[skyvvalker]

I contacted Retention and the guy coded (ICEC code?) my account so I can get an instant $150 rebate on my phone and my wifes phone (both are eligible for upgrade rebate). He said it may or may not work, depending on the store. I'm not sure why that would be the case.

Anyway, I noticed that there is an additional $30 online savings if you order online. Does anyone know if you can get this $30 savings in addition to the $150 rebate? We are renewing our contract at the end of the month. Is this only for new customers?

If this doesn't work, then I am hoping to to buy the Sanyo 4920 for $50, and get the 2nd one free (after mail-in rebate). I assume that the $150 rebates will come off instantly on the 2 phones, leaving $100 to pay out of pocket, with $50 coming back in a mail-in rebate.

Obviously, the online deal would be better if that works. Anyone have any experience with getting an instant rebates for current customers and/or getting additional web specials for current customers.

If the instant rebates don't work, then I will be very unhappy. I don't want to give Sprint a $300 loan (2 x $150) for several months while I wait for a mail-in rebate. I have excellent credit, pay my bills on time and in full, etc.

Thanks for reading!

-Rick

[NoClones]

When you get a new phone you HAVE to renew your contract anyway...

[skyvvalker]

So if my retention plan goes into effect on the 20th, do I buy a new phone on the 21st, or the 19th?

If the instant rebate doesn't work on existing lines, then should I just get new numbers (not a big deal to us)?

Also, what if I decide to get the "free" phone (Nokia 6016i), activate it, then 1 month later decide I like my old Sanyo 4900 better. Can I just re-activate the 4900 and sell the 6016 on ebay?

[PCSRepGirl]

Originally Posted by skyvvalker

So if my retention plan goes into effect on the 20th, do I buy a new phone on the 21st, or the 19th?

If the instant rebate doesn't work on existing lines, then should I just get new numbers (not a big deal to us)?

Also, what if I decide to get the "free" phone (Nokia 6016i), activate it, then 1 month later decide I like my old Sanyo 4900 better. Can I just re-activate the 4900 and sell the 6016 on ebay?

You can do the new numbers things, however, because they are new lines of service, you will not be able to have the retention plans.

As for the rebate, it will most likely be a MI rebate. Unfortunately, no matter what we "code" on your account, you have to have the paperwork either emailed/direct mailed to you, to back up the instant rebate code.

[Perfectance]

You can get new phones before you contract is up. I upgraded handsets 3 weeks before my contract was up no problem.

[skyvvalker]

Thanks for the replies. It looks like existing customers definitely CAN'T get instant rebates, only mail-in rebates. The rumors on this and other message forums are false. This is unfortunate, as I am not willing to give Sprint a $300 no interest loan for 2 months.

I don't need/want to add new lines so that isn't an option. Also, I don't want to lose my existing lines, since I then lose my new retention plan (standard retention = $40/750 + free 8pm N/W). Therefore I am "stuck" with the retention plan and existing phones. Thankfully they are decent phones (Sanyo 4900).

The only saving grace, is that I still have the 2 $150 mail-in rebates available should we need to replace our 4900's down the road.

BTW, when I spoke to a PCS CSR yesterday, after she was unable to help me concerning the instant rebates while on the record (sprint records all conversations), she did call me on her personal phone and give me some off the record advice. Thanks!

-Rick

[bradbomb]

Wait, its not a rumor on the $150 instant rebate, my sister got an email from sprint when she hit the 18 month mark to print this email out and goto a sprint store and buy a new phone and get the $150 instantly off instead of it being a mail in rebate. Your account has to somehow qualify for this status I believe. The email also had an expiration date so it was for like a month after it was sent to her. We'll see if I get the same email next month when my phone hits the 18 month mark on my account.

[towerner]

Originally Posted by bradbomb

Wait, its not a rumor on the $150 instant rebate, my sister got an email from sprint when she hit the 18 month mark to print this email out and goto a sprint store and buy a new phone and get the $150 instantly off instead of it being a mail in rebate. Your account has to somehow qualify for this status I believe. The email also had an expiration date so it was for like a month after it was sent to her. We'll see if I get the same email next month when my phone hits the 18 month mark on my account.

If I could talk them into giving me this $150 instant rebate, are you still required to sign a 2-year service agreement?

I want to buy the Sanyo 4920, but don't want to spend $200 and more importantly, don't want to sign up for another 2 year service agreement

[NoClones]

Sprint DOES give INSTANT rebates to EXISTING customers.....

[Ted]

Originally Posted by NoClones

Sprint DOES give INSTANT rebates to EXISTING customers.....

Can you get that through telesales and just order the phone straight up through sprint?

[SingSongBird]

So I should expect a rebate e-mail when my 18 months is up? Is that 18 month date to the day that you first established service or just the beginning of the month that you first established service? If so I guess I will just count the days until I get it.

[skyvvalker]

2 years with the same handset, excellent credit, pay full balance of sprint bill on time , 2 year contract expiring in less than 30 days = Mail In Rebate for me.

Talked to 3 different Business Retention Reps and was told that there isn't an instant rebate, and that there is mail-in only.

Now if some people are getting instant rebates, then that seems to be the exception, rather than the rule. Any idea on how to become the exception?

-Rick

[Deval]

there are certain accounts which get instant rebate codes...not all qualify for them, and there is no real way to know, unless a rep looks up your account

[gedansky]

I have been a Spring customer for about 8 years at this point and I haven't paid less than $75 a month in all that time (my current plan is $85 per month).

Both my wife and I became eligible for the $150 mail in rebate in November and our plan has been month-to-month for some time. I spoke with Sprint several times recently, trying to get them to do better than the mail in rebate. I even suggested (truthfully) that we were looking to sign up for a more expensive plan ($135 per month) which would lock us in to another 2 years. All I was asking for was 1) An instant rebate, and 2) a better deal than just $150. A small trade, I thought, as a long term customer who had spent a lot of money over the past 8 years and who was now preparing to sign on for $3240 over the next two years.

Their reply? "The best offer we have is the $150 mail in rebate sir." When I suggested to them that I was month-to-month, and therefore had no obligation to them, and was considering the many competetive plans on the market that offer either very good free phones or considerable discounts on higher-end phones, they again told me that the $150 mail in rebate was the only deal available there was nothing they could do.

When I asked for customer retention, I was told that was who I was speaking to and that there are no longer any kinds of behind the scene deals designed to keep Sprint customers.

Frankly, not to appear greedy, but I spend twice the amount that MOST do on my monthly cell phone bill, have done so for 8 years, and have offered to increase that bill again, AND lock myself into another 2 year contract. I think Sprint should be prepared to pony up a considerable deal for me and anyone else like me.

[CSR_CP]

Originally Posted by towerner

If I could talk them into giving me this $150 instant rebate, are you still required to sign a 2-year service agreement?

Why would we give you $150 so you could cancel the next day and sell the phone? Yes you do need to renew a contract.