Unlike the sprint store, there's no rebates if you go thru Bestbuy. $179.99 is the out-the-door price (before tax).
I believe the "no contract" price (from Sprint, not sure about BestBuy) is only $330 ($430-$100 rebate, see fine print here) which (from what I hear) is a bargain for a phone like this, so that's another option for those that hate contracts.
This phone comes out on Sunday, BUT if you are a Reward Zone member, you can get the Hero tomorrow (Friday) instead of waiting until Sunday. You should have received an email recently that links to a PDF of coupons:
to the Sprint® HTC Hero™ when you use your Reward Zone® program membership 1 Coupon valid 10/9/09–10/12/09 for select U.S. Best Buy stores participating in the Reward Zone Exclusive Sales Event. National launch date is 10/11/09. 2 Instant savings on phones require activation through Best Buy ® on new lines of service with 2-year service agreement on each line. Limit 5 phones per customer. No dealers. Service available in New Jersey. Carriers and phones vary by store. Subject to the terms and conditions of the carrier agreement, including, as applicable, activation fees, credit approval, 2-year service agreement and termination fees. May require a $ 36 activation fee/line, credit approval & deposit. Up to $200 early termination fee/line applies. See Mobile Phone Specialist for details. Coverage not available everywhere. The 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (including roaming) reaches over 269 million people. Offers not available in all markets/retail locations or for all phones/networks. Pricing, offer terms, fees & features may vary for existing customers not eligible for upgrade. Other restrictions apply. See store or sprint.com for details. Requires new 2-year in-store activation or eligible 2-year upgrade on Business Essentials Message & Data Plan or an Everything Plan with Data.Cashier Instructions: Scan coupon UPC. Scan all product(s) being sold. Scan Reward Zone® program membership card. Press “Total.” Write “VOID” on coupon and place in register coupon media fle.Sprint® HTC Hero™
A multi-tasker’s dream come true. This phone comes with an open framework and the ability to customize. Multiple applications can run in the background so you can leave Facebook®, Flicker® and Twitter® on in the background while you chat with friends. 9509784 $179.99 with 2-year new or upgrade activation. National Retail Exclusive
If you can wait, Samsung** has a similar Android phone coming out for Sprint called the "Moment" which has a slideout keyboard, a brighter OLED screen, and a faster CPU for the same price. That phone comes out 1st of November.
** Personally, I've had quality issues (buttons that stopped working, hinges that broke earlier than expected) w/ Samsung phones. I'm coming from an HTC Touch Diamond (sprint version). The hardware is solid, but the underlying Windows Mobile OS is lousy and increasingly outdated -- even the new WM 6.5 OS is already outdone by the existing Android and iPhone OS.
I love that they have to say "Service available in New Jersey," as if it's a big deal. Maybe too much radiation from the dumps there interfering with cellular signals
bsmith87 said: steelycat said: Let me be the first to say...not for SERO. Not so much.
No contract is only $330, not bad for that phone. Where do you see the no-contract price of $330? The likely hood of this being $330 without contract is ZERO.
brahmachari99 said: bsmith87 said: steelycat said: Let me be the first to say...not for SERO. Not so much.
No contract is only $330, not bad for that phone. Where do you see the no-contract price of $330? The likely hood of this being $330 without contract is ZERO.
I guess its just a rumor, look at OP's post.
jeffH70
Broke Member
posted: Oct. 8, 2009 @ 11:46p
Just a warning, HTC Hero will not be able to activated on Sero account, same as Pre so do not buy it if you have sero.
joshyc
Member
posted: Oct. 8, 2009 @ 11:51p
The only hope for us sero using android lovers is the port of android to htc touch pro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uH-VLYX0d68
jeffH70 said: Just a warning, HTC Hero will not be able to activated on Sero account, same as Pre so do not buy it if you have sero. Are you saying that if you pay the full price or buy it from eBay, Sprint still won't let you activate it on a SERO account? That's pretty harsh of Sprint if true.
That's what they did with the Pre. I read about some people who managed to get it added to their account, but it killed their SERO. I haven't read of any way to get a Pre (or apparently this phone) on a SERO account short of changing the ESN on it to that of an approved phone. Not that I am suggesting that or have any idea of even how that would be done.
The price of $330 for no contract was from the price of $430 (no contract) - $100 (MIR). I'm not sure if this really works, but thats where it came from.
I will be curious to see if they do the same thing with the Hero that they did with the Pre, I haven't read anywhere that they will, but it's more than likely as they attempt to kill off any SERO accounts.
SERO people, get over it guys! Find 4 other people and get a family plan. You can get the Alliance Credit Union Membership discount(25% off your bill each month with Sprint, anyone can apply, google it if you don't know what it is) and with 5 people on a 1500 minute Everything Data plan it brings the monthly cost down to $28.49 per person before taxes and fees. Props for having the SERO, but when you are excluded from the new OSes and hardware coming out and everything, well that sucks. Anyway, I finally settled on the Family Plan setup, getting my Hero on Sunday.
Alexsoccerboy said: SERO people, get over it guys! Find 4 other people and get a family plan. You can get the Alliance Credit Union Membership discount(25% off your bill each month with Sprint, anyone can apply, google it if you don't know what it is) and with 5 people on a 1500 minute Everything Data plan it brings the monthly cost down to $28.49 per person before taxes and fees. Props for having the SERO, but when you are excluded from the new OSes and hardware coming out and everything, well that sucks. Anyway, I finally settled on the Family Plan setup, getting my Hero on Sunday.
Is it 25%? I saw the credit union thing and it says 15%. But that discount wont work for sero. Well as for the phone I would like to purchase myself. But I will wait and see the result of it activating on a sero plan by the end of next week because i heard people was able to buy the phone from telesales with a sero account. The possibility is low but let see what happens.
Alliant is now 10%, also yeah people are able to order Hero on the SERO plan, but latest news is that they aren't actually able to activate them.
tacosun
New Member
posted: Oct. 9, 2009 @ 11:26a
I wouldnt bother with trying to get the phone on a SERO plan. I tried getting the Pre when it first came out and they told me I needed a 79.99 plan to get it even with me threatening to cancel my account with the retentions dept 3 or 4 times. They just don't care enough to make that exception for SERO customers.
Alexsoccerboy said: SERO people, get over it guys! Find 4 other people and get a family plan. You can get the Alliance Credit Union Membership discount(25% off your bill each month with Sprint, anyone can apply, google it if you don't know what it is) and with 5 people on a 1500 minute Everything Data plan it brings the monthly cost down to $28.49 per person before taxes and fees. Props for having the SERO, but when you are excluded from the new OSes and hardware coming out and everything, well that sucks. Anyway, I finally settled on the Family Plan setup, getting my Hero on Sunday. Thanks for the lecture, but the 25% Alliant discount has been long gone. It's only 10% now, and it's valid for any credit union, not just Alliant.
XistenZ
Addicted Member
posted: Oct. 9, 2009 @ 1:39p
Anyone find out the out the door price at bestbuy with no contract?
Thanks, I went to BB and got one. Im on a Business Shared Plan so no issue whatsoever. I love the phone.
My bill actually went down because I had a BB and that BES plan is $39.99 by itself and I was able to change things around a little. Just using ActiveSync for Exchange now and it was seamless and worked fine.
DevExpert
New Member
posted: Oct. 9, 2009 @ 2:25p
XistenZ said: Anyone find out the out the door price at bestbuy with no contract?
Is there a benefit to buying from BestBuy since they charge you tax off the MSRP price? For example, even if it's $179, you get taxed off $600 or something. So in California where it's 9.75% it's $179.99 + $58.40 = $238. Through Sprint it'd be $279 - $100MIR + $27.20 which is cheaper but you have to wait for rebate.
lancelot916 said: Is there a benefit to buying from BestBuy since they charge you tax off the MSRP price? For example, even if it's $179, you get taxed off $600 or something. So in California where it's 9.75% it's $179.99 + $58.40 = $238. Through Sprint it'd be $279 - $100MIR + $27.20 which is cheaper but you have to wait for rebate.
I just purchased mine in VA for $179 + tax = $188.
Got mine in San Jose (nice phone!) but paid $49 in taxes (and no lubrication). Oh, Best Buy also collected an $18 'upgrade activation' for Sprint. I promptly called Sprint, complained about it and got it removed.
Julia24
Member
posted: Oct. 9, 2009 @ 4:50p
Sprint is by far the best network, especially since you get FREE anytime minutes after 7pm!!!
Alexsoccerboy said: SERO people, get over it guys! Find 4 other people and get a family plan. You can get the Alliance Credit Union Membership discount(25% off your bill each month with Sprint, anyone can apply, google it if you don't know what it is) and with 5 people on a 1500 minute Everything Data plan it brings the monthly cost down to $28.49 per person before taxes and fees. Props for having the SERO, but when you are excluded from the new OSes and hardware coming out and everything, well that sucks. Anyway, I finally settled on the Family Plan setup, getting my Hero on Sunday.
And of course the most ridiculous part of your statement is the "find 4 other people" part. Are these supposed to be friends or co-workers who I then get to harass every freakin month for their part of the bill? I'm all about a good deal, but saving a few bucks and creating an administrative nightmare in the process is idiotic. If you have a family and need 5 lines, then fine. A lot of us are not in that boat.
I got the hero yesterday at BB great phone lots of fun.....I think today also if u get any sprint phone with 2 yr activation you get madden 10 for xbox ps3 or wii for FREE...............so i got the hero for like $190 after tax and a free $60 game, pretty sweet at best buy
thegameshack said: I got the hero yesterday at BB great phone lots of fun.....I think today also if u get any sprint phone with 2 yr activation you get madden 10 for xbox ps3 or wii for FREE...............so i got the hero for like $190 after tax and a free $60 game, pretty sweet at best buy
The phone is VERY VERY good. I was playing with mine on and off for 10 hours or so yesterday. Battery life is superb, compared to the Pre. Go out there and get this phone, people.
Can you get the 10% + the $60 "new" SERO, making it ~60 with taxes and such? I think that's what I'm going to end up doing. Tired of not being able to get the phone I really want because of my plan (BTW...excellent job Sprint, you sucked me back in with SERO and then brought out not only one but TWO phones that I lust after in order to squeeze another 30 bucks/month out of me...only took you 2 years!). I kid of course...60 bucks is a STELLAR deal considering a comparable iphone plan costs 30-40% more but 30 bucks is an even better deal and I just have to get over it...I mean, before SERO I paid 55 bucks a month on T-Mobile for a freakin' RAZR.
Archon810 said: The phone is VERY VERY good. I was playing with mine on and off for 10 hours or so yesterday. Battery life is superb, compared to the Pre. Go out there and get this phone, people. It is a nice phone. Best Android phone I've seen, though it occasionally has quirks with touch input (might be apps hogging too much CPU). This is the most I've ever paid for a phone even though I'm a bit of a gadget geek . Guess I've been reluctant to shell out the bucks for a data plan. Edit: Asked about Madden10 in the store and that promo is only for new activations, not upgrades :/
Note that Sprint's version of the HTC Hero has a slightly different form factor than the "regular" Hero. You'll need a case specially design for the variation. Here's a great deal on Sprint HTC Hero accessories @ Handhelditems.. Use code 30htcoff for an additional 30% off, and remember FW 4% Cashback!
Also remember, if you are on a Data plan with the Hero/Blackberry/Pre, you get unlimited calling to any cell phone in america. That makes the deal for me.
Man, i am on the fence here. Do I wait for the Samsung Moment (coming out November 1), its supposed to have a much faster processer which I think is the one issue with the Hero when having multiple programs running. Also, the Moment has a keyboard.
thedealman
Member
posted: Oct. 12, 2009 @ 12:05a
I have a SERO account. What phone CAN I upgrade to?
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