- Report: #39406
Complaint Review: Sprint PCS - Overland Park Kansas
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Sprint PCS
6200 Sprint Parkway Overland Park, 66251 Kansas, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-829-0965
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Sprint PCS Rip-off Charges non refundable activation fees fails to provide service Overland Park Kansas
Advertised coverage for Sprint PCS
I purchased a Sprint PCS cellphone for my wife for Christmas. Before making the purchase, I checked the service area, making sure we would have good coverage. After activating the service, I discovered Sprint has incomplete coverage in my area, although this is not reflected on their service area map.
My wife is a substitute teacher. The school system has an interactive, automated call-up system that requires the substitute to enter a password to accept teaching assignments. However, if the cellphone does not have enough signal strength, the calls forward to voice messaging, and she misses the teaching opportunity.
I have since learned other Sprint customers in this area are experiencing the same problem, although AT&T and Cingular do not. When I called Sprint, they informed me the problem was due to my proximity to a military installation and refused to refund the activation fee of $34.95 when I cancelled service. And although my calling program was 300 minutes for $29.95 (approximately $.10 per minute), Sprint is charging me $.40 per minute for the minutes I used, rather than pro-rating at the $.10 per minute rate in the program.
I entered into a contract with Sprint. It was impossible to determine the extent or limitations of their service without activating an account. By not reimbursing these fees, Sprint is essentially taking money without providing the contractual service.
Stephen
Fort Meade, Maryland
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Sherri
Richmond,California,
U.S.A.
BE GLAD YOU ARE RID OF THEM.
#2Consumer Comment
Wed, January 29, 2003
My husband has a plan with them for 1000 anytime minutes and 4500 off-peak. During the billing cycle from November to December, he was able to use 216 minutes total. Why? No signal the majority of the time. During his last billing cycle, it was even worse. Total usage: 167 minutes. He asked for a credit and was told that lost signal was "your problem, not ours." His contract is up April 16th, but as of tomorrow, he will be on my plan with T-Mobile. It is worth paying the $150 termination fee for us to be totally rid of Sprint. Sprint PCS has no clue how to keep customer goodwill, only how to separate customer from his money. They are not worth the headache.
Stephen
Fort Meade,Maryland,
U.S.A.
The Scam Goes On!!!
#3Author of original report
Tue, January 28, 2003
After cancelling my service - within the required 14 days - Sprint STILL continued to charge me for the service, as well as charging me a cancellation fee of $150. I called their customer service and after 25 minutes, they finally agreed I had indeed cancelled within 14 days and that the amount should be refunded. I then pointed out that I had paid the first month at the time of purchase, including the "installation fee". Sprint informed me they charged a $5 payment fee for this transaction, and that this fee was explained in advance on my first bill. How can this fee be explained IN ADVANCE when my first bill didn't arrive until three weeks after I paid for the service. Finally, Sprint agreed to refund the $5 because "it isn't worth $5 to destroy a positive relationship with the customer." I think it's a little too late for that. This experience should UNDERSCORE in everyone's mind that Sprint Wireless Service is a RIP-OFF. I strongly advise you NOT to do business with Sprint.
Sprint PCS Rip-Off ChargesRefuses to Refund Activation Fee After Failing to Provide Service
#40
Mon, December 30, 2002
When I attempted to cancel service, Sprint made three attempts to delay my deactivation:
1) They explained there would be no additional charge to activate an additional phone, and trying a different one might improve reception (it might be a hardware problem, not a service problem). This seemed like a reasonable suggestion, and got me to delay my deactivation.
2) After deciding to proceed with deactivation, Sprint said I had already been charged for the first month and suggested I continue coverage for the entire month.
3) After rejecting this, Sprint asked if I wanted to just keep the phone active for emergencies for $10 per month.
Each of these delays would have taken me beyond the 14-day cancellation window. According to the contract, if you cancel the contract after the initial 14-days, you are subject to a $175 cancellation penalty.
Bottom Line: SPRINT appears to be more interested in taking my money than in actually providing quality service or in resolving valid customer complaints. At no time did any of the 5 Sprint representatives I spoke with warn me about the 14-day limit on cancellation. If I had not read the "fine print", I would have lost an additional $175.
Happy Ending: Although I am out $34.95, I am now a pleased AT&T Wireless Customer.
