Still pay for roaming with Sprint

[5niner]

Ok, this is my first post on this forum. I've been looking around since I got a Q in December, but finally have a question that I could not answer thru the Search.

A little background - I have two phones on a shared plan that I started approx. 4 years ago. One regular Q and one Q9c. As far as I can tell, I my plan is pretty cheap, and there is not currently a cheaper plan offered. I pay (not including tax) $85 for 1000 shared minutes, unlimited data on both phones, 300 text on each phone, unlimited sprint2sprint, unlimited nights/weekends at 7pm. This price reflects several years of haggling on different issues.

Now the problem: My plan does not have free roaming. Normally not a concern, but I'll be in NYC for a week, and am not sure about my options. Sprint online Chat tells me that I will pay for voice roaming, as well as $0.20 per text and $0.03 for data. What else can I do? If nothing, will the "Sprint Only" option keep my phone from access the Sprint network in roam?

Any knowledge/help is appreciated. Please feel free to correct my misunderstandings, as well.

[rudeboy]

welcome aboard...

i know little of Sprint.

[cliffr39]

There is a setting to tell your phone "home only" which sounds like the "Sprint only" you are asking about (they might have customized the wording). What it does is tell the phone part to only connect to any cellular network that is "in network" to your carrier, and prevent roaming fees.

On my Q9m it is found in Settings - Phone Settings - Network - Home Only
should be the same on yours but can't say for sure.

[5niner]

Originally Posted by cliffr39

There is a setting to tell your phone "home only" which sounds like the "Sprint only" you are asking about (they might have customized the wording). What it does is tell the phone part to only connect to any cellular network that is "in network" to your carrier, and prevent roaming fees.

On my Q9m it is found in Settings - Phone Settings - Network - Home Only
should be the same on yours but can't say for sure.

Yes, that is the path for the "Sprint Only" option on my phone. Now, I thought that even though Sprint has coverage in NYC, it would still be roaming for me since I'm on an old regional plan based in the Midwest. So, I was afraid that even "Sprint Only" would subject me to roaming charges since I'm outside my home calling area. Is this incorrect?

[cliffr39]

Originally Posted by 5niner

Yes, that is the path for the "Sprint Only" option on my phone. Now, I thought that even though Sprint has coverage in NYC, it would still be roaming for me since I'm on an old regional plan based in the Midwest. So, I was afraid that even "Sprint Only" would subject me to roaming charges since I'm outside my home calling area. Is this incorrect?

sorry, I must have missed that it was a regional plan and not like their old plans that had roaming outside of Sprint areas. Yes you may have added fees then. You could consider a cheap ($20) prepaid phone from walmart for the trip. Not sure how your plan is with call forwarding but might be an option to forward the calls to the prepaid phone for those days.

[5niner]

Ok, after two on line chats and going into the nearby store, it looks like I do not have any good option. Because my plan is one of the old "Area Wide" plans, I will be charged roaming fees and/or "out of area" fees by Sprint.

To further the problem, I was told by Sprint that you cannot turn off just the Data on the 9qc, so even if I turned my phone on to make a voice call, it would still try to sync up email (five accounts currently), resulting in data fees.

This is pretty frustrating. Am I missing a good solution? If nothing else, I guess that I could buy a go-phone for emergencies.

[JMak]

I've got an old Fair & Flexible plan from Sprint and have to pay $5/mo for America Roaming for unlmtd roaming. Unless I change the plan I can't get out of it.

Sounds like a pre-paid will be a good bet.

On my Q9c I have a data roam guard that I think turns off data while in roaing.

[TheBigCheese]

Originally Posted by 5niner

Ok, this is my first post on this forum. I've been looking around since I got a Q in December, but finally have a question that I could not answer thru the Search.

A little background - I have two phones on a shared plan that I started approx. 4 years ago. One regular Q and one Q9c. As far as I can tell, I my plan is pretty cheap, and there is not currently a cheaper plan offered. I pay (not including tax) $85 for 1000 shared minutes, unlimited data on both phones, 300 text on each phone, unlimited sprint2sprint, unlimited nights/weekends at 7pm. This price reflects several years of haggling on different issues.

Now the problem: My plan does not have free roaming. Normally not a concern, but I'll be in NYC for a week, and am not sure about my options. Sprint online Chat tells me that I will pay for voice roaming, as well as $0.20 per text and $0.03 for data. What else can I do? If nothing, will the "Sprint Only" option keep my phone from access the Sprint network in roam?

Any knowledge/help is appreciated. Please feel free to correct my misunderstandings, as well.

Well, I have the SERO plan which is $30 with free roaming, unlimited data, 500 minutes, unlimited N&W starting at 7PM, unlimited wireless-Sprint wireless and unlimited text so that's cheaper but the catch is you would have to leave Sprint and get new phones.