How to get SprintPCS phone fixed

This FAQ is in no way authored by Sprint Spectrum, Sprint or Sprint PCS
unless otherwise expressly noted. By reading on, you agree that you are
fully aware of this. I see many questions asked repeatedly about
repairs, and thought an "Unofficial Repair FAQ" was in order. I have no
association (i.e. never been employed or received any remuneration for
them) with SprintPCS and there is a greater than zero chance there may
be errors herein. My only association with SprintPCS is as a current
customer interested in the vagarities of its policies. I believe
everything to be correct, but use the information at your own risk. This
FAQ comes not from SprintPCS, so it is unofficial, but apparently has
useful information some SprintPCS apologists are upset about being made
public, and one even threatened me with by forwarding this FAQ to
SprintPCS legal. Haven¹t heard a peep from them, cause this FAQ is all
true to the best of my knowledge.


What do I do if my phone goes bad/dies/stops working?

All new phones are sold with a 1-year warranty. If it goes bad in the
first 14 days, that¹s your ³Test² period and you are free to return it
to Sprint (or where you bought it) for a full refund or exchange for a
different new phone (although activation fees may apply). Between 15 and
365 days you return it for repair or replacement, if it is replaced it
will usually be a refurbished phone and may or may not be the same
model. Same rules apply to your battery. Lithium Ion batteries usually
last about 2 years, but not all do. Usually they are also covered by the
one-year warranty. Some places offer 30-day return privilege on phones,
but you¹d still only have 14 days to cancel a contract if the new phone
also came with a new contract with SprintPCS.

What does SprintPCS say about Warrantees?:
³The manufacturer of your phone offers a one-year limited warranty from
the date of purchase. To replace your phone under the manufacturer's
warranty, a Sprint Store technician must verify the defect. To locate
the nearest Sprint Store, dial *2 on your PCS Phone, say "Store
locator," and follow the instructions; or go to our online Sprint Store
locator. (Note: Warranties are exclusive to the manufacturer and only
allow for same-model exchanges. Sprint has no liability in connection
with the manufacturers' acts and/or omissions.)²

What does SprintPCS say about repairs?
³If you are having trouble with your PCS Phone, visit a local Sprint
Store Technical Center with service capabilities for a phone evaluation
to determine if there is a problem. A Sprint Store must have service
capabilities to repair your PCS Phone.²

What about Equipment Replacement Program?
In general I believe they are a rip off, but only you know your loss
history,
And for more expensive phones they may be a consideration, although
for a loss you have to file a police report, pay a deductible and accept
a refurbished phone, and sometimes not even the same model.

The first thing to do for a lost phone is to Call your number, you may
hear the phone ringing under a sofa cushion, or it may be answered by
someone or someplace you visited the day before that will be happy you
called.

What does SprintPCS say about a lost phone?
³If you lose your phone, notify PCS Customer Solutions at 888-211-4727.
If you have the PCS Equipment Replacement Program on your account,
please call lockline Insurance at 1-800-584-3666.
Important notes to remember when you lose your PCS Phone:
* You are still liable for the monthly recurring charges while service
is interrupted, including all charges for lost or stolen equipment
before you notified Sprint.
* You may be required to provide evidence of a police report or
affidavit for the loss or theft.
* When you reactivate your service you will be able to keep the same
phone number and monthly service plan.
If you purchase another PCS Phone, you must pay a $35 non-refundable
activation fee unless you activate your phone online.²
The $35 fee does not currently apply to those with Business Accounts.


What about annoying problems?

This can be exceedingly frustrating, especially if it is an intermittent
problem that cannot be readily reproduced for SprintPCS technicians.

Sometimes one of 2 types of firmware upgrades help. Problems with
roaming are many times alleviated by a ³PRL² update (PRL = Preferred
Roaming List). SprintPCS has agreements with other cellular carriers to
allow your phone to work on other networks when outside of the range of
the SprintPCS network. You do not get to choose which carrier; it is
determined by the PRL, software inside your phone. The current version
is 10021. Each phone also has a version of its unique firmware. As
phones are in the hands of users, often times ³bugs² are discovered and
fixed, by a firmware update, but this has to be done by a SprintPCS
technician at the Sprint store. Selling is the top priority at stores,
so upgrades to firmware are usually not available in real time, although
sometimes one can drop off their phone on the way to lunch, and pick it
up on their way home. Sometimes these firmware upgrades solve your
problem and you¹re done.

Information on Firmware and PRLs is available at
http://www.sprintpcsinfo.com

If both a PRL and Firmware upgrade do not solve your problem, the
problem could be changes in the SprintPCS network (which Sprint may not
admit to) or known issues with your model phone. If the problem is bad
enough go back to the Sprint store, ask to speak to the manager, calmly
explain your ongoing problem, and document the PRL and Firmware
updates/upgrades and insist on a replacement.
There is a common law principle called ³Fit for Purpose² which means
they sold you a phone, it has to work. It trumps the Contract. If
SprintPCS refuses to help you (and that has happened) and the problems
are too much too accept, write a letter to your State Attorney General
with a Certified copy to SprintPCS HQ in Kansas City and demand to be
let out of the Early Termination Fee.

Many folks insist the thing to do is to buy your SprintPCS phone from
Costco or Federated or other big Department store that has a
satisfaction guarantee. Often those places will replace your phone or
refund your money in cases where SprintPCS may have declined to help in
the way you might have liked.

In some cases, you may just wish to buy a new phone: SprintPCS now
allows any customer to get new customer deals on a new phone if you have
been using the same phone for 18 months. You get the discount by rebate
however.

If you are on a business plan, check with your company¹s SprintPCS
representative. They may have discounts or special deals or freebies on
soon to be discontinued phones.


=========

April 8, 2004
This Unofficial FAQ is based on my experiences and opinions and the
reported experiences of others as posted in this newsgroup. Always go by
the latest dated FAQ and ignore all earlier ones. The ³what does
SprintPCS say² is taken verbatim from the SprintPCS website, and include
those portions of text within quotation marks. SprintPCS is free to
change its policies at any time, and I make no guarantee as to what will
happen if one seeks a warranty repair or replacement, and cannot be held
responsible for your results. I believe it would serve SprintPCS better
if it were not secretive about these rules, and was proactive about
replacing "problem phones". I believe there is a secret list of phones
that have "known issues", and if you complain, they will be replaced,
but only if you complain. The Samsung Black 8500 was such a phone. It
would not work in Analog Roaming mode, and would be replaced IF YOU
ASKED. I view this posting as helpful to Sprint. I welcome
===constructive=== criticism and additions.

Personal insults addressed to the author will be ignored.

---

› See More: How to get SprintPCS phone fixed

> Always go by
> the latest dated FAQ and ignore all earlier ones.

This would be easier if the name of the FAQ and/or the subject of the
message containing the FAQ and/or the author name did not change every
time it was posted. Some type of revision level would be nice or at
least a note showing the changes from the previous version or at least a
predictable release schedule or even the conventional method of
providing a link to the most recent version. Without ANY of these, the
FAQ is really hard to follow over time and gives the impression that not
much collaboration went into its creation.

just my .02

"Not at Web TV" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Personal insults addressed to the author will be ignored.

No ... they won't you little right palm shavin' with Gillette toad ... #62
on Phillipe's hit parade.

You really don't have any life ... do you Phillipe ... ?

Bob