Retail for Sprint, $599
Retail for Verizon Wireless, $299

Why is there such a difference in the cost for the same phone?

I currently have Sprint and am thinking about switching to Verizon Wireless and that's the phone I was considering getting.

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this way sprint can claim a bigger sale.

does anyone ever pay full price for a cell phone? i remember my current one (blackberry curve), list was supposedly $599. Does anyone not living in Tokyo pay 600 for a cell phone?

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That's the retail price, the discount price is as follows.
Sprint - $349
Verizon Wireless - $199


It seems like a lot of money for what appears to be the same phone. In looking at the features they appear to be similar. Unless I'm missing something, hence why I'm asking.

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Can't help you there. Unless there is a real (as opposed to marketing) difference between "3G" and "4G".

Are other sprint phones similarly more expensive?

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HTC Touch Diamond
Sprint - $549 down to $199
Verizon Wireless $99 down to $69


There has to be something I'm missing here.

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It could have something to do with the respective contracts the companies have with their suppliers. Also, compare the costs of the plans -- Verizon may be making up the difference in other ways over the life of the plan.

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http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/htc-touch-diamond/4505-6452_7-33089238.html 


nice review of it

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That's the Diamond, I'd be more fond of the Touch Pro 2 myself.


Non, the cost of the plans are comparable, plus with Verizon I get 15% off due to the company I work for.

It just seems really odd to me how much of a difference they are in price. The overall design is a bit different on the back of them too.

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Sprint
450 minutes 40
unlimited texting 10
unlimited data 15
total 65


Verizon Wireless
450 minutes 40
500 messages PLUS Unlimited Mobile to Mobile Messaging 10
unlimited data usage 30
total 75


with Sprint my nights and weekends are free after 7pm on Friday, not sure if Verizon is the same, but guessing they are.
also, im not sure if they mean ANY mobile to mobile carrier is unlimited or if its Verizon mobile to Verizon mobile


I'm thinking lik Rourke was saying, they make up the cost for the phones in their monthly plan. A co-worker explained his Verizon plan to me and it was the same 70 a month I'm paying, but when I used there website deal ... it came out a lot higher with more questions than answers.

I really don't like how 'blah' some websites are when you are required to make a two year commitment.


Edit, wow ... the mobile to mobile is ONLY for same network texting, ie Verizon to Verizon. And I shoot/receive about 3-4k msg's a month that means I'd need the 40 dollar plan that is 5000 instead of 500.

Verizon is freaking expensive.

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zero - have you taken a look at the phone at all?
funny I was sitting here debating myself yesterday if I should get that phone.

I had a guy come into work a few weeks back and show me it a bit. Looks quite nice; really big screen. I watched a online review yesterday on it. And read a few reviews.

The camera part didnt get the best reviews but people seem to like the huge screen and the quickness.

I just dont know if I want to lug around something that big with me everywhere (know what I mean).