Just two months after Sprint brought its contracts back from the dead, the carrier is set to kill them again.
According to an internal document obtained by Android Central, Sprint will give two-year agreements the axe – again – early next week.
“On 5/24/16, the system will no longer allow you to process subsidy for new Consumer/IL accounts on all phones,” the memo reads.
Instead of subsidy, the document indicates Sprint will push new customers toward its lease, installment and full retail price options. In particular, Sprint will direct customers who are looking for the lowest monthly payment, lowest point of service cost or early upgrades to its lease program. Customers who are looking to own their device will be directed to the monthly installment plan or full retail purchase option.
A Sprint spokeswoman on Friday neither confirmed nor denied the plan, but said the carrier’s offers aren’t set in stone.
“Sprint continues to offer leased or installment-billed products including our popular iPhone Forever or Galaxy Forever programs,” the spokeswoman said. “At this time, Sprint offers two year contracts with subsidized device purchases on sprint.com. We continue to evaluate and update our offers as needed to ensure we are meeting the shifting needs of our customers.”
If true, the news would mark a complete about face for the carrier, which killed contracts in January only to bring them back a month later. Sprint attributed that decision to consumer demand.