My Long detailed story of dealing with Sprint Customer Service.

[Mr. Ed]

Thank you. Hadn't even thought of it this way at the time. I didn't even question the employee who suggested it when they looked at my phone. All I knew was I wanted my phone fixed.
I had the dreaded USB disconnecting from main board issue where Sprint blames HTC and HTC blames Sprint but in the end the customer pays the price for a flawed design.

I ended up leaving the Evo on my primary line; gave the Photon away then when the problem occurred on the replacement I got the iPhone 4S.

When I took the iPhone back it was within 48 hrs of purchase.

Makes perfect sense. The evo most likely would have been covered even without tep anyway for that issue.

That guy was looking out for you for sure!

Most of us really do that

 

[ScandaLeX]

Makes perfect sense. The evo most likely would have been covered even without tep anyway for that issue.

That guy was looking out for you for sure!

Most of us really do that

Ahhh here's the rub.... Sprint or HTC (dont know who) decided the USB port disconnecting from the mainboard was user error even though it was well documented. If memory serves me correctly, the return rate of Evos this was happening to was extremely high. So, instead of either Sprint or HTC doing the right thing, the customer had to pay the deductible for manufacturer defects.

That's why when it happened again, I refused to pay again for another Evo; the risk of potentially getting another one that breaks w/In 2 months was to much for me.

 

[Mr. Ed]

Though results may vary...policy is to replace them.

 

[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.

 

[SEMIJim]

Heh... I just realized the phone with which you've been having all the trouble is a SGS2. That's what I'm considering, only on T-Mobile.

The phone actually gets really good ratings on all service providers.

Jim

 

[ScandaLeX]

I didn't feel like re reading everything again so if this has already been asked/answered my apologies. My question, my phone has a settings where I can put it on CDMA or automatic for roaming; by any chance did you ever check your settings and make sure yours wasn't set to automatic?

A couple of months ago my phone suddenly started doing the same thing. I hadn't made any changes and clearly wasn't roaming. I checked my settings and sure enough, my phone was on automatic. Don't know how it got there to begin with. Haven't had any roaming issues since then.

 

[Woody426]

I didn't feel like re reading everything again so if this has already been asked/answered my apologies. My question, my phone has a settings where I can put it on CDMA or automatic for roaming; by any chance did you ever check your settings and make sure yours wasn't set to automatic?

A couple of months ago my phone suddenly started doing the same thing. I hadn't made any changes and clearly wasn't roaming. I checked my settings and sure enough, my phone was on automatic. Don't know how it got there to begin with. Haven't had any roaming issues since then.

.
The settings have been changed multiple time at the instruction of Sprint Tech Services and at the direction of the associates that I have been dealing with in "the office of the CEO".
At this point I truly question if its an issue with the phone, I have made this clear to lady I am dealing with now. Like I said a total of six phones on my accounts encompassing different models from different manufactures are getting the domestic and international roaming notices, that combined with the fact that some of my neighbors are having the same issues leads me to believe that for what ever there is a severe coverage issue in our area. I could be completely wrong, I do not profess to have any knowledge of cell towers or how they work.

 

[ScandaLeX]

The common denominator, being Sprint service has me believing also it is the service and not everybody's individual phone as being the problem.
If it were one phone, ok but not all plus neighbors. I don't see Sprint replacing 6 phones regardless of BBB involvement.

 

[Woody426]

The common denominator, being Sprint service has me believing also it is the service and not everybody's individual phone as being the problem.
If it were one phone, ok but not all plus neighbors. I don't see Sprint replacing 6 phones regardless of BBB involvement.

They haven't been asked to replace six phones. They were actually given the opportunity to NOT replace my phone, just merely let me out of the contracts with no ETF based on the coverage issues, they chose not to do that, instead the started the "your not REALLY roaming" defense. That defense by the way made the young lady at the BBB in the department that handles cell phone complaints chuckle out loud, I got the feeling she had heard of them using that one before

 

[SEMIJim]

Ya sometimes have to wonder what businesses are thinking. If, in fact, something's happened to coverage in your area, certainly one would expect Sprint would know what it is and whether it might be expected to be fixed soon. If such is the case and they don't: Fail. If they do, but choose instead to try to remedy it with the wrong fixes: Fail.

It sounds to me like all they're accomplishing here is to convert a bunch of new handsets into used ones, waste time & money, annoy customers, generate bad PR and generally... fail.

Jim

 

[ScandaLeX]

Seems to me Sprint should've opted to just let you out of your contract. If service where you live has taken a severe hit, why replace the phone. I dont see how the phone replacement is going to make the service any better.

Is there a carrier other than Sprint that works better in your area?

 

[Woody426]

I couldn't say, I have been with Sprint since I believe 2001, I would have to ask some of my neighbors who they use and what coverage they have been getting.
The savior phone is supposed to be here Monday, I'm sure all will wonderful after that.

 

[ScandaLeX]

I couldn't say, I have been with Sprint since I believe 2001, I would have to ask some of my neighbors who they use and what coverage they have been getting.
The savior phone is supposed to be here Monday, I'm sure all will wonderful after that.

LOL @ the savior phone.
There's an app in the play store called Carrier Coverage. You can use that to show you who provides better service in your area.

There's also a youtube vid about the app. Search CarrierCoverage (no spaces)

 

[Woody426]

The S3 arrived today, I will get it activated tomorrow, we shall see.

 

[ScandaLeX]

The S3 arrived today, I will get it activated tomorrow, we shall see.

Are you kidding me? You didn't activate it right away? After all you've been thru and put customer service thru, I would've thought activating as soon as you got it would be a top priority. Dang Woody!i

 

[Woody426]

Are you kidding me? You didn't activate it right away? After all you've been thru and put customer service thru, I would've thought activating as soon as you got it would be a top priority. Dang Woody!i

Just did it online when I got to my office. Gonna let it charge then play with it this afternoon.

 

[NathanCCI]

Just did it online when I got to my office. Gonna let it charge then play with it this afternoon.

I've read this thread with much interest and look forward to seeing how the new phone does.

 

[Woody426]

Been using the phone for almost 24 hours. Roaming notices have decreased but not stopped. The other five phones on my accounts are still experiencing that same roaming issues as before.

 

[NathanCCI]

How's the battery life?

 

[Woody426]

Not impressed with the battery life. I have everything off and I went from 100% at 10:00am yesterday to 20% at 5:00pm, one 5 minute call, fifteen texts and a lot of "playing" with it, I don't know maybe that's not too bad.
I really like the phone, I can always buy an extended life battery for it if it works out and I keep it.

 

[NathanCCI]

I bought an extended battery from Amazon for my GS2 and am very pleased with it. I can finally get through a day without having to recharge. (I'm a heavy email/text/web user.)

I have poor coverage in my area, especially art my home. Sprint provided me with a free Airave for my home and that has helped tremendously.

 

[tenceriker]

So better but not fixed, see if they will give you 5 more phones or let you loose.

 

[Woody426]

So better but not fixed, see if they will give you 5 more phones or let you loose.

I don't think they are going to do either of those options. I have been working with the local consumer "trouble shooter" at our NBC affiliate, we've put together a pretty good little piece that will hopefully air in a month or so. I'm sure Sprint will be thrilled. We have some great video of my phone "internationally roaming" in my driveway, as well as a great shot of ALL of my phones, and four of my neighbors all roaming at the same time. Come on Sprint, address the issue.

 

[simcha]

Woody, don't hold your breath. Yesterday a Sprint Customer Service Supervisor gave me an email address and told me to look up towers using that email on an alleged website that exists somewhere that tells you what's going on with towers. She was insistent that I could access the website by using the email address in a browser. I kept trying to explain to her that what she gave me was an email address and that what I needed was a URL to access the website and she barely understood what I was trying to tell her. She ended up transfering me to a trucking line instead of providing me with the URL so I could access this website that she was too lazy or uninterested to look at herself to tell me if anything was going on with the towers in my area. Of course, she couldn't get there to find the information because she would have used an email address as a URL in a browser. She was very friendly though.

Yeah, don't count on customer service to be able to handle any issue that you have. Jump ship as soon as you can if they give you the opportunity. Don't bother looking back until/when/if they get Network Vision up and running (and it actually does what they promise it will do), and they hire, train, and equip customer service representatives properly.