Things I Hate: Phone Companies
Another in a long list. My wife got me an iPhone for my birthday. It was very well done, she got me a case, stuck a picture of the phone in the case, and said that we could go get it when the new model comes out. True love. Well, we all know that the new model is coming out on July 11th so I was getting excited and started looking into what I need to do to have my cell phone number follow me. (Being self employed and being that business cards are the only way that I advertise, keeping my cell number is critical.) It looks like it won’t be too hard, but just to be sure I called Sprint (my current carrier).
I knew that my contract was up, because I have had my old phone for almost 4 years, and they keep asking me to extend by getting a new phone. We tried to use that to get my wife a new phone last year, but they wouldn’t let me switch the phone over to her number. (Again with the phone number.) In any case, her contract was up in March, but it turns out mine isn’t up until November!! After much cussing and moaning, it appears that when my contract was up last time, they sweet talked me into another two years by giving me $10 off my monthly bill (along with smaller charges if I went over on minutes.) I totally didn’t remember that, I mean it was a year and a half ago! ($10 x 24 = $240, how they talked me into that I don’t know or remember, but I definitely have the contract that spells it out rather clearly. I guess I didn’t think that I would ever want to get rid of my Treo.)
Grr.
So I asked how much it would be to break the contract given that there are (will be) only 4 months left on the contract. They said $200. I asked how much it would be if there was only 1 month? $200. 1 day? $200. Given my last few interactions with Sprint (see getting wife new phone from above) I was actually planning on leaving them anyway. This is the final nail in the coffin.
Now I just have to figure out the least expensive way to leave them without lying or losing my current phone number. I suppose I could just shell out the $200, but that makes the (admittedly much cheaper) iPhone that much more expensive. I could just wait the four months but I don’t really want to give Sprint another 4 months of business. (And aiiiieee! Waiting 4 months for the shiny!) I could try to find a taker for my cell plan, but I have a hard time believing that someone looking for a short term plan would want mine. Also I don’t know if that interferes with keeping my old phone number.
I could try dropping everything I don’t need, I can get it down to $70/mo. (tax & fees incl.) but that is still more than $200. Then of course there is just waiting until November.
Grr. I hate phone companies.
June 10th, 2008 at 20:16
My first cell phone contract was with sprint. I know for a fact that they completely screwed me and extended my contract without my approval. I mean: I had documented evidence that I told ‘no no no no no no no.’. I had delivered them in letter and on the phone with the rights stuffs saying : when my contract ends, don’t extend it. I called the day before it expired and they said I had to call the day it expired. That was thanksgiving. I couldn’t get anyone on tday. The next day I called, and they had extended it for a year. mother fuckers.
In the end, with some strongly worded letters and documentation on my side and 6 months later, I was allowed out of the contract only having to pay for an extra month. but, in my opinion, they practices are 100% criminal.
June 10th, 2008 at 20:20
Sucks.
Here are three things:
1) Keep your eyes peeled for service changes that you can argue are material changes to your contract, which allow you to quit without the early termination fee.
2) Several cell companies have started pro-rating ETFs (prompted by class-action lawsuits and such); Sprint isn’t one of them, but since it seems to be an industry trend, they might adopt the policy some time between now and November.
3) Maybe Sprint will go out of business!
June 11th, 2008 at 09:22
Katherine: Dude!! That really sucks. In my case I actually do have a vague memory of re-upping, and worse have documentation indicating that I did. And the more I think about it, the less amazed I am, I mean two years ago, what could have possibly come along that would make me want to get rid of my Treo?
Pam: I saw a bunch of articles about (1) about a year ago, but it looks like they stopped making those kinds of changes in response to that. Also, the plan has to get more expensive, not less, and it seems like phone bills have only been going down lately. On (2), I don’t see Sprint doing that retroactively, at least I can be part of that class if someone brings a suit.
(3) seems pretty unlikely. They are in a pretty good financial position right now (thanks in part to me!) and they are rolling out WiMax in Chicago (oddly, one reason that I would want to stay with Sprint) which they wouldn’t be doing if they were about to go out of business.
June 11th, 2008 at 11:12
Katherine: ISTR reading that there was a class-action lawsuit filed against them regarding those practices. Maybe you can get some money!
Moonglum:
1. Didn’t they just recently put a cap on their “unlimited” data plan? (I may be thinking of some other company.)
2. My point is, if they start doing it in, like, August, you won’t have to wait until November to get a new phone.
3. Really? I remember reading recently that they’re shedding customers like a cat sheds fur in summer, they replaced their CEO not too long ago, and had a bunch of layoffs.