When Will Sprint Cease to Be the Only Unlimited Data Provider?

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(credit: nuebie)

Contrary to popular belief, there still lingers one mobile service provider that lists unlimited data as an available option. Once Verizon halts their unlimited data offering come autumn, Sprint will be the only major mobile service provider still offering unlimited data usage. For an additional $9.99, a month Sprint customers can continue to enjoy a bottomless barrel of information processing through their smartphones. But don’t take Sprint’s insistence to remain steadfast on the data situation as a sign of kindness. Sprint is certainly going to wean its customers off of unlimited data, the debate is simply a matter of when.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has gone on the record saying “nothing lasts forever” in reference to his company’s persistence in providing unlimited data. He says Sprint continues to monitor the situation. This is industry-speak for making it clear that while Sprint enjoys being the only boss in town that still offers an incredibly enticing opportunity, they completely grasp the moneymaking potential of throttled data usage and the losses associated with set-priced unlimited data. But since it’s evident that they aren’t completely reliant on their data-usage profits or even the potential of increased data usage profits, Sprint wants to take its time in coming up with their next step.

The fact of the matter is that unless they need the profit margins netted from limited data plans, they can pretty much go about making the switch whenever they want. It’s a little part of the mobile phone business called contracts. Those who love the idea of getting unlimited data usage today are going to be the customers making the switch to throttled data whether that switch happens six months from now or a year from now. In fact, Sprint’s resistance could be seen as less to do with sucking customers away from competition and more about ensuring that they have as many customers contracted to their service as possible by the time they make the switch.

When Sprint ultimately decides to switch over to throttled data usage plans, remains an unknowable, but within the year is probably a safe bet. If Sprint doesn’t show off their unlimited data in the interim, take it a good sign things are about to change. If Sprint decides to heavily market its unlimited data, then that’s a sign they’ll likely wait longer than a year to implement an end to unlimited data.

But it’s without a doubt that Sprint’s unlimited data plan is on a limited timeframe. There’s no reason every other company would abandon their unlimited plans if they knew one of their competitors would keep offering such a package indefinitely. That’s far too good of an option to not have when a competitor does.

No, they know Sprint’s data usage package is on borrowed time. Sprint customers and potential Sprint customers ought be as aware of the limits of their unlimited data destiny.