Sprint has introduced a data only plan called Sprint Relay, which includes unlimited data, unlimited text and 5 gigs worth of tethering. Incoming calls are automatically blocked and outgoing is rated at $.20 per minute. Pick up an HTC Hero or similar phone and combine with the method here to use this plan with full calling capabilities.
xarien said: esoterica said: Way to abuse a plan designed to benefit those who are hearing disabled. More info at www.sprintrelay.com
This isn't so much an abuse as it is a creative loophole. This isn't going to affect the hearing impaired.Guess it isn't much worse than a pacifist joining the Pentagon Federal Credit Union.
While it may be morally gray, this is still a deals forum and we should stick to the potential deal rather than dwell on highly subjective topics. It's perfectly legal and doesn't negatively impact anyone.
Gizmo5 can easily change their policy (as they did when GV first came out, they went from unlimited to 3min limit per call forwarded) again. wait so with gv, you can only talk 3 min at a time from now on? There was another thread that got huge green for combining GV with gizmo5. But if its only 3 min calls, then its worthless.
This is an interesting idea, and I actually went through the configuration process and got to the checkout page where one of the required fields was the phone number and device type of my current home relay device. It's clear that Sprint only will sell this to bona fide relay customers.
Scaredwitless
Tired Member
posted: Oct. 13, 2009 @ 6:27p
As someone who is deaf, an actual Sprint Relay customer, actually eligible for this plan, as well use it, I find the blatant intent to try to abuse this system by those who it was clearly not meant for, reprehensible. Sprint is by far one of the best companies catering to the true needs of the Hearing impaired. You'd be shocked at how little effort the other carriers put towards catering to this community. Many will not allow you a data only plan, forcing you to pay for voice minutes that you will never use--or they offer you data only with a premium fee on top, say an extra $20 or so, much like cable companies will add on a fee if you want internet without a TV package. You think you're not harming anyone if you abuse rare great offers such as this? Plans like these are virtually non-existent, accessibility plans are something a group who needed, fought for. You're harming not only your morals, but you're harming, too, an entire community of folks who will lose out big time when services such as this vanish, or become more restrictive as more and more abuse sets in. This is really no different than abusing relay calls if you don't actually need them--sure you might get free long distance, voice calling over text only lines, but in that case you are tying up resources(literally an entire person, the operator) and harming a community that already is at an disadvantage as it is.
As a long time fatwalleter myself, I have no problem using loopholes, beating the system working within the system. But stuff like this is flat out abuse, I beg you. I do think they do verify your eligibility (a Sprint Relay user), but I'm aware of the extent folks go to land deals around here. So, please consider the morality in this situation. You may not be hard of hearing now, but if you ever become so one day, there's folks fighting for accessibility initiatives like this which will majorly be to your advantage. Please, don't harm the cause.
joefresco
Serene Member
posted: Oct. 13, 2009 @ 11:48p
Umm... I was with you until you said this:
This is really no different than abusing relay calls if you don't actually need them--sure you might get free long distance, voice calling over text only lines, but in that case you are tying up resources(literally an entire person, the operator)
Who is the entire person being taken up by buying a phone on a data/text only plan? Yeah, exactly the same.
tedtheothee
Member
posted: Oct. 13, 2009 @ 11:58p
morals!?. please, the phone companies have anything but morals. they're so insanely ethically-void that it's hard for me to think anyone could appropriately wrong them. they purposely cripple hardware. they promote devices with ever-changing proprietary connector so every charger, battery, link cable, etc are useless when we change phones. they build incompatibility in just to nickel and dime us for crude functionality and services.. extra charges for text messaging? what, for the least bandwidth utilizing messaging. it's asinine. open handset and Android might finally offer something to combat this.
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