Search:  

 
 
   News
newer
story category $14,000 Sprint Bill
That was supposed to be $59
(old news - 04:28PM Monday Dec 31 2007)
tags: prices · business · wireless · bandwidth
Tipped by h4x0r3d See Profile
A Sprint customer tells the Consumerist she just received a bill for $14,000 for just one month of wireless service. According to the user, she signed up for Sprint's $59 unlimited plan, but struggled with getting the data card to work, resulting in her canceling the service before the thirty day trial period expired. The best guess until Sprint gives a response is that the company was accidentally billing her at three cents a kilobyte instead of properly putting her in the unlimited access category (which with Sprint really is unlimited, unlike Verizon Wireless).

Related:
  1. New MEGA-Clearwire CEO Speaks
  2. Telus CAPS 'Unlimited' EVDO Data Plans
  3. Verizon Wireless Kills Pay As You Go Data Plans
  4. iPhone Tethering For $10?
  5. If You Read Your Contract You Wouldn't Have A $5,000 3G Bill
  6. AT&T Planning More Subsidized Netbook Deals
  7. Journal: AT&T Should Ditch $30 Unlimited Data
  8. Mythbusters' Savage The Latest Socked With Huge 3G Bill
Forums » $14,000 Sprint Bill
view: topics flat text 
Post a:
page: 1 · 2

Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH

Please....

Please, not another one of these stories....

P Ness
You'Ve Forgotten 9-11 Already
Premium
join:2001-08-29
Cromwell, CT
clubs:

Re: Please....

said by Hall See Profile :

Please, not another one of these stories....
try reading it.

its not "another" its a sprint mistake
--
www.stopfcc.comI do not think the government needs to restrict free speech especially on a device that has an off knob.

LiamJunket
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Ocean City, NJ
·Comcast

Re: Please....

said by P Ness See Profile :

said by Hall See Profile :

Please, not another one of these stories....
try reading it.

its not "another" its a sprint mistake
So what. It gets corrected. End of story.
--
Internet News
My BLOG
My Web Page

TScheisskopf
World News Trust

join:2005-02-13
Belvidere, NJ
·Sprint Broadband D..

Re: Please....

In the meantime, the billed customer gets to freak out and go through The Tortures of The Damned, to get this mistake rectified.

If this mistake in billing, regarding Sprint, was an isolated occurrence, then I would agree with you that it is trivial. But it is not and it is not, so I don't.

Accuracy in billing is the one place where regular interaction, between customer and company, and that leads to customer satisfaction takes place. It is not unreasonable to expect that the company would get it right. Sadly for Sprint, such accuracy seems to be beyond them.
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL

Re: Please....

Things that happen all the time aren't news, and Sprint manages to send out millions of correct bills each month.

You have quite the flair for the dramatic. Tortures of the Damned for a cell phone bill?

TScheisskopf
World News Trust

join:2005-02-13
Belvidere, NJ

Re: Please....

Ever been in a billing dispute?
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
·ViaTalk

Re: Please....

said by TScheisskopf See Profile :

Ever been in a billing dispute?
Sure, even with Sprint. It was fixed promptly and didn't happen again.

You'll be shocked to learn I didn't report it to the Consumerist, and was able to handle the problem myself. Like a big boy.
fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20

Re: Please....

Same here... I've had a couple of billing issues with Sprint/Nextel.. each one handled PROMPTLY.. with a smile in their voice.. and with out any hassle.

Some people just have a general desire to be victims.. usually a sign of no life.

I'm not going to say that there aren't times where some people have hard times getting small disputes handled, HOWEVER, a multi-thousand dollar mistake... um - no brainer.

cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
I believe the correct knee jerk reaction would be to threaten a lawsuit. How dare you try to resolve the issue on your own.

PamelaTS

join:2004-04-20
Dallas, TX
·AT&T Southwest

Exactly billing disputes can be a nightmare. Sometimes tossed into collection other services being turned off. And then there's the issue of being in collection on credit report which if it happens at an inopportune time can cost loans on car, house or even cost a job!

joako
Premium
join:2000-09-07
/dev/null
·AT&T U-Verse

said by TScheisskopf See Profile :

Ever been in a billing dispute?
Sprint said that I called my bank and disputed the charges for my bill (which I did not) and I spent 3 months trying to sort it out. My phone was shut off twice during this ordeal.

And the worst part is Sprint fixed it as a "courtesy" to me like if I didn't deserve them fixing their mistake.
--
Am Heimcomputer sitz' ich hier, und programmier' die Zukunft mir

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
You try getting a $14,000 bill.

Lee GWB
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ
·Verizon Online DSL
·Verizon FIOS

said by jester121 See Profile :

Things that happen all the time aren't news, and Sprint manages to send out millions of correct bills each month.

You have quite the flair for the dramatic. Tortures of the Damned for a cell phone bill?
Hi,
Until you have it happen to you please refrain from judgment. I had! While I had it corrected, take an extra 2-4 hours out of your already busy day to talk to them to correct it.Then find out that it happens again the next month for another 10 months.
Thx
Lee
dtow

join:2001-09-20
Atkins, IA

I used to belong to Sprint but left them and moved to Verizon because of the billing mistakes every single month. Since moving to Verizon, I've not had any problems and that's been many years now. Few a while we belonged to a plan that charged no roaming as long as you were in there network or one that worked with Verizon. Then we went to Florida with the motor home. For a while we were in a non Verizon area and roaming charges were accumulating. My daughter racked up over $200 dollars on her line. My wife's line and mine were not used much an really didn't rack anything up. When we returned to the Midwest (home) and I found out about the bill. I called Verizon, they wiped every cent off my daughters line. They've been great, no mater what. I now use them with my Motorola Q and have two other lines. Unlimited internet and no roaming and no roaming any where now. Can't remember the names of the plans off hand.

tc1uscg

join:2005-03-09
Saint Clair Shores, MI

Re: Please....

said by dtow See Profile :

I used to belong to Sprint but left them and moved to Verizon because of the billing mistakes every single month. Since moving to Verizon, I've not had any problems and that's been many years now. Few a while we belonged to a plan that charged no roaming as long as you were in there network or one that worked with Verizon. Then we went to Florida with the motor home. For a while we were in a non Verizon area and roaming charges were accumulating. My daughter racked up over $200 dollars on her line. My wife's line and mine were not used much an really didn't rack anything up. When we returned to the Midwest (home) and I found out about the bill. I called Verizon, they wiped every cent off my daughters line. They've been great, no mater what. I now use them with my Motorola Q and have two other lines. Unlimited internet and no roaming and no roaming any where now. Can't remember the names of the plans off hand.
I'm a little confused. Your kid racked up 200.00 for use in a non-network area but you and the wife did use your phone much so you didn't rack anything up. How did that happen? If you used your phones, rather for 1 minute or 100 minutes in a non network area, VZW will charge you. SO either they did or they didn't? Sounds like they really hosed you up and I would be worried about using them in other areas. I have Sprint and travel (motorhome too). Never have charges for roaming (it's part of the plan). I know people with VZ and I hear billing nightmares all the time. Trying dumping a shared phone that's at the end of it's term. A family member did, VZW tried to tell them they had to pay a ETF because the other phones were still active so they couldn't cancel a phone from that contract. The other phones were anywhere from 18months to over 24 (4 all together). After 2 billing cycles, late fees (he refused to pay for the phone (it wasn't getting used) that he tried to cancel). It took 2 months for him to get credit and guess what? They told him "we will do this for you this time, but next time, we won't". Same Zebra, just different order of stripes. VZW, AT&T, none of them are any better then Sprint. Sounds the like the lady was a dummy and didn't deserve a phone. Sprint should have shut her down, and sent her packing over to VZW..
blazintails

join:2007-08-25
·Millenicom
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Sprint Broadband D..

You are not kidding there TS , Sprints billing department is the worse. I have YET to get a bill that is actually correct. Each month I have to sit on the phone for at least an hour or more...to get the extra charges removed.

DO they remove them, yes. BUT the point being its just not one time, its many many many times.

My time is worth a bunch to me, as it is to everyone. I have a feeling that Sprint is going to end up with a class action law suit like Verizon did this year, because of over charges. And I will be one of the first to jump in.

NY Tel
Always 180 Degrees Out-of-Phase
Premium
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY
·VOIPo

said by LiamJunket See Profile :

said by P Ness See Profile :

said by Hall See Profile :

Please, not another one of these stories....
try reading it.

its not "another" its a sprint mistake
So what. It gets corrected. End of story.
Exactly - just like that guy Matt who complained about Verizon, after ignoring numerous return phone calls from them. These people are passive aggressive numbnutz jerks.

fatness
subtle
Janitor
join:2000-11-17
fishing
·EarthLink

Host:
Earthlink DSL
TekSavvy
Forum Feature Requ..
Need Site Help?
Rants, Raves, and ..
said by LiamJunket See Profile :

So what. It gets corrected. End of story.
I missed the part where it was corrected. When did that happen?
--
Female monkeys often utter loud, distinctive calls before, during or after sex..

LiamJunket
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Ocean City, NJ
·Comcast


1 edit

Re: Please....

said by fatness See Profile :

said by LiamJunket See Profile :

So what. It gets corrected. End of story.
I missed the part where it was corrected. When did that happen?
gets = future tense, meaning it will be corrected

got = past tense, which I didn't use.
--
Internet News
My BLOG
My Web Page

fatness
subtle
Janitor
join:2000-11-17
fishing

Re: Please....

"End of story" = when it has been resolved, which has not occurred so far.
zaldy

join:2007-12-07
I thought

Got = Past tense
Gets = Present tense
Get = Future tense

I think the proper sentence should be "It will get corrected"

Plus it says End of Story meaning thats it...end of story.

stevek1949
We're not in Kansas anymore

join:2002-11-13
Virginia Beach, VA
....And another chance to berate Verizon that has nothing to do with this story.

tc1uscg

join:2005-03-09
Saint Clair Shores, MI

Re: Please....

Berate? Please.. we don't need DSLR for that. They do a good job on their own, just like all of'em. VZW does a good job keeping dirty laundry out of the press. I remember a time when Sprint could do no wrong and Cringler was the bad guy. Now, it's Sprint. Give it time. They all come full circle at some point.

koam
Pink Pecker
Premium
join:2000-08-16
East Puddle
clubs:
another billing error story? c'mon.
Ulmo

join:2005-09-22
San Jose, CA
·Comcast
·SONIC.NET

said by Hall See Profile :

Please, not another one of these stories....
I like it. It's at least humorous. Not posting it just because other posters are concerned that the truth might hurt is also a bad reason not to post it.

Having said those two facts, I do not doubt that it is appropriate to guage any story for its real position, which we end up doing anyway despite and because of all the disagreement about it being talked about in the first place.

major marco
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA
clubs:

Another day another corporate clusterfuck

sites like the Consumerist have companies shitting in their collective drawers. The worst possible thing to happen to SOP customer service is bad PR. The Net makes spreading the word possible all that much faster. I can't wait to see what Sprint comes up with as an excuse for this incident.
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
·ViaTalk

Re: Another day another corporate clusterfuck

Not even a little bit.

Sites like the Consumerist aren't any big deal any more. Prospective customers with access to Google can find horror stories about every single company that sells anything.

If AT&T, Tmo, Sprint, Verizon, Cell One, Alltel, and every other provider has negative feedback out there, do you think people are going to ditch their mobile phone? Not hardly. The ones Sprint pisses off will go to AT&T, and some of AT&T's screwed customers will end up at Sprint, by default.

It's no wonder customer service has gone downhill lately -- there's no money to be made in it. Treat every customer with mediocrity and each company will end up with their share.

major marco
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA
clubs:

Re: Another day another corporate clusterfuck

said by jester121 See Profile :

If AT&T, Tmo, Sprint, Verizon, Cell One, Alltel, and every other provider has negative feedback out there, do you think people are going to ditch their mobile phone? Not hardly. The ones Sprint pisses off will go to AT&T, and some of AT&T's screwed customers will end up at Sprint, by default.
[...]
Only those who are slaves to their mobile phones disregard negative feedback and continue to keep service. Contrary to popular urban mythology, if you aren't emergency personnel/First Responder, then you can live without your cell phone.
--
The Toll

Let's Go Flyers!
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
·ViaTalk

Re: Another day another corporate clusterfuck

said by major marco See Profile :

said by jester121 See Profile :

If AT&T, Tmo, Sprint, Verizon, Cell One, Alltel, and every other provider has negative feedback out there, do you think people are going to ditch their mobile phone? Not hardly. The ones Sprint pisses off will go to AT&T, and some of AT&T's screwed customers will end up at Sprint, by default.
[...]
Only those who are slaves to their mobile phones disregard negative feedback and continue to keep service. Contrary to popular urban mythology, if you aren't emergency personnel/First Responder, then you can live without your cell phone.
Yeah, I see more and more people every day walking around without a cell phone

It's not a question of living without it; it's a case of diminished expectations.

Hambone
Hambone

join:2007-08-11
North Hollywood, CA

Re: Another day another corporate clusterfuck

European studies have prov en cell phones cause tumors.

Cjaiceman
Premium,MVM
join:2004-10-12
Aurora, CO
·Comcast Workplace
·Comcast

Re: Another day another corporate clusterfuck

said by Hambone See Profile :

European studies have prov en cell phones cause tumors.
And these same studies have "proven" that wifi router causes babies to be born mutated, or cause harm to people. Time to break out the tinfoil hats
--
HOT JAMZ 94FM
Listen Live at »sc7.shoutcaststreaming.us:8206/listen.pls

Hambone
Hambone

join:2007-08-11
North Hollywood, CA
·Sprint Broadband D..

Re: Another day another corporate clusterfuck


Heavy Cell Phone Use Boosts Tumor Risk: Study

Regular use of cell phones for more than 22 hours a month increases a person's risk of developing a parotid gland tumor by about 50 percent, according to an Israeli study published in theAmerican Journal of Epidemiology.

The parotid gland is located near the ear. The study said the tumor risk was even greater among people who always put the phone to the same ear, who didn't use hands-free devices, or who lived in rural areas,Agence France-Pressereported.

For this study, the researchers looked at cases of 402 benign and 58 malignant parotid gland tumors diagnosed in people age 18 or older in Israel from 2001-2003.

"Analysis restricted to regular users or to conditions that may yield higher levels of exposure (eg. heavy use in rural areas) showed consistently elevated risks," according to an abstract of the study,AFPreported.

They don't manufacture cell phones in Israel!
mdmathis6

join:2001-10-15
Midlothian, VA

The Eupean studies only proved that some Europeans might be more suseptible to cell phone cancer...whether or not they have correlated it with increased Islamist immigration rates and high socialist taxation rates remains to be seen...but we all know the real truth..."BUSH'S FAULT"!(sarcasm on)

Hambone
Hambone

join:2007-08-11
North Hollywood, CA
·Sprint Broadband D..

Re: Another day another corporate clusterfuck

I think the proof of the pudding is in the fact that those who always placed the phone by the same ear were at a greater risk of parotid tumors. Remember signal strength is a function of the square of the distance and that ol' cell phone is up there -- right smack against your ear.

Over the years I've noticed studies from Scandanavia which highlighted the health dangers of the cell phone. These articles get little play in our press and, except for the Drudge Report I would have missed this Washington Post article, too. To my knowledge there has never been a third-party funded study which concluded that cellular telephones are safe.

»www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co···3_2.html

One has to realize that cell phones operate in the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum close to the frequency of microwave ovens. The ovens are known for their propensity to leak. That, of course, is why we are chided to stand at least six feet away from an operating microwave oven. Although the leakage from an oven may initially be at much higher signal strength, that little ol' square of the distance rule is going to favor the up against your ear cell phone every single time. Children, having smaller heads with a presumably thinner, less dense bone structure would appear to be especially susceptible.

Here's a chart of the frequencies involved.

»www.microwaves101.com/encycloped···ency.cfm

Being an electronic tech I have always heard the rumor that HAM Radio Aficionados had a higher incidence of cancer. Whether that is just an electronic wives tale or not I don't know. But... if one approaches analysis relying simply on physics it does seem to make some sense. I can verify that there are restrictions placed on those who are working around radars -- but now we are dealing with really large amounts of energy -- energy enough to render one sterile. The DEW Line techs always told me: “if you begin to feel warmth it’s time to move”.

One last comment: On the chart you will notice an unassigned gap between FM Radio at 108 MHz and VHF Television channel seven at 174MHz. This was intentionally left unallocated when it was determined that RF at about 150 MHz could interfere with human brain functions. Let us hope Google doesn’t lease it!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!
Ulmo

join:2005-09-22
San Jose, CA
·Comcast
·SONIC.NET

said by major marco See Profile :

Only those who are slaves to their mobile phones disregard negative feedback and continue to keep service. Contrary to popular urban mythology, if you aren't emergency personnel/First Responder, then you can live without your cell phone.
Here here. I allowed my expensive radio bill to be diminished on my bill priority list when my budget got wacked by a corrupt corporation. Part of the problem was I never have earned enough to build up a warchest to deal with problems like that, and the disablement fee was one that I couldn't afford. The radio services were definately useful, but unaffordable, so I kept deluding myself into thinking I might be able to make it to term. Anyway, once service was disconnected, I found living without radios much more difficult but very possible. It is easiest at times I have a job: if I already work, I don't need a cell phone at all.

Now, if I was trying to look for work and have affairs on the side, then I'd definately need a cell phone. (I got a temp cell recently due to a need for work right now, but I could just sit at home half the time next to my POTS too, and do callbacks, and have an answering machine too.) Phones used to have no answering machine. That means you weren't required to answer it whenever it rang. Life does not require radio phones. As a competitive disadvantage, it can be a determinating factor, but that's only at particular parts of your job and life; the rest of the time, it's wholy unnecessary. I think that's why they like terming us so we don't turn it off when it isn't useful.
Blackened
Your Freedom Fries Are Stale

join:2003-09-29

said by jester121 See Profile :

Not even a little bit.

Sites like the Consumerist aren't any big deal any more. Prospective customers with access to Google can find horror stories about every single company that sells anything.

If AT&T, Tmo, Sprint, Verizon, Cell One, Alltel, and every other provider has negative feedback out there, do you think people are going to ditch their mobile phone? Not hardly. The ones Sprint pisses off will go to AT&T, and some of AT&T's screwed customers will end up at Sprint, by default.

It's no wonder customer service has gone downhill lately -- there's no money to be made in it. Treat every customer with mediocrity and each company will end up with their share.
That's probably because in most markets (particularly on internet, TV, phone) there is no competition, otherwise companies treating their customers like crap (or violating their rights) would have gone out of business ages ago.
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
·ViaTalk

Re: Another day another corporate clusterfuck

said by Blackened See Profile :

That's probably because in most markets (particularly on internet, TV, phone) there is no competition, otherwise companies treating their customers like crap (or violating their rights) would have gone out of business ages ago.
The difference is that so many things are commodities these days. Cell phone service is cell phone service, when it comes right down to it. There's plenty of competition -- it's just that companies have wised up enough to know that no, the customer is NOT always right; in fact customers are often wrong, and sometimes the best thing to do is to fire them (as Sprint did a few years ago; Karl covered it ad nauseum here on BBR news). Losing some customers doesn't matter because your competitors are going to screw over some too, and they'll end up your customers.

BIGMIKE
Premium
join:2002-06-07
Westminster, CA

said by jester121 See Profile :

Not even a little bit.

Sites like the Consumerist aren't any big deal any more. Prospective customers with access to Google can find horror stories about every single company that sells anything.

If AT&T, Tmo, Sprint, Verizon, Cell One, Alltel, and every other provider has negative feedback out there, do you think people are going to ditch their mobile phone? Not hardly. The ones Sprint pisses off will go to AT&T, and some of AT&T's screwed customers will end up at Sprint, by default.

It's no wonder customer service has gone downhill lately -- there's no money to be made in it. Treat every customer with mediocrity and each company will end up with their share.
Web Results 1 - 10 of about 236,000 for my cell phone service sucks. (0.07 seconds
»www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=+m···G=Search

Steve
Pipe Wrench Fight
Consultant
join:2001-03-10
Yorba Linda, CA

said by major marco See Profile :

I can't wait to see what Sprint comes up with as an excuse for this incident.
The real mark of the service is not the mistake, but how they deal with it.

Even with huge companies, crap happens, and there is a big difference between a mistake that gets fixed quickly with one phone call, and one that requires the consumer to get the PUC and/or the press involved.

If the former, then this is a big deal over nothing.

Steve
--
Stephen J. Friedl | Unix Wizard | Microsoft Security MVP | Tustin, California USA | my web site

Data Phone User

@insightns.com

WTF

Even though it is a repeat story, it seems that the phone companies are going to have to find a way to fix this problem. How many stories like this never make it to print?

Make it unlimited for $XX.XX and be done with the stratospheric charges. It's absurd.

See 17 replies to this post

ninjatutle
Premium

join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA

Ditz

"My name is Krystyl"

What kind of phony name is that? Shes blond too so go figure.

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25

Re: Ditz

That's not blond. That's bleach. Us real blonds resent that remark. :P Heh.

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25
·Millenicom
·Comcast
·Sprint Mobile Broa..

Whoa! That Nose!

Man. That chick has a honker almost as big as her Sprint bill. I love Sprint and everyone I know who has it gets great speeds unless their computer or location is crap. Whatever. It's funny, nonetheless; especially with that freaky looking nose girl.

ninjatutle
Premium

join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA
·Sprint Mobile Broa..

Re: Whoa! That Nose!

said by entropy1 See Profile :

especially with that freaky looking nose girl.
The claws come out. Meow...

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25

Re: Whoa! That Nose!

You're wrong. I'm female but I have a husband and highly gifted son to worry about. I just think she's freaky looking. I can easily tell if a chick is hot or not. Heck, I'd be more likely to ask her how much than to be jealous if she were hot.
ender7074

join:2006-11-21
Saint Louis, MO
Yah shes kinda creepy lookin. That nose is horrible. She should take the extra 14k shes saving and get some work done....

rawgerz
In Debt we trust
Premium
join:2004-10-03
Grove City, PA
She looks like a Jewish Paris Hilton?

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25

Re: Whoa! That Nose!

Hahahahahahahaha! That's awesome.

SYNACK
Just Firewall It
Premium,Mod
join:2001-03-05
Venice, CA
·Comcast Formerly ..

Host:
Networking
Virtual Private Ne..
Netgear
ZyXEL

Sounds fishy

Quote from the video: "The reason I signed up for sprint is to go mobile ... and allow my viewers (plural!) to see what I am doing".

Was she hosting a webcam off that service????

Anyone want to do the math on how many MB $14'000 will buy, and what you would need to do to burn it within days at "dialup" speeds?

Of course prominently linking to a hosting site and to her portfolio makes this look more like a marketing campaign than anything else.
xirian
Premium
join:2003-01-26
Beacon, NY

Re: Sounds fishy

~456MB

ninjatutle
Premium

join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA
·Sprint Mobile Broa..

»300 page iPhone bill from ATT: Funny video

Now that you mention it. The same people (justin tv), put out a video about ATT and the iphone. It generated a lot of views.

Tweak
Premium
join:2002-06-08
Oklahoma City, OK

Re: Sounds fishy

She is friends with the iphone girl "Justine" she mentions it on the credits for her video. I think she is trying to boost her modeling career.
Joe12345678

join:2003-07-22
Des Plaines, IL

or maybe the plan was messed up on her account and she was is dial up mode not the data network mode. As she was only getting 14k.

so she may have a data + phone min change.

Also part of that bill may aslo be the cost of the data cards.

also at 0.03 a k is 1024*0.03 is $30.72 a meg.
DarnellP

join:2004-10-12
Las Vegas, NV

Re: Sounds fishy

said by Joe12345678 See Profile :

or maybe the plan was messed up on her account and she was is dial up mode not the data network mode. As she was only getting 14k.
Maybe, for whatever reason, the card came set at 1xRTT mode or in Roaming mode. Or maybe she didn't bother to verify on the coverage map that her location is covered by Sprint's EVDO...

PhoenixDown
-- Wants FIOS
Premium
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY
clubs:

Sprint's billing is the worst!

I never want to deal with their customer service team again but unfortunately I have to call them back next week since getting online access is a task that can only be accomplished by god himself.

See 6 replies to this post
IanR

join:2001-03-22
Madison, NJ

This is silly

Here's the telling part:
Quote
The best guess until Sprint gives a response
Unquote

While nobody likes to receive a crazy billing, this is obviously a MISTAKE and for her to hit the media with it B4 she gets the initial Sprint response is nuts IMHO. Mistakes do happen. Find something REAL to complain about and don't waste people's time.
jjeffeory

join:2002-12-04
USA

Re: This is silly

Mistakes seem to happen ALOT anymore...
That being said, maybe she should have given Sprint a bit of time.

en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME

Financial billing errors should not become commonplace.
While I can see a billing error of a few dollars, a billing error of $14,000 should not happen. This is a process error which resulted in a billing error (which should be caught before the bill is sent!) eg. A bill which is +225 times the amount of a standard bill should raise some red flags!
Also, for the standard consumer, there should be some form of checks/balances to see if the bill is within reason. I.e. Does this person qualify for this kind of billing ($14,000/month). I would like to have the kind of income that would support $14,000/month payments.
--
Canada = Hollywood North

sprintuserr

@spcsdns.net

Bad propogation of story

Not worth posting this. They fixed it.

Been using Sprint EVDO for a few years and love it. No one over at evdoforums has ever reported anything like this on Sprint. And there are 15,000 users registered, most Sprint users.

That said, all telcomm companies have crazy errors every month.

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25

Re: Bad propogation of story

Me lovies Sprint and evdoforums now.

sjohnson

join:2001-02-28
Sioux Falls, SD
·Golden West

Billing errors?

A bit different deal, but I worked on a turn-key 900 number billing product some 10 years ago. The customer's in-house billing system was, by the customer's own measure, about 60% accurate.

Our sales reps claimed we could raise that to 90%, so a contract was struck.

Due to the (lack of) consistent interoperation among various LECs regarding call origination/termination/time, our analysts finally determined that the theoretical BEST we achieve was 85% accuracy, using the customer's accuracy measures.

Since the interexchange company was generating gross revenue between 2 and 3 billion $ per month worth of 900 number services, a 15% loss was viewed as extreme and we lost the contract, plus penalties. It didn't matter that we'd GAINED 25% additional revenue. That's the kind of mind-think that drives paper bills such as AT&T issues.
--
Don't confuse me with the facts...
joker5656

join:2006-06-23
Greenville, SC
·Charter Pipeline

Sprint is Stupid heres why

Specific Terms & Restrictions On Using Data Services
In addition to the rules for using all of our other Services, unless we identify the Service or Device you have selected as specifically intended for that purpose (for example, wireless routers, Data Link, etc.), you can't use our data Services: (1) with server devices or host computer applications, or other systems that drive continuous heavy traffic or data sessions; and (2) as a substitute or backup for private lines or frame relay connections. We reserve the right to limit, suspend or constrain any heavy, continuous data usage that adversely impacts our network performance or hinders access to our network. If your Services include web or data access, you also can't use your Device as a modem for computers or other equipment, unless we identify the Service or Device you have selected as specifically intended for that purpose (for example, with "phone as modem" plans, Sprint Mobile Broadband card plans, wireless router plans, etc.).

that's there terms of service. now if you go to the website and act like your going to buy one, it tells you there are usages (extra) fee's only if you are roaming, or don't have service. Also note the 39.99 plan has a cut off so if you go over your 40mb plan your stopped when you hit 100$. So this is definitely Sprints fault, whether a glitch in the computer or not. If you read the terms and service all it states is they have the right to cut u off, that's it.

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25

Re: Sprint is Stupid heres why

"that's there terms of service."

What there terms of service? Hahaha! Who's stupid?

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25
·Millenicom
·Comcast
·Sprint Mobile Broa..


2 edits

Hmmmmmmm...

Was she streaming video for a month and then canceled and they billed her for her usage? That's what it sounds like to me. She must have used it a lot to rack that bill up. That's a thought my husband just had. How could she use that much if it was so slow though? She's just trying to get exposure for her "modeling" career. I bet the first thing she thought when she got the bill was fame on the internet. Sorry to be in this so much, but funny girl stuff is so rare on here.

Toguro

join:2003-10-23
Ottawa, IL

Re: Hmmmmmmm...

To lazy to read the story?

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25

Re: Hmmmmmmm...

No, I'm not. We were speculating what may have gone on behind the scenes that may have caused the glitch. That's all, smart tail.
joker5656

join:2006-06-23
Greenville, SC
read second paragraph, if the 40mb plan has 100$ limit then it cuts u off, surely the unlimited is unlimited. go to the website and take a look for your self.

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25
·Millenicom
·Comcast
·Sprint Mobile Broa..


1 edit

Re: Hmmmmmmm...

Exactly. I know it's unlimited. I have the unlimited. We were thinking that maybe, limited plan with $100 cut-off aside, something happened when she canceled to cause her to be billed per Mb rather than the unlimited price. It's obvious the limit didn't kick in on this particular instance because she had the unlimited plan. Again, I'm guessing that MAYBE (for all you anal freaks out there) their billing system charged her for the time she used per Mb because when you use the service with NO PLAN they CHARGE PER Mb. This would have been an error on Sprint's part of course, but I think I'm entitled to speculate since she made it so public before any real info is known. Sorry if it made your poon hurt. (Edit: ...or mangina or whatever.)

Thanks for the attention anyway. Maybe I can upload a vid about it. Heh.

Bugg

@charter.com

Sprint over charging.

I think mine bill was better then hers..

Mine was $1320.00 for 4 mouths, I haved the Nextel/Sprint $200. Mouth for everything, I canceled, Cut up the sims card. and got billed $200 for early canceling fee( I had them for 4 years, no contact). They said I used it for 1 min each mouth( Again the sim card was cut up.) the phone in the draw.

then got billed for 4 mouths, plus late fees, taxes, etc.etc.etc....

and now we're settle for 75% of the price owned.
LOL I'm going to court.

en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

Re: Sprint over charging.

Do you mean 'mouth' or 'month' ?
--
Canada = Hollywood North

iBLoStBoY

join:2002-11-29
Carson, CA

said by Bugg :

I think mine bill was better then hers..

Mine was $1320.00 for 4 mouths, I haved the Nextel/Sprint $200. Mouth for everything, I canceled, Cut up the sims card. and got billed $200 for early canceling fee( I had them for 4 years, no contact). They said I used it for 1 min each mouth( Again the sim card was cut up.) the phone in the draw.

then got billed for 4 mouths, plus late fees, taxes, etc.etc.etc....

and now we're settle for 75% of the price owned.
LOL I'm going to court.
Please keep the BS to a minimum sprint doesn't have sim cards =D

NextelSIMCards

@myvzw.com

Re: Sprint over charging.


Nextel (iDEN) phones use SIM cards.
blazintails

join:2007-08-25
YES sprint does have sims cards. I have nextel phones, and I pay my bill to sprint. Nextel has nothing to do with billing anymore and hasnt for a very long time.

Some people spout off when they have not a clue what they are talking about.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest

I'll tell you what I know...

... this site is now completely overrun with azzhats who must all be big-business shills or industry insiders and just have to jump all over every single article and bash the hell out of any customer or poster who dares to expose any of their business as usual to sunlight.

So, throw up your hate and bile. Attack the customer, flame everyone. Go ahead. Feed your inner azzhat. Prove to the world what self centered egotistical jerks you all are. Send me your pretty little hate IM's. I'll be waiting.
--
"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!)
floydb_1982

join:2004-08-25
Kent, WA

A simple mistake

At least Sprint admitted to the customer the mistake they made and correct it. I call that very good customer service.
lefty1

join:2002-10-25
Clay, NY

Totally believable

I used to work for a cell-phone company, and I can believe those charges. I saw some similar to them, though none quite that high. Regardless of how the charges were incurred, once they're on the books, no manager is going to want to take responsibility for writing them off, because the money would probably be charged as a loss against them or their department. And that's why she kept getting transferred. The department that could have theoretically helped her kept transferring her to other departments that couldn't. And they transferred her back to the correct department, who transferred her out again. That's the way things are done. Often, when reps didn't feel like helping a customer, they would just transfer them to another department to get rid of them. The customer still didn't get helped, but now it's someone else's problem.

Not Sprint

@verizon.net

Re: Totally believable

I used to have Sprint, ported out to AT&T and got an iphone, great move, could not be happier with the service, and am getting treated as a valued Customer, I will never go back to Sprint.

Cheers

AnonProxy
Proxy of Anon
Premium
join:2001-05-12
ß

1 edit

DSLR Another sensetionalist drone in the world

Damn does DSLR have to continue to repost non-news?
Yeah she had a billing problem, yeah she's looking for her 15 minutes and it seems a contract with Vivid or enough money for a nose job. BFD.

X_Digit
Binary Enhanced
Premium
join:2003-06-12
Mansfield, TX


3 edits

I think...

I think it's sad that we live in a day of age where "small print", "false advertising", "hidden fees and charges", and "service/contractual confusion" can lead a regular phone bill (which usually averages under $200) to OVER $10K? This should be a HUGE RED FLAG to not only customers and the providers, but also to the REGULATORS (FCC, etc.)! We've been hearing more of this BS lately, and frankly it makes me sick! We're so used to getting pounded in the asses by these major corporations, that our asses have become numb, and we always give a blind eye to what's REALLY going on here!

The fact that his carrier MAY be nice and work out an agreement is BULLSHIT! Them fixing this shouldn't be a question or matter of GRATITUDE or reflect on their NICENESS... it should be fixed or THEY GET SUED, period.

Most carriers today have SO many "unlimited" internet packages, that it can confuse ANYBODY. So, one ONLY allows you to surf on the phone, another allows you to surf IF the phone is connected to a PC, the other is JUST for e-mail? Not only that... if YOU know exactly what you want, chances are their own customer service representatives get confused and put you down on the wrong service... also leading to an astronomical headache! It's just like our current legal system in American... "Ignorance of the law is not an excuse" for the person being prosecuted; however, the LAW PROFESSIONALS themselves (judges, lawyers, law enforcement personnel) have to still pull the books to look at the laws even w/ YEARS of schooling and training. This is no different! If the people working on the "INSIDE" don't even know what the hell is going on, it should be changed!

Days of all the usual business practices and techniques of modern business should be over, and most, if not at least half, should be questioned for their legality. OH... but wait, most "lawmakers" are in the pockets of these corporations. No wonder corporations today can get by with murder (no, seriously... that's not a pun. Pharmaceuticals and alike kill dozens of people a day w/ their products). Enough is enough!

Yeah, I know... babbling rant to most... but maybe a few people w/ their heads on straight know exactly where I'm coming from here.
--
Respectfully, X_Digit

cmc0

join:2001-08-03
Bowie, MD
clubs:

Re: I think...

IS that the same girl that got the huge iPhone bill? If it is, sounds more like a Verizon online gimmick trying to smear Sprint and AT&T
--
You never know what you have until you lose it.

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25

Re: I think...

Nope. That's iJustine and she's at least cute with a marketable skill.

entropy1
Premium
join:2002-09-25
·Millenicom
·Comcast
·Sprint Mobile Broa..


2 edits
Sprint only has one unlimited plan for data cards. Also, I'd like to point out that no software is without fault, nor are the humans who create and use it. Every business and everyone makes mistakes. I think X's post is a bit alarmist.

Edit for a boo boo. (Probably from the pounding I've been getting. Ouchie.)

RR Conductor
RailRoadDude
Premium
join:2002-04-02
Redwood Valley, CA
·Comcast


1 edit

Don't they watch their billing?

I can see where this could accidentally happen, a rep forgets to put in the right plan or puts the wrong code in, but how could they let it run up so high? Don't the cellular companies watch their accounts? I would think when it got to 1000 they would have noticed and called the customer as a courtesy, or were they hoping she was stupid enough to accept this and pay the bill?

apeface

join:2000-09-16
Mckinney, TX

Who cares

This attention whore is internet famous now, good for her.
Forums » $14,000 Sprint Billpage: 1 · 2


Sunday, 05-Jul 05:21:11 Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Hosting by www.nac.net - DSL,Hosting & Co-lo | feedback | contact
over 9.5 years online! © 1999-2009 dslreports.com.republican-creole