Sprint waffles about Upgrade Rebate

[EpOxY]

(Apologize if this is in the wrong forum. There just isn't a real "Problems with Sprint CS that aren't rants" Forum. Although you may feel like this is a rant anyways. If you need to move it, at least I'll know the correct forum for these types of questions)

So I just bought the new Centro and it's eilgible for a $50 MIR. But I don't really like the Centro and I'm planning to return it. I got in touch with Sprint to see if I could do a swap, instead of returning it and buying a new phone...

They said it's no big deal, but I have to pay the difference between the phones. (Which I'm glad to do... no biggie.)

The issue is with the mail in rebate. Now, I don't want to send in the rebate if I'm returnining the phone (that's unethical and it'd probably get denied anyways). and if I was to return my Centro and buy the Mogul/Touch, I'd be eligible for the $100 rebate on either of those phones.

Sprint is pretty adamant that I'm not allowed a rebate on a replacement. But to some degree, this isn't a replacement, it's an upgrade. I just want to make sure I get at least the $50 to which I am entitled from the Centro, if not $100 on the Mogul/Touch.

They've asked me to send in a scan of my receipt/rebate form, but I don't have a scanner and they refuse to accept a fax. So, I might have to go to a store to get it scanned (Staples charges $6.99 a scan!??!)

Am I asking too much here?

Originally, I was just trying to avoid the hassle of deactivating the centro, reactivating my old A900, reverting to my prior plan, then re-purchasing a new phone, renewing my contract *again*, deactivating my A900, then activating a new Mogul/Touch. I've seen all the problems that come from updating plans, etc. I just wanted to avoid it.

Now, I'm coming up to the 15-day deadline to return my phone, and I'm definately returning it.

I've been sending e-mails back and forth with e-care for like a week now and since every e-mail gets routed to another CSR, I often feel like I've been sent back to the starting point in explaining my situation (even though I include all prior e-mails in the thread)

Any suggestions?

[some18mybrain]

Call executive services. Their number is listed in the FAQ section on the site. If you exchange the phone within the exchange period, you should still be eligible for whatever mail in rebates are available for whatever phone you get. If they refuse to honor the mail in rebate, executive services should be able to at least credit your account for the amount of the rebate.

Good luck! :)

[erwin1959]

I have been with sprint a while and don't know if they even have a way to block a MIR nor are they smart enough to. Do your trade, send in your MIR wait the allotted time and then if it doesn't process for what ever reason call retentions and plead your case. Look at it this way your unhappy with the centro and I have 4 touches on my account is a $50 - $100 rebate going to deter happiness.... Make sure your EVDO works good cause anyother way than EVDO the touch is just a phone without it.

[enob]

Is there a way to check if EVDO works good?

[EpOxY]

it's not really the $100 that will affect my happiness... (although I think it would bug me a little at first)

It's that the $100 will affect my wife letting me upgrade. She feels like $200 is a lot for a phone (and for her, it is! she always just takes the nicest "free" phone.) So I'm trying to convince her...

[EpOxY]

thanks for the note about calling executive services. i talked to them and they were really quick about it.

they told me that i was eligible for the rebate and that i wouldn't have to worry about it. i asked the CSR to send me an e-mail with the info, stating that i was eligible (you know, just in case) and she said no problem. I haven't gotten the e-mail yet, but she was so sure about it, i'm pretty confident i won't have any problems.

All-in-all, this turns out to be a great deal for me. As long as all the rebates come in, I'll be getting the Touch for $150. ($99 for Centro + $100 to upgrade to touch - $50 MIR.)

woohoo...

[EpOxY]

Is there a way to check if EVDO works good?

i'm not sure if there's a better way... but since I run ORB, I can run a speed-test. That tells me how fast my EVDO is running.

I don't remember what my top speed has been, but my most recent test from inside a mall was like... 177k? or something like that. I may be remembering wrong if that's grossly off.

[The Red Baron]

You can try calling retention dept. I sent in the $50 rebate for my Centro, but the status on the web site was "no record found" and it was nearing my 30days. I called retention department and told them that I wanna cancel because I'll probably never get the rebate. (I was bluffing, because there's no way I'll cancel my SERO plan with all kinds of additional credits/minutes I got added on by another agent). Anyway, he ended up adding $50 credit to my account for the next 3 months ($150 total). It's not exactly cash, but it means I wouldn't have to pay Sprint anything for about 6-7 months with the plan I have, so I was satisfied.

[EpOxY]

geez... getting those credits would be amazing. but.. i highly doubt that they'd give it to me. maybe if the rebate doesn't show up i'll make a fuss.

i can't really cancel anyways... they know it'd cost me $200 to cancel. i'm within the limit to return my upgrade, but not to cancel my whole phone plan...

[Gibsohnn]

LMFAO...good luck finding a store with a scanner.

[SingSongBird]

Take a picture with your phone (in sections if you have to) showing the dates upload it and attach it to the e-mail.

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