moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD | They made the rules....
....now they have to live by them.
The SMART thing to do was to not raise any fees until people either re-signed OR they were on month to month. |
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talz13
join:2006-03-15
Avon Lake, OH
| I thought it was a fee lowering?
quote:
those fees [being removed] are the Federal Programs Cost Recovery (FPCR) fee of $1.55, the Federal E911 surchage of $0.40 and a Wireless Local Number Portability (WLNP) fee of $0.15.
These removed fees total $2.10.
quote:
Unfortunately, Sprint will be replacing those three defunct fees with two new ones; an Administrative Charge of $0.75, and a Regulatory Charge of $0.20.
These new fees total $0.95. That's a savings of $1.15 per month.
If you wanted to cancel your contract anyway, it's a nice loophole to get out without an ETF, but if you're happy now, you should be more happy that you're being charged less in fees. |
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SkellBasher
Yes Sorto, I'll take my Prozac
join:2000-10-22
North Tonawanda, NY | It may in fact be cheaper, however for the people that are unhappy with Sprint in general, but didn't want to pay the ETF, it's a Festivus miracle. |
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TMMerlin
The Devil made me do it
join:2003-06-19
Oxford, MI
 ·EarthLink
| reply to talz13
Wouldn't yah know it ..just when " I love to hate" Sprint so much they open this loop hole. Almost 5 years ago I started out with NexTel and they slipped profusely into NexHell ..then I squeezed out of that by doing a quit/sign-up on Sprint only. Signals were marginal to good at my home and general coverage was great. But I was still aggravated at dropped calls from time to time. Not a bad service but no cigar in my book.
Then, over the last six months my signal strength got significantly better and I probably have not had a dropped call from home in months.
I have never had a billing error and now my coverage is great. So all the reasons I have had to "hate Sprint" are gone and I sit here as a happy camper smoking my cigar.
And you say..they will reduce my monthly costs by a few pennies, too.
Oh well ...I believe in Sprint and I am sure they will give me a great reason in the not to distant future to "hate them again"..
Regards
--
Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy but they become legend. |
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n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY
 ·Optimum Online
| reply to SkellBasher
said by SkellBasher  :it's a Festivus miracle. I am all for the airing of grievances! |
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huntml
join:2002-01-23
Mullica Hill, NJ
·Comcast
| reply to moonpuppy
quote:
....now they have to live by them.
Absolutely. I am so glad that one of the companies charging these fraudulent/misleading 'unfees' got called on it. It's only a matter of time before this spreads across the wireless and wireline industries (many if not most companies in telephony employing similar tactics) and this practice is done away with. Good news for the consumer, for once.
quote:
The SMART thing to do was to not raise any fees until people either re-signed OR they were on month to month.
Maybe. But (1) one thing one cannot accuse Sprint's management of since the Nextel debacle is being smart; (2) maybe they were afraid that if they tried make this change on a customer-by-customer basis, the complexity would add to their problems with their already ongoing billing system integration/change, which is already a disaster, by many accounts. |
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PolarBear
The bear formerly known as aaron8301
Premium
join:2005-01-03 | reply to TMMerlin
Ever had to call customer service? How was that? |
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TMMerlin
The Devil made me do it
join:2003-06-19
Oxford, MI
·EarthLink
| That's cheating ..! And I would not abuse myself that way either !!
I guess I am luky the "CS God has blessed me" so I don't have to call Sprint ..
--
Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy but they become legend. |
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esc0
@rr.com
| reply to talz13
talz13,
I just looked at my December bill and how they break down these charges. I have two of the three charges you mentioned. Do I still qualify to get my ETF waived? Will I receive anything in the mail from them informing me off these changes? I have ebill sent to my email every month.
CSR sux & dropped calls have been increasing. Not to mention they want to renew contracts for every simple thing you want changed.
Below are the charges on my bill for two lines I have with Sprint.
Taxes, Surcharges & Fees
========================
Government Taxes & Fees
========================
El Paso City District Tax $0.51
El Paso City Sales Tax - Services & Usage 1.07
El Paso County Sales Tax - Services & Usage 0.51
Texas State Sales Tax - Services & Usage 6.76
Texas State Wireless 911 1.00
Texas State 911 0.19
Surcharges & Fees
=================
Texas State Universal Service Fund 3.21
Federal Usf Non-ld Surcharge 1.34
Texas Margin Fee Reimbursement 1.00
Texas State Tif Reimbursement 1.23
Federal Wireless Number Pooling And Portability 0.30
Federal E911 0.80
Total $17.92 |
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huntml
join:2002-01-23
Mullica Hill, NJ
·Comcast
2 edits | reply to PolarBear
said by PolarBear :Ever had to call customer service? How was that? I have had a legacy plan since 98 or so and just got a SERO 500 plan ($30 with unlimited text and data, and a Centro for $100) for the wife in Nov.
In all that time, I have had to contact CC a handful of times, and the phone CC reps aren't great, I'll concede. But I figured out a long time ago to do everything non-immediate via eCare (web), and that works fine.
So for billing, plan change issues, etc., I just do everything by e-mail and I've never had problems. I've even gotten credits a couple times when I wrote in to just inquire about something.
For tech service issues, like reprovisioning data services, etc., I just call *2, say 'technical support,' and Claire switches me over. Unlike the general CC, Sprint's technical support people are generally pretty good, and the queues are generally not bad either. I've never had a technical issue that wasn't addressed within less than 20 minutes of wait time or so, even on holidays (I once got a new phone on Xmas day, and got it activated and the Vision (data) working within 1/2 hour of opening the box).
Oh, and unlike some carriers, Sprint's technical support is 24/7, which isn't true of all of the US carriers. I don't know if VZW has 24/7 tech support or not, I'm pretty sure the nationwide GSMs do not. |
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huntml
join:2002-01-23
Mullica Hill, NJ | reply to esc0
People on paper bills are supposed to be getting an insert; paperless people are supposed to be getting a postcard.
In any event,
www.sprint.com/taxesandfees
explains what will be changing, and what won't. |
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huntml
join:2002-01-23
Mullica Hill, NJ
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to esc0
said by esc0 :
CSR sux & dropped calls have been increasing. Not to mention they want to renew contracts for every simple thing you want changed.
Alas, no announcement of plans to improve their CC organizaiton, but Sprint has dropped renewals due to plan changes, and announced plans to begin prorating ETFs next year.
Press release here: »forums.wirelessadvisor.com/centr···act.html |
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Qumahlin
Never Enough Time
Premium,MVM
join:2001-10-05
united state
| reply to talz13
Can I really get happier over the fact that a company was caught deliberately misleading customers and now they are removing fees they technically shouldn't have been charging in the first place?
I guess I should be happier that they are no longer lying and making the fees out to be something required by the government... |
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esc0
@rr.com | reply to huntml
huntml,
Isn't Alltel the first operator to offer this to their customers? |
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tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Saint Clair Shores, MI
| reply to PolarBear
said by PolarBear :Ever had to call customer service? How was that? Almost the same as dealing with AT&T, Wideopenwest, my car dealership and more recently, customer service at Checkpoint dealing with the latest crapware Zonealarm and Vista. From what I gather, it's also on par with dealing with Verizon W or T-Moble and/or Comcast. So, wanna compare notes?  |
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tc1uscg
join:2005-03-09
Saint Clair Shores, MI
| reply to huntml
said by huntml :said by esc0 :
CSR sux & dropped calls have been increasing. Not to mention they want to renew contracts for every simple thing you want changed.
Alas, no announcement of plans to improve their CC organizaiton, but Sprint has dropped renewals due to plan changes, and announced plans to begin prorating ETFs next year. Press release here: » forums.wirelessadvisor.com/centr···act.html prorating only applies to NEW plans. Not old.  |
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huntml
join:2002-01-23
Mullica Hill, NJ
·Comcast
1 edit | reply to esc0
You may be right, and I think a couple other carriers (including VZW, I think) actually have already announced prorated ETFs prior to Sprint. My point wasn't that Sprint was a leader in this area -- clearly, if there is something Sprint could be called a leader in, customer services isn't it -- but that they *are* doing some things to improve in that arena. A lot of times companies need competition to force them to do things they really *should* be doing, and this is one of them. (I think the entire 2-yr deal with ETFs model used by most American carriers is abusive of the customer and should be done away with.) |
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huntml
join:2002-01-23
Mullica Hill, NJ
·Comcast
4 edits | reply to Qumahlin
said by Qumahlin :Can I really get happier over the fact that a company was caught deliberately misleading customers and now they are removing fees they technically shouldn't have been charging in the first place? I guess I should be happier that they are no longer lying and making the fees out to be something required by the government... To be fair to Sprint, they are by no means the only company that does this. It is an endemic practice in the wireless and wireline telephony businesses -- lots of carriers do it.
Which is not to excuse Sprint. They were doing something bogus, got called on it and got slapped down. I'm glad.
I'm glad, too, that they are now going to be giving people their MSL (lock codes) once they come out of contract (so the phone can be ported to another carrier), also due to losing a lawsuit.
I'm glad, too, that they are phasing in prorated ETFs, though they weren't the first and are probably only doing it because other carriers have already started, same thing with changing their contract extension policy so that you will no longer be extended whenever you change your plan.
All these things are good for the customer, and Sprint probably would be doing none of them if they hadn't either been forced to do so by the courts, or if they didn't feel compelled to do something in an effort to improve their reputation for dismal customer service and abusive customer policies, in order to turn around their fortunes.
Now, if only they could actually turn things around a bit and begin having some success, maybe they could put some pressure on the other carriers where they've been leaders -- value and technology. Wouldn't it be great for VZW subs if VZW felt it necessary to get its rates a bit more in line with Sprint's? Wouldn't it be great for T-mo subs if T-mo felt they *had* to actually, finally roll out 3g in order to stay competitive?
It would be a great benefit for all wireless subs were Sprint to begin to turn things around. Really, everyone should be rooting for Sprint at this point, regardless of who his/her carrier is, out of self-interest. |
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huntml
join:2002-01-23
Mullica Hill, NJ | reply to tc1uscg
If true, that kida sucks. But it's a start. |
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esc0
@rr.com
| reply to huntml
huntml,
Thanks for the response and info. I do hope Sprint gets their act together for the ones that will remain with them. Even if this l00p hole doesn't help me get out of paying my ETF, I will still leave once my contract is up. I have been looking into this operator called Cricket, the only thing I wish they would add is nation wide calling area like other carriers do. Your restricted to just your city or another neighboring one closest to yours.
I have been considering going with a GSM carrier. I am also tired of calling in to have a phone activated as in the case with CDMA technology. I definitely don't want AT&T, and I have heard things about Tmobile as well. But hey, I did give Sprint close to 7 years of loyalty. |
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