Sprint has announced two new smartphone upgrade programs, Sprint Flex and Sprint Deals. Sprint Flex, as the name suggests, offers users more options for upgrading their handsets.
Both Sprint Flex and Sprint Deals seem akin to Sprint's already existing Samsung Galaxy and iPhone upgrade programs. This time, Sprint will let users lease any phone and upgrade to a new device after a year. Smartphone options will range from the company's "value menu."
Sprint Flex
The new upgrade programs are Sprint's way of letting users have the latest and greatest smartphones without shelling out huge amounts of money all at once. Once a customer chooses a smartphone under the Sprint Flex program, they may lease it for up to 18 months and swap it out for a new phone. Alternatively, they may keep the phone and pay it off entirely.
For those who want to keep the phone but don't have the means to pay it off in one go, Sprint can give the user six more months. Past payments will count toward the total purchase price, of course. If that doesn't sound appealing, other users may also opt to pay $5 more every month to upgrade the device after a year.
Sprint Deals
Sprint Deals, on the other hand, lets customers buy a smartphone sans a credit check. The only downside is that this program offers older smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy J3 Emerge or the iPhone 6s. However, Sprint offers $25 to $30 as down payments and only $5 to $10 as monthly installments, so Sprint Deals will be much easier on the pocket.
Those who want to avoid credit checks with Sprint will receive an additional discount instantly, assuming you're on the Sprint Forward prepaid plan. Higher-end devices will get slashed 25 percent, while entry-level ones will get slashed 50 percent. Of course, customers can still choose to upgrade after 12 consecutive monthly payments.
"Sprint Flex is the ultimate option for consumers who want the latest device at our most competitive prices with maximum flexibility," said Sprint president and CEO Marcelo Claure. "Sprint Deals goes one step further, giving price-conscious consumers incredible offers and the option to upgrade to the latest phones every year."
Sprint's new upgrade programs follows the company's series of efforts to course-correct its "slowest network" reputation. Just last month, it began offering new customers unlimited data for a year if they switch to Sprint from a different network.
More recently, Sprint rolled out an update for Samsung Galaxy S8 and HTC U11 device that gave both phones download speed bumps.
Thoughts about Sprint Flex and Sprint Deals? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
