Sprint sucks. Manhattan is a 1 1/2 mile by 4 mile island (okay, just guessing). If I can't get reception there, something is very, very wrong with the company. Yet, I keep getting dropped calls, unavailable service, and Analog Roam in certain parts of the City. So, I decided yesterday that I was fed up with Sprint's cell phone service here in Manhattan and called up customer service to complain (I finally got off my lazy ass to do something). Among my beefs were: 1) Bad reception (and no reception in my apartment) 2) High rates ($45 for 250 minutes and wireless web!?!?) 3) Dropped calls 4) Old phone sucks (but it plays MP3s!) Although I asked for the retention/cancellation department (and waited 15 minutes to talk to someone), I really had no intention of actually canceling my service. I merely wanted to get a better plan and a credit towards a new phone. I figured they owed me that much for 2 1/2 years of loyalty. After airing my grievances against Sprint, the woman on the other end of the phone gave me a slightly better plan to stay with Sprint (after I told her Cingular's comparable plan was less money). However, the plan itself was only $5 less than my current plan because I wouldn't commit to their asanine 1 year indentured servitude agreement. If I took the 1 year deal, I could've lowered my plan rate by $10. However, I was adamant about not wanting to be locked in for a year to crappy-ass Sprint, so I took the new plan. As for the phone itself, I asked what she could do for me. SPRINT: "Well, if you take a 1 year agreement with us, I can offer you $70 towards a new phone." ME: "Like I said before, I really don't want to lock myself in with another year agreement. What can you do?" SPRINT: "I can offer you $50 then." ME (knowing full well she can do much better): "How about $60?" SPRINT: ".... I can do $55." ME: "$55 is better than $50. I'll take that." So, I got a $55 credit for a new phone (or service). My intention was to get a new flip phone and figure out what the problem was with Sprint. Either the service sucked, or the phone did. A new phone would help me resolve the issue. If the new phone worked well, I would stay with Sprint. If not, Verizon Wireless would get the call from the bullpen. It sounded like a good idea, right? After my call, I checked Sprint's website and saw that certain cell phones came with a $100 rebate (with their current promotion). Well, $100 plus my $55 credit = new phone. I was ecstatic. "Everything that has transpired has done so according to MY design." - Emperor Palpatine To make absolute sure about the rebate, I called Sprint AGAIN to ask some more questions. After 15 more minutes of waiting, I finally got ahold of a representative. In order to go ahead, bite the bullet on a new phone, and use the rebate, I wanted to find out if: 1) I needed to change my current phone number. 2) I had to enroll in a 1 year agreement. 3) I had to get a new plan. The woman on the phone told me that 1) my old number would work just fine, 2) no agreement was required, and 3) I could keep the new plan I just got. I got off the phone feeling much better about Sprint. Wow, they care about their customers, especially their existing ones! My cynical fiancee, however, urged me to call back one more time and ABSOLUTE sure about the rebate. As a lawyer-in-training, she was wary of what the woman told me. "I don't think they'll let you do that without an agreement," she said. "Sure, why not?" I replied. "The woman told me they could..." So, I called Sprint back. This time, I called the "Phone/Accessories Order" people and not general customer service. A man answered, and I began my speech about the credit, the new plan, and the $100 rebate (and using them all together). Turns out my fiancee was right. Not only did I have to sign a 1 year deal, but my current phone number and new plan would cease to exist when that happened. Frustrated beyond belief, I started babbling about what the other woman told me and the grand plan I had of trying out a new phone to test their service. He called himself the "expert" and scolded me for being wrong (wait, I'm not wrong, the other woman was!). He also offered NO help in rectifying my situation. He did offer this nugget of valuable info, though: SPRINT GUY: "You can return the phone up to 14 days after service." ME: "14 days? There's no way I can test your service in that amount of time. It'll take at least a month of trying the phone in random New York places." SPRINT GUY: "Well, then, there's nothing I can do." After 15 minutes of complaining, pleading, and begging for advice, I got off the phone incredibly angry with Sprint. 1) I was offered a crap retention plan when I deserved better. Don't they care about their existing customers? 2) A rep told me exactly the opposite of what the rebate entailed (I'm surprised she didn't answer the phone "Goodbye!" and end the conversation with "Hello!"). 3) Another representative offered me no help whatsoever and repeated himself incessantly about the rules (in a rather rude tone). He even tried to sell me a long distance plan for my regular phone! WTF?? So... now I'm even MORE fed up with Sprint. After my current $55 credit runs out, I'm switching carriers. End of story. They're not getting another dime from me. I have seen the Anti-Christ, and thy name is Sprint PCS... Anybody want to buy a Samsung Uproar MP3 phone??
I used Verizon in Manhattan for two years, got pretty damn good reception all over the place with my Motorolla Startac. Inside buildings, on the elevator, a few times even on the subway! Their plans are generally more expensive, but good reception is what it's all about to me. I'd also have to say that your complaints about poor reception are what I hear from most Sprint customers, from NY to LA. "Free and Clear" my ass.
Sorry about what happened to you. Just thought you should know that Nextel is another company you should stay away from...they REALLY know how to screw up a wireless phone service. I can't count the number of areas that can kill a nextel signal in Houston...a lot of WIDE open areas too.
I am currently with Cingular Wireless. They are the third cell provider I have used (AT&T, PrimeCo). Cingular's service is the best...hands down. I have had 2 dropped calls in 7 months. The price is reasonable, and now you can roll over unused yet paid for minutes. I worked in the cellular infrastructure industry for 1 1/2 years. Verizon is the devil IMHO. I will NEVER do business with them. BTW...all of the companies will require a contract for you to get a decent deal. I signed a 2 year deal with Cingular...and if they come up with a better deal I can switch to it at any time. My contract just means that I will remain with Cingular in some capacity for 2 years. I've never had a customer service problem either. Any issues have been handled quickly and with a friendly tone.
While I don't have very many reception problems in D/FW with Sprint (where I frequent, at least), I agree about their customer service being both incompetent and rude. When I first got the phone, they somehow managed to open two accounts for me and charge me twice for the initial activation fee thingy. It took seven calls over several months to get that finally sorted out and get the extra money they took from me refunded. More recently, I went over on daytime minutes for the month. Before the bill with those minutes on it was even due, I got a call from Sprint wanting payment for those charges. So, I told him I'd go to the Sprint store by my house in the morning and pay the full amount. The guy insisted that payment be made over the phone right then because they were going to turn my service off that night. So I do a check by phone, which he sets to go through a full five days later. I agree to that even though it sounds stupid for them to want their money five days later rather than a few hours later. But whatever. Two days later, I get a nasty call from a surly Sprint worker telling me that I needed to pay RIGHT THEN or they would cut off my service. I explained that I made arrangements already even though the due date on my bill was not for another two weeks. He then did some tapping on his keyboard, found the check-by-phone being set up already and then said, in a very surly manner, "You're fine then" and hung up.
I have Cingular as well, Refman. I had verizon to start, which had good reception, but lousy minute deals. I switched to VoiceStream, which SUCKED! No reception anywhere in my hometown!!!!! I had to suffer thru a year of that crap to get thru the contract, then switched to Cingular about 6 months ago, and have perfect reception.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Cingular use T-Mobile's cell phone towers? That leaves me uneasy with both Cingular and T-Mobile. As more customers sign on, I'm afraid that the towers will be maxed out and dropped calls and "no service" messages will appear more frequently. I'm most likely going with Verizon, assuming I can get a decent deal. Amazon has some great deals on Cingular and T-Mobile phones, though... Cell phone info: Phonescoop Howard Forums ($40 for the Samsung phone, rH...)
Nope...I know that Cingular utilizes towers owned by American Tower, Crown Castle and SpectraSite. They may use T-Mobile as well...but definitely not exclusively.
