If you persistently insist that Sprint fix their numerous errors you will be dropped as a customer, according to reader Michael. He’s been having trouble with Sprint but instead of resolving his problem, they’ve decided to drop him as a customer according to a letter he received yesterday. The letter reads:

“Our records indicate that over the past year, we have received frequent calls from you regarding your billing or other general account information. While we have worked to resolve your issues and questions to the best of our ability, the number of inquiries you have made to us during this time has led us to determine that we are unable to meet your current wireless needs…”

Michael says:

I have called them alot over the past year, but those calls were to have them fix their errors. I’ve always been polite to their employees (whether it be over the phone or in a Sprint store). I’ve never missed a payment and have always paid my bill early. I’ve never asked them for discounts or freebies. This is ridiculous. They terminate me because I call customer service too much? I call customer service to have them fix THEIR errors.

Sorry, Michael. Fixing their errors is costing them too much money. They have to get rid of you and find someone who won’t complain so much. It’s just too bad for you, Michael, that you paid full price for an expensive phone that you probably would not be able to use at its full effectiveness at another carrier… even if it weren’t defective.

Michael writes:

Hi. I and a number of others have recently received letters from Sprint that our service is being terminated because we call Sprint’s customer service too much. I’ve only been a Sprint customer since December 2005. I joined on the $30 SERO plan. This was around the time the SERO plans first became available and they still included unlimited text messaging. Since then, I’ve called numerous times because I keep being charged $10.00 for the unlimited text messages. Every month I call and every month they only credit my account $8.00. This happens every month. This past month I had also been having problems with my Samsung IP-830W. I did go to my local repair center to deal with that, but they stuck me with a refurbished Treo 700P with non-functioning space-bar and menu key. I’ve been calling customer service pretty much every day for the past month trying to get this fixed too (getting an equivalent replacement). I purchased this IP-830W full price (~$699) back in March of this year. I’ve spoken with numerous customer service supervisors about this and they’ve offered me a blue Treo 755P. They told me they would put a temporary credit on my account for the same price as the blue Treo 755P and then send me a return kit for this defective Treo 700P the repair center left me with. The temporary credit is on my account, but no one has been able to order this blue Treo 755P. I also have not received the return kit. Yesterday, I received a letter from Sprint that says they’re terminating service to me. Their reason: “Our records indicate that over the past year, we have received frequent calls from you regarding your billing or other general account information. While we have worked to resolve your issues and questions to the best of our ability, the number of inquiries you have made to us during this time has led us to determine that we are unable to meet your current wireless needs…” I have called them a lot over the past year, but those calls were to have them fix their errors. I’ve always been polite to their employees (whether it be over the phone or in a Sprint store). I’ve never missed a payment and have always paid my bill early. I’ve never asked them for discounts or freebies. This is ridiculous. They terminate me because I call customer service too much? I call customer service to have them fix THEIR errors.

Sprint writes:



Michael, if you (and anyone else who is having this problem ) do want to stay with Sprint and get this resolved, you might want to try the Consumerist hotline: (703-433-4401). Let us know how it goes.