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May 4, 2004

Sprint PCS's Unlimited Monthly Wi-Fi

By Glenn Fleishman

Sprint PCS Wi-Fi Access service now available at $49.95 for unlimited monthly usage: Sprint PCS is bucking the trend downward by offering Wayport and Cometa’s network and a handful of other locations under their own brand for almost twice what other companies were reselling those networks for. Boingo Wireless gets you Wayport, Surf and Sip, and a number of other domestic U.S. networks for $21.95 for 12 moths (then $34.95 per month); Cometa’s partners were at one point selling their network for under $20 per month and Cometa is suggesting a monthly unlimited rate below that.

Sprint PCS will eventually have a number of unique locations that aren’t just resold from other networks, but it’s likely that those locations will be part of bilateral or clearinghouse roaming agreements and thus be available for use by other networks that charge less for unlimited use. The carriers appear to continue to want to eke as many dollars as possible out of non-voice subscribers (viz., T-Mobile’s $40 per month for month to month rate, $30 for 1-year commitment, or $20 for 1-year voice subscriber commitment).

Let’s put it this way: when a user can walk a few minutes to a McDonald’s in any direction and use their network as part of their 50 percent cheaper unlimited plan, what chance does Sprint PCS have to charge the rate they started with today?

If you want a laugh at the modern provisions of a contract for Internet use on the fly, click through to sign up for the service and read the terms of service in a popup window. It includes deathless legal prose in a list of things you promise not to do on their network:

b) Defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others;

c) Publish, distribute or disseminate any inappropriate, profane, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful material or information;

There are a host of other illegal activities they enumerate as well. Kids, don’t do Wi-Fi (actually you have to be 18 to sign up for the service). Stay in school! [link via Tom’s Networking]

Posted by Glennf at May 4, 2004 7:09 AM

Categories: Hot Spot

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