Questions from new Sprint customer

[cerlagirl]

Just a few more Sprint questions; I appreciate the help.

First of all, I signed up for Sprint in a store. I signed up for a $35 plan, which gives me 300 minutes. However, I just noticed that if I'd purchased this same plan online, I would have received unlimited minutes for the first two months! Can I call Sprint and request this, as a new subscriber, or is this only a web offer? It was not offered to me in the store, but the website doesn't state that this is specifically an online offer.

Secondly, I just signed into the Sprint website to view my account information. It says that my next bill of $116.06 will be due the first week of May. My jaw dropped. Here's what I should have on the bill:

$35 plan
$36 activation fee
$5 PCS to PCS calling

That's $76. Obviously there will be some taxes and fees thrown in, but $40 worth? Gimme a break. I called Sprint this morning to ask about this. The representative explained to me that the extra fees just add up. I told her there could not possible be that many hidden fees, and there's no way I'm paying $40 worth of them! She then reviewed my account information for a few moments and then said she'd figured it out. I signed up with Sprint on April 7th. My billing cycle began on April 8th. "Therefore, m'am," she explained, "we've prorated you, which explains the higher bill. It won't be as high next time. Your first bill will only be higher because of the prorating."

I don't know a lot about prorating, but I signed up NINE hours before April 8th. I didn't even place a single call that day. Is it really possible that I have to pay $40 for that, when my plan is only $35? That's ridiculous and confusing. That's like paying an extra $40 just to activate the phone!

All of this, in addition to the fact that my phone seems to love slipping into "Digital Roam" at least 10 times a day, is starting to make me wonder. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

[budney]

I am not sure about the unlimited minutes promo. But when you sign up for service it takes a while to generate the bill. And also note that you will always pre pay for your service. So with that said your first bill at worst be:

$35 plan 1st mo.
$35 plan 2nd mo.
$35 activation fee
$5 PCS 2 PCS 1st mo.
$5 PCS 2 PCS 2nd mo.

Total $115 + taxes / - any protation for 1st mo.

And about your phone. All I can really say is may be you got a lemon. If it continues you should take it back and get another one (different model may be). [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[NYCDru]

About the Digital roam, have you called and asked about this?

Also, you might want to take a look at the full details for the plan. I have had a $150 bill one month followed by a $20 bill the next thanx to proratring and plan changing.

[cerlagirl]

I'll wait until the bill comes and review it before I get too frustrated or concerned.

As for the roaming issue, I did call Sprint Customer Care today, and a slightly impatient woman told me that there was no possible way it could be roaming that often with the plan I have. She instructed me to go into the "Roaming" settings on my phone and change the setting from "Automatic" to "Sprint." I'm not sure what that will do; when I asked, she said she didn't know, she was just following instructions. She said that if it continues to roam, I should just take it to a technician. She then suggested that I upgrade to a more expensive phone.

[budney]

For not knowing much that CSR actually told you a very good thing, which I forgot about (been with GSM too long). Switching your phone to "Sprint only" will force your phone to use the Sprints signal only. This is very good to do in fringe areas that still have good enough signal to place calls, but the roaming carriers signal is slightly stronger. Also it is good to do when you don't have the F&C America option on your account. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[larry]

As Budney said your first bill will be higher than normal because of the prorating. This is normal.

[Tony E!]

Make sure you always check your bill, i just got a contract under my name and i was charge $36 twice for activation.

[cerlagirl]

Well, upon reviewing my bill, I discovered why it is so inexplicably high. Sprint made billing errors.

I am being charged $15.48 for PCS Vision, $5.16 for Voice Command, and $4.13 for Roadside Rescue. However, according to the sales pitch, and the contract right in front of me, the first two months of those features were supposed to be free. I told the salesperson that I didn't want any of those features; he explained that new customers automatically receive them for free right now for the first two months. He said that if I didn't want to keep those features, I shoud cancel them before the first two months were up. I cancelled all of those features within the first week.

(I am also being charged $5.16 for Free and Clear America -- I don't even know what that is.)

I just spoke with two representatives from Sprint Customer Care. They both told me that it is too late to change the bill. They said they understand that there was a mistake. I said that I wasn't going to pay for the errant charges. I was told that I have to pay the bill in full, but they will give me a credit in the future. I asked the woman if I could leave those mistaken charges out of the payment that I will send in. I was informed that if I do so, I will be charged a late fee for not paying my bill in full! I was then told that I could avoid such experiences in the future if I signed up for the weekly balance alert for $1.99/month.

Are you kidding me, Sprint?

[budney]

Wait till you get your actual bill. I remember that the bill online never made sence and was always wrong, but everything was corrected on my paper bill. Most of the time they will charge you for those extras in one part of the bill, then credit you for those extras on another part of the bill. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[cerlagirl]

This is my paper bill. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[twopiece]

Originally posted by: cerlagirl I just spoke with two representatives from Sprint Customer Care. They both told me that it is too late to change the bill. They said they understand that there was a mistake. I said that I wasn't going to pay for the errant charges. I was told that I have to pay the bill in full, but they will give me a credit in the future. I asked the woman if I could leave those mistaken charges out of the payment that I will send in. I was informed that if I do so, I will be charged a late fee for not paying my bill in full! I was then told that I could avoid such experiences in the future if I signed up for the weekly balance alert for $1.99/month. Are you kidding me, Sprint?

$1.99 each month so that they can shoot you an email every week notifying you of what your balance is? Too bad wireless companies don't credit $1.99 a month to cancel you paper bill saving the poor trees along with postage.

[NYCDru]

Originally posted by: cerlagirl Well, upon reviewing my bill, I discovered why it is so inexplicably high. Sprint made billing errors. I am being charged <STRONG>$15.48</STRONG> for PCS Vision, <STRONG>$5.16</STRONG> for Voice Command, and <STRONG>$4.13</STRONG> for Roadside Rescue. However, according to the sales pitch, and the contract right in front of me, the first two months of those features were supposed to be free. I told the salesperson that I didn't want any of those features; he explained that new customers automatically receive them for free right now for the first two months. He said that if I didn't want to keep those features, I shoud cancel them before the first two months were up. I cancelled all of those features within the first week. (I am also being charged <STRONG>$5.16</STRONG> for Free and Clear America -- I don't even know what that is.) I just spoke with two representatives from Sprint Customer Care. They both told me that it is too late to change the bill. They said they understand that there was a mistake. I said that I wasn't going to pay for the errant charges. I was told that I have to pay the bill in full, but they will give me a credit in the future. I asked the woman if I could leave those mistaken charges out of the payment that I will send in. I was informed that if I do so, I will be charged a late fee for not paying my bill in full! I was then told that I could avoid such experiences in the future if I signed up for the weekly balance alert for $1.99/month. Are you kidding me, Sprint?

Ok, $5.16 for Free and Clear Amercica is a VERY GOOD THING TO KEEP. It's sprints version of "no Roaming"" aka if you get a signal you can use it.

So you are suposed to be on a $45/month plan right (35 for plan + 5 for PCS to PCS + 5 for no roaming)?

If Sprint corrects billing the way Verizopn does then your best bet would be to get a recording/take down note of the billing error. Make sure to get a witness (just in case) to the fact that they will credit you what they charged you. Based on that your NEXT bill should be about $20 + tax. Ask if this is the case. If it is you should be ok.

(At least thats how Verizon handled my billing error. I ended up paying in 3 months what I should be paying in three months but one month the bill was realy big, and the next two were small. A real pain in my @$$ but i will forgive them this once.)