$25 BT Grandfathering to End for Everyone in a Few Weeks?

**Churner** · 10-23-2012, 08:27 AM

Someone over at Fatwallet made the following post:

I was grandfathered into the $25 plan with an Optimus V. I recently called customer service to find out if I could change phones and was told that I could, so long as it was a phone that had been released before the $25 plan was dropped. Now for the bad news - the rep told me that all $25 plans will be converted to $35 plans beginning late October/ early November. The man I spoke with had a good command of the English language but was not a native speaker, so hopefully something was getting lost in translation and he misspoke or was simply mistaken.

I realize it's just a rumor. Anyone else heard that the $25 plan is going away in that fashion?

**soylentgreen77** · 10-23-2012, 08:56 AM

if they pushed me to the 35.00 plan, then nothing would be holding me back from switching to Straight Talk or someone else.
The only reason I put up with horrible speeds that I have with VM, is the cheap price.

**brachiopoid** · 10-23-2012, 08:59 AM

Exactly. If they pushed me to $35, I might as well look at T-Mobile or Straight talk where I can get a better phone anyway.

**aml1025** · 10-23-2012, 09:01 AM

For past plan/service changes, Virgin Mobile has given more notice than this - after all, it is late October already. But with 3 phones on $25 plans, a change like that would be a deal breaker for me, too. For the difference, I could get a family plan on contract and some new, subsidized phones

**JazzJackRabbit** · 10-23-2012, 09:12 AM

Well... I've already made the decision to ditch VM either for Ting or PPC $12 plan. I never ever use more than 100MB of data and I rarely if ever go over 150 minutes and 150 texts, so $25 as "cheap" as it is, is still too much for how little I actually use my phone. I have $100 in my account balance left, if they force me onto $35 plan, all it means is that I will leave in 3 months instead of 4. Net gain for VM I suppose since I will "hog" their network for one less month while forking over the same amount of money.

But as aml1025 has pointed out, VM is usually good about giving advanced notice, so I'll believe this when I see a text or an email from VM.

**JDubTrey** · 10-23-2012, 09:22 AM

I saw a similar post a few weeks ago and ignored it. I don't doubt the person was told that, but phone reps haven't had a great track record of disseminating important information like this.

It could eventually happen, but I think you'd hear it from some other source first.

**TBiz** · 10-23-2012, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by JDubTrey

It could eventually happen, but I think you'd hear it from some other source first.

Good point! Let's wait for official message from VM.

**TBiz** · 10-23-2012, 11:35 AM

This could have something to do with the Softbank acquisition.

**HondaDNA** · 10-23-2012, 09:25 PM

Why would they open the $25 plan back on just to shut it off to everyone??

**vmobi** · 10-23-2012, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Churner

Someone over at Fatwallet made the following post:

I was grandfathered into the $25 plan with an Optimus V. I recently called customer service to find out if I could change phones and was told that I could, so long as it was a phone that had been released before the $25 plan was dropped. Now for the bad news - the rep told me that all $25 plans will be converted to $35 plans beginning late October/ early November. The man I spoke with had a good command of the English language but was not a native speaker, so hopefully something was getting lost in translation and he misspoke or was simply mistaken.

I realize it's just a rumor. Anyone else heard that the $25 plan is going away in that fashion?

November will bring new plans and announcements to Virgin Mobile subscribers. Seems like Sprint is about to introduce new options for VM and Boost. There are multiple reports @ the BT $25 plan being eliminated 11/5.

I hope they also introduce new service options that better compete against the myriad of new plans now targeting the current BT service options @ VM. Maybe Sprint/VM will introduce a new entry level BT tier between ($20 & $25/mo) for Unlimited Messaging & Unlimited Data with a $0.10cpm feature, and keep the BT/300 @ $35.

**JDubTrey** · 10-23-2012, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by vmobi

November will bring new plans and announcements to Virgin Mobile subscribers. Seems like Sprint is about to introduce new options for VM and Boost. There are multiple reports @ the BT $25 plan being eliminated 11/5.

I hope they also introduce new service options that better compete against the myriad of new plans now targeting the current BT service options @ VM. Maybe Sprint/VM will introduce a new entry level BT tier between ($20 & $25/mo) for Unlimited Messaging & Unlimited Data with a $0.10cpm feature, and keep the BT/300 @ $35.

This is good to know.

Can you provide some links to the reports?

As for your example plan, that wouldn't be a good idea to keep the same price point and just snatch all the minutes away. I could see them lowering the throttle threshold though.

**Churner** · 10-23-2012, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by vmobi

Maybe Sprint/VM will introduce a new entry level BT tier between ($20 & $25/mo) for Unlimited Messaging & Unlimited Data with a $0.10cpm feature, and keep the BT/300 @ $35.

I'd love this change. I use fewer than 50 voice minutes a month most months. Bring it on, Sprint!

**vmobi** · 10-23-2012, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by JDubTrey

This is good to know.
Can you provide some links to the reports?
As for your example plan, that wouldn't be a good idea to keep the same price point and just snatch all the minutes away. I could see them lowering the throttle threshold though.

Sorry No Links for the multiple reports, but the sources are current customers

on VM's BT $25.
I will verify in the morning and provide an update if available... Re: the plans, from CS rep earlier this week, indicated "current plans" instead of the normal "BT plans", implying more info would be available soon and confirming that more information would be posted on the VM website soon... I am assuming that the nice lady may have been trying to indicate more info would soon be available from VM's Twitter and FB reps or changes would soon appear at VMUSA's website. It seems as if Sprint is now eliminating all the former VM grandfathered service options and may not offer the GF feature any longer. Sprint is also now limiting GF plans to current devices on expired plans and prohibiting replacement or device upgrades @ Boost Mobile too.
This indicates that Prepaid Service is here to stay and Sprint may be getting ready to bring the prepaid service price points in line with the postpaid side. Nothing wrong with that as long as they provide the same service features across both Prepaid and Contract wireless services. If Sprint initiates Prepaid LTE Service options on VM and Boost this November, we will definitely see the first substantial price increase @ Sprint's Prepaid Brands.

**vmobi** · 10-23-2012, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by Churner

I'd love this change. I use fewer than 50 voice minutes a month most months. Bring it on, Sprint!

That type of plan, if it does materialize, would compete directly with T-Mobile's $30 plan. I know of too many people that would opt for such a service option.

"Talk is sooo 2 years ago, no one uses minutes anymore..."

Keep the minutes give me the Data!!!