Sprint announces massive layoffs, store closings amid subscriber defection
By Evan Blass 
posted January 18th 2008 11:22AM
posted January 18th 2008 11:22AM
New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas. Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
You shouldn't have to find a way to get your problem solved. Wasting time is wasting money and I have little of both. Goodbye Sprint.
Amazon is so screwed if Sprint goes out of business...think Kindle without EVDO...useless!
If things go worse, Bezos can always be persuaded to buy Sprint.
Hey, guess what? Sprint isn't the only US carrier that uses 1xEVDO, think Verizon. Amazon moves subs over to VZ and problem solved.
Hey BigReg thanks for the obvious comment. I think all of use here know that Sprint and Verizon use CDMA and EVDO. I doubt it would be as easy as moving the users over to Verizon and "problem solved" as you say, Amazon would have to renegotiate a contract with them and I am sure it would be more expensive than Sprint, causing them to possibly up the price of the Kindle. Also the devices would have to be authorized to use the Verizon network, something that everyone knows Verizon takes very seriously. So it would probably not be as easy as you say, but hey, what do I know, right? I'm just some dude commenting on a blog.
I am glad to se them going down in flames. I happily paid $200 to exit their service two months before the contract expired -- they were THAT evil. A FULL year after I paid their final bill, they sent me a bill for $9.16.
Umm, yeah, right, I'll get RIGHT on that bill guys.
Hey, all of the phone companies suck. Sprint is no worse than T-Mobile, AT&T, or V.
Who wants an Iphone when I can't even use 3G speeds? Sprint has had 3G for 8-10 years depending on where you live. EVDO rev A baby!
My Sprint devices and service have always been rock solid, and their selection of phones is on the upswing (not saying much since they usually have 300 versions of the same clamshell phone).
I have Sprint and I hate them. I was able to convince them yesterday,after 2 hours and 5 different people, that because of a change they made to my account they voided my contract. I hope when I finally drop them this weekend, I don't have to deal with problems for terminating my service early even thought I was told I could.
I think Verizon should buy Sprint out and merge it with their service; therefore, they would have more coverage.
Add my name to the growing list of subscribers that will leave when my contract with them expires..
I have Sprint, and continue to do so only because I have the clout a Fortune 500 company...numerous billing errors that were only corrected once I reached out to the personal executive Sprint representative assigned to my company. Their CS is awful, I've had CS reps accuse me of trying to cheat the system by complaining about incorrect charges (I was charged twice for the cost of my handset, resulting in a $1000 charge). Signal is not bad at all in major metropolitan areas, but the handset selection is slim pickings.
OK, here's a comment that's not related to locale.
Two years ago I had a Sprint phone and choose to update to a newer Sanyo with Sprint...great phone by the way except for the fact that Sprint chose to lock out the phone-as-modem capability. I was promised a $150.00 rebate which I never received no matter how many CS reps I spoke with. Now my contract is up, and since I have good reception both at work and at home, I was thinking of staying with Sprint. Why is it that phone companies will lure new customers with phones at great prices but then offer the same phones (especially high-end smartphones) to existing customers for more than twice that price?!?!? I know most of them do, but now after more than six years of being a loyal Sprint customer, I've had enough. Goodbye, Sprint!
I waited around for the longest time for them to come out with a more modern blackberry like the pearl, or 8xxx, or the curve. The iPhone came out first, and they lost me. I'm so glad I didn't take that special $150 credit they were trying to give me out of the blue on the phone one day (with 2 year contract added on).
Oh, also I never once got a frickin' rebate from those guys. And they billed me 1 month in advance when I signed up, but didn't send me a check after I switched to the iPhone last July.
My wife drives by the Sprint campus in Kansas every day to and from work. Amazingly, if she happens to be on the phone while she's closest to the campus, she often loses signal and drops the call she's on. Go Sprint!
True that would seem odd if you were not aware of how cell towers work. The city of Leawood, and more importantly the people that live in Leawood will not allow cell towers to be placed near them due to the adverse affect it would have on property value. This said the only place that Sprint can place there towers is on the campus itself. Unfortunately there are laws in place to restrict the amount of towers one can have in a certain area. Now each one of these towers has a certain amount of cell users that it can handle at a given time, and its not hard to guess with a campus as large as it is how many people are constantly on their own phones while there. Now take into account that the towers first service calls generated and stationed in that area, you understand that when your wifes line tries to switch to that tower while driving it gets disconnected due to lack of space for her call.
I'm a happy Sprint customer. No complaint so far at all
Stick it to them with this:
http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=196799&t=685423
Sprint has been losing in the area of customer service for some time now. Due to their stone-age thinking and only offering analog roaming in area that offer digital roaming capabilities, I'm switching to another provider.
I was with them for 8 years and finally left.
One time I called to ask a question and months later I found out they renewed my two year contract with them. I told them I had done no such thing and to prove it, they told me they didn't have to prove anything and their agents notes were all they needed.
Here is the problem. They incentivise their call center employees to keep customers and to renew their contracts. So, I call and some call center tech just types in "he agreed to renew his contract" when I didn't and then I get screwed and he get's paid a bonus! And they have nothing to prove it. I told them I wouldn't pay if they charged me a cancellation fee and they told me it would go on my credit. I could have sued and won I'm sure but it's cheaper just to pay the early term fee so why bother but that's exactly why they do it.
I also moved from one state to another and called to ask for a new phone number. They informed me that in order to get a new number I would need to sign another TWO YEAR contract. Just to get a new number.
8 years with that company and they never valued my business. I'm a happy iPhone customer now.
PHONE COMPANIES: Drop the long term agreements (unless your giving LARGE phone discounts) and earn our business! Then we will be your biggest fans!
Once my contract ends in April, it's iPhone here I come!
I can't spill enough bile to adequately illustrate how much I loathe Sprint.
Me: What's this charge on my bill for $2.10?
Sprint: Oh, sorry about that. It was a mistake.
Me: You've made this mistake every month for the past two years.
Sprint: You probably did something to deserve it.
Me: Anyway, can you please credit my account $2.10?
Sprint: Sorry, you've already paid your bill, thus agreeing to the charges.
Me: But if I didn't pay my bill, you'd assess a late charge.
Sprint: That is correct.
Me: So, I either overpay $2.10, or I pay a late charge?
Sprint: (pauses) Can I help you with anything else?
At least AT&T has the decency to laugh maniacally at the end of every support call. They embrace the fact that they're evil. I respect that.
I'm happy with Sprint: I've loved the various Treo phones I owned, and Sprint has always had the most reasonable deal on unlimited internet access: My total monthly bill, including phone services and unlimited internet and text messages is only $55/month. No other carrier even comes close to matching that price. I don't experience any dead zones, the internet access is speedy, I get the phone I want, and it's cheap: what more could I possibly want from a cell phone company?
Good! I'm glad this is happening to Sprint. They are fine when your phone has signal and there are no mistakes in your bill, but have you ever tried to get customer service from Sprint? Hah! What a joke! I switched from Sprint a long time ago and I would never go back. They suck!
My wife and I are happy Sprint customers. We both have Plam Treo 755p. From what I understand its mostly the Nextel customers that are leaving. That does not surprise me.
I had sprint and was delighted to get a much better phone and a cheaper monthly rate at T-Mobile.
Sprint's too expensive and their customer care is just awful...
THE QUESTION IS - WHO IS THE BEST!!???? THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO KNOW!
Sprint is the mentally challenged idiot out all of the carriers. All I have ever heard was horror stories from users and I was sued from Sprint for nonpayment on an account. Of course, I have never had Sprint service in my life at all, either landline or cellphone. It took those idiots over a year to finally admit that they were wrong and I was not that person.
Their customer service is what sucks beyond anything else. From my experience, from the lowliest tech, to the high up supervisors, they just don't care.
Good riddance to them.
I wish SK Telecom would buy out Sprint, rebrand it, and stock it with a bad ass collection of Korean phones.
i think sprint is good
i've been with them for some time n i hav no complaints
other family members who have had verizon and at&t hav had trouble though
i currently hav a razr2 n itz cool on sprint
there hav been no billin errors either
I was a Sprint user since 1998. I emailed Sprint Management regarding carrying the iPhone. As soon as the rumors went around about an iPhone back in 2005 I emailed the Bigwigs at Sprint and warned them about how they need to carry the iPhone. I told them my business would go to the carrier who has it. So I did. I paid to get out of the contract. You'd think they'd cut you some slack in hopes of returning. After they pulled that stunt I'd never go back to them.
Last summer, I changed plans and ended up paying 5 dollars less, but they gave me a new two year contract. I didn't think about it that much, but I called them when I saw this post and within minutes they let me out my contract and switched me to monthly. I've been with them since 2002 and have never had any issues before this. I also get way better and more consistent reception then anyone I know. I wonder if this is a perception becoming reality thing. I think I might just stay with them because I can't get a data/voice plan for any where close to the price. The HTC Touch looks nice...
I been with sprint for 5 year now, and they do have crappy customer service. But the service it very good I think. I can vision 5 to 10 years for now Verizon buying them out.
Website url
http://www.rywirelessheadphones.com
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true story, i was a customer with nextel for about 7 years, but since they merge with sprint its like the turn off 1/2 of the network after calling them 2 times to complaint about to many drop calls and asking them why my call where being forward to voice mail while my phone had full bars, i ask them to speak to a supervisor, can you believe she had the guts to tell me that if i was not happy i should start looking for another carrier??? thats when i call Verizon the next morning and explain to them my problem, they send me 2 free phones nextday as soon as i got them they pick up the sprint #s withing minutes and i have never had another problem, i just switch again to ATT for the iphone and let me tell you there service has also improve alot att its not what it use to be back in the days. am on the northern east coast and sprint service its the wort here its a drop call after another with them
After talking to Sprint about "sprint fees," (which I'll get to in a moment), A csr asked me a wonderful question.
She said "Sir, if you extend your contract with us for 2 years, we will give you $70.00. Since you upgraded your phone recently, it will only add 5 months to your existing contract. Your contract will expire in 2010, instead of 2009."
I said I would call back and decide. When I did, I received the $70.00 credit as well as 300 free text messages per month until my contract expires. I have to admit, the first tier of csr's are usually clueless at Sprint, that's why I always speak to someone else when I can't communicate with the first csr. Sprint offered me a steal of a deal to stay with them 2 years ago, after wanting to cancel. It's still a better plan and price than any carrier can compete.
I also have a Sidekick LX with T-Mobile (data only), which I've had since the first monochrome sk model. I also had an iPhone for 14 days. Took it back... price of plan doesn't justify cool phone.
Sprint... I got your back ;)
Sorry... about thos "sprint fee's."
I was looking at my e-bill. I noticed $5.00 in gov fee's. That's fine. But I also noticed $5.00 in "sprint fee's." I looked closer and fine print said that these fee's are not gov fee's. But they seemed like gov fee's. They were utility taxes and etc.. So I called and told them I would NOT be paying these fee's. The first tier csr took forever and said there is nothing she can do. I asked for the cancellation dept. The cool lady in that upper echelon of average common sense took her sweet time, but gave me a recurring $10.00 monthly credit. Um, I was only griping about being taxed by the charges Sprint was imposing on me (due to the gov imposition them). I'm happy :)
Also I got a mogul that replaced my 6700. A wm6 software site let me turn it into a Touch with free software. Works perfect and looks dashing!!!
I'd work for Sprint if they weren't going under lol.
Unless your contract is special or grandfathered etc. you aren't supposed to be tethering it to your computer without paying extra for it. Now you can do it (and I do it too) but it is against TOS.
Same thing has happened to me. I've even had them refuse to let me talk to their supervisor. If they'd cancel my contract without ETF I'd do it now and I told them that, but they wouldn't agree to it. Now I know why.
Sero is the only reason is stay. That and my HTC Touch.
You guys obviously aren't on the SERO plan... $30/mo. with unlimited data and the ability to hook my Moto Q up to my laptop and get near-broadband speed. I don't care about customer service because why would I need to change anything from $30/mo. with unlimited data? It's insanely sweet.
This isn't an advertisement for sprint, but take a look:
http://www.sprint.com/sero (enter an email address like john.smith@sprint.com to get in)
Honestly right now the major problem with Sprint isn't coverage or even customer service. It's the fact that their CDMA architecture drains batteries much faster and also limits their selection of phones greatly.
On GSM I was able to use some of the coolest phones out there, but with Sprint there's a pretty slim selection. I don't really care because I needed a Palm, and SERO throws in internet and texts and whatnot, but if I just wanted a regular old phone Sprint would be kind of disappointing.
They'll be updating their infrastructure, but I hope it won't be too little, too late. Because quite frankly if they leave the marketplace then the remaining providers are going to gouge us even more than AT&T is gouging iPhone customers, lol.
I HAVE HAD SPRINT FOR 12 YRS. ANY COMPANY YOU GO WITH THERE ARE PROBLEMS. MY WHOLE FAMILY HAS SPRINT. WE HAVE 5 PHONES ON OUR PLAN. PAY 109.00 FOR 2400 MINS, FREE RAOMING AND ALL TEXT ARE ONLY 20.00 MONTH FOR ALL PHONES. I HAVE THE NEW TOUCH AND GOT THE 250.00 REBATE. THE PHONE IS GREAT AND SMALLER THAN THE IPHONE WHICH IS NICE TO HOLD. SO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAIN COMPLAIN COMPLAIN. GET A LIFE AND FIND SOMETHING NICE TO TALK ABOUT AND QUIT WHINNING. SPRINT HAS COME A LONG WAY AND THEY ARE STILL IMPROVING AND THEY HAVE THE BEST PLANS FOR YOUR MONEY.
I have a good story for you all. Im in the US Air Force. In Dec 2006, was deploying to Iraq. I called Sprint and asked them to suspend my account until I returned from the deployment. Its a program sprint has for military members. Anyways, they suspended the account. Not trusting Sprint, I tried to make a phone call the day before I left and my account was still activated!! Called them back to let them know my account wasnt suspended, they finally shut it off. When I was in Iraq everything was peachy until I found out online that Sprint was still charging me! I called them while I was deployed, and asked them why they were still charging me while deployed. They said that because I had insurance on my phone, that I still had to pay it while deployed!! There were also mystery charges to that they had no idea about. They said they would stop all charges though. I let them know AGAIN that I was deployed and didn't have time to deal with this, they didn't seem to care at all. This happened several times on my deployment, luckly I had access to internet because Im sure Sprint would have ruined my credit while I was on my deployment for sure. Anyways, when I got back to the states I reluctently went to the Sprint Store to reactivate my account. They told me that because they were no longer offering my old plan, that I had to renew my contract for 2 years with a new plan!!!! I only had less then a year left on my current contract at the time, and didnt want to sign anymore contracts with Sprint. I was really angry but agreed. The reason I wanted you all to know this is because Sprint does not care about the military or military member deployed. Thats how great this company is. This article got me upset again about that whole ordeal and I have filed a complaint with the FCC. I hope they burn bad for this. Im not surprised though, they treat everyone like crap!!