[Dan]

This site, to answer the question about advertising, gets ad's from ad companies. As we are a wireless site, many of the ad's are wireless related, but not all are for sprint. I have seen Verizon ad's, AT&T ad's and Sprint ad's on here. We have seen ad's that were apparently hot linking members to other sites and they were removed.

Do we owe anything to Sprint? Not any more so then we owe something to AT&T or Verizon. The carriers advertise here as they know its a good source of wireless customers and want their ads on here. If you note a "pro sprint" bias with some people, perhaps its just because they like the company, or work for the company. Since this site is for "sprint users" it would typically have a group of members who think the company can do no wrong, another group of "do no right" customers and a 3rd group of moderates.

So, our advertisers do not carry any real influence on here, nor on how we operate this website. The only times we comply with a Sprint request is when we deem that the request is reasonable or that failing to honor it may result in legal action.

I have a pretty good idea what retentions can offer now compared to a year ago and its FAR less now than a year ago, even far less than 6 or 3 months ago. Apparently it has been decided to stop throwing money at the problem of constant threats to cancel and to tell certain customers that they would be happy to process the request. When you see what Verizon and AT&T offer for retentions you will miss even these limited offers sprint can make!

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by Dragonman

How is lying or making threats negotiating in good faith?

First, the focus of the post was not about "lying." It addressed a variety of issues:

Potential influence on the site by advertising revenues that might result in consumers not receiving information that truly is in their best interests.

Business principles relating to the original poster's topic - namely, whether loyalty programs, retention offers, or other incentives to retain subscribers served a company's business interests, and

The general business principle that negotiating for, or seeking to secure better and/or more service at a lower/competitive rate is not only acceptable, but advisable in today's economy. We live a country with a free market in which consumers benefit from competition among service providers. Were you absent on the day that this well-settled economic principle was explained in your jr. high school or high school economics class?

Finally, that your first response related to "lying" is indicative of your perception of this whole dialogue. Do people lie? Of course they do. Are you one of them? I don't know, but by your post, you suggest that we should assume that all accommodations extended by Sprint to customers are the result of customers' lies (essentially implying that every Sprint customer on this site a liar), and does not have some other legitimate reason for receiving an accommodation or incentive from Sprint. Since you stated that you work for Sprint, I would wonder at what level (not too difficult to estimate by the substance of your post), what amount you pay for your plan if you are also a subscriber (I wonder if it might one of those outrageously low employee plans often mentioned on the site that are discussed in connection with abuse of Sprint's system.

Originally Posted by OKSOONERFAN

"THE FACT THAT SPRINT ADVERTISES HERE MEANS THAT THOSE WHO OWN AND OPERATE THE SITE MIGHT BE POTENTIALLY BE SUBJECT TO SPRINT'S INFLUENCE. IF THIS WEBSITE TRULY IS "BY THE USERS, FOR THE USERS" (WHICH I'M SURE MANY TAKE TO MEAN AS COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT FROM SPRINT). THAT MAY BE TRUE TECHNICALLY AND LEGALLY, BUT PERHAPS NOT PRACTICALLY. THAT ARRANGEMENT (IF IT EXISTS) MEANS THAT THE SITE MAY BE SUBJECT TO SPRINT'S INFLUENCE IF IT ACCEPTS MONEY FOR ALLOWING SPRINT TO ADVERTISE, OR BENEFITS FROM LEADING CONSUMERS TO SPRINT. THIS CONCEPT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS A "CONFLICT OF INTEREST" IN CERTAIN CIRCLES."

Where is the Sprint Advertising? just because Sprint reps are on here trying to help people does not mean Sprint is influencing the site.I thank these reps every time they help me with something. NOWHERE do you see advertising for sprint Products.YES you see reviews of sprints phones, plans,services and other items,but this is done in FORUMS, and is not A FORM OF ADVERTISING. To insult the owners of this sight with your insinuation of Sprint corporate influence is scurilous .This website IS for the users,by the users and for you to assume such a nasty attitude and fling slanderous accusations around is terrible.NO i do not work for sprint ,though I HAVE worked for ATT Verizon and US Cellular.NONE of those carriers would allow someone to bad mouth them,and yet I have actually had sprint reps say,yeah,I read aan article on Sprintusers and talked to someone about the issue. I know some senior people at sprint know about this website,and I have used it as a reference when speaking to sprint.they know about this site and while they do NOT really like it,they do not do anything to affect it either.I think you are WAY out of line,with your comments ,implying that SPrint controls this site.

Your statement confuses the primary theme of this post which is the cessation of retention offers with the completely different issue of good-hearted Sprint employees sharing useful tips with customers.

With regard to your statement about advertising, you may want to take a quick glance at the site again and reevaluate your statement, notwithstanding the many admissions by the site's moderators that the site does have advertising from Sprint. Simply scroll up. It's okay that SU allows advertising to earn a profit or remain afloat, but it is also fair to say that such advertising might result in an influence on the site, not "control," as you stated.

Originally Posted by Dan

This site, to answer the question about advertising, gets ad's from ad companies. As we are a wireless site, many of the ad's are wireless related, but not all are for sprint. I have seen Verizon ad's, AT&T ad's and Sprint ad's on here. We have seen ad's that were apparently hot linking members to other sites and they were removed.

Do we owe anything to Sprint? Not any more so then we owe something to AT&T or Verizon. The carriers advertise here as they know its a good source of wireless customers and want their ads on here. If you note a "pro sprint" bias with some people, perhaps its just because they like the company, or work for the company. Since this site is for "sprint users" it would typically have a group of members who think the company can do no wrong, another group of "do no right" customers and a 3rd group of moderates.

So, our advertisers do not carry any real influence on here, nor on how we operate this website. The only times we comply with a Sprint request is when we deem that the request is reasonable or that failing to honor it may result in legal action.

I have a pretty good idea what retentions can offer now compared to a year ago and its FAR less now than a year ago, even far less than 6 or 3 months ago. Apparently it has been decided to stop throwing money at the problem of constant threats to cancel and to tell certain customers that they would be happy to process the request. When you see what Verizon and AT&T offer for retentions you will miss even these limited offers sprint can make!

As usual Dan, your comment is measured, appears to be genuine, and seems to support all of the opinions I addressed. You acknowledge, honestly, the existence of Sprint ads on this site which are readily apparent. You also acknowledge that the site is also influenced by the threat of legal action by Sprint (an influence which is not related to advertising, but a influence nonetheless). You have my respect even if we may not always agree.

I've expressed my gratitude for the site many times, but do not appreciate reading what I believe amounts to propaganda in favor of Sprint, whether intentional, or the simply the result of people who are uninformed. Whether Sprint is the best value on the market is indeed a matter of opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs. Bless America!

Oh...and to the poster above who charged previous posts as being slanderous, you might consider obtaining a law dictionary since slander is spoken defamatory language. Try to avoid using words which you do not understand. It just makes matters more confusing.

Good rant all! Peace out and best wishes!

[OKSOONERFAN]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

First, the focus of the post was not about "lying." It addressed a variety of issues:

Potential influence on the site by advertising revenues that might result in consumers not receiving information that truly is in their best interests.

Business principles relating to the original poster's topic - namely, whether loyalty programs, retention offers, or other incentives to retain subscribers served a company's business interests, and

The general business principle that negotiating for, or seeking to secure better and/or more service at a lower/competitive rate is not only acceptable, but advisable in today's economy. We live a country with a free market in which consumers benefit from competition among service providers. Were you absent on the day that this well-settled economic principle was explained in your jr. high school or high school economics class?

Finally, that your first response related to "lying" is indicative of your perception of this whole dialogue. Do people lie? Of course they do. Are you one of them? I don't know, but by your post, you suggest that we should assume that all accommodations extended by Sprint to customers are the result of customers' lies (essentially implying that every Sprint customer on this site a liar), and does not have some other legitimate reason for receiving an accommodation or incentive from Sprint. Since you stated that you work for Sprint, I would wonder at what level (not too difficult to estimate by the substance of your post), what amount you pay for your plan if you are also a subscriber (I wonder if it might one of those outrageously low employee plans often mentioned on the site that are discussed in connection with abuse of Sprint's system.




Your statement confuses the primary theme of this post which is the cessation of retention offers with the completely different issue of good-hearted Sprint employees sharing useful tips with customers.

With regard to your statement about advertising, you may want to take a quick glance at the site again and reevaluate your statement, notwithstanding the many admissions by the site's moderators that the site does have advertising from Sprint. Simply scroll up. It's okay that SU allows advertising to earn a profit or remain afloat, but it is also fair to say that such advertising might result in an influence on the site, not "control," as you stated.



As usual Dan, your comment is measured, appears to be genuine, and seems to support all of the opinions I addressed. You acknowledge, honestly, the existence of Sprint ads on this site which are readily apparent. You also acknowledge that the site is also influenced by the threat of legal action by Sprint (an influence which is not related to advertising, but a influence nonetheless). You have my respect even if we may not always agree.

I've expressed my gratitude for the site many times, but do not appreciate reading what I believe amounts to propaganda in favor of Sprint, whether intentional, or the simply the result of people who are uninformed. Whether Sprint is the best value on the market is indeed a matter of opinion and everyone is entitled to theirs. Bless America!

Oh...and to the poster above who charged previous posts as being slanderous, you might consider obtaining a law dictionary since slander is spoken defamatory language. Try to avoid using words which you do not understand. It just makes matters more confusing.


Good rant all! Peace out and best wishes!

If you truly believe I do not know about economic conditions,well I have news for you.there book by 2 men one of whom is my father that considered the "bible" on economics, it is still used heavilty in college classes across the country today, so if you still think I do not know economics,well,I grew up eating sleeping and breathing it.I graduated from Penn State in it. As far as the lawsuit statement I did not see where Dan said anything about lawsuits. And your right there is nothhing wrong with being an informed consumer,and a good informed consumer will use an ad for information gathering purposes,then base a decision on research (at least you would hope so) but also would understand the limitations that a company puts on its products.I cannot expect chevy to give me lifetime oil changes just because I bought a new car.however I MIGHT be able to fairly negotiote the price for multiple oil changes,hopefully getting a lower rate,this is perfectly acceptable,but trying to find a way to NOT pay for the changes ,but still get them,well that is dishonest. As Dan said there are many different groups of people on this site,some who hate Sprint some who love sprint and others in the middle.I have worked for ,and had other carriers,and personally I am happy with sprint.

I have had issues with sprint and have slammed them on this forum as well as other forums.I have not ALWAYS been nice about or too sprint,but that is my right as a customer.However I feel like I could not make ,and resollve ,legitimate problems,if I was busy threatening to leave to get something free. I support sprint yes,just as I support Harley Davidsoon for my bike,Rugar for my guns,and ford for my truck.I do not let them control me as a consumer,nor do I try and take advantage of them,

[shani2]

Originally Posted by nomolos

let me ask you, if you buy hondas for 10 years straight, do you think you'd get a discount or free oil changes for life or free gas? you have remained a customer because it was in your best interest to do so based on price. now you want sprint to give you some free stuff because you found this place and all the freebies people were getting. a "loyal customer" wouldnt care about freebies just like a "loyal fan" doesn't care about losses.

Apparently you have never been a loyal customer of a particular car dealership. YES. I have bought ALL of my cars at ONE dealership... I GET PERKS FOR IT!

Bringing my business back to them CONSISTENTLY when I have other choices....MEANS SOMETHING.

[shani2]

Although I am a new user here...my opinion of this site is changing quickly. I thought it would be a place to trade war stories, get help, have an ear to ***** to if needed...not a place to be lectured at by Sprint fanboys should I say anything negative about their beloved provider.

Is this truly a Sprint Users site...or is it a place for Sprint employees to secretly admonish us and keep us in line should we say anything against them...or God forbid that we see others getting freebies and we feel "hey...if Sprint were FAIR...they should have offered that to ME...I've been a good customer longer than THAT person!"

Just like some here wish to remind me that Sprint owes me NOTHING...then I owe them NOTHING. And by that logic I can and should demand anything I want!

However I have never behaved that way...but coming here and finding that Sprint has been showering other customers with freebies when I have been a loyal and consistent customer...DID make me feel like they owed me something. Nothing like unequal treatment of customers. I suppose their cash was greener than mine.

Add to this the surprising number of people here who feel the need to DEFEND sprint! As if this telecom giant needs the little people to come to its defense. It makes me wonder how many of you are Sprint employees, set with the specific task of monitoring what people say here about your mighty employer.

I think you super defenders should know that many Sprint employees outright laugh at you. I spoke with a guy in Exec Acct Services on Friday when I wanted to question them regarding some offers I read of others getting and he said this site is a joke. He literally LAUGHED when he talked about this site. He told me that the users here are liars and that NOTHING that I will read about what Sprint gives you will be true....and that I should stay off of this site. So whilst you are mightily defending them they are laughing at you.

And to the individual before who asserted that I stayed with Sprint because of the price...do not make assumptions...you've no idea why I did or do what I do...because you do not know me. I stayed, if you must know, because no one else had any better service where I live...so why bother changing. That however is changing...and there are more temptations now than ever to leave. So...now is the time I explore options. I may stay I may not...but do not assume that YOUR reason for staying are mine...

[DJRider]

Let's keep it civil, stay on topic and not resort to any name calling. Thanks.

[BerryChic]

I think many of you that are so unhappy about the 'perks' that Sprint have been pulling back on should take a closer look at the people that have abused them, not at the people that have been following the rules.

I don't work for Sprint. Never have, never worked for any telecom company. I have no financial interest in sprint as far as being a shareholder, etc. I like my service and plan and I would hate to see Sprint go under because I don't want to deal with the other providers period. If that makes me a Sprint fan"girl", so beit, call it what you like.

[shani2]

Using a more colloquial term for calling someone contumelious was not name calling in my book...but you are the moderator and I will defer to your judgment. However I found the poster's tone to be condescending and I returned the same. I shall be more careful in my word choices going forward. But I bridled at being lectured for my reaction to Sprint showering other customers with rewards when I as a loyal long term customer get nothing.

[GoldenBlaze]

It is a person's right to choose whatever carrier they want. It is their money they are spending, regardless of how any of us feel about it. I know when I left Sprint, I thought the grass would be greener but its not. When its all said and done, the OP must do what is best for them. If Verizon or AT&T has better coverage in their area, then they would be the logical choice, however the price for that coverage is higher and its better to take that into consideration on before you get the service, rather than to leave and find out the hard way, like I did.

And yes I do agree that those customers that have abused the system and the lost of 1million subscribers are the reason why things have changed. The abuse was costing Sprint millions of dollars and for some of the things that people were doing, other carriers wouldve cancelled your contract and hit you with the ETF for contract violation. Or better yet, for those who threatened to leave after having so many years of service so they can get heavily discounted plans, would've gotten a swift kick out the door if it have been Verizon or AT&T they tried that type of scheming on. Regardless of how you look at it, stealing/manipulation/lying no matter in what form, is not good business or good for business. Real Talk..

[shani2]

Originally Posted by OceanBlue

First, the focus of the post was not about "lying." It addressed a variety of issues:

Potential influence on the site by advertising revenues that might result in consumers not receiving information that truly is in their best interests.

Business principles relating to the original poster's topic - namely, whether loyalty programs, retention offers, or other incentives to retain subscribers served a company's business interests, and

The general business principle that negotiating for, or seeking to secure better and/or more service at a lower/competitive rate is not only acceptable, but advisable in today's economy. We live a country with a free market in which consumers benefit from competition among service providers. Were you absent on the day that this well-settled economic principle was explained in your jr. high school or high school economics class?

Companies such as WalMart, Ford...and yes I would wager even Sprint...regularly squeeze their suppliers.....demanding MORE from them for LESS...or we will take our business elsewhere. It is part of our capitalistic system. If they can do it....someone do explain to me why we as individuals are wrong if we employ it for ourselves?

[bigjohn]

Sprints new plans, with "any mobile anytime" could KILL any other carrier. I don't get these claims about "inferior network" - Sprint has been all digital from the first day, and they were the quickest to roll 3g out to all areas. So, if you have bad service from sprint, well, you're in an area that probably has only mediocre coverage from one of the other players because they've got a converted formerly analog tower somewhere near you.

People wonder why sprint's 'loosing' - I'm not sure, but government is involved to a degree... Remember, sprint wanted to buy "carrier X" (I can't recall exactly who it was) some years back, and the Feds said NO. SPrint was the number 2 sized carrier at the time, I think. Verizon got approval to buy that company - and they were Number 1 size carrier at the time. Same think happend a few years ago. If sprint wanted to buy it, it was "anti trust". If ATT wanted to buy it, by golly lets let them!

Anyway, off the politics... Sprint service (telephones, calls, data network) has always been exemplary. Customer service from ANY carrier (and I've been with a bunch - anyone remember 'airtouch'?) has always been a variable between crappy and not so crappy.

Now that sprint is adding some right damn cool phones (pre, hero, moment, not to mention the slew of blackberry devices...), and they have this killer plan (we went from using 2700 minutes between 4 lines to using about 600), well, I'm just a happy man.

Oh, and I got CLEAR for my home internet here in atlanta... it's AMAZING!

[nomolos]

just so everyone is clear. i do not work for sprint and i never have. i just don't see loyalty where non exists. this is a consumer-provider relationship and i firmly believe that if you are unhappy then you should get service from other providers. but if someone is only unhappy with the service they have after finding out that other customers *were* getting special treatment and decides to leave, i don't see where loyalty has any part to play in that.

sprint does offer extras for long term customers 70 dollar credit, upgrade pricing, yearly upgrades, 20 dollar credits. if you missed out on all the freebies they were giving away, then that sucks but if you think the other providers will give you more "loyalty" gifts, then by all means take your money to them and i salute you for it. but thats capitalism, not loyalty and i am as big a supportor of voting with your wallet as anyone, so don't misunderstand my meaning in my other post. i did make an assumption that shani had stayed based on price and i am sorry for that, but she and oceanblue also made an assumption that i work for sprint. we were all wrong.

now, Shani, you should be able to get a 20 dollar credit recurring on your account without too much trouble if you just call up and ask. you should also be able to get a 70 dollar one time credit and possibly an upgrade on top of that.

[metallicpoet]

whoa, I go to sleep and come back after class and this place becomes a war zone.

[OceanBlue]

Originally Posted by OKSOONERFAN

If you truly believe I do not know about economic conditions,well I have news for you.there book by 2 men one of whom is my father that considered the "bible" on economics, it is still used heavilty in college classes across the country today, so if you still think I do not know economics,well,I grew up eating sleeping and breathing it.I graduated from Penn State in it. As far as the lawsuit statement I did not see where Dan said anything about lawsuits. And your right there is nothhing wrong with being an informed consumer,and a good informed consumer will use an ad for information gathering purposes,then base a decision on research (at least you would hope so) but also would understand the limitations that a company puts on its products.I cannot expect chevy to give me lifetime oil changes just because I bought a new car.however I MIGHT be able to fairly negotiote the price for multiple oil changes,hopefully getting a lower rate,this is perfectly acceptable,but trying to find a way to NOT pay for the changes ,but still get them,well that is dishonest. As Dan said there are many different groups of people on this site,some who hate Sprint some who love sprint and others in the middle.I have worked for ,and had other carriers,and personally I am happy with sprint.

I have had issues with sprint and have slammed them on this forum as well as other forums.I have not ALWAYS been nice about or too sprint,but that is my right as a customer.However I feel like I could not make ,and resollve ,legitimate problems,if I was busy threatening to leave to get something free. I support sprint yes,just as I support Harley Davidsoon for my bike,Rugar for my guns,and ford for my truck.I do not let them control me as a consumer,nor do I try and take advantage of them,

OKSOONERFAN, after reading your post, it seems that we're really on the same page. I've never advocated the practice of trying to get something for free by fraudulent means. In fact, I believe such practices raise prices for all of us. However, as you mentioned, striking a deal through good faith negotiations (which might include asking for something extra) is just the way business in general is conducted. In my humble opinion, I just believe that Sprint agents should have the ability to look at a file, analyze the notes, and effectively identify most (not all) "fraudsters." I also don't buy into the theory that offers from retentions led to the decline of the company. The better question, I think, would be, what caused so many people to even reach retentions and why so many ultimately terminated service?

Originally Posted by shani2

Companies such as WalMart, Ford...and yes I would wager even Sprint...regularly squeeze their suppliers.....demanding MORE from them for LESS...or we will take our business elsewhere. It is part of our capitalistic system. If they can do it....someone do explain to me why we as individuals are wrong if we employ it for ourselves?

Shani, you so eloquently articulated everything I tried to communicate in plain English. It's also apparent that you "get it." I think you might be my new best friend here...if you're willing to accept the offer.

[shani2]

OceanBlue...I am always up for making a new friend here...a new best friend is even better!

And hey...a good healthy debate along the way...keeps things interesting!!!