By 
[Update]: Everything below remains true, except one disappointing thing after clearing some of the wording up with Sprint: Premier Silver customers actually won’t get an annual upgrade. That lone feature will be reserved for Premier Gold customers. The good news is that you can change your plan anytime you want without extending your contract. Now it’s just a matter of figuring out what’s more important to you: early upgrades or your monthly bill. Awaiting word on if current Premier customers will get one last upgrade before they’re affected by this change.
[Update 2]: One more word of clarification: Silver Premier customers can still upgrade every 12 months, but are subject to a $75 discount on top of the unsubsidized price of the phone.
I’ve been reading for a few days now that Sprint will soon be getting rid of their Premier program that awards long-time and high-paying customers with several types of perks. The rumors ranged from the program being completely dead to Sprint just upping the terms you need to meet to qualify.
I have some great news: it’s not dead. And those who are on $69.99 individual plans ($99.99 for a family plan) will continue to enjoy Premier benefits, as will new customers who sign up for those plans.
The change comes where Sprint’s calling those customers “Premier Silver” while a new tier – Premier Gold – will be offered for folks who have individual and family plans of $89.99 and $169.99, respectively. Gold members will receive all of the same benefits Silver members have been for a while now, plus a bit extra. Unfortunately, no details were given regarding what Gold subscribers would get more for their status, but we’re reaching out for more information.
The important thing, though, is that if you’re a premier member or if you anticipate being a premier member sometime in the future on a plan less than $89.99 you’ll still have that option and you won’t get anything less than what users are getting now. Read on for Sprint’s official statement on the matter.
Sprint is updating the program for 2011 with two tiers of benefits, Sprint Premier Silver and Sprint Premier Gold, making sure that Sprint Premier Silver retains the benefits that were popular with the most customers. Effective 4/1/11:
Sprint Premier Gold customers must only meet ONE of the following three qualifications:
· Individual plans with a 3-month average MRC** of at least $89.99, or
· Shared plans with a 3-month average MRC** of at least $169.99 MRC, or
· Tenure of 10+ years with Sprint
Sprint Premier Silver customers must only meet ONE of the following two qualifications:
· Individual plans with a 3-month average MRC** of $69.99 – $89.98, or
· Shared plans with a 3-month average MRC** of $99.99 – $169.98
Once Sprint Premier Silver customers reach 10 years service with Sprint, they automatically are graduated to Sprint Premier Gold status regardless of the plan they are on.
** 3-month average MRC is based on voice plans only, not including add-on services, and is figured before any discounts are applied.In addition to the change noted above, it’s important to highlight that both Sprint Premier Gold and Silver customers will continue to receive all the other perks: discounts on accessories, proactive plan checks and just because offers; device credits that are among the best in the industry; and exclusive extras like Premier Community, anniversary rewards and first to know.
Sprint Premier remains one of the best customer loyalty programs in the wireless industry. When compared to other national carriers, the Sprint Premier package of benefits far outranks any rewards program currently offered.
I have been with Sprint for 11 years and have not regretted it at all! This just shows what a great company they are and plus gave me the best phone I ever had (EVOLUTION)!
I think all this isnt true. I been wit Sprint for 7 years and recently been having a lot of problems wit their service(no service and my phone as well as my fiances phone stop working) I went to Sprint and all they offer is the cheapest phone they had to ONE of us while the other one stays with the messed up phone. I recieved no discount or other offers. Sprint never gave me anything for being with them for so long.
Like!
I fall into the $129.99 family plan but since I have over 10 years with Sprint it looks like I’ll be in the Premier Gold plan. I’ve also been looking to upgrade my phone to one of the new dual-core phones whenever Sprint releases one. For people like me I think this announcement is good news.
10 years with Sprint and a $130 plan, I think I qualify for this haha, hopefully it will mean anyone on ur line can upgrade in 12 months :D I would be able to getmy family some nice phones :)
So can someone tell me what you get when you are part of this program? Bill, you’re 10 years in with a family data plan. What will you pay for new phone that is offered up at $250 for the guy off the street?
Sprint’s website has all the info
This is hilarious. After they force the $10 monthly charge for all new 3G/4G smartphone activations after 1/30, they’ll be lucky if people stay more than 2 years from now on so who cares about being Silver or Gold. Well played Big Yellow. You are the NOW network but soon will be the LATER network.
I have been with Sprint for a long time. I am always told that I am a premier customer but other than getting the device at discount every 12 months I havent received CRAP. They talk about all sorts of tickets and gifts etc but where are they?? Anyone out there gotten anything besides 12 month upgrade? I think it is PR kaka.
Do these new tiers take your data plan into account when determining whether you are premier gold/silver or just your voice plan?
Bringlt, do you know the prices of other carriers for the same things you get with sprint? its just not as big of a difference now but sprint is STILL cheaper……
Only thing I benefit from is a new phone every year and like 30 percent off cases, charges ect.
Hooray for sticking it out with Sprint long term! Hopefully Gold status will bring some awesome extra goodies.
BringIt seems to be a cry baby tool who doesn’t realize that the other big carriers have charged 25 dollars or more for some time now on all smartphones. I can live with 10 dollars that finally gives me true unlimited data.
My biggest concern is my 1 year, $150 Premier Upgrade is in July of THIS YEAR, if this changes that, I will be beyond pissed. Cut my ties with Sprint pissed. I bought the EVO with the intent on upgrading in a year, via my (6+ year/ $84.xx monthly avg) Premier status. I don’t want the rug pulled from beneath my feet, 4 months before upgrade day.
@bringit
you are an idiot. Perhaps if you were to do some research you would see that Sprint is still a better alternative.
BigRed and ATT are doing away with their upgrade programs altogether. So guess what?? NO UPGRADE until your contract is over.
ATT is also doing away with activating phones off contract, while also raising their fees.
So while you try and knock sprint, the others are clearly making worse moves for their customers.
@Genji,
Based on this article, everyone that is a current customer will still get, at the very least, their next upgrade at whatever your current deal is. After that upgrade, if you are paying less than $89.99/mo for your line, there will be adjustments.
Fuck gold…Sprint Needs a PLATINUM status tier. You know, for those of us that were with Sprint “Consecutively” PRIOR to 2000.
No Verizon is not doing away with their subsidized pricing at a 12 month interval. They are getting rid of what they used to give and that is an additional amount off that subsidized price. Sprint is getting rid of upgrades. The reason I’m upset with them now is that on a family plan only the main number has the ability to upgrade their phone. Now they want to take away the only phone? I think that the Hero, since I can’t upgrade this phone, will be the last one I have on Sprint. I loved their plan, now with the $10 for smartphone, and the inability to upgrade a phone within a year. Goodbye Sprint.
I think this is bad timing with Verizon getting the isheep and at&t stepping up their android line Sprint is giving people less of a reason to stay with them. I love my yearly upgrade and I don’t fit in the gold premiere program so I’m screwed. Sprint better announce they found the holy grail February 7 or their in trouble!
I live with certain drawbacks to my cellphone options by staying with Sprint. In exchange I enjoy the price of their service and the yearly upgrade option. If they get rid of these I have no reason to stay with Sprint.
Check out best buys new premier package on phones. You can upgrade every 6 to 12 months in stead of yearly.
so i just upgraded at the end of Dec. so will i still be able to get my full 150 upgrade because i will fall in the silver for now. if i can still get it then I will be set because after my next upgrade i will be at 10 years.
2011 is my 10th year with Sprint, too bad I just got an EVO 4G this past November. Maybe I could have saved some coin…
@Blea Thats what I’m hoping.
@Paul, Sprint isn’t getting rid of upgrades. The Permier is a perk for early upgrades + some.
Phandroid, thanks for clearing this up. The majority of us that are being downgraded to silver want to know will we lose our update this year? I am eligible on 8/1/2011 will I lose that or be “grandfathered” in? Thanks!
Hmm, this is actually good news. I would still be eligible to make use of my existing upgrade that comes due next month up until April.
The $75 off the UNSUBSIDIZED price of a phone kind of stinks for the next go around though. I guess I will be sticking with my next phone for two years.
This is totally false it’s a fake rumor hence the date 4-1-11 sprint won’t be making changes any time soon do your own research and don’t believe the hype
@3 Phones
I’ve been with Sprint since 1998, been awhile with them haha
@ Curry
Ive been since 2000 and My mothers been since 96…Had the Classic Silver Sanyo with the big ass purple Speakerphone button and Pull out antenna.
These new tier premier customer benifits are going to be okay with me since i have been with sprint since 2000 but for those that have only been with sprint for a few toddler years then it kinda sucks. I dont think many people will notice these changes truthfully but this is gonna give me a new way to push Sprint phones for sure. GHEA!
I have shared 1500 for 129.99 plus 2 lines each for 19.99 technically b4 taxes thats till under their 169.99 . Having 4 lines shouldnt be what makes you gold 3 lines is significant and paying your bill on time should count. Wtf?
I also have a data line. So 5 lines….plus stupid add on sh*t like familyfinder. And i still want to know what unlimited texts * (*on sprint network) means exactly….and ive had my account since beginning of 2004. Wtf.
I’m still trying to understand the threat of leaving Sprint. I for one am also one of the many who have been with Sprint a long time going on 15 years. Sprint has improved their customer service (phone) some of the stores still have idiots. Sprint is still the best thing going. Best pricing, best phones, best upgrade policy. If you haven’t done your research you will pay more going with any other carrier and for those who don’t know you can’t have insurance on your phone with AT&T so if something happens to your several hundred dollar phone you have to buy a new one with AT&T and the insurance is higher at Verizon then Sprint. So if paying more makes you feel better then leave Sprint and stop complaining. It is your right if you want to leave so just leave and let the loyal Sprint fans enjoy their nicer phones with cheaper plans.
@Midas Your upgrade in August 2011 will have you to start over for 22 months from August 2011.
I have had my account with them since 2001 and my 10 year will be in October but my yearly upgrade has past in December. I haven’t used my yearly upgrade because Sprint doesn’t have any phone that I want right now so when I called them they stated if I don’t use my yearly upgrade by March 31 I will have to start over from this coming up April to upgrade in 22 months.
But the good thing if I don’t use it they said that my upgrade will start back in October and will be able to upgrade then since I will be there 10 years.
Having been with Sprint for 6 years I can say that their customer service is outstanding. Other companies in all industries should treat their clientele with the courtesy and respect one can always expect when dealing with Sprint. Loyalty with this company goes both ways. It may be the only one left.
I’ve only been with Sprint sice 2009. I left T-Mobile because I loved the idea of being able to upgrade my phone once a year. As of 4/1/11 I will have to either upgrade my plan, or pay more for my new phone every year. This is completely unacceptable to me. I know that I won’t be able to get a full upgrade every year with any other carrier, but they never told me that was the case, Sprint did. And that is exactly why I’m leaving them. Its not because I can get a better phone or plan else where, Its because this truly pisses me off, and I will no longer be their customer.
Sprint Representative. Call 800-420-4737
What I can’t stand about Sprint is they do not care about the old customers. When they offer the new customers lets say a 149.99 smart phone that is maybe 499.00 if you went out and bought it out right. If i go upgrade my phone when its tiime I do not get the 149.99 just the freaking 150.00 off the 499.00 the retail price. Also Sprint needs to get some Android phones with better internal storage. Ive research phone at Verizon and see a good few I would like. Android phones needs storage so stupid they promote Android Market and then bam!!! Even the new EVO phones you cant get half the apps cause of storage problem. I might be saying good bye sprint also and moving to Verizon
also AT&T they are a rip off. They want their users to go over their data plan that is why they capped their plans. They should of left the unlimited data plan out there.
I for one have canceled one of my lines, and will be canceling the others as this was the only reason to stay with sprint. They have the worst customer I have experienced.
I was a Premier customer and upgraded in June 2010. I wanted the Evo, but got burned w/ the Pre, so wanted to wait until it was out for a while to see what bugs it had. I got a Blackberry Curve with the thought I would only have it for 1 year. Joke is on me. I was just told by the customer service that as of 4/1/11, I can’t get the upgrade for 22 months. So I am stuck with a phone I only wanted for a year and can’t get the one I really want. And this is my second time with Sprint. I left in 2003 because of the awful customer service, went to Nextel, and decided to give Sprint another chance when they took over Nextel. Apparently that was a mistake. Had I known I would have to wait 22 months, I would have waited a few months and then gotten the Evo. And when I sent an e-mail saying how upset I was and asking how much it would cost at this point to terminate, I received no response.
As everyone probably knows sprint has decided to change the premier program as we know it. They are telling us that, in order to get the yearly upgrade that we all enjoyed (the only valuable benefit in the premier program), we either have to have been customers for at least ten years, or have a plan far rate of 89.99 for single plans or 169.99 base rate for family plans. Now that leaves out the majority of us that have the everything data 1500 minute family plan, no matter how many added lines, premium data fees, our hotspot fees we ps3 extra. If this affects you or someone you know please go to this website and join: http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/campaign-0-1921. By joining this website we join together in telling sprint that we will not allow them continue to take benefits that we consider valuable. Together, we can do this.
Funny you should say that, seeing as I just tried to do my upgrade today and they told me I couldn’t because it change 4/1/11. Do your research!
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
You will lose it. I just lost mine.
my contract with sprint has been up since December 3 and and at that time until the first of April it showed i had an $150 dollar upgrade now it show’s a $75 dollar upgrade. I am pissed why would it downgrade me when my contract is up and the only reason i have the phone i do now is because my black berry i originally got 2 years ago quit working. I have not used any upgrades to begin with. That is why i dislike sprint and would switch to someone else if they didn’t do credit checks and lower my credit score
Haha… Yeah… I was eligible to upgrade on 4/4/11, and they said I couldn’t even get mine.