Update: the Terms of Service available from the front of the SprintPCS website do not have any language describing the use of the Vision service, but the text of the SprintPCS Advantage Agreement does state the following:
PROMOTIONS, OPTIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS
PCS Vision. Sprint may deny or terminate service without notice where use is in connection with server devices or host computer applications, other systems that drive continuous heavy traffic or data sessions, or as substitutes for private lines or frame relay connections. PCS Vision Packs are: (a) only available with a Vision capable PCS Phone or PCS smart phone device; and (b) not available with Connection Cards, Aircards, or any other device used in connection with a computer or PDA – including phones, smart phones or other devices used with connection kits or similar phone-to-computer/PDA accessories. Sprint reserves the right to deny or to terminate service without notice for any misuse. PCS Vision Pack credits for premium services do not carry forward.
So to rehash – if you want unlimited data for your Powerbook or PDA, T-Mobile offering unlimited GPRS for $20/month attached to a voice plan is the most economical plan you can find. For data-only, $30 is still cheaper than SprintPCS’s $80/month for unlimited data.
Though if you need speed, SprintPCS’s 1xRTT Vision service is faster.
As mentioned a couple days ago in the T608 news, Sprint PCS considered using Vision with a laptop or PDA a violation of the terms of service. This is clearly a step in the right direction. –Emory
Sprint PCS has done an about-face and now allows subscribers to use their 1xRTT Vision service with laptops and PDA’s.
Sprint PCS quietly updated their Terms of Service effective 6/1. Most notable, is the removal of the portion of the Terms of Service that stated that customers could not use their phone as a modem with the $10 to $15 a month Unlimited Vision plan.
Previously the Terms of Service warned that users could be blocked from using Vision, or have their contracts terminated for using it as well. The Terms of Service also blocked the usage of “PCS Vision Connection Kits” which were USB cables that Sprint sold to allow customers to use their phone as a modem. These kits were pulled from stores when Unlimited Vision was announced, and most customers were not given a refund for buying it.
This is extremely good news for people using Vision with their PowerBook, as Sprint had even gone beyond their Terms of Service and started charging customers up to $.002 cents per KB of data transfered, accusing them of violating the ToS.
This comes on the heels of T-Mobile announcing an unlimited data plan that could be added to most voice plans for only $20, and $29.99 for data cards. Sprint PCS still sells data card plans with unlimited access to Vision for $80 a month.
