I want a Helio!

[ace41690]

I really want the Helio ocean, which uses sprints network & roaming partners networks. Howver, i am still under contract and dont want to pay the ETF fee. Since im still technically using their network, do u think they would let me switch to helio? Or is it possible i could get out of contract since i have basically zero sprint coverage where i live?

[Bill Clinton]

Originally Posted by ace41690

I really want the Helio ocean, which uses sprints network & roaming partners networks. Howver, i am still under contract and dont want to pay the ETF fee. Since im still technically using their network, do u think they would let me switch to helio? Or is it possible i could get out of contract since i have basically zero sprint coverage where i live?

You won't be able to just switch without paying the ETF because Helio is a separate company. They are an MVNO. You wouldn't be able to switch to Virgin Mobile or any MVNO either without paying the ETF.

Getting out of the contract is possible. This is sleazy but you can try calling Customer Care all the time for two or three months. That might get you kicked off. Another way would be forever roaming. Just set your phone to roam only had use 90% of your minutes while roaming. A few months of this and Sprint will probably want to boot you out the door.

I am not suggesting you do any of this and it may not work, but those are both ways of getting out of your contract without the ETF. You are no longer a profitable customer so Sprint wants you to be someone else's burden.

Why do you want Helio is Sprint is crap? They use Sprint's network and the same roaming partners which you mentioned so they won't be any better. Sprint has some nice phones also so you can sell your current phone and get a better one if that will make you happy.

Helio is a nice little service, I just don't see how it will be better than Sprint. Maybe wait out your contract and then switch to Helio if you really like them. If you want to get out of the ETF, I suggested the two best ways that I heard of. You really should pay it because that is the decent thing to do.

[ace41690]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

You won't be able to just switch without paying the ETF because Helio is a separate company. They are an MVNO. You wouldn't be able to switch to Virgin Mobile or any MVNO either without paying the ETF.

Getting out of the contract is possible. This is sleazy but you can try calling Customer Care all the time for two or three months. That might get you kicked off. Another way would be forever roaming. Just set your phone to roam only had use 90% of your minutes while roaming. A few months of this and Sprint will probably want to boot you out the door.

I am not suggesting you do any of this and it may not work, but those are both ways of getting out of your contract without the ETF. You are no longer a profitable customer so Sprint wants you to be someone else's burden.

Why do you want Helio is Sprint is crap? They use Sprint's network and the same roaming partners which you mentioned so they won't be any better. Sprint has some nice phones also so you can sell your current phone and get a better one if that will make you happy.

Helio is a nice little service, I just don't see how it will be better than Sprint. Maybe wait out your contract and then switch to Helio if you really like them. If you want to get out of the ETF, I suggested the two best ways that I heard of. You really should pay it because that is the decent thing to do.

I dont think sprints network is crap, it just doesnt work at my house and i have to roam. The network is generally fine where i live and is better than most other providers, i just want helio for the phone. Is it possible to simply sell my current phone, buy a helio ocean, and then have sprint activate it? Or will they not do that? I really dont mind their network its just my phone and their overall selection of phones that bothers me.

[Bill Clinton]

Ok thanks for clarifying.

You can not activate any Helio phone on Sprint. This is not big deal really, you can probably keep your number, but it means canceling Sprint and switching to Helio. You can get some money back by selling your Sprint phone on eBay, but that won't even cover the ETF.

[RJB]

Originally Posted by ace41690

I dont think sprints network is crap, it just doesnt work at my house and i have to roam. The network is generally fine where i live and is better than most other providers, i just want helio for the phone. Is it possible to simply sell my current phone, buy a helio ocean, and then have sprint activate it? Or will they not do that? I really dont mind their network its just my phone and their overall selection of phones that bothers me.

So there is no sprint phone that you like huh hmmm.

[ace41690]

Originally Posted by RJB

So there is no sprint phone that you like huh hmmm.

Not as much as the helio ocean
You have to admit that sprints phone selection isnt nearly as large as Verizon's or Cingular's...
I guess im not going to cancel sprint though. My goal was to have a helio ocean with my current sprint service and contract. I want to keep my current service, i just wanted a different phone. I hate my damn m610. Sure it looks nice, but service=$hit, and its slow as hell. When i go to my photo albums to review pictures it makes me wanna rip my hair out. Not to mention i cant even get more than 14hours of battery life out of the damn thing, and thats if i DONT TALK ON IT AT ALL! Every time i have a conversation that lasts more than a half hour my battery seems to die or be almost dead, no exagerration.

[Bill Clinton]

Wow that's a sad tale about your M610. Mine has been pretty nice. The reception is bad, but otherwise it's been a good phone.

Sprint has some new phones coming out so don't lose hope. Sprint will probably have something decent by the end of the year if you are not satisfied with any of their current phones. The M610 is going for around $150 on eBay so that will pay for a good part of your new phone.

[bacardi198]

Originally Posted by ace41690

Not as much as the helio ocean
You have to admit that sprints phone selection isnt nearly as large as Verizon's or Cingular's...
I guess im not going to cancel sprint though. My goal was to have a helio ocean with my current sprint service and contract. I want to keep my current service, i just wanted a different phone. I hate my damn m610. Sure it looks nice, but service=$hit, and its slow as hell. When i go to my photo albums to review pictures it makes me wanna rip my hair out. Not to mention i cant even get more than 14hours of battery life out of the damn thing, and thats if i DONT TALK ON IT AT ALL! Every time i have a conversation that lasts more than a half hour my battery seems to die or be almost dead, no exagerration.

How about the HTC Mogul (6800)? Slider, QWERTY keyboard, but way more features?

Hell, if you're really set on cancelling Sprint service, cancel, eat the ETF, then sign up again with Sprint SERO, get the Mogul for cheap, and have unlimited data usage.

[ace41690]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

Wow that's a sad tale about your M610. Mine has been pretty nice. The reception is bad, but otherwise it's been a good phone.

Sprint has some new phones coming out so don't lose hope. Sprint will probably have something decent by the end of the year if you are not satisfied with any of their current phones. The M610 is going for around $150 on eBay so that will pay for a good part of your new phone.

luckily they are sending me a "new" (aka refurbished) M610 for free because not only does the battery suck but the charger connection is very loose and it frequently starts and stops charging overnight. I cant get the damn helio, they wont activate it but w/e. ill just wait for my contract to end i suppose and hope that the replaced phone is better. My friend actually has an M610, and it gets more bars in the same place than mine does so maybe the phone is just flaky. I know bar count isnt everything but when comparing between the same phones it does matter.

[Bill Clinton]

Originally Posted by ace41690

luckily they are sending me a "new" (aka refurbished) M610 for free because not only does the battery suck but the charger connection is very loose and it frequently starts and stops charging overnight. I cant get the damn helio, they wont activate it but w/e. ill just wait for my contract to end i suppose and hope that the replaced phone is better. My friend actually has an M610, and it gets more bars in the same place than mine does so maybe the phone is just flaky. I know bar count isnt everything but when comparing between the same phones it does matter.

If you hold two M610s next to each other I would expect the same bar count from each phone. The M610 is not know for good reception, but it appears that your's is worse than most.

If you are not happy with the phone they send you, try selling it and getting a different Sprint phone. Sanyo usually gets the best reception. I think Sanyo phones feel cheap, but I haven't broken one and they have good reception and call quality.

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

If you hold two M610s next to each other I would expect the same bar count from each phone. The M610 is not know for good reception, but it appears that your's is worse than most.

If you are not happy with the phone they send you, try selling it and getting a different Sprint phone. Sanyo usually gets the best reception. I think Sanyo phones feel cheap, but I haven't broken one and they have good reception and call quality.

LOL you can also try the new razr.

[Bill Clinton]

Originally Posted by RJB

LOL you can also try the new razr.

Yea RJB likes the V9M so there is a nice new phone for you. Sure it is their most expensive non smartphone, but RJB told me that the reception is good on the V9M and I am about to get one myself. Take a look at the new razr.

[SmArTeStChIlD421]

Originally Posted by bacardi198

How about the HTC Mogul (6800)? Slider, QWERTY keyboard, but way more features?

Hell, if you're really set on cancelling Sprint service, cancel, eat the ETF, then sign up again with Sprint SERO, get the Mogul for cheap, and have unlimited data usage.

yeah...............doing that will actually save you moneyin the end........i think 30 for 500 mins........40 for 1250........100 for 2500.......and you get unlimited texting.......MMS internet and nights now start at 7.........the savings of that will pay the ETF in a few months........so do that and get the new RAZR or the Mogul

[RJB]

Originally Posted by Bill Clinton

Yea RJB likes the V9M so there is a nice new phone for you. Sure it is their most expensive non smartphone, but RJB told me that the reception is good on the V9M and I am about to get one myself. Take a look at the new razr.

Yep it is a good phone.