Sprint PCS Complaint - Sprint phone upgrade- activation service charge of $36.00 - Sprint phone upgrade- service charge of $36.00

Posted by CrazyRedHead on 2006-05-08:

How can they charge you an activation fee when you already have an active account? I think there is a lack of communication here somewhere, someone didn't understand someone here.

Posted by tawanda on 2006-05-08:

I, too, have been in the market to upgrade my phone and renew my contract. I have two existing lines of service and my local Sprint PCS store demanded I pay the same $39.00 "activation fee". I walked out of the store without my new phones. I was already being asked to pay MORE for the phone as a customer of five years than someone walking in off the street to sign up for the first time would pay...

Posted by tawanda on 2006-05-08:

I have discovered that going to Sam's Club or Costco to establish a new line of service will get you a MUCH better deal on the phone, but I am no longer interested in selfish "network" phones for the $399.99 + pricetag they seek. I'm looking for "unlocked" PDA cell phones at a good price - then I will deal with finding a new carrier to match...

Posted by tawanda on 2006-05-08:

Incidentally - I cancelled my Voicestream (T-Mobile) account years ago after Voicestream started renting their phone lists to highly questionable people and companies. Although I kept my number private, I started getting spammed with pornographic text messages. The last one I received was advertising penile implants. My call to Voicestream was not a polite one.

Posted by shetango on 2006-05-09:

Well, this is one of those things, like every other thing in the service industry--you don't have to pay this fee. What you have to do to avoid it, is to b***h and generally make yourself a source of pain, and then you will get what you want. When I bought a used phone identical to the phone I had which had died (and for $7!!!!) on eBay and needed to activate it and change my # over, here's what I did: 1. I went into the store at a busy time. 2. I was advised of said "activation fee". 3. I complained that the only reason I needed to "activate," was because the freakin' phone that they required me to use, had died, and noooo, I didn't want to pay $200 and "upgrade" to the latest-greatest. 4. I refused to pay the fee. 5. I asked to speak to the manager. 6. I was directed to use the red "courtesy phone" to call Sprint Central/Whatever. 7. Which I did, and proceeded to have a phone conversation in a very loud voice--loud enough so that all the customers in the store could hear what I was saying. 8. I pointed out to them that I had spent thousands-thousands on my account with them and if they were going to nickel and dime me, I would walk. 9. I got the activation fee waived.

In short, I created a scene. Unfortunately, these people in the service industries KNOW their customer. They know that you do not want conflict and do not want to create a scene no matter what, and if they put enough hoops up for people to jump through, the customer will just turn into a sheep and acquiesce to being gouged. I'm not happy that I had to make a scene, but I wasn't going to pay no freakin' $39.00 fee just because some marketing PhD at Sprint was sitting around dreaming up new ways to rake in extra cash.

Just my .02

Posted by shetango on 2006-05-09:

Well, this is one of those things, like every other thing in the service industry--you don't have to pay this fee. What you have to do to avoid it, is to b***h and generally make yourself a source of pain, and then you will get what you want. When I bought a used phone identical to the phone I had which had died (and for $7!!!!) on eBay and needed to activate it and change my # over, here's what I did: 1. I went into the store at a busy time. 2. I was advised of said "activation fee". 3. I complained that the only reason I needed to "activate," was because the freakin' phone that they required me to use, had died, and noooo, I didn't want to pay $200 and "upgrade" to the latest-greatest. 4. I refused to pay the fee. 5. I asked to speak to the manager. 6. I was directed to use the red "courtesy phone" to call Sprint Central/Whatever. 7. Which I did, and proceeded to have a phone conversation in a very loud voice--loud enough so that all the customers in the store could hear what I was saying. 8. I pointed out to them that I had spent thousands-thousands on my account with them and if they were going to nickel and dime me, I would walk. 9. I got the activation fee waived.

In short, I created a scene. Unfortunately, these people in the service industries KNOW their customer. They know that you do not want conflict and do not want to create a scene no matter what, and if they put enough hoops up for people to jump through, the customer will just turn into a sheep and acquiesce to being gouged. I'm not happy that I had to make a scene, but I wasn't going to pay no freakin' $39.00 fee just because some marketing PhD at Sprint was sitting around dreaming up new ways to rake in extra cash.

Just my .02

Posted by Savaran on 2006-07-25:

The activation fee is for a new line. There is a upgrade fee for 20 bucks for a new phone on the line. When you call in and ask what these charges are. We will usually credit back to you. Don't ask for it or be rude and you will get it. This goes for anything with Customer Care. Never ask right out for a credit (diffently not a temp credit) and always seem nice and innocent. Remember also that we can see all the past credits issued. Avoid temp credits like the plaugue. They can screw up our account like you would never believe.

Posted by Mizz_Luv3r on 2007-04-15:

I just discovered a $36 phone upgrade activation fee or whatever on my bill. I've been with Sprint since 2003. I have to wait one hour to resolve this stupid fee. I didn't go through their upgrade plan nor did /I buy my new phone from Sprint. I was just putting a current number on a different phone. I'm so mad, and waiting this hour out is killing me! lol

Posted by Mizz_Luv3r on 2007-04-15:

I called and they took the fee off. Thank God that I didn't have to explode on the CS rep for them to get rid of it. The guy asked if I did get a new phone. I was like no, I've had this phone on the plan before. He saw that it wasn't even new and gave me my refund/adjustment...lol