My Retort.

Hi Mark,
Thanks for your reply. Your list of features seems fairly analogous to the description of three benchmarks I'd mentioned from the website.
1) fast processor 2) nice camera 3) big screen
I understand that the processor may power data-based Android applications, and the user could upload high-megapixel images, and that the screen can displayhigher resolution web video. (You also note that the EVO is capable
of outputting HDMI video, which wouldn't effect data use totals unless
you're suggesting that they could stream down HD quality video over a
3G connection.) But the presence of these abilities on a device does
not equate their constant employment.

I was pleased to see you mention that the Premium data fee would
remove the 5GB data cap when connected to the 3G network. This is indeed a difference between just "data" and "premium data". And in
fact I'd forgotten that Sprint imposes a 5GB monthly data restriction
on its phones. I can see on the "plans" portion of the sprint.com
shop page that the Wireless Broadband plans list 5GB in the "monthly
usage" column. It's a bit odd that the "Everything Data" and
"Everything Data Family" Plans don't feature a similar column. They
do however feature this text description that could be misinterpreted
as mobile data without a monthly cap.

"Our Everything Data plans give you unlimited data, messages and calls
to any mobile, anytime while on the Sprint Network."

It is not in fact $20 for unlimited data, it is an unlimited SMS, MMS,
mobile to mobile calls plan with a 5GB cap on other data. It costs
$30 for a premium plan with unlimited data, messages and mobile to
mobile calls. That was my misunderstanding of the stated details.
With these new data-hungry devices I understand not wanting
unsuspecting customers to run up against data caps which make their
features unusable, or worse to be charged overages. However I would
think opting-in to truly unlimited data would be a per user decision,
rather than blanket by phone model. This is the case with minute
plans across all phone models, with options ranging from 0 to 200 all the way through 3,000 or unlimited minutes. This would be like Sprint
only offering an unlimited minute plan on a phone that features
high-fidelity audio hardware.

If you run through the numbers a user would have to send and receive
over 170 MB of data each day on his mobile device to run afoul of the
(admittedly generous) 5GB cap. While this may be feasible on phones streaming 720p video, I think it's unfair to assume all your customers
are amateur videographers. I've attached the graph of my personal
data experience which includes an EVO 4G for all months and a Hero
from June through November, replaced by an Epic 4G in December. As
you can see, we have trouble cracking 350 MB across two devices most months. This is embarrassingly far from our 10GB limit and I promise
to try harder in the future.I understand from the footnote that these data do not include
transactions conducted through the Clearwire WiMax network, but I can
assure you that those would be minimal additions. I usually only
enable my 4G radio when in DC or Baltimore to run the FCC speed test
application. Frankly the fact that 4G data isn't included leads me to
postulate that Sprint is unable to track 4G usage. It's strange to
think, but that seems like a more plausible reason to coerce me into
an unlimited data tier than worries about my 1GHz processor and 5MP
camera conspiring against my historical usage trends.

I guess from a consumer perspective I'd appreciate if you would
highlight the 5GB cap on normal data plans and truly unlimited data
usage for smartphones on the premium data plan. To market something
as limitless when in fact it has clearly set limitations dilutes an
offering that actually delivers on the same promises.