I don't usually post about stuff that's not directly related to my computer, but something happened today that I thought people should know about. Since this one is off-topic, I'm going to try to keep it (relatively) short.
I was a Sprint customer for almost 2 years, up until about 9 months ago. I had a Samsung i600... which was one of the first clamshell Smartphone models. I had been having random issues with it for a while, and one day while I was in San Diego, it just started randomly rebooting itself. When I got back, I tried to get it fixed, but Sprint couldn't reproduce the issue, and hence wouldn't do anything to fix it. Fortunately, my contract was going to expire soon, so I could get a new one.
About a month later, I got a phone call asking if I wanted to renew my contract. I told them the only way I'd renew was if I could get a new phone at the new customer discount. I asked them to call me back in a couple days, and I would do it. I never heard back from them.
Well, about 3 week later, I got a postcard in the mail, thanking me for renewing my contract. I was floored, because I never gave anyone permission to renew my contract. I went into a company-owned Sprint store to try to figure out what was going on, and they told me that I called in and asked to renew my contract. In utter disbelief, I demanded to hear the recording of me renewing my contract, and they denied one even existed. I know one is supposed to exist. because landline companies have to have all major service changes recorded.
When they couldn't produce one, I told them that I was canceling my contract, and if they charged me any cancellation fees I'd sue em. They said since they changed the contract, I had the right to cancel. A week later, I went to Verizon (who Consumer Reports rated the best in Phoenix) and spent $400 on a new phone, and gave them my $200 a month business. Apparently, it's easier for Sprint to acquire new customers than it is to keep their old ones.
I received a phone call today from a salesperson for Sprint Business. He was inquiring about the status of my business cellular service. When I briefly explained why I'm no longer giving them $200 of my money every month, he said "I'm not surprised, you're definitely not the first person I've heard that from. They did the same thing to my girlfriend, and I'm an employee!" He apologized that they did that, and I thanked him for his time.
So apparently, renewing your contract without your consent is a common practice at Sprint. So if you're a Sprint customer, and your contract is within 60 days of expiring, watch out... especially if you're planning on switching companies. They might try to screw you with your pants on... well, even more than they already are, anyways.
And now back to your regularly scheduled programming.