Sprint PCS tests the waters for data pricing

Sprint PCS began offering some of its most competitive PCS Vision pricing plans on its Web site over the weekend, according to a research note from Legg Mason.

The firm said the new voice pricing means that Sprint PCS is giving data away for free and may be a sign that demand for data is much less than Sprint PCS anticipated.

A Sprint PCS spokesman, however, said the company has not changed its pricing plans since introducing its CDMA2000 services Aug. 11. Rather, the company is offering promotions that last until Oct. 31.

In its note, Legg Mason said that Sprint PCS lowered key buckets of voice and data services on the Web by $15 per month. These attractive pricing plans were only previously available in stores, including Radio Shack.

“High-speed data services are so new that I’m not at all surprised they are changing plans around,” said Ken Hyers, wireless analyst with In-Stat MDR. “They are going to have to fiddle with this to find the right price point … Carriers must be careful because they don’t want to drive the price down too low.”