Rage against the machine ... Sprint/Nextel

[davidwparker]

What is the best way to file a complaint against the a cell phone company? These are some !@#$%^&* second only to credit card companies.

I switched to Nextel and have a 2 year contract. Not in dispute. It was to end this April. I downgraded my plan because I was not using all the anytime minutes. This was in Oct. I learned that Sprint/Nextel considers that an implicit extension to the contract and I'm back on the hook for another 2 years from that point or I pay $200 to get out of it -- which I will do in June when iPhone is released.

If I were told at the time that I downgraded that it would have extended my contract, I would not have done it. Nextel has no record of my being told either. What I got from the Nextel rep when I called to confirm my contract release date was fine print, fine print, fine print.

So, what is the best way to voice my complaint against this practice?

[Systematic Chaos]

1. I don't know what you should do but I had a similar experience with Cingular

When Cingular bought out AT&T, they immediately began to degrade the AT&T service in our area. It got to where we couldn't depend on completing a call from anywhere, really. When I called and asked if I could just get new phones and transfer my service to the Cingular network I was told that I had to run out my AT&T contract. According to their own admission there would be effectively no service at all by the time the contract ended, but I was up the creek unless I wanted to pay an "early termination fee" for the old AT&T contract and then reinstate with Cingular as a new customer! :wtf:

I immediately quit paying them, and they haven't been around to ask for their insane final bill amount including that "early termination fee" in over two years. Fuck 'em.

I would assume your credit actually means something to you, so you may not want to pursue that option. So, I suppose your only option is to pay what they're asking and then spread the word through every available channel to harm their corporate reputation. Those contracts truly are a bunch of shit and there's really nobody willing to stop being paid off long enough to put an end to the gouging and crap. :(

[davidwparker]

5. "spread the word" - believe me, I am. It's like what they say in customer

service. If you tick off one person, at least 10 other people hear about it. So, it's best to provide excellent customer service.

[sui generis]

2. Tell them that you were told it was not an extension of your contract

even after you specifically asked. Now they claim to have lost that recording. If they can find evidence that they did tell you, explicitly, then they're off the hook. Otherwise ask them to record the conversation and tell them your contract ends at the end of your two year date.

Fine print doesn't work here. Tell them you would much rather continue to be a Sprint customer but not with a contract, and that was your concern all along. The fact that they put you into a new contract after faithfully paying the first contract means you are an unwilling customer. It's going to take some energy but you have to stand up for yourself.

Start the conversation with "are you allowed to cancel a contract obtained fraudulently? If not, I'll need to speak to someone who has the authority to cancel a contract. What is your supervisor's name? What is your department manager's name?" etc.

[davidwparker]

6. thanks.

[ariellyn]

3. As stated above, spread the word. I had problems witn CellularOne/US Cellular

No reception at all in my area, couldn't use the phone but bound in a contract. Even worse, I bought two phones so that bound me for two separation fees at $150 each which I paid to get out of my misery. I will never buy from them again. Ever.

[davidwparker]

8. thanks. I will be clear of the phone contract by the time I do cancel

since I will have the phone 2 months longer than the original contract. From what you've written, you've been their too. It just burns me up when you have a company that does that to its customers.

As I said the rep, I don't dispute that there was a 2 year contract and I intended to live up to it. But, when it's over, it's over. Companies don't need to do those dirty tricks on its customers.

Had this NOT happened, I would have recommended Nextel. I just wanted to switch to get iPhone from Cingular. Now, I won't recommend Nextel to anyone.

[LeftyMom]

4. That's pretty much standard. Ugrading plans does not extend your contract, downgrading does.

Read the contract before you sign it. Ignorance of the fine print doesn't mean immunity from it.

[davidwparker]

11. That's true. But my impression is this is intended to take people by surprise.

And it did.

[Hard_Work]

7. Two things

First, contact the Better Business Bureau. I know that Sprint takes these complaints seriously. Second, check your PM :)

[davidwparker]

9. thanks. what's PM?

[Sherman A1]

10. I would file complaints with

The Federal Trade Commission, Your State's Attorney General, perhaps Your State's Public Service Comission and the FCC. There is of course the BBB as well. Try to be nice when you talk with them, but explain you will file complaints with governmental agencies. It might just be enough to get the call booted up to a supervisor who can "magically" make the issue all better.

[davidwparker]

12. This is what I was looking for. THANK YOU. They may get my $200

when I cancel after my original contract ended, but I'm going to have $200 dollars in fun letting everyone on this list you provided know what I think of Sprint/Nextel I will create one letter and mail it to all of them with Sprint/Nextel on the CC: list so they can see that I've done it.

Hmmmm. Maybe a shot across the Sprint/Nextel bow is in order. First, I write a complaint against them and tell them of the agencies that I will file a complaint against if they play this autoextend junk against me. Then, I file the complaint using the original letter as an attachment.

I'll get a pound of Sprint/Nextel flesh for my $200 if nothing else.

[Hard_Work]

13. PM

PM is private mail. your inbox. However, I will save you the trouble. It contains a suggestion that you check out sprintusers.com. A lot of Sprint reps and some supervisors post there and read the boards regularly. They have been able to help a lot of people.

[Sherman A1]

14. When I do complaint letters

or these days emails. I am a huge fan of the "CC The World" method. It usually gets attention when the CC list is as long or longer than the message itself. Also I always make sure my ducks are in a row and I am exceptionally polite.