18 MONTH Waiting Period for Equipment Upgrade, Per Retention

I was told today by Sprint Retention their policy requires customers to be
active on a single handset for 18 months before qualifying for 'new
customer' rebates. My $29.99 contract expires tomorrow, 11/10, and the best
they could offer at this time was an 8pm starting point for off peak minutes
as opposed to 9pm. What I was really looking for was to upgrade my 4900
handset, but I suppose the fact Sprint allows me as a consumer to purchase
handsets at regular retail rather than at 'unsubsidized' prices is a perk???
Are we still better off considering the prices of handsets are the same for
current customers or new customers before the rebates are applied?? Is
there any particular reason why Sprint does not subscribe to the
'subsidized' handset scheme?

I questioned whether they were planning to charge or impose fees onto
consumers desirous of switching carriers come November 24th, but apparently
such information has not been decided by Sprint as of yet, or disclosed to
the customer service team. Despite my inability to upgrade the handset at
this time under a discount, 8pm does sound tempting as I have not seen an
8pm-7am off peak range since 2000.

---

› See More: 18 MONTH Waiting Period for Equipment Upgrade, Per Retention

In article <BBD3E3E3.AC03%[email protected]>,
DONTEMAILMEPLEASE <[email protected]> wrote:

> I was told today by Sprint Retention their policy requires customers to be
> active on a single handset for 18 months before qualifying for 'new
> customer' rebates. My $29.99 contract expires tomorrow, 11/10, and the best
> they could offer at this time was an 8pm starting point for off peak minutes
> as opposed to 9pm. What I was really looking for was to upgrade my 4900
> handset, but I suppose the fact Sprint allows me as a consumer to purchase
> handsets at regular retail rather than at 'unsubsidized' prices is a perk???
> Are we still better off considering the prices of handsets are the same for
> current customers or new customers before the rebates are applied?? Is
> there any particular reason why Sprint does not subscribe to the
> 'subsidized' handset scheme?
>
> I questioned whether they were planning to charge or impose fees onto
> consumers desirous of switching carriers come November 24th, but apparently
> such information has not been decided by Sprint as of yet, or disclosed to
> the customer service team. Despite my inability to upgrade the handset at
> this time under a discount, 8pm does sound tempting as I have not seen an
> 8pm-7am off peak range since 2000.
>
>
>
>

The also have a 7 PM Nights plan.

http://tinyurl.com/u9zf

I was in a Radio Shack this morning (SF Potrero Center) and on the SPCS
kiosk was a small sign that said "Existing customers...mail-in
rebate..." and had an expiration date. I didn't write down the details
and don't know if it's the same phones and amounts as a mail-in rebate
card in the kiosk.

--
Frank Harris in San Francisco

To be honest, in your case it probably has more to do with the fact that
you're a $29.99 plan moreso than 18 months. The 18 months gets them out of
having to offer anything. On some of their phone offers they're they'll let
existing customers take advantage if they re-up their contract. A good
example is the $79 Sanyo 5300 offer through RS a couple months ago.

-F

"DONTEMAILMEPLEASE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:BBD3E3E3.AC03%[email protected]...
> I was told today by Sprint Retention their policy requires customers to be
> active on a single handset for 18 months before qualifying for 'new
> customer' rebates. My $29.99 contract expires tomorrow, 11/10, and the
best
> they could offer at this time was an 8pm starting point for off peak
minutes
> as opposed to 9pm. What I was really looking for was to upgrade my 4900
> handset, but I suppose the fact Sprint allows me as a consumer to purchase
> handsets at regular retail rather than at 'unsubsidized' prices is a
perk???
> Are we still better off considering the prices of handsets are the same
for
> current customers or new customers before the rebates are applied?? Is
> there any particular reason why Sprint does not subscribe to the
> 'subsidized' handset scheme?
>
> I questioned whether they were planning to charge or impose fees onto
> consumers desirous of switching carriers come November 24th, but
apparently
> such information has not been decided by Sprint as of yet, or disclosed to
> the customer service team. Despite my inability to upgrade the handset at
> this time under a discount, 8pm does sound tempting as I have not seen an
> 8pm-7am off peak range since 2000.
>
>
>
>

Here's the mail-in rebate card - LIT50884. "Special Offer for Current
Customers ...offer available 10/15 - 12/31/2003" The fine print includes:
1. You must not have activated a PCS Phone in the past 18 months.
2. If purchasing a PCS Vision phone, you must sign up for a PCS Vision
Service Plan...
3. Activate ... by 1/14/2004 on a Service Plan $35 or higher with a one-
or two-year...


--
Frank Harris in San Francisco with an A460

actually they offer you a deal on an upgraded handset as long as you resign
another year long contract or whatever your contract was and the amount
towards a new phone is based on your plan, you can do it as early as 9
months of being with them. Also, just threaten to leave after 11/24/03,
almost all carriers are going to try and keep people so screw with the csr
people like they screw with everyone else.
"ZJ Driver" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> To be honest, in your case it probably has more to do with the fact that
> you're a $29.99 plan moreso than 18 months. The 18 months gets them out
of
> having to offer anything. On some of their phone offers they're they'll
let
> existing customers take advantage if they re-up their contract. A good
> example is the $79 Sanyo 5300 offer through RS a couple months ago.
>
> -F
>
> "DONTEMAILMEPLEASE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:BBD3E3E3.AC03%[email protected]...
> > I was told today by Sprint Retention their policy requires customers to
be
> > active on a single handset for 18 months before qualifying for 'new
> > customer' rebates. My $29.99 contract expires tomorrow, 11/10, and the
> best
> > they could offer at this time was an 8pm starting point for off peak
> minutes
> > as opposed to 9pm. What I was really looking for was to upgrade my 4900
> > handset, but I suppose the fact Sprint allows me as a consumer to
purchase
> > handsets at regular retail rather than at 'unsubsidized' prices is a
> perk???
> > Are we still better off considering the prices of handsets are the same
> for
> > current customers or new customers before the rebates are applied?? Is
> > there any particular reason why Sprint does not subscribe to the
> > 'subsidized' handset scheme?
> >
> > I questioned whether they were planning to charge or impose fees onto
> > consumers desirous of switching carriers come November 24th, but
> apparently
> > such information has not been decided by Sprint as of yet, or disclosed
to
> > the customer service team. Despite my inability to upgrade the handset
at
> > this time under a discount, 8pm does sound tempting as I have not seen
an
> > 8pm-7am off peak range since 2000.
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>

On Sun, 09 Nov 2003 12:30:27 -0500, DONTEMAILMEPLEASE
<[email protected]> said:

> Is
>there any particular reason why Sprint does not subscribe to the
>'subsidized' handset scheme?

Their method of phone pricing has worked for me. I had to replace a
4900 before (stolen) The phones are not really subsidized but they are
cheaper overall if you need to buy one. Most companies charge the low
subsidized fee and add a fixed "penalty" fee if you want to buy a
phone without a plan. Just an example as I'm sure these values change
often but imagine paying 1 cent + $199 for a bottom of the barrel no
option Motorola or Nokia if you need to replace a lost or stolen one?
IMHO, that makes that $149 for a 4900 look good.

"DONTEMAILMEPLEASE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:BBD3E3E3.AC03%[email protected]...
> I was told today by Sprint Retention their policy requires customers to be
> active on a single handset for 18 months before qualifying for 'new
> customer' rebates. My $29.99 contract expires tomorrow, 11/10, and the
best
> they could offer at this time was an 8pm starting point for off peak
minutes
> as opposed to 9pm. What I was really looking for was to upgrade my 4900
> handset, but I suppose the fact Sprint allows me as a consumer to purchase
> handsets at regular retail rather than at 'unsubsidized' prices is a
perk???
> Are we still better off considering the prices of handsets are the same
for
> current customers or new customers before the rebates are applied?? Is
> there any particular reason why Sprint does not subscribe to the
> 'subsidized' handset scheme?


To start off, you are talking about several different issues with regards to
phones, accounts and AAs (annual agreements). What expires is not your plan,
but your annual agreement. Your $29.99/mo. plan will still be working for
you, until you decided to change plans.

As to your $29.99 plan, you really aren't that valuable customer, than one
who has a higher priced plan, to offer a subsidized phone deal. If you want
to continue that $30/mo. plan, you need to look for the model you want, at
the cheapest price available from several different outlets, like RS, BB or
any other outfit that sells SPCS phones.

>
> I questioned whether they were planning to charge or impose fees onto
> consumers desirous of switching carriers come November 24th, but
apparently
> such information has not been decided by Sprint as of yet, or disclosed to
> the customer service team. Despite my inability to upgrade the handset at
> this time under a discount, 8pm does sound tempting as I have not seen an
> 8pm-7am off peak range since 2000.

Just wait a month, and see what plans and phones are available. I don't
think that you will find any plan cheaper than what you have now though.
BTW, with WLNP taking place in two weeks, there will be a lot of newer used
phones up for sale, for all providers, available on eBay and other auction
sites. You might be able to get a good cheap deal on one of these phones.

Bob

Bob

in article [email protected], Frank Harris at
[email protected] wrote on 11/9/03 8:37 PM:

> Here's the mail-in rebate card - LIT50884. "Special Offer for Current
> Customers ...offer available 10/15 - 12/31/2003" The fine print includes:
> 1. You must not have activated a PCS Phone in the past 18 months.
> 2. If purchasing a PCS Vision phone, you must sign up for a PCS Vision
> Service Plan...
> 3. Activate ... by 1/14/2004 on a Service Plan $35 or higher with a one-
> or two-year...
>


You mean to say a customer with a $29.99 grandfathered plan would have to
'renew' under a $35 plan in order to utilize this rebate???

The rules says new $35 plan, but perhaps if you called up Cancellation and
asked, they'd let you keep your current plan, and still get the rebate. Call
and ask. And if one CSR says no, call back later and try another. Emphasize
that you'd rather stay with Sprint.