Cellphone text message spam is still rare, but annoying, especially as each one usually costs you. If you’re experiencing a deluge, often the only way to fight it is to turn off text messaging entirely, but which providers let you?
sprint
"Public" Intern Pickets Sprint Store For Reader
By 8.23.07
An intern over at The Stranger (we love The Stranger) has been picketing a Sprint store for a reader who wrote in complaining that he had not received his $30 rebate.
Former Rep Kvetches About Sprint's Lax Identity Theft Protection
By 8.21.07
“We took pride in shredding all information of the customers and being as mindful as possible to their security. Something that always blew my mind was that right on the computer screen, available for anyone to see (depending on the store layout), was the customer’s social security number, date of birth, license number and more. Incredible! I never understood that. My store had two registers in the front and two in the back. A customer could stand behind us at the front register and get a full peak at everything we were doing. Where is the protection?”
How To Cancel Sprint Without Termination Fee Over New Text Message Rate Change
By 8.16.07
If anyone is looking for a cheap way to escape their Sprint cellphone contract, you can use their raising of the pay-as-you-go text message rates from 15 cents to 20 cents as an excuse. Here’s the step by step procedure to follow…
Make "Materially Adverse Changes" Your Mantra And Cancel Cellphone Service Without Early Termination Fee
By 7.17.07
Russ writes and reminds us how pounding irrefutable legal truth into a customer service rep’s ear is the key to escaping your cellphone contract without early termination fee…
New York Agency Wants Sprint To Pay ETF To Dropped Customers
By 7.13.07
The New York State Consumer Protection Board suggest that Sprint pay $200, the amount it would have charged customers to end their contracts, to the 1000 customers it dumped for calling customer service too much. Mindy Brockstein, the board’s chairperson, told the AP:
“These former Sprint customers will have to purchase new phones and incur other expenses and inconveniences if they want to continue receiving wireless service,” Bockstein said. “Sprint Nextel should do more to improve the quality of its customer service and this is a good place to start.”
Brockstein says she’s send a letter to Sprint requesting the payout, and if they refuse, she will be approaching New York lawmakers who she claims are already interested in creating a “Wireless Customer Bill of Rights.”
Sprint Customers Terminated For Complaining Too Much Were Scamming Sprint For Free Service
By 7.11.07
Sprint announced Monday it was canceling the accounts of around 1,000 people who called customer service too much. At first blush, it might sound like a pretty jerk thing to do, have bad service and then punish people who complain, but we spoke with one of our most reliable Sprint insiders, who had a different side to the story: the terminated customers were scamming Sprint, calling in again and again, just to get free service credits.
Sprint Cancels Army Unit's Cellphones For Roaming Too Much
By 7.10.07
Sprint canceled the service of 200 Army men and women who had just come back from Iraq. For roaming too much. Because Sprint hadn’t installed a tower close enough to their base. A little ol’ backwoods place called West Point.
Best of Sprint
By 7.9.07
If you persistently insist that Sprint fix their numerous errors you will be dropped as a customer, according to reader Michael.
Sprint Drops You Because You Call Customer Service Too Much
By 7.5.07
“Our records indicate that over the past year, we have received frequent calls from you regarding your billing or other general account information. While we have worked to resolve your issues and questions to the best of our ability, the number of inquiries you have made to us during this time has led us to determine that we are unable to meet your current wireless needs…”
Michael says:
I have called them alot over the past year, but those calls were to have them fix their errors. I’ve always been polite to their employees (whether it be over the phone or in a Sprint store). I’ve never missed a payment and have always paid my bill early. I’ve never asked them for discounts or freebies.
Consumerist Reader Sprint Executive Customer Service Hotline Works
By 7.4.07
That special hotline (703-433-4401) Sprint set up for Consumerist readers that goes directly to their executive customer service team actually works, according to reader Greg. [More]
Attention Nextel Customers: You Are Now Using Plain Old Sprint
By 6.27.07
Sprint’s new ad campaign has dropped the “Nextel” name and will be focusing on a new slogan “Sprint Ahead.”
Cancel Sprint Without Early Termination Fee Over Roaming Rate Change
By 6.11.07
A new 19 cent Sprint roaming rate increase means customers can cancel contract without early termination fee, as long as they meet these conditions:
Sprint Sets Up Consumerist Reader Executive Customer Service Hotline
By 5.30.07 — Updated: 5.22.13
Sprint has set up a special phone number directly to the executive customer service queue just for Consumerist readers. [More]
8 Interviews With A Sprint Mole
By 5.22.07
Back in February, we posted a series of conversations we had with a very knowledgeable Sprint insider (he still has his job, by the way). Here’s a limited collector’s edition box set of our eight chats.
Materially Adverse Clauses For All Major Cellphones – So You Can Escape Contract Without Termination Fee
By 5.9.07
Here’s a roundup of all the contract clauses regarding “materially adverse changes” for all the major cellphone carriers. When they starting charging new fees or raise the price of a service, you can use this section to argue that you need to be let out of contract without early termination fee….
FCC Chairman Orders Telecoms To Restore Access To Free Iowa-Based Conference Call Providers
By 5.5.07
The Chairman of the FCC, Kevin Martin, has issued a stern rebuke to the telecoms that blocked their subscribers from accessing free Iowa-based conference call providers. Quoth the Chairman:
We actually contacted the companies that were listed in the press [reports] and said our rules prohibit you from blocking consumers’ access to any of the service providers… One had stopped blocking, but we heard complaints the next week that they were restricting access, sort of narrowing the pipe. We called them back and said, no, no, you can’t artificially degrade [service] either.
We think you should celebrate this reversal with your friends on a free Iowa-based conference call. If the service is blocked, or in any way degraded, don’t hesitate to fill out the FTC’s consumer complaint form. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
Sprint Makes A Minister's Wife Cry
By 5.2.07
The life of a Consumerist editor can be a roller coaster ride of emotion. One minute you’re laughing at Delta airlines uglyass new planes, the next you’re reading a letter from a minister who says Sprint made his wife cry.
