You can "receive" the picture mail for free online when you access your account...however, if you try to view your unlimited picture messaging on your phone, you also get charged for data usage. I was told by a Sprint employee in a Sprint store that this is the case because the company considers you to be taking the extra step and "downloading" the images to your phone. I agree their policy and services are ********! I'm actually right now trying to view my picutres online and can't get in b/c they have the wrong number now listed as the main one on my account. Wonderful. I never had problems with Sprint until they merged with Nextel by the way....

Thank you!!! You just helped me see the 1st pictures of my new nephew! I tried getting to the site through my sprint account and they had my secondary phone number in there. I tried it your way and no problems at all! Thanks again.

Sprint Clears Up 'Unlimited Messaging' Confusion

Sprint's Everything Messaging plans include unlimited text, picture and video messaging at no additional charge. With these plans, there are no charges for data usage associated with using picture or video messaging. However, it has come to our attention that a few customers have received charges for data usage that may be related to picture messaging. Sprint is investigating these situations and in most cases has found that the data charges are being billed for other data usage, such as checking email, downloading ringtones or visiting Web sites. In a very small number of cases, charges of 4 to 9 cents per message are mistakenly being billed to the customer. Sprint is conducting testing to fix this issue for those customers affected. Customers on Everything Messaging plans who feel they have been mistakenly charged for sending or receiving picture or video messages should immediately report the issue to Sprint Customer Care at 1-800-Sprint1 in order for their usage history to be researched

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http://support.sprint.com/support/article/Know_if_you_will_be_charged_for_using_Picture_Mail/case-wh164052-20091218-170107

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Picture Mail Options (Included) Will not incure charges.

Picture Mail Phone Menu Options

1. Take a picture from the phone.
2. Select Options.
3. Select a contact name, phone number, or e-mail address to send the picture.

Picture Mail Text

1. Text message notification 'You have new Sprint Picture Mail'.
2. Select the message.
3. Open the link in the message to view the picture on the Picture Mail server.

Upload to Sprint Picture Mail Web Site

• Picture Mail plan users only.

1. Select Picture Mail option on the phone.
2. Upload the picture from the phone to an album.

Post to Service Menu Option

1. Access Picture Mail on the phone.
2. Choose Post to Service.
3. Select a Web site type such as Facebook orMyspace.
4. Continue with posting pictures.

Data Usage Options (Not Included with PictureMail) Will incure charges.

Compose e-mail with Picture Attachment

1. Compose an e-mail from the internet web browser or e-mail application on the phone. (AOL, hotmail, Yahoo!, etc).
2. Attach a picture from the phone.
3. Send.

Pictures Using the Web Browser

1. Access the Web browser on the phone.
2. Locate Web pages such as social network sites like Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, and PhotoBucket.
3. Log in to the Web page (if required).
4. Post, view, make comments, or download pictures to the phone.

Web Browser to Find Pictures

1. Access the phone Web browser.
2. Type a URL or select an option such as google.com.
3. Search the Web site for pictures.

Downloading/Viewing a Picture Using Web Browser

1. Access the Web browser on the phone.
2. Type a URL or select Digital Lounge.
3. Locate the picture.
4. Download the image and agree to any download charges that may apply.

Downloading a Picture from Text Message

1. Access the standard text message (not notified as Picture Mail).
2. Select the included URL.
3. Purchase and download the picture from the Web site.

I've been having the exact same problems.  I've spoken with several people on the phone and I've been to 2 stores.  Everyone on the phone and 1 store told me that picture messaging is included in the Everything Messaging plan and that there is a way to decipher if data is being used for browsing or picture messaging.  They tell me that the data i'm using has not been related to the picture messaging but that I'm accessing the browser, which is completely false.  The first store was extremely nice and helpful.  They understood my problem and were confused as to why I was being charged.  They agreed I should not be charged and they ran tests on my phone to try and see what was going on.  They came up with nothing and concluded that the only way to prevent the charges was to block data, which also means blocking picture messaging.  The second store was not helpful at all and basically told me that picture messaging means I can upload to sprint.com and then email it from there, not send it to another phone.  They said they can't do anything and looked at me like I was crazy, so I told them it doesn't make sense and I politely left. I've had them research my account and they came up with nothing.  No one seems to know what is going on and I hear different things from everyone I speak to.  I've been told I can get a discounted price on adding unlimited data to my phone, but to me that would be pointless because I would only use it for picture messaging which should be included as it is.  I've also been given the "you clicked a link" talk several times and I know that is false as well.  I'm very frustrated with Sprint right now and really just want an official answer from someone who actually knows what is going on and what really is included in my plan and I want to stop being charged for data that I am not knowingly accessing.       

So I guess my question would be why wouldn't you simply upgrade or switch to an unlimited data plan. We have been with Sprint for years, I have checked competitors prices several times and no one can beat them. We have a three lines on a shared family data plan, which allows UNLIMITED texting, picture messages and DATA of all types (picture mail, internet browsing, etc) and we pay less than $150 a month for all three lines.

I completely agree with you.  I thought the same thing you did when I signed up for this plan.  To me "unlimited" is what that means...unlimited!!  I am always afraid of getting socked with a bill so when I first got the plan a year ago....I sent a couple of pics and me too....I had to pay to send them.  Because you can not send them w/o connecting to the internet....which means, of course, having to have data.  When I saw I was chgd for sending two pictures, I asked them also why.

So, yes, it is VERY misleading.  Finally after a year, I switched to Everything Data...ONLY because I wanted to get my two teenage sons some phones.  I could not add them to my plan so had to change to a different plan.  I get an employee discount also from my employer.

All I can say is....I feel for ya man!!!