Sprint boosts protection plan fee, early out for contracts?
Major carriers' contracts have had the sticking power of Teflon lately, what with everyone suddenly deciding that 15 cents is the fair market value for text messages (no price fixing there, of course). Sprint's about to open the floodgates one more time, though -- this time with a bump to the monthly fee for its TEP (Total Equipment Protection) plan. The service goes from $6 to a whopping $7 on February 18 for both new and existing subscribers, giving folks partaking in the plan one more 30-day window to jump ship penalty-free and move to greener pastures (perceived or actual). Samsung i760, anyone?[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Update: We're getting intermittent reports that this price hike may not lead to a get-out-of-jail-free card, possibly due to the fact that the TEP is not managed by Sprint proper but by a third party. As with past ETF skating opportunities, mileage often varies from day to day and from customer service rep to customer service rep; ultimately, we may not know until February 18 rolls around and reports start filtering in from the field whether folks are having any luck.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mister @ Jan 20th 2007 6:50PM
I really hope this voids my contract.....But then again the retention plan im on is soooo sexy, i guess they got me on this one.
MiniMage @ Jan 20th 2007 6:55PM
Leave my $15/month PCS Vision? For what?
Don @ Jan 20th 2007 7:38PM
why do companys do this crap...i work for a cell phone company that recently did this....in the past i worked for Alltel and when they wanted to up the cost of something they were smart and only applied it to new customers therefore not voiding existing contracts... seriously people this isnt rocket science... no wonder lil ole Alltel is the belle of ever investors ball
Donald @ Jan 20th 2007 9:59PM
Sprint's contract has more holes than the plot of Mission: Impossible 3.
kivers @ Jan 20th 2007 10:02PM
Of course this isn't a way to get out of your cellular service contract. The price and terms of the protection plan are governed by a separate agreement with an insurance company (Asurion_ and a service contract for the equipment that is provided by Sprint. Perhaps this change would allow you to cancel the service contract (aka protection plan) and the insurance but there is no set term for either of those services and can be canceled at either time without any penalty.
So basically, if you don't like the price increase you can remove those OPTIONS from your account.
Miguel @ Jan 20th 2007 10:06PM
I just signed up a 2yr contract at the start of the year and I am wondering could I get out of contract and keep my new phone (Treo 700wx)?
Bryce @ Jan 20th 2007 10:34PM
The protection plan is an OPTIONAL item and not part of the service agreement. The price of the protection can go up without representing a material change in the service agreement. Poster #5 is absolutely correct.
Brian @ Jan 20th 2007 11:31PM
Why do you guys post this false hope without acctually verifying it. Good luck ever getting out of a Sprint contract. This I can guarantee will not work. Your best bet is to be honest with a manager in Sprints Retention department and beg and plead to get out. If the person is not budging hang up and call right back and ask for the same department and talk to someone else ( you will never get the same person). I did this today and got my ETF removed and my account closed. I explained that my wife and I just had a baby and that the sprint signal was so unreliable in my house (which it acctually is) that I was worried about the safety of my child. It so happened that the manager also just had a baby and could see my point and removed it. The managers in that department have the athority to do whatever they want company policy or not so if you have a ligit reason try being honest. If your just being a dink and want to jump ship to get a new phone then pay the $150 like a man and quit whining.
ciscokid @ Jan 21st 2007 10:18PM
I called Sprint today to try to get out of my contract (year left) and I was told that I was misinformed. Engadget come on fact check your articles before you put it out there.
samuel @ Jan 22nd 2007 8:16AM
Is there anyways to cancel the sprint service?
and still be able to port your number?
carlton @ Jan 25th 2007 12:37PM
What about the fact that now sprint charges $15 for second lines of PCS vision for any customers newly subscribing to the service after November (or that's the way I understand it); no longer $7.50.
Seems like that could be a change in terms of your contract.
Look- I'm a not a smart guy; but it seems like prices in this business should be going down over the years; not up.
Cami @ Feb 1st 2007 11:03PM
I work for customer care in Sprint, the 2-5th lines are still half price on whichever vision package the primary phone has. There are 4 different data packages though. Data package 1- $15 for people with an older phone to access internet. Data packages 2-4 - are for the new evdo network. They are $15, $20, and $25, plus half price for line line 2-5 depending on which one you have. As for the contract, try your little heart out on getting out a contract because of the raise of price on insurance because it isn't going to happen! Sprint will also not change the price of your data package if you have an older one. The only thing that would change the price of your data package would be getting a new evdo phone because the older vision packages do not support evdo.