I know there are a few Sprint customers on the board that are fed up for one reason or another, the sub-par hardware or the shitty service. I was planning to leave but the $200/line early termination fee was keeping me around until October. I got this tip from an old friend that happens to work there, its totally legit and totally effective for being released from the contract for free.

Simply call customer service and say you want to cancel your contract because of the increased regulatory fees - it's important you say this verbatim. They'll offer you a discount to stay, simply decline and say you want to port your number to a new carrier. Make sure to confirm that the representative notates your account, be sure to ask for their name so you can hold them accountable. It's not a bad idea to immediately call back to confirm that the notation is there.

You have until March 2, 2010 to initially call and then until March 15, 2010 to set up service elsewhere and port the #.

2/25/2010 8:03:40 PM

I need this shit for Verizon though

2/25/2010 8:30:09 PM

Verizon did the same thing. It's probably the Federal Universal Service Charge. It's regulated by the carrier and isn't a tax. It changed from like 2.5ish% to 2.97% on Jan 1st. All carriers have it and it usually changes on a quarterly basis (may go up, may go down). There's nothing in the contract that prohibits them from changing fees but you can use the Adverse Effect clause in the contract where you have 60 days from the change to contest it. Usually it's more trouble than it's worth.

[Edited on February 25, 2010 at 9:11 PM. Reason : ]

2/25/2010 9:06:51 PM

Maybe not so much: one's window for using this opportunity depends: the deadline for this is dependent on when you were sent (or received - I can't quite remember the exact verbiage): +30 days. E.g., I received notice on January 11. Other people will have received theirs before or after, because this notice is distributed with one's bill, and folks don't all have the same bill dates.

[link]http://consumerist.com/2009/12/30-day-window-to-cancel-sprint-without-penalty-starts-tomorrow.html">one story. Do read the comments.

See also:
message_topic.aspx?topic=531108
message_topic.aspx?topic=478715
(both with more consumerist articles/how-tos)
Two more relevant consumerist links:
etf one way
another etf tag

^^See these threads and the links I've posted. It's just a matter of time til you'll have a chance to use the same method.

Quote :

"I got this tip from an old friend that happens to work there, its totally legit and totally effective for being released from the contract for free."

If you know what to say, stick to your guns, and get a rep who does what they're supposed to. As mentioned in the articles I've linked, the magic phrase is "materially adverse change of contract".

[Edited on February 25, 2010 at 9:19 PM. Reason : s]

[Edited on February 25, 2010 at 9:20 PM. Reason : daas]

[Edited on February 25, 2010 at 9:26 PM. Reason : as]

[Edited on February 25, 2010 at 9:26 PM. Reason : sa]

2/25/2010 9:19:19 PM

All that information is fantastic, and I'd totally take it into consideration if I hadn't heard this from a Sprint employee who's working in the Charlotte call center even as we're having this discussion. I did this personally last night and had a coworker do it today with no problem.

2/25/2010 10:21:33 PM

And why would one want to do this? You want AT&T and the iPhone or what? I mean, in the end, you're going to have cell service either way. Or you just want a new phone?

2/26/2010 2:15:06 PM

just a way for someone to cheap their way out of their contract over a minor change. Surprised the cell companies haven't closed the loophole since they change their FUSC several times a year. Guess they depend on most people not paying it any attention.

2/26/2010 2:19:32 PM

My reasons were numerous, but chiefly among them, I wanted to get on board with the Nexus One. I was actually already planning to leave even with $400 worth of early termination fees, but I definitely jumped @ the chance to do it for free. I like to think of it as sprint buying me new phones for all the things they've gotten wrong over the years.

2/26/2010 2:37:45 PM

Well, I know my wife would love an iPhone, but it'd be a mess with our family plan and all that. Plus, VZW's service is better where we live.

2/26/2010 2:40:32 PM

Off Topic but while I was checking for this fee I noticed next month will be open enrollment for TEP.

Quote :

"Open Enrollment: Total Equipment Protection (TEP) GREAT NEWS! From March 1-31, you can sign up for TEP to cover your device. If your device malfunctions or is lost, stolen, or damaged, you are covered from costly repairs or replacement. Don't miss this great opportunity! Sign up today at sprint.com/protection or call 800-584-3666."

2/26/2010 5:42:44 PM

That's one of the many reasons I ultimately decided to leave. The deductable doubled on TEP claims, I $100 to replace the Blackberry Curve that they're all but giving away for new contracts. I remember a time where retention would always be willing to work something out to avoid stupid shit like that.

2/26/2010 11:08:20 PM

^surely you don't think other carriers are any different? they all use the same 3rd party insurance company (asurion) and the cost differences are pretty negligible in my opinion. for example, verizon only charges $1 less per month and only $10 less for the deductible. att is $2 less per month, equal in deductible for basic phones, and $25 more for pda's.

3/5/2010 12:04:39 AM

Plus, the deductable only applies for lost or stolen phones and physical/water damage. If it's a manufacturer's defect outside of warranty -- it's replaced free of charge.

I'll go off and on with TEP. If the phone isn't worth it, obviously I don't get the protection. It does suck that the deductable used to be 50 bucks though.

[Edited on March 5, 2010 at 10:48 AM. Reason : .]

3/5/2010 10:43:29 AM

Added TEP to my roommate's plan and it took 5 minutes to get a new Pre shipped free of charge. 10 minutes later I had my first Touch Pro replacement on the way. Snap, Curve, and Pre were options but I have SERO and the Curve was 8330 not 8530. Hopefully a store manager will replace my TP with a TP2 in the future. Everyone should take advantage of the open enrollment. The CSR basically said they open it once a year just to help out customers and get them into new phones. (The amount of people who addon and never take advantage probably doesn't hurt profits either)

3/10/2010 11:32:34 PM

oh yeah, I'm not saying they don't stand and deliver on the TEP, i'm saying that in situations where the deductible far exceeded the current retail price of the phone retention was @ point authorized to hook you up with a phone @ the new contract price without having to go through Asurion - there are still asolutely circumstances where dropping the $100 makes financial sense.

Anywho, did any of you call to jump ship? I managed to liberate about a dozen people from their contracts and even those that didn't leave ended up getting a pretty nice discount thrown their way so they'd hang around after calling to bitch re: increased regulatory fees.

3/11/2010 12:21:06 AM

Is this still going on?

3/13/2010 2:26:48 PM

I think the last official date was 3/2 for calling in and 3/15 to actually leave but it'd still be worth it to give it a shot

3/13/2010 11:33:59 PM

This is a lot easier than getting out of a Verizon contract:

http://consumerist.com/2010/03/your-dying-words-better-be-your-pin-or-verizon-will-bill-your-corpse.html

3/14/2010 10:05:49 AM

You might be able to cancel due to the NFL Mobile contract not being renewed. Just tell them that was a deal breaker and that you rely on it heavily.

3/15/2010 10:28:47 PM

^ I actually doubt that would get you out of the contract w/o the early termination fee, it takes either some pretty extreme circumstances, or a federally mandated get out of jail free card, which is what the 'increased regulatory fees' scenario was. In the past there have been some round-about ways to get it done - a couple of years ago they terminated the contracts of customers who frequently called in to complain. Also, even though they've eliminated roaming charges, when a customer is roaming either on a digital or analog network, they're actually charged by the owners of said network, so if a client is a habitual roamer, meaning they live or work outside of the coverage area, Sprint will terminate the contract on the grounds that they aren't a profitable customer.

Even if you guys aren't in the market to get out of your contract, I'd encourage you all to call and say you're going to leave - the discounts they'll through your way are pretty ridiculous. Their account services department (formerly retention) earns commission for every client they keep, it seems the entire department operates with no regard for profitability - you'd have to be an absolute chump to pay sticker price for any of their services @ this point.

3/17/2010 11:39:29 AM

Sprint terminated the contracts of people who blatantly called customer retentions every day to get 5 million notes added to their accounts in an attempt to leverage new devices out of contract or score severely discounted plans. They would make up problems, lie about services, and I would make the assumption were extremely rude because they read on the internet that Joe Blow cussed out a support rep and they gave him 1500 minutes for 30 dollars.

I've used the account services department twice since 2004. Once when my initial 2 year contract was up and I was legitimately thinking about making a switch and a second time in 2008 when I no longer needed my 2000 minute $99 dollar plan. My handset had been out of commission for about 4 months and the person sharing the pool of minutes had not been paying the bill. Sprint wiped my past due balance, switched me to SERO FF500, gave me a new phone and let me keep the second line as a $0.00 Free and Clear "Add-a-Phone". Anyone who complains about their customer service experience just doesn't understand how the game works. That said, I believe calling up and bitching out that particular department based solely on your 'chump status' is asinine and I hope you all burn in hell for abusing it.

/2c

3/17/2010 12:00:47 PM

Easiest way to cancel a contract with any cellular provider:

1. Find out somewhere in the country where the carrier is not supported/provided
2. Call carrier, inform them you're moving your office to that location and ask if they can transfer your phones to that area
3. profit

3/17/2010 12:26:47 PM

^I hope that works... I need to get out of my contract with verizon... nevada, here I come

[Edited on July 20, 2010 at 1:34 PM. Reason : .]

7/20/2010 1:33:51 PM

^^ and if that backfires? say you thought they didnt have coverage somewhere but they were actually in the process of rolling it out?

7/20/2010 1:36:03 PM

or if you can't find a town

7/20/2010 1:40:08 PM

just say Bertie county. there ain't shit out there.

7/20/2010 1:54:54 PM

eh, looks like moving may no longer be a valid reason to waive the ETF

http://businessforums.verizon.net/t5/My-Verizon-Account-Wireless/VERIZON-S-POOR-SERVICE/td-p/209548

7/20/2010 2:01:13 PM

hell, if dying doesn't get rid of the ETF. What makes you think moving will?

7/20/2010 2:06:58 PM

7/20/2010 2:34:02 PM

apparently the rumor is that after Oct 1, Sprint will allow all phones to be on SERO. Hooray.

7/21/2010 12:43:54 AM

i have researched and i don't see how anyone could use any service but sprint

7/21/2010 1:04:03 AM

If you terminate your contract for a materially adverse change, can you stay on month-to-month as if your contract had expired?

7/21/2010 7:06:45 PM

Do you want the theoretical answer or the practical answer?

7/21/2010 8:39:17 PM

Realistically. It's good leverage not to be in a contract. They'll give you all kinds of shit to try to get you back under contract.

7/21/2010 9:10:07 PM

you'll have to get a new plan, but yes, it is possible. if you can actually get the contract terminated this way (I'm assuming they've changed your rate in the last 60 days??) then you could call back/go back to the store and get a month to month plan.

[Edited on July 21, 2010 at 9:13 PM. Reason : .]

7/21/2010 9:13:38 PM

Not recently. I just started a new contract and convinced them to give me an EVO for nothing. I'm thinking about the future.

7/21/2010 10:20:25 PM

If sprint would invest a little more plugging the holes in their voice network they would be the awesomest carrier hands down.

7/21/2010 10:22:34 PM

^tell me about it. I keep getting dropped call at my new house, yet my workplace, which is 3 miles away, gets full signal.

7/22/2010 10:08:32 AM

haha, yea - Sprint has a very solid data network, but voice can be spotty.

However I use like 300 minutes a month and something like 5MB/minute of data. Works for me

(And this is on a blackberry, if i was rockin' a pre with the wifi hotspot I'd be raping that data plan.)

7/22/2010 10:24:06 AM