Sprint to Launch iPhone 5 with Unlimited Data Next Month

sprint logo
Bloomberg reports that Sprint will indeed begin offering the iPhone next month as had been previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, seeking to set itself apart from AT&T and Verizon by offering unlimited data plans for the device. The carrier is said to be launching the iPhone 5 in mid-October under its new deal with Apple.

Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) will offer Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone next month with unlimited data service plans to distinguish itself from rivals AT&T Inc. (T) and Verizon Wireless, according to people familiar with the matter.

Sprint, the third-largest U.S. wireless carrier, plans to begin selling the device in mid-October under a deal with Apple for the next model, the iPhone 5, said the people, who wouldn’t be identified because the plans aren’t public. Becoming the country’s only operator to offer the device with unlimited data service for a flat fee may help Sprint draw customers from AT&T and Verizon Wireless, which already carry the phone, they said.

The report also notes that Sprint has postponed the launch of a new rival 4G phone in order to accommodate preparations for the iPhone's debut. Just yesterday, Sprint announced that it will be delaying the launch of the BlackBerry Curve 9350 to October from today's previously-planned launch date. The company did not provide a reason for the delay, but the Curve 9350 may in fact be the device cited by Bloomberg as being delayed for the iPhone preparations, despite the fact that it is not a 4G device.

Unlimited data is a significant selling point for Sprint, which offers a package of unlimited voice and data for $99.99 per month on several existing smartphones. Both AT&T and Verizon offered unlimited data on the iPhone when they launched the device, but both carriers have switched to tiered data plans for new customers. Existing customers who had previously signed up for unlimited data have been allowed to maintain their data plans.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

iOS 18 Available Now With These 8 New Features For Your iPhone

Sunday September 15, 2024 10:09 am PDT by
Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 18 was finally widely released to the public on Monday, September 16. The update is available in the Settings app under General → Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have highlighted eight key new features included in iOS 18, and Apple shared a complete list of new features and changes last week. Note that Apple...
iOS 18 Public Beta Thumb 1

Here's When iOS 18 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone

Monday September 16, 2024 3:56 am PDT by
It's that time of year again. Apple is about to release iOS 18, which promises to bring a range of new features and improvements to iPhones worldwide. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and the company is expected to release it sometime today – Monday, September 16. Based on past releases, the update is likely to drop at around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time/1:00 p.m. Eastern...
M4 Mac mini Black Ortho Cooler

Apple Leaks New Mac Mini With 5 USB-C Ports

Monday September 16, 2024 11:40 am PDT by
Apple has seemingly leaked the rumored next-generation Mac mini with five USB-C ports, according to a code change within Apple software that was discovered today by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris. The code refers to an unreleased Mac mini model with an Apple silicon chip and five ports, which lines up with a previous report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman that said the next Mac mini will be ...
apple silicon mac lineup wwdc 2022 feature purple

M4 Macs, New iPad Mini, and iPad 11 Expected at Upcoming Apple Event

Sunday September 15, 2024 5:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely hold another event in October this year to announce new Macs and iPads. If so, it would be the fourth time in the last five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on Monday, October 30 to announce new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series of chips. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reiterated...
16 pro

iPhone 16 Pro Demand Has Been Lower Than Expected, Analyst Says

Sunday September 15, 2024 3:58 pm PDT by
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said demand for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max has been "lower than expected" since the devices became available to pre-order in the U.S. and dozens of other countries on Friday. Kuo said his data is based on a "supply chain survey" and shipping estimates listed on Apple's online store. Kuo estimated that sales of all four iPhone 16 models reached...
m4 iPad Pro Horizontal Feature Purple and Blue

Apple Pulls iPadOS 18 for M4 iPad Pro After Bricking Complaints [Updated]

Tuesday September 17, 2024 11:24 am PDT by
Apple stopped signing the iPadOS 18 update for the M4 iPad Pro models, which means the new software is no longer available to be downloaded and installed at the current time. The update appears to have been pulled following complaints from some iPad Pro owners, who found that the update bricked their devices. There are reports on Reddit from iPad Pro users who had an interruption in the...

Top Rated Comments

FrizzleFryBen Avatar
170 months ago
So did AT&T. So did Verizon. Will it last?
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dagamer34 Avatar
170 months ago
"Hello competition. Haven't seen you in a while…"
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scottological Avatar
170 months ago
I sincerely doubt that both AT&T and Verizon switched away from unlimited data because iPhone users were using too much. They saw a profit could be made peddling tiered data and decided to go for it.

Sprint's move is a competitive one, and a far-sighted one. While they very well may go to tiered data after some initial promotional period, they will have gained millions of new customers and the AT&T and Verizon's expense.

It's a smart move, and good on them for being foresighted enough to make it.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Intarweb Avatar
170 months ago
Sprint Can Kiss my Hairy ASS.

I would go ATT before I went Sprint.

Those of you who want to go Sprint Go ahead I warned you.

Sprint has the worst customer service ever. Did Then Does Now. Horror stories I have heard of late show me they haven't changed 8 years. Never will.

F*@K Sprint.

So you're basing your hate on second hand and third hand stories? Well done. As a very long Sprint customer in the past they did nothing but help me as best they could with every issue I had. They were the best by far and AT&T customer service pales in comparison.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thunder82 Avatar
170 months ago
Sprint says "we have Unlimited data" a month later they bust a verizon move..:rolleyes: not going to last long I bet let's see what happen:D

It'll last, Sprint needs that as an incentive to bring in much needed new subscribers.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cardinalryan Avatar
170 months ago
I can't remember... do they offer voice and data at the same time? If this comes w/o a tether charge, I'm all Sprints.
Hello Sprint...here I come. To me, this is even worth the disconnect fee I would have to pay to leave Verizon just to get grandfathered in.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)