Should I have to pay the bill?

Question

I've had sprint cellphone service about 3 months now and I honestly hate its service. Everytime I call the person on the other side seems like its their first day. I just recently called about an issue with my phone and the person resolution was to tell me where the closet sprint tech support store was when I had already been there and I told him where it was. I've had to take the phone back 3 times and now a 4th due to more hardware issues. On top of that, the phone they just gave me was a brand new version of the one I had to turn in when I went in the store the first 3 times. Now they are telling me that I have to pay the monthly bill of $125 due to a late fee because I didnt pay. But I told them I didnt think it was right for me to pay for a broken phone. So I was told to go and speak with a rep at the store when I go there. But my question is, do you guys and gals think I should have to pay for a phone that I had to have fixed 3 times within the billing cycle along with now being a 4th time?

P.S. The tech support center is a city away from my location. Approx. 11 miles and with gas prices the way they are, I can't just up and go to the store. So tell me, is this something I should fight? Or would it just be a losing battle?

Answer 1

YEs, drive the eleven miles, What' it'll cost you $5 in gas,

Go there and ask to speak with the General manger or district manager.  

tell theat manager tha you feel you are being treated unfairly and ask for a refund or some kind of reimbursement.

Answer 2

it is very difficult to fight these big companies, but u must try.contacting better bus. bureau. alongw/ dealing w/ sprint ask for supervisors write letters , request to end the contract, if u live in calif. new law past that sprint cannot charge early termination fees ( make sure it applies to u.)

Answer 3

What should happen is Sprint should discount your billing fees according the calls placed and received during the billing cycle of your broken phone. You should take that drive and talk to someone up close and personal.  It sounds like that peticular phone is not one that should be sold.  Find out if they have gotten any other complaints on that style of phone. It's worth the fight.  Have you thought about changing carriers?.

Answer 4

Legally you do have to pay, remember that contract you signed.  Fighting it may bring it down a few dollars but it will cost you hours and hours of time.

Answer 5

You have a legitimate complaint, just go over their heads to a real decision maker in the company, not just the phone bank you've been talking to.

Answer 6

When you call them, DON'T talk to the cust. serv. rep that answers.

Immediately ask for the MANAGER.  Explain what happened to them.

Request they remove the late charge and give you credit for the time your phone was broken. (do you have any records of the times you went to the local shop/kiosk?) you should atleast be able to have the last charged credited and may need to be prepared to pay the current amount due on the phone.

Also did you see the blurb about the courts now saying it's illegal for the cell phone companies to charge the termination fee?   Find out more about that and maybe you want to switch.  We happen to be happy with Verizon.  

Answer 7

Great news, but I dont think it will help just yet. A supreme court justice recently ruled that early termination contracts by phone carriers is illegal. It will likely be appealed but if the ruling is not overturned, surely it will become a national trend.  Read the article provided below. I dont know about you but I think this should have been done a long time ago.