Sprint PAYGo service to begin January 25 with select phones
updated 09:31 pm EST, Wed January 2, 2013
Regular Sprint phones ineligible for PAYGo service
Sprint will be rolling out its prepaid service model in the coming weeks, bringing a Sprint-branded service option to customers that do not want to sign up for a contract. Sprint As You Go will reportedly be starting up on January 25, with one flip phone, one feature phone, and two smartphones eligible for no-contract service. The prepaid service will not, though, be open to customers using standard Sprint smartphones.
Starting January 25, according to Android Police, which discovered the Sprint internal documents revealing the service, customers will be able to purchase the Samsung M400 flip phone for $50, the Samsung Array feature phone for $80, the LG Optimus Elite for $150, or the Samsung Victory for $250. More models will be added to the prepaid lineup as the service evolves. Prepaid service for feature phones will cost $50 per month, and smartphone service will run $70 per month.
The plans will come with unlimited voice, unlimited text, unlimited data, voice roaming, and 1XRTT Data roaming. EVDO data roaming is not included. Devices are paid for upon starting up the account, and customers will not be able to bill the cost of a phone to an account.
The documents also note that customers will not be able to bring their own devices into the prepaid service. Only Sprint As You Go devices with unique SKUs can be activated on these plans.
