can i do this? (Replacing phones)

[sloop]

i have 2 sanyo 8100s - one of which is damaged - both are eligible for the rebate - i'd like to replace the damaged phone now but want to wait for the 5600 or 6600 to replace the other - i understand if i take advantage of the rebate i will have to reup on my plan (which expires in 5 months) - can i buy a sanyo on ebay and replace the damaged phone? i mean - will sprint activate a phone purchased on ebay?

been with sprint since the spectrum days and have a 2000 anytime minute plan set up by retention - and i don't want the plan to change - any suggestions would be appreciated

[mas90guru]

You can do an ESN swap which is basically calling Sprint and telling them you replaced your old phone. It takes only a few minutes. The trick is that if you buy a phone over eBay I think the previous owner of that phone couldn't have any outstanding invoices or Sprint may refuse to activate the phone.

What I suppose may often happen on eBay is someone signs up for a plan and then cancels or doesn't pay the bill -- and tries to sell the phone. If there are outstanding issues with the account you may not be able to add it on your account (even as a replacement and even if you have a good payment history).

One of the ways that people avoid this problem is either pay full price through Sprint or go to Costco where the phone is sold without a plan and with a bunch of accessories and a very liberal return policy to boot.

[Cheatachu72]

If i remember correctly the counter for your 18 months only restarts when you do an ESN swap (change phones) so iirc you could replace your damaged one now, sign the 2 year agreement, and a few months down the road replace the other one and you would just have to agree to a 2 year starting at that date.

If you were to get that phone off ebay, you wouldnt be eligible to replace the phone on that line for another 18 months.

hope that helps

[mas90guru]

I'm not sure about an ESN Swap resetting your counter --- I did a swap about 6 months ago to a TREO 600 and my Sprintrebates inquiry shows I'm still due in 18 months for a new phone rebate.

[hackntosh]

i'm almost sure that it will NOT reset your counter. I've had 3 new phones bought and activated and non of them have reset my counter. I just cashed in my rebate on a MM-7400 :D :D

Cheers,
Drew

[mrvid]

When getting phones off Ebay, ask for the ESN and call sprint. Have them check the ESN to see if it's good.

[Fubar101]

Swapping esns will reset the counter. The website verification site can be inaccurate at times that is why their is a large red disclaimer at the bottom to call cs to check for eligibility. The only esn swaps that do not reset the counter are warranty replacements and lockline replacements.

[phemale]

Swapping esns will reset the counter. The website verification site can be inaccurate at times that is why their is a large red disclaimer at the bottom to call cs to check for eligibility. only esn swaps that do not reset the counter are warranty replacements and lockline replacements.

I am a Sprint Rep, and that is incorect infromation. It will reset the website rebate status, but if you call into cc you can still get the rebate, there is a code they can put onto the account to allow for the rebate to be able to be processed. The rebate ONLY resets when you get a new phone using the rebate. If you replace the phone with one you got off of ebay or one that you had from before if will reset the counter on the webpage, but you can still get the rebate if the code is attached to the plan.

[Fubar101]

Once again we can see why customers get the wrong information from Sprint reps. Like the one above that does not know about how you get a rebate. Please read the following on how you qualify for a rebate.

If you activated Sprint PCS Service prior to April 25, 2004, you may be eligible for the rebate program if your current Sprint PCS Phone has been continuously active for at least 18 months. To get up to a $150 mail-in rebate on select Sprint PCS Phones, you must:

* Be on a $34.99 or higher Sprint PCS Service Plan
* Sign a new one- or two-year Sprint PCS Advantage Agreement
* Sign up for Sprint PCS VisionSM if purchasing a Vision-capable phone

As long as you have remained on a $34.99 or higher Sprint PCS Service Plan on the same phone for 18 consecutive months, you will be eligible for up to $150 off a wide variety of new Sprint PCS Phones. This discount will be available to you via mail-in rebate when you:

* Remain on a $34.99 Sprint PCS Service Plan
* Sign a new one- or two-year Sprint PCS Advantage Agreement
* Sign up for Sprint PCS VisionSM if purchasing a Vision-capable phone

If you received a mail-in rebate between October 15, 2003 and April 24, 2004 and are on a $34.99 or higher monthly Sprint PCS Service Plan, you're already enrolled in the Sprint PCS Phone Upgrade Program. Your enrollment date is the day you activated your new Sprint PCS Phone. As long as you remain on a $34.99 or higher Sprint PCS Service Plan, you'll be eligible for another mail-in rebate 18 months from your enrollment date

If you just enrolled in Sprint after April 25, 2004 you have to wait 18 months to get a rebate and this does not require the same esn. If you activate service before this date you must have th same esn active for 18 months to get the rebate.

Please phemale read how the rebate program works.

Please read how all phones activated prior to April 25, 2004 require the same esn for 18 months.
long as you have remained on a $34.99 or higher Sprint PCS Service Plan on the same phone for 18 consecutive months, you will be eligible for up to $150 off a wide variety of new Sprint PCS Phones.

[About SprintUsers.Com]

SprintUsers.com was created in January 2002 as a resource for users of Sprint PCS products and services to learn about and share information. We have cll phone reviews, Cellular Accessories, Downloads, PDA reviews, Ringtones, all of the latest Sprint PCS news and information, an area where you can find help in creating a ring tone or custom image for you phone, and so much more. The most popular section is the message board where visitors can read and write messages, ask questions, and get advice about their cellular phone from other users.