Sprint PCS Service

I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative, mainly
because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many horror
stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real story
here?

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› See More: Sprint PCS Service

"Karen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative, mainly
> because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many
horror
> stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
> Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real
story
> here?

Decent network if you stay closely within their network, lousy customer
service, rude employees.

Where in upstate New York?

I have relatives in Rochester who have sprint and haven't had problems
with coverage. I've driven around Rochester and Albany and Syracuse and
haven't had problems in terms of coverage. However if you go at all off
the beaten path, so to speak, there will be no coverage, where as
Verizon often does have analog coverage (but not digital).

As far as customer service, Sprint is TERRIBLE. Don't trust them unless
it is in writting, read everything, ask lots of questions, and look over
each bill carefully. When I moved I was getting charged taxes for my
old state and the new state. It took MONTHS to fix this and get
credited. I only got credit when I threatened to leave.

Also, do not sign up for more than a year, so that you can either leave
after a year or renegotiate for a better deal.


In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative, mainly
> because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many horror
> stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
> Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real story
> here?
>
>
>

Karen wrote:
>
> I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative, mainly
> because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many horror
> stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
> Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real story
> here?

If alot of your calling will be done locally, it's easy to check
coverage.
Sprint's got a 14-day return policy. Get yourself a phone and travel as
much
as possible, checking for "drop-out" areas. If it does well, that's one
potential problem eliminated.

Coverage while traveling is, unfortunately, a crap shoot.

I also travel quite frequently, and have found that I'll get good
coverage
in one spot, while just a few blocks away, it's virtually non-existent.

I think you'll find this problem with most carriers.

You might contact people, in the places you travel to, to find out what
carriers they use.

Larry

Typical trolling response. I've never had a rude employee since 1998 and
they always solved the problem that I had.

--
Chris

Please respond on Usenet or Phonescoop.com


"Justin Green" <[email protected]> wrote in article
<[email protected]>:
>
> "Karen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative, mainly
> > because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many
> horror
> > stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
> > Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real
> story
> > here?
>
> Decent network if you stay closely within their network, lousy customer
> service, rude employees.
>
>

[posted via phonescoop.com]

"Chris Russell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Typical trolling response. I've never had a rude employee since 1998 and
> they always solved the problem that I had.
>
> --
> Chris
>
> Please respond on Usenet or Phonescoop.com


Well, the only two decent ones I met were:

1) They guy in the Sprint store in Plano that finally admitted the truth
about the coverage in Little Elm after Sprint denied having a network
problem in Little Elm over and over, AND

2) They guy who finally made the decision to waive the EFT fee after I wrote
letters to the BBB and attorney generals.

Not a trolling response. It's best if they hear the truth.

Heck i coulda told you what to tell Customer service to fix the tax
problem.. that is easy.

"Atif I. Chaudhry" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Where in upstate New York?
>
> I have relatives in Rochester who have sprint and haven't had problems
> with coverage. I've driven around Rochester and Albany and Syracuse and
> haven't had problems in terms of coverage. However if you go at all off
> the beaten path, so to speak, there will be no coverage, where as
> Verizon often does have analog coverage (but not digital).
>
> As far as customer service, Sprint is TERRIBLE. Don't trust them unless
> it is in writting, read everything, ask lots of questions, and look over
> each bill carefully. When I moved I was getting charged taxes for my
> old state and the new state. It took MONTHS to fix this and get
> credited. I only got credit when I threatened to leave.
>
> Also, do not sign up for more than a year, so that you can either leave
> after a year or renegotiate for a better deal.
>
>
> In article <[email protected]>,
> [email protected] says...
> > I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative, mainly
> > because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many
horror
> > stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
> > Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real
story
> > here?
> >
> >
> >

Move to Chicago... the rude employees are plentiful. The SprintPCS service
center on Devon is horrible and the downtown Loop location on Lasalle is
even worse. The Evanston, Illinois store is much better and always
pleasant.

Phone support has gotten much better.

The network is Chicago is much improved from last year. I agree, if you are
traveling on the network things should be fine.

"Chris Russell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Typical trolling response. I've never had a rude employee since 1998 and
> they always solved the problem that I had.
>
> --
> Chris
>
> Please respond on Usenet or Phonescoop.com
>
>
> "Justin Green" <[email protected]> wrote in article
> <[email protected]>:
> >
> > "Karen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative,
mainly
> > > because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many
> > horror
> > > stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
> > > Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real
> > story
> > > here?
> >
> > Decent network if you stay closely within their network, lousy customer
> > service, rude employees.
> >
> >
>
> [posted via phonescoop.com]

typical perpetuation of the flame wars --- Bevis. Why not answer the OP's
question and move long, 'cause the best you've done is make SPCS a coin toss
to them.

--tr

"Chris Russell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Typical trolling response. I've never had a rude employee since 1998 and
> they always solved the problem that I had.
>
> --
> Chris
>
> Please respond on Usenet or Phonescoop.com
>
>
> "Justin Green" <[email protected]> wrote in article
> <[email protected]>:
> >
> > "Karen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative,
mainly
> > > because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many
> > horror
> > > stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
> > > Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real
> > story
> > > here?
> >
> > Decent network if you stay closely within their network, lousy customer
> > service, rude employees.
> >
> >
>
> [posted via phonescoop.com]

I've been with Sprint since they hit this area, about 4 yrs ago and I
have never had a rude employee. I've always dealt with the *2
customer service as we didn't have an actual Sprint store until about
1 yr ago...yep small town Arizona.

I'm not sure who is who in the newsgroup but I'm thankful for the
information I have received and to Rob for the info on how to get into
my old N400 to reset it.

Have a good one and sorry for any typo/nonsense, i'm on serious meds
for stress.

Good evening

Heidi

In article <[email protected]>,
"Karen" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative, mainly
> because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many horror
> stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in the
> Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real story
> here?



The real story is you should always consider first and foremost COVERAGE.

Start with Sprint's maps, then find Sprint customers in the area you
live, work and travel, and find out their experiences. Every ecll
carrier's maps are optimistic, drawn up my marketing departments, which
ignore dead spots and holes in coverage.

The best phone with the best service with the best rate plan is WORTHLESS
if the cell phone is showing ==NO SERVICE AVAILABLE== and the phone
won't make a call.

National generalizations about Sprint's coverage don't mean a thing. Its
your unique set of locations that counts.

In article <[email protected]>,
"vzwguy" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Heck i coulda told you what to tell Customer service to fix the tax
> problem.. that is easy.

why keep it a secret now?

Karen wrote:
> *I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative,
> mainly
> because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard many
> horror
> stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in
> the
> Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the real
> story
> here? *

What part of upstate NY? I know a lot of people up there...

--
Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap

Customer Service in most cases might not be a reason to not go with
Sprint. It often becomes a reason not to stay with Sprint.


All cellular companies seem to be cutting corners on Customer Service.
Sprint does rate lowest in the most recent JD Power study. Once you're
set up and going, many folks have no need to contact customer service.

Sprint tends to charge less for its national plans than other carriers
which can be a consideration if you travel a lot. But some areas
coverage becomes non-existant if one gets too far from the freeways.
Only you know where you will be. In many big cities, Sprint now has the
best coverage, Los Angeles is not a place of good coverage by Sprint,
smaller cites (like New Haven, Connecticut) the coverage map would look
like rotten Swiss cheese IF IT WERE HONEST.

Then there's the never discussed issue of indoors/outdoors. Service may
be fine outdoors or in your car, but not work when you step indoors.
There's fine print in Sprint's contracts (the Terms and Conditions) that
are positively scarey.
http://www1.sprintpcs.com/explore/in...rmsPrivacy.jsp
===

Your purchase of a PCS Phone or other equipment does not mean that we
must provide Services to you.
We do not guarantee service availability or that there will be no
interruptions or delays in Services (e.g., dropped calls, blocked calls,
etc.).
====

As it turns out the Terms and Conditions are a wish list drawn up by
lawyers (and Sprints are similar to other carriers), a phone does need
to be "Fit for Purpose" according to common law. If where you use your
phone most it does not work, no arbitrator or jury in the world would
expect you to pay, although it sometimes requires a letter to a state's
Attorney General to get a cellular carrier to be reasonable.

"Phill." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Karen" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I am a Verizon user looking at Sprint as a possible alternative,
mainly
> > because of Sprint having a better phone selection. I have heard
many horror
> > stories about Sprint PCS service - is it really that bad? I am in
the
> > Upstate NY area, but I travel all over the country. What is the
real story
> > here?
>
>
>
> The real story is you should always consider first and foremost
COVERAGE.
>
> Start with Sprint's maps, then find Sprint customers in the area you
> live, work and travel, and find out their experiences. Every ecll
> carrier's maps are optimistic, drawn up my marketing departments,
which
> ignore dead spots and holes in coverage.
>
> The best phone with the best service with the best rate plan is
WORTHLESS
> if the cell phone is showing ==NO SERVICE AVAILABLE== and the phone
> won't make a call.
>
> National generalizations about Sprint's coverage don't mean a thing.
Its
> your unique set of locations that counts.

Here's one thing I can agree with Phillippe. It's all about where you
want to use the phone ... As with all providers, SPCS does offer a 14
day trial period to test out their phones. You would be responsible
for the first month's plan fee along with the activation charge, even
if you did not decide to say.

If you do sign up for a trial period, see whether you can sign up for
a F&CA (free & clear America) plan, as it includes roaming & LD at no
extra expense. They don't want you using more than 50% of total
minutes (incoming or outgoing) used for roaming, but for those that do
qualify for that plan, by living in a qualified area to begin with,
it's a good plan to go with.

Bob

Bob