How to remove Direct Connect from account with v950?

[UncleMike]

I'm still finding that my battery life on the v950 is too short, even with the extended battery. I typically get 21 hours before a low battery warning, with no significant use of the phone. I live in an area with supposedly "good" reception (based on coverage maps), but my phone will vary from 6 bars to roaming, and sometimes revert to 1x data while on Sprint.

I have read countless times here and elsewhere that having Direct Connect removed from your account will have a drastic effect on battery life. I have tried to have this done 3 times via phone, and once via chat, with no success. Either the reps don't understand what I'm talking about, or they claim to be unable to do so on my current plan (Simply Everything).

Most recently, the rep claimed that DC could not be removed from my current plan, but she did eventually offer to "block" it. Is this what I'm looking for?

Also, I tried (for one battery cycle) to disable EVDO by selecting CDMA under the ##DATA# menu, but that didn't make any noticeable difference in battery life.

[AsItLies]

Mike,
I'm no expert, but I don't think they can remove DC from the account, because then you couldn't have the V950 on it.

Sprints systems are esn specific. It knows the esn for the v950 requires DC be on the account. I'd say yes, ask them to "block" it, assuming that's possible. First I've heard they can do that.

That may be what I have. My area doesn't have evdo revA and they made some changes to my plan which allows me to have the v950, but when looking at my online billing there is a section called (iirc) nextel direct connect minutes (it never has any minutes in it, it's always blank).

I use both the extended and regular batteries. Just put the regular in Monday morning and turned it on about 5 am. I shut it off about 8 pm or so. Used it to make a few calls only a few minutes ea though. Some email checking and a few text a day. After 3 days it's at 2 bars.

good luck,

[bryank930]

When I activated my v950, I asked to not have the DC service added to my account. They did that without any issues. And I did confirm that my account does not have DC on it.

[AsItLies]

When I activated my v950, I asked to not have the DC service added to my account. They did that without any issues. And I did confirm that my account does not have DC on it.

bryan, this is sooo confusing, and some cs's will give one answer and others will give another, so it's confusing for them too...

let's do a little investigating on our own shall we? if you log into your sprint acct on sprint.com, then go to "billing and payment".

then click on "my bill" (which is on the left)... do you see an item called "nextel direct connect on sprint call detail" ???

this is the one and only place on my plan that indicates that a special option is needed for a qchat (dc on sprint) type of a phone.

My plan is a sero plan, so I don't know if that makes a difference. And I'm not really actively trying to better understand this anymore because... I can put a non DC phone on my plan and switch back to one with DC (v950). Although I can't do it online, I have to call, but they can do it no issues.

so I'm happy :)

regards,

[UncleMike]

My "Phone & Plan" pages lists "Direct Connect on Sprint" as a "Plan add-on", with a price of "included". If I go to "Change you plan add-ons", "Direct Connect on Sprint" is listed, with a checked check box next to it, but the check and box are grayed out.

I also see the "nextel direct connect on sprint call detail" selection on the "My Bill" page.

It would appear that the trick is to get on a plan that doesn't include Direct Connect, and then NOT add it. If it's already included, it seems they can't remove it.

[AsItLies]

My "Phone & Plan" pages lists "Direct Connect on Sprint" as a "Plan add-on", with a price of "included". If I go to "Change you plan add-ons", "Direct Connect on Sprint" is listed, with a checked check box next to it, but the check and box are grayed out.

I also see the "nextel direct connect on sprint call detail" selection on the "My Bill" page.

It would appear that the trick is to get on a plan that doesn't include Direct Connect, and then NOT add it. If it's already included, it seems they can't remove it.

Yeah it's confusing for sure :) I banged my head against the wall for a while trying to figure this one out ...

Here's the deal Mike, and I'm quite sure of this now... you can't get a v950 on a plan that doesn't include "direct connect" somehow. It may be included for no charge, it may not be active, you may not see it there as an add on, you may not be able to "un click" it as it's grayed etc etc etc etc.

But some variation of it has to be in your plan or else they can't put the phone on the plan... remember, when the cs person types in the esn, the system knows it's a (sprint) dc phone.... it cannot go on a plan that doesn't have (sprint) dc... the system will not allow it.

So back to the original issue... tell them you want to use the phone but not the DC aspect of it, they will put it on... but not enable it.

and everyone's happy :)

[Scrumptious]

When I put the renegade on my unlimited everything plan they did not give me DC it was not active on the account nor did I even have a DC number. I am not in a Qchat area had excellent battery life (days without needing a charge) and no need for the extended battery I purchased because I read in the forums that DC life was bad. DC was not an option was not grayed out nothing you would have thought I just had a regular sprint phone.

[AsItLies]

When I put the renegade on my unlimited everything plan they did not give me DC it was not active on the account nor did I even have a DC number. I am not in a Qchat area had excellent battery life (days without needing a charge) and no need for the extended battery I purchased because I read in the forums that DC life was bad. DC was not an option was not grayed out nothing you would have thought I just had a regular sprint phone.

then can you please do us a big favor and check what was mentioned above? it would be most appreciated:

--------------------------------

let's do a little investigating on our own shall we? if you log into your sprint acct on sprint.com, then go to "billing and payment".

then click on "my bill" (which is on the left)... do you see an item called "nextel direct connect on sprint call detail" ???

this is the one and only place on my plan that indicates that a special option is needed for a qchat (dc on sprint) type of a phone.

----------------------------------

thanks!

[Scrumptious]

LOL I no longer have the renegade just posting that I indeed DID NOT have DC on my plan at all. It was not grey or an option.

[scratchline20]

When I put the renegade on my unlimited everything plan they did not give me DC it was not active on the account nor did I even have a DC number. I am not in a Qchat area had excellent battery life (days without needing a charge) and no need for the extended battery I purchased because I read in the forums that DC life was bad. DC was not an option was not grayed out nothing you would have thought I just had a regular sprint phone.

Same here. Here's what I did:

Bought the V950 for Qchat, current plan did not allow DC, changed to a plan that did, supposedly "added" DC to this line (I use quotes b/c DC was never an option in my phone's menu anywhere), found out Qchat isn't available in my area, changed plan back to original non-DC compatible plan, everything back to normal with V950 w/o DC on non-compatible plan.

It sounds like the plan is the issue. I have an older plan, I believe it's the Family 550. Try to get on a plan that doesn't allow it. If all else fails, call account services. They are the ones who ordered my V950 for me when cs and e-chat said they could not.

[AsItLies]

then can you please do us a big favor and check what was mentioned above? it would be most appreciated:

--------------------------------

let's do a little investigating on our own shall we? if you log into your sprint acct on sprint.com, then go to "billing and payment".

then click on "my bill" (which is on the left)... do you see an item called "nextel direct connect on sprint call detail" ???

this is the one and only place on my plan that indicates that a special option is needed for a qchat (dc on sprint) type of a phone.

----------------------------------

thanks!

Same here. Here's what I did:

Bought the V950 for Qchat, current plan did not allow DC, changed to a plan that did, supposedly "added" DC to this line (I use quotes b/c DC was never an option in my phone's menu anywhere), found out Qchat isn't available in my area, changed plan back to original non-DC compatible plan, everything back to normal with V950 w/o DC on non-compatible plan.

It sounds like the plan is the issue. I have an older plan, I believe it's the Family 550. Try to get on a plan that doesn't allow it. If all else fails, call account services. They are the ones who ordered my V950 for me when cs and e-chat said they could not.

could you check your bill as requested above? to my understanding they can not put a qchat phone on a plan without some kind of DC provisioning. On mine, the only way to discover it is as mentioned above. thnx

[scratchline20]

You're right. It does show "Nextel Direct Connect on Sprint Call Detail" but there are no charges for it. My plan is Family 550(SM) Talk Plan.

[AsItLies]

You're right. It does show "Nextel Direct Connect on Sprint Call Detail" but there are no charges for it. My plan is Family 550(SM) Talk Plan.

And see, that's the point... you can not remove direct connect from a plan and still have the v950 on it!!

even if you don't see it easily, even if you're not being charged for it, even if it's not active...

one cannot have the v950 on a plan without some provisioning for sprint DC, you just can't put it on...

just to set the record straight, thanks for checking.

[UncleMike]

You're right. It does show "Nextel Direct Connect on Sprint Call Detail" but there are no charges for it. My plan is Family 550(SM) Talk Plan.

Okay... so which battery are you using, and what's your battery life like?

[scratchline20]

standard battery and it lasts for days.

[PokerFace23]

i believe you have to get someone to remove the SOC code HPPRO (?) to remove the DC on the Renegade.

[aracanelli513]

When I first bought my Renegade V950, DC was not active and I could not use it. When I called and questioned it I was told that if I wanted to use it there would be a $10.00/month charge. I have the Everything Share 1500 Plan. After the rep activated the SOC, DC worked. When I logged into my Sprint account, I was able to see the charge on my account and able to remove it if I want to. I'm not sure about the Everything Plan, but I was told by that rep that no matter what plan you have you have to add the $10.00 add on because unfortunately its not as Nextel is and was where its included in all of their plans. I worked for Sprint before QChaT came out and I remember that the logic behind this was that the nextel customers got unlimited DC and no mobile to mobile and Sprint customers got mobile to mobile because obviously they didn't have DC, so I assume after the changes they figured they couldn't give everybody both. As far as I know they can disable it at anytime. Lots of times the people over the phone have no idea what they are talking about, and usually the people in corporate stores aren't any better. Just try to find someone at a store who understands what your talking about.

[kg4icg]

Thing is, it's not the dc that's the cause of your battery drain, I bet you 50 bucks right now, you use bluetooth alot.