Sprint Doubles Down on Data, Wags Finger at Verizon, AT&T

**Editor’s Note: Which is America’s top wireless network? Click here to see what we discovered.**

Sprint has made its move.

As expected, thanks to a leak last week, America’s third-largest carrier has unleashed new plans that it says signal the dawn of “a new day for data in the wireless industry.”

Sprint says its new Family Share Pack, available beginning Friday, offers double the high-speed data at a lower price than you’ll get at AT&T and Verizon. For example, you can get four lines and 20GB of data for $160 compared to 10GB of data for the same price from Sprint’s larger rivals.

To kick off the campaign, Sprint is offering a limited-time promotion that gives a family with up to 10 lines, 20GB of shared data and unlimited talk and text for only $100 a month through 2015. As an added bonus, customers will get 2GB more per line for up to 10 lines. For a family of four, that’s a savings of $60 per month better than AT&T’s and Verizon’s current pricing through 2015, Sprint says – double the data of Verizon; and more than double the high-speed data of AT&T and T-Mobile.

“Sprint is offering the best value to data-hungry consumers. Period,” said Marcelo Claure, Sprint CEO. “We are doubling the high-speed wireless data because today’s customers rely so much on their smartphones and tablets. We make it simple and easy for wireless consumers to get the data they need at affordable prices to make their lives easier, more productive and enjoyable. We are so certain that this is the best value on wireless today that for any customer who wants to switch to our new Sprint Family Share Pack, we will reimburse them for the cost to end their contract with another carrier.”

Also for a limited time, Sprint will buy out wireless contracts for families signing up for the Share Pack by giving them a Visa prepaid card worth up to $350.

The last couple of years have been a struggle for the Overland Park, Kansas-based operator. It’s been losing subscribers as its rivals have been adding them in bunches. Just last month, it dropped its attempt to buy T-Mobile, citing regulatory concerns, then replaced CEO Dan Hesse with Marcelo Claure.

But Sprint’s network is improving and better pricing deals might be what it takes to get back in the game.

Follow senior online managing editor @Craig_Galbraith on Twitter.