Sprint Launches Unlimited Plan For Seniors

By Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer
Chris MorrisFormer Contributing Writer

    Chris Morris is a former contributing writer at Fortune, covering everything from general business news to the video game and theme park industries.

    Sprint is making a push to expand its audience, offering customers 55 and older an affordable, unlimited data plan.

    Dubbed “Unlimited 55+,” the offering, which begins today, pits Sprint against T-Mobile, the company it could soon merge with later this year, if it gains regulatory approval. For $70 per month, subscribers will get two lines with unlimited talk, text and data. (A single line costs $50.)

    Sprint describes the offer as a “limited time” deal and says it includes global roaming, meaning users can text, call, and surf the Web in more than 185 destinations worldwide.

    It won’t be at rocket speeds, though. Video resolution is capped at 480p and music is called at 500kbps. And Sprint notes that the program lets people use their phones as mobile hotspots, but data will only transfer at 3G speeds.

    For an extra $10 per month, though, subscribers can stream videos at up to 1080p resolution and stream music at up to 1.5Mbps.

    The merger with T-Mobile may not have a dramatic impact on the program, though. T-Mobile’s unlimited program for seniors, called One Unlimited 55+, has the same pricing structure, meaning users shouldn’t face any disruption should the merger go through.