Sprints less than awesome customer service.

Originally Posted by Woody426

Heres another update. "Kendra" called me back on 8/24/12 with "GREAT NEWS", I wasn't "actually" roaming, even though my phone was giving me very frequent roaming notices while I am at home:Attachment 51117
And even though the phones on the other account are doing the same thing, we aren't actually roaming. This logic fascinated me, I asked her to explain and I got some gibberish about how the level of roaming that we were doing wasn't affecting our bill ETC, blah blah blah. I countered with "well then if we aren't roaming, then there must be an issue with the phones, ALL SIX phones, she wasn't prepared for this line of questioning and attempted to evade answering the question, I repeated "So if there is NOT a coverage issue, like you clearly stated during our last call, then the omnipresent roaming notices must be directly related to a hardware issue with the phones, ALL SIX phones, encompassing different models from different manufactures?" She told me she was not a technical service representative and couldn't answer my question.
"Kendra" agreed to escalate me to the "final tier" (I heard Vaders theme from Star Wars in my head when she said that), and she told me to expect a call the week of the 27th.
On 8/27/12 at 3pm I received a call from "Angela" who I assume is with "final tier" escalations. Angela read me the boiler plate statement that the call may be monitored or recorded for accuracy and I told that it may also be recorded on my end, she was adamant that she was not giving permission to be recorded, I said fair enough then I do not agree to be recorded either, "Angela" informed me that she had no way of knowing if the call was being recorded on her end or not, I told her either way I was not giving permission to be recorded and we continued. "Angela" had not bothered to review the case at all and expected me to start from the beginning and explain the whole story, I refused and told her I could forward her all emails I had had since mid July and the transcripts of all the conversations, or she could research the history herself, either way I was not going to waste an hour of my time jumping through hoops for her amusement. She agreed to do the research herself. "Angela" was not one of the more polite Sprint associates that I have dealt with, very eager to interrupt me while I was speaking and I could tell by her sentence structure and her presentation that she does now or at some point has worked in the legal field.
"Angela" is supposed to review the case and get back tome next week.

From my understand of roaming, there is the native Sprint network, where Sprint has their own antennas. Then, there is Sprint coverage that is on another network, but isn't considered "roaming". There isn't a charge for using the phone in this area and the account cannot be disconnected for excessive usage. Then, there is off network roaming, when the phone is using another network that isn't considered in a Sprint coverage area. In those areas you can have your account disconnected for excessive usage. You might be in the area that is on another network but isn't at risk of having your account disconnected.

If you look at Sprint's coverage map you will see "Sprint coverage", "Sprint coverage - signal strength varies", and "Off-network roaming". If you're in the "Sprint coverage- signal strength varies" area I believe your phone is on another network but you can use it as much as you want without any type penalty.

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The coverage map shows I am in an "off network roaming" are. BUT, according to the Sprint representative, I'm not "really" roaming.

Originally Posted by Woody426

The coverage map shows I am in an "off network roaming" are. BUT, according to the Sprint representative, I'm not "really" roaming.

If you're in an off network roaming area, I would think you're really roaming. I would ask for clarification. They should be able to prove which tower and network you're connected to. I don't think it will show up as Sprint if your area is all under off network roaming.

We arent REALLY roaming, Love ya Sprint ! LMAO

Hmmmm, sounds kind of familiar. Sprint Community: Unresponsive, rude customer service representatives FOR MY EMPLOYEE ACCOUNT

Finally heard from Sprint last night. Since I filed a VERY detailed complaint with the Better Business Bureau (believe it or not FAR more detailed than what I have written here) miraculously they have decided it IS possible to replace my phone with a different device, hmmm seems like I have been told for some time that that just was not possible.
They offered me the new S3, I told the nice lady that that was still a Samsung phone just the next iteration of the device I have but she assured me that I would have "far better luck" with this device than my current device.
I asked what would happen if I got the phone and continued to get the roaming notices that I, and the rest of the people on both of accounts are getting, and she said we would address that "if and when it happens" that Sprint wanted to get a "new device in my hands to address the BBB complaint"
I asked the nice lady why I, my family, and my neighbors who use Sprint, had begun to receive "International Roaming Notifications" and she had no answer other than "lets try the new device first and if that eliminates the roaming notices we can address the other phones on your account.
New phone should be here Monday, we shall see.
I will add that Sprint's willingness to work with me on this issue took an amazing turn once they were notified of the BBB complaint, but of course that could just be a coincidence.

Originally Posted by Woody426

Finally heard from Sprint last night. Since I filed a VERY detailed complaint with the Better Business Bureau (believe it or not FAR more detailed than what I have written here) miraculously they have decided it IS possible to replace my phone with a different device, hmmm seems like I have been told for some time that that just was not possible.
They offered me the new S3, I told the nice lady that that was still a Samsung phone just the next iteration of the device I have but she assured me that I would have "far better luck" with this device than my current device.
I asked what would happen if I got the phone and continued to get the roaming notices that I, and the rest of the people on both of accounts are getting, and she said we would address that "if and when it happens" that Sprint wanted to get a "new device in my hands to address the BBB complaint"
I asked the nice lady why I, my family, and my neighbors who use Sprint, had begun to receive "International Roaming Notifications" and she had no answer other than "lets try the new device first and if that eliminates the roaming notices we can address the other phones on your account.
New phone should be here Monday, we shall see.
I will add that Sprint's willingness to work with me on this issue took an amazing turn once they were notified of the BBB complaint, but of course that could just be a coincidence.

I'm glad they were able to help you. It's sad that you had to contact the BBB in order to get it taken care of, but sometimes that is what it takes. I think [email protected] should have assisted you more quickly instead of taking so much of your time.

Did you receive the new phone? Did it resolve the issue?

I have been using the S3 for a few days, its a great phone, it has NOT completely eliminated the roaming issues, and of course it hasn't eliminated the roaming issues that the other five Sprint phones are having at my home. I guess at this point as long as the S3 works well and I am not being charged for roaming I should just give up.

Originally Posted by Woody426

I have been using the S3 for a few days, its a great phone, it has NOT completely eliminated the roaming issues, and of course it hasn't eliminated the roaming issues that the other five Sprint phones are having at my home. I guess at this point as long as the S3 works well and I am not being charged for roaming I should just give up.

As long as you can deal with it, I would probably just enjoy the Samsung Galaxy S III. I'd be glad I got a new phone from all of the trouble.

^ At this point thats the plan. I have to say the S3 is a great device, I am down to only about five roaming notices a day now. Is it the phone? I doubt it, maybe its just a coincidence.

Originally Posted by Woody426

^ At this point thats the plan. I have to say the S3 is a great device, I am down to only about five roaming notices a day now. Is it the phone? I doubt it, maybe its just a coincidence.

Maybe you can find a way to disable those messages. I'm sure there is some way to do it.

Enjoy your new phone.