikefl]

Yes, $10 per line. I think Sprint should have addressed this differently...it's essentially an automatic data tier rate.

You'll still pay more for AT&T. Simultaneous voice and data is, I suppose, an advantage - though it is a feature I have never in all my time felt a need for and wouldn't be willing to pay the premium for.

I went a looked at the last year of usage for my entire plan. The highest usage month for data was 522MB, and the highest usage month for minutes was 754- on our 1500 minute "unlimited data" plan. Both were different months, and average usage for both is much lower. Keeping in mind, this is combined for both my wife and I and each of us with EVDO smart phones. Paying an additional premium on top of this while we are so far below the "limit" is just... not acceptable.

And yes, I have a feeling AT&T will be more expensive. Doesn't hurt to see what color the grass is on the side of the fence though.

Since all this account shuffling will be going on I'll have time to see what Sprint will be coming out with, and if the new iPhone will be LTE or not, etc. I guess there is a plus side. Meh.

One last question- this only takes affect if we upgrade our phone? So if I stick with my Pre I'm ok? Does it have to be a NEW phone? What if my wife gets a refurbed "smart phone"?

Thanks all for the information!