Tell me your Sprint PCS horror story

[DrRock]

Today is a good day! As of today I no longer use Sprint PCS and I am the proud owner of a Nextel i90! Hey PCS users, you too can have a cell phone that works! After 3 years of dropped calls (I averaged about 10 dropped calls per day or 2 minutes per call before I dropped), HORRIBLE customer service, dropped calls, unanswered emails, and did I mention dropped calls I am out. I knew when i changed plans a few months ago and signed a year contract I was making a mistake, but I had just bought a nice startac and the plan was a good deal. After 3 refurbished phones (the last one they sent had a broken hinge and they wouldn't replace it because they don't cover external damage) and hundreds of dropped calls (really no exaggeration), I talked them into cancelling the contract when they wouldn't replace the phone again. I promised them at that time I was going to actively seek out PCS users and get them to switch (yes I am that bitter) and make sure that nobody I know goes with them in the future. The CSR (they should replace these people with machines that repeat the phrase "Go to the Sprint Store") basically told me to screw myself. So here it is, hopefully a thread with disgruntled PCS users to discourage people from signing on with them in the future. If you have a good story, put it in here too. That is great, I wouldn't wish my experience with them on anybody. If you are a Sprint employee, I would recommend you start looking for a new job, that company is a sinking ship. Let the flaming begin!

 

[chiwawa626]

I have Sprint PCS. Btw, What horror stories?

 

[Sluggo]

I've had Sprint for 3 years now, nothing better, and I have tried them all.

Many Sprint and other providers seem to have bad local service in some areas, and I highly doubt that this is an indication of the company going under.

Around here people try Nextel for about 3 days, then run and get something else, it sucks hard around here.

 

[Rallispec]

<< I have Sprint PCS. Btw, What horror stories? >>



yep.. i have nothing but good things to say about sprint pcs

 

[flavio]

Works great for me

 

[Kerouactivist]

don't plan on using sprint PCS anywhere outside of a major metropolitian area or along interstates. They have miles upon miles of dead space!!

 

[Lucky]

I get fairly good coverage but their CS is absolutely atrocious if you have problems, and it aint gonna get better as they are slashing 3000 more customer service reps.

the problems I've had with them are far to long to post..but rest assured, even if you have promotional offers in hand, if they dont want to honor them, even their execs in corporate wont make good on their promotional ads.

i hate them.

 

[LethalWolfe]

I've had Sprint for about 2yrs or so and I can only recommend them. Of course I've had issues, but nothing show stopping. I have noticed that quality of coverage can depend on where you live.



<< don't plan on using sprint PCS anywhere outside of a major metropolitian area or along interstates. They have miles upon miles of dead space!! >>



1. How many digital cell phones get a digital signal in the sticks?
2. I've driven from LA to Indiana and back and I had a digital signal 95% of the time. The longest strench w/o a signal was thru parts of New Mexico where I couldn't even pick up a radio station.


Lethal

 

[Sluggo]

<< I've driven from LA to Indiana and back and I had a digital signal 95% of the time. The longest strench w/o a signal was thru parts of New Mexico where I couldn't even pick up a radio station. >>



Well that has more to do with Roswell, than Sprint PCS

 

[rgwalt]

My ex's sister is currently battling a $1100 Cingular bill. Apparently there was a misunderstanding and she was told she had free long distance which included Canada, which aparently wasn't the case.

I wish her luck, and I know for a fact that Cingular isn't getting $1100 out of her. I mean, you would think they would have computers to catch that sort of behavior, and they would call her to notify her. Heck, if a CC company will call you after making a $200 purchase at Best Buy (after hours), you would think Cingular could do the same for her.

What REALLY sucks is that she got that phone/plan especially so she could call her friends in Canada, and now she has a huge bill, and a 1 year contract to fullfill. To top it off, my ex got a phone from the same location a few weeks later, and the creeps working there actually saved her number, called her up, and asked her out. If I wasn't 10 hours away, I would beat some butt...

Ryan

 

[Thegonagle]

My battery went dead while I was talking to my dad, after a 55 minute call to customer service. I had to go through a myriad of menus just to wait for 20+ minutes to talk to a CSR. The CSR?s were obviously overworked and just generally cranky.

One completely dead spot outdoors, in the middle of Minneapolis, numerous dead spots encountered in the suburbs.

I bought a bucket of 50 off network roaming minutes for $10 one month. I didn't realize they still charge you long distance on those minutes until the bill came :| . WTF is the point of buying roaming minutes if I?m still paying per minute anyway?

That's the worst of it, except for paying the roaming fees almost everywhere I drove out of town, and even if an interstate is supposedly covered, calls would drop along the way (<cough> I-94 through Wisconsin </cough>).

I'm using Verizon now. Their network (formerly Air Touch) in my home town is A1, about as good as it gets. There's not a spot in town (including suburbs) that I've found where I can't get a signal. I'm not happy that "America's Choice" replaced all the regional single rate plans, but I got in before that happened (plans come and go, and I have no doubt that a few years from now, something similar will be offered again). My single rate midwest plan is perfect for me.

The biggest difference with Verizon to me is the human touch. I can usually get right through to a CSR by pressing *611 plus one number. They're always friendly and willing to help. I never knew how much better cellular service could be, so I suffered with SPCS for almost two years.

 

[Farbio]

you want just one?????

 

[amnesiac]

3rd year with Sprint, never had problems with the service. Drove from Colorado Springs to Lake Powell, UT and had maybe a 1 hour spot of dead signal in the middle of the mountains. Got roaming / digital roaming just fine in the boondocks.
No signal problems anywhere in LA. Get better reception than my friends with Nextel, AT&T, Cingular, and Verizon. No dropped calls on my end. No complaints here.

 

[slag]

2nd year with PCS here, no issues whatsoever. I have ALWAYS reached a CSR within 5-10 minutes ANYTIME I have called in.

Services is excellent in KCMetro area, all the way down the turnpike to Wichita. The web feature works well also.

I had nothing but headaches with verizon and their "customer service".

Anyway, the company is not a sinking ship. All telecommunication stock nowadays is down. Worldcom actually had to borrow money to stay afloat. Sprint, AT&T, and the bells have not had to.

Joe

 

[bunker]

Sprint suxxors! When I first got my phone they forgot to send the activation code, so I call cust. svc. for the very first time and am promptly put on hold for an hour and 15 minutes.

I live in metro Atlanta and can't get a signal in my house. If I go out into the driveway I get the strongest signal possible. I have calls dropped all the time for no apparent reason (ie. I'm sitting in one spot not moving and the call just drops).

If I could find someone to buy my phone (Samsung sch 8500) I'd drop them in a second and switch to AT&T. My wife has AT&T and it has worked great in this area.

 

[propellerhead]

Been using SprintPCS Family Plan for almost a year. Works great for me, and I travel between Dallas and San Antonio Texas a lot.

Sure I get a few dropped phone calls once in a while, maybe one a month. But those are usually from inside my apartment. But a quick call to *2 and I get a minute of airtime credit. Do other services offer the same?

Sometimes we expect too much out of cell phones. They are not land line phones.

 

[cipher00]

Finally had good service with Sprint PCS - when I cancelled the service. They actually sent me my unused balance back. Coverage was awful and service generally poor. I tossed the phone in the closet and switched to Verizon. I've been much happier since.

 

[SyahM]

i've been using Sprint for almost two yrs and a half, the coverage has been great in St. louis area, and also along the highway across illinois and madison, WI. I rarely experienced dropped call, the only problem is reaching the CSR .. hold time was terrible. I dont think i will switch plan cuz all new plans have terrible off-peak hours (9pm-7AM) while my current plan is still the old 8Pm-7Am. All in all, i'm satisfied with Sprint ..

 

[Thegonagle]

<< I have ALWAYS reached a CSR within 5-10 minutes ANYTIME I have called in. >>



Heh heh heh, as long as you think that's "good." <snicker>

 

[InfectedMushroom]

i've had sprint for a year and a half with absolutely no problems.
great coverage area and worked awesome wherever i travelled too (vegas, reno, tahoe, new york). btw i'm in sf/bay area.

 

[loup garou]

I've had Sprint for about 3 years, and really can't complain. If you have trouble getting a CSR on the phone and have access to the internet, try an email. Every inquiry I've submitted via email has been answered in less than a day (which is fine for me). The only problem I've ever had is that Sprint's network is always busy during Mardi Gras, but you can get through by redialing a couple of times. But what do you expect when your city's population doubles (or more) for a week or two???

 

[Viper22]

Sprint PCS user for over 4 years with no problems. Even when im traveling i dont have any problems with them at all. have yet to call customer service as i havent needed it....if I need anything i just go to the store across the street from where i work.

Viper22

 

[BigJohnKC]

I've used PCS for six months or so with no problems. I got the Samsung Uproar mp3 phone, too - sweet.

 

[kt]

<< I've had Sprint for about 3 years, and really can't complain. If you have trouble getting a CSR on the phone and have access to the internet, try an email. Every inquiry I've submitted via email has been answered in less than a day (which is fine for me). The only problem I've ever had is that Sprint's network is always busy during Mardi Gras, but you can get through by redialing a couple of times. But what do you expect when your city's population doubles (or more) for a week or two??? >>


You actually got a reply back from your emails? I thought emails to them just go straight to the trash folder. I've sent maybe about 50 emails to them now. And none of them got a reply. After a while, I just send random stuff to them. Like once, I included an ASCII nude picture.

 

[Kerouactivist]

I almost got sprint Pcs but, the voverage area is to small, and it isn't really nationawide roaming (because it is only on their network).

I have cingular nationwide, I love their coverage it is everywhere unlike sprint PCS.

But there billlng practices are shady they are always trying to screw you

Once they said I didn't pay the bill even after I sent them the cashed check (it took awhile to work that one out)

Another time they charged me over $150 for minutes that were included in my plan.

Both times I has trouble getting anything done talking to them on the phone but, when I went to the actually store everthing worked ot fine....