Sprint Offers $60 Unlimited Data Plan → Still requires a locked-down phone from Sprint and a credit check?

I can go to any T-Mo store and get a SIM card for at most 10$ (and often their SIMs are only 1$, or sometimes are 100% free online); then their 30$/mo 5GB@4G plan to try their network out for 30 days; total out-of-pocket-no-questions-no-credit-check-or-contract cost is 40$ at most. Plus T-Mo actually has a great network in bigger cities.

I bet Sprint still wants people to go through all the bullshit of buying a new Sprint-specific and unlockable phone, with near zero resale value. When they start selling SIMs (e.g. to use with my own unlocked Nexus 5), then they might have some potential advantage in certain areas where T-Mo signal is weak. Until then, even 60$ for Sprint's crappy network is a rip off, since you also have to buy a locked-down Sprint-specific and non-resellable phone from them, even though Nexus 5 is fully capable of seeing their signal.

Thanks, but no thanks.

BTW, it's also representative of how much people hate Sprint -- you'd think people would be excited about a 60$ Unlimited option, but most comments so far simply resonate that it's too little, too late!

I'm a relatively happy T-Mo Unlimited 4G customer (grandfathered w/ 3GB of tethering), happily paying 70$/mo plus some corporate discount -- ~70$/mo total after tax and fees; this offer from Sprint means absolutely nothing to me! I wouldn't switch to Sprint even if they'd offer this at 50$/mo, due to all the restrictions and fine print they place everywhere, plus Sprint's network is pretty famous for being the worst.

I can only applaud them for putting PR pressure on T-Mo plus AT&T / Verizon; but the offer itself is quite useless to me.

Phones by next year may come unlockable.

Tmoblie works if it works in your area. Around here, sure you get a decent signal in the city, but drive somewhere, forget it. They closed all the tmobile stores around here because their service is so bad. Sprints is not much better, but at least I get at minimum 3G every where I go.

Yes they will run a credit check for the phone to make sure you can afford it since its on Easy Pay. The rest is month to month on this plan. TMO runs a credit check too for Easy Pay, but allows you to bring any TMO phone into the picture or even an unlocked ATT phone.

When the carrier chooses to unlock them. VZW did this before-but you waited until they were ready to give you the codes. AT&T Mobility is the same, but when you are with them for 6 months, you get the codes, even a prepaid phone has to be active for 6 month before they'll unlock it.

Bingo. TMobile is Cr@p where I live with only 2G coverage(I've had 4G on Sprint for a couple years now). Everyone complains about Sprint's coverage but TMoibile is the one that needs the help the most.