SERO users....what is your next move going to be?

[simonnyc]

This is for those that are still on the legacy SERO/SERO-premium plans that Sprint used to offer. 2 years ago, when I was due for an upgrade, I had a decision to make regarding my next phone. At the time, I was using an HTC Touch Pro 2 and was itching to upgrade to a more updated device. That was around the time Sprint started charging the $10 premium data fee for 4G devices (which eventually turned into any smartphone). The only 'new' phones at the time that were exempt from the $10 premium data fee was the LG Optimus (Android) and the HTC Arrive (WP7). As a low-end Android device, the Optimus was out of the question (as I read a lot about the sluggishness of Android devices at the time...especially in the low end phones). This made my choice easy....the HTC Arrive. WP7 was very new at the time and I knew about all the shortcomings regarding apps but coming from the Touch Pro2, apps were not something I worried about.

I'm still using the Arrive and am finally eligible for an upgrade. My problem now is what do I upgrade to? I really love the WP7.8 OS and would get the L920 right now if it was available on Sprint. I was very excited when Sprint announced at CES that they would be launching some WP8 devices by the summer but my excitement quickly turned to disappointment when they revealed that Nokia would be not one of their WP8 launch partners. At this point, Nokia, with all of their exclusive apps, is the only WP8 device that I really want and I don't want to wait til 2014 for a Nokia device for Sprint. I have no interest in the iphone so my only other options right now are the Note2 and the GS4 (which is rumored to be coming out in a couple of months).

So finally my question....for those of you who are on the SERO plan, if you have upgraded already from the Arrive, what have you upgraded to and how has your experience been with the new device?

 

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

What is SERO?

 

[simonnyc]

It's an old employee referral plan that sprint used to offer to friends/family of sprint employees. It's since been discontinued but there is nothing out there plan-wise that can touch it.

My current plan on my HTC Arrive is as follows...for $40/month I get 500 anytime minutes, unlimited mobile to mobile minutes, unlimited text & data, free nights/weekends (nights begin at 7pm).

As much as I want to switch to AT&T to get the Lumia 920, my plan is way more important to me than any phone.

The only downside to having the SERO plan is you can't take advantage of cheap phone prices offered by amazon, bestbuy, etc. You have to call Sprint directly to upgrade your device. For example, the Note2 would cost me $299 with new 2yr agreement. Amazon is currently selling it for $99 with new 2 yr agreement.

 

[mrmdj31675]

The issue with Nokia not reaching other carriers at this time in the US market (especially Sprint) is beyond any logic. It may have to do with the problems Nokia has had with the CDMA community when they decided to use their own unlicensed CDMA components and Sprint was the most vocal about it since they are a strong supporter of the Qualcomm standards.

Eventually, Nokia will have to sit down with Dan Hesse and company to bring their products, and this may be the gate to get into regional and prepaid carriers since Windows Phone is non exsistant in the CDMA heavy prepaid market, and the GSM prepaid carriers in general don't sell them but allow unlocked devices.

 

[simonnyc]

Sprint and Verizon use the same technology so if Nokia can release phones for Verizon, I see no reason why they aren't offering the same on the Sprint network. I know Spring bet the farm on the iPhone but I can't imagine why they couldn't work something out with nokia.

 

[mrmdj31675]

It's the broken CDMA coding currently used for WP8 devices that kept Sprint and every CDMA carrier in the US from carrying WP8 devices at launch. China Mobile coding and cell network encryptionis not going to cut it, especially when the FCC has given Microsoft two years to bring Windows Phone up to Qualcomm's current CDMA standards.

 

[simonnyc]

Ugh....with the HTC One coming to Sprint, it's gonna be tough staying in the WP family. A WP8 version of the HTC One may keep me in the WP family but it's not looking too promising as it stands.

 

[mrmdj31675]

I got a feeling HTC does have something very good for their WP8 line, which brings us again to the device Sprint will have by summertime.