yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[EVO 4G General] Tundricles:
Whatever happen to the Economy?

haha nice.
[EVO 4G General] :
No empathy on my side but I will say that as a college student you have to take a little more responsibility. You have to understand that account tenure is a big thing anywhere. You can't apply for a credit card and then call them the same month and tell them to push your due date forward. It's called loyalty and you have to have some kind of solid history with any company to be granted any consideration. Going forward I hope you learn from your mistakes and manage your money a little better.

I'm a college student also so I know it can be difficult at times but you always have to have the "what if" plastered in your mind. I manage rent, work, full-time studies, car note, car insurance, cell phone, groceries, utilities, my 10 month old daughter and girlfriend (who doesn't work besides taking care of my daughter) on my salary which is isn't a lot. I live within my means and thankfully never bite off more than I can chew.
[EVO 4G General] HondaCop:
Well said =)
[EVO 4G General] bman789:
They've been very good to me. I went 90$ in overages and I called CS and they credited every penny back to me....
[EVO 4G General] Bp3dots:
Customers pay the bill. Sorry, but it's extremely childish to think they're pushing you around when they're simply trying to collect what you owe them.

They want to keep customers that pay their bills.

1. You agreed to the ETF in the contract you signed.

2. A creditor is allowed to take reasonable steps to collect a debt.

3. Where in your contract does it explicitly state that you are entitled a payment plan?

4. Your bill is due on the date they set. Not when you can pay if it's convenient for you. Businesses don't operate on the "I'll get it to you when I can bro" billing system.

I'm not sure why you don't understand the terms of your agreement, but I recommend you actually read it through (yes, even that fine print) so that you can see exactly what is and is not covered in it. And what I find even more disturbing is your sense of entitlement in regards to the matter. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt and not call you a bad person or a deadbeat, but honestly, you are acting childish. The long and short of it has been said by more than one person in this thread: You made an agreement, and it's your responsibility to live up to the terms of it. You failed to do that, and now Sprint is taking the appropriate actions. This is something that I would expect a college student to understand.

It would be great if companies could afford to just take people's word for it in cases like this, but the reality is, many people would just use the extra time given and still not pay, costing the company even more money.
[EVO 4G General] :
The easiest solution would be to throw your phone on Craigslist and pay the outstanding balance + ETF fee. With the money left over get a prepaid phone until you can get yourself back on your feet. If you don't have enough money at least prepaid won't affect your credit. You are just a number (SSN) and a FICO score so take care of them.
[EVO 4G General] alex2792:
I don't really see how this is a Sprint problem. You failed to pay your FIRST bill in a timely manner and expect Sprint to give you the benefit of a doubt. Sorry bro but Sprint is a business and to be frank they're not terribly interested in retaining deadbeat customers. What you should do is pay the past due then contact Sprint and try to get them to waive the $25 reconnection fee, you will have a much better chance since Sprint was able to collect the amount owed.
[EVO 4G General] Tundricles:
I see your point, I guess I was just spoiled by T-mobile's CS.

Amen brother.

Another good option thank you.
[EVO 4G General] toenail78:
im gonna keep checking this topic to see if he ever admits that he the one with issue and not sprint.. this is like xda vs tundricles.. have to admit, its a good read though
[EVO 4G General] Sirchuk:
I think its funny that T-Mobiles willingness to work with customers that won't pay their bills on time keeps coming up as such a good thing when they made the list of companies expected to go bankrupt in 2011, alongside blockbuster and the shack.

Posted via XDA Android app from Evo
[EVO 4G General] trojandnc:
I really don't think it's fair for you to be able to post what amounts to whining when you are obviously in the wrong here.

While I empathize with your current situation, Sprint has a business to run. No more... No less.

If someone owed you money and told you that they did not have a job, would you loan them more?
[EVO 4G General] HondaCop:
This thread has all the makings of a classic. :D
[EVO 4G General] mrono:
I like sprint, they have done a great job for me over the last year. Every time i've called in they were nice and caring and solved my issues quickly.
[EVO 4G General] weezer562:
...

As posted if you have no job, do not buy a new phone.
[EVO 4G General] wasd321:
i think he had no job after the 30 day trial thing
[EVO 4G General] Fred Newman:
It's quite an amusing thread I must admit however I must agree with most peoples comments concerning your situation. However I think that the suggestion regarding selling your services rooting phones is sound at least that way you will earn something and maybe be able to pay your provider off quickly
[EVO 4G General] gx1400:
Just read all 7 pages of this thread and its just sad. OP where do you get this sense of entitlement? Not only do you not have a history of being a customer with Sprint, but I highly doubt with your attitude and actions that you have any real credit history or understanding how the world works. If you owed me money and I saw T-Mobile said you've had problems paying your bills in the past, why in the HELL would I put myself in a position to be screwed over the same way?

I too am a college student and I just bought the Evo myself. Like the poster before me, I've had to manage my finances including car, car insurance, health insurance, rent, books, tuition, clothes, food, and everything else on my own. No I'm not some rich kid. I drive a '99 Cavalier, buy name brand clothes (off the clearance rack), and figured out that yeah, I can afford to pay for a $199 phone with a premium data plan and still meet all of my obligations over the next 6-8 months while at school until I graduate. I'm not going to be shy of money and then just expect my landlord to 'cut me a break' because I hit hard luck. Sprint is liable to their stock holders to make profits and you don't make profits by cutting deals to people who can't pay their bills.

You signed and entered a contract. In the future, you will have more to lose than cell phone service. Maybe you didn't notice the last 5 years, but people like you have lost their houses because they decided to live above their means. I suggest you read some books about how to manage your finances (the book from your Econ class apparently hasn't helped you much).

Heres some suggestions:

1) Rich Dad Poor Dad

2) Total Money Makeover

3) The Millionaire Next Door

What pisses me off is that my credit card rates will continue to rise, my consumer products will continue to get more expensive, and most of us will continue to pay taxes to help people like you pay for your mistakes because you want that cool new toy that you can't afford.

Sincerely,

Pissed-off College Student
[EVO 4G General] weidnerj:
I would say sell your EVO on E-bay/Craig's list but since Sprint probably has blacklisted the DSN on your phone you probably will only be able to flash it to another CDMA provider. That really limits who will be willing to purchase the phone, and probably won't get out of it what you have into it.

My suggestion is to see if they can suspend your account while you do your best to pay back what you owe, then ask them to reactivate your account.

I would say they are willing to work with you as long as you are willing to work with them. Just can't expect them to offer you a line of credit, they are not a bank. Ask them nicely if you can make payments until you are gainfully employed. I know it sucks, but phone service is just a small deal in the big game of life. We lived without cell phones for years, and they are a luxery and not a necessity. As long as you have a way of prospective employers to be able to contact you, you will survive this ordeal.
[EVO 4G General] njbianco:
So people know the 90 day probation period is only for certain people depending on your credit. If your credit isn't great when you sign your contract they put you on the 90 day probation period(or reject you if your credits horrendous). Witch is completely understandable in my eyes.
[EVO 4G General] wasd321:
what does "blacklisted the DSN" mean? what does dsn stand for? I really need to know cuz im thinking of buyin a evo off craiglist.
[EVO 4G General] Petronic:
I love it. You're two paragraphs in to your rant and you've invoked Godwin's Law because Sprint is refusing to let an unproven customer ride for free any longer. Really?

It's even more amusing that you mention a book that's so blatantly in favor of the free market self-policing and managing it's own business without government intervention whilst crying about being mistreated by a business. Friedman didn't even believe in minimum wage, I'm sure he'd be in favor of Sprint taking their safe bet and giving you the axe.

You made some bad decisions and now you're paying for it. Coming here to try and lay blame for those decisions at Sprint's feet is just another bad decision. There's no reason to broadcast your financial missteps to a bunch of strangers.
[EVO 4G General] sracercelica:
Sprint customer services sucks, Im only with them because of the stupid ETF's for 4 lines.
[EVO 4G General] :
I would definitely recommend checking out the Self-Improvement section at Barnes & Noble. They have really good books from which you can benefit from. It's kind of weird because I'm working on a paper right now for my psychology class and ran into a couple of good reads today.

By the way I expect to come back to this thread later today and see something constructive and hopefully see a resolution to your problem on your part.
[EVO 4G General] redrazr7791:
"Post of the Year!"

In all seriousness though, I to am a college student (Nursing Major) so I know just how strict we have to be with our money, especially with tuition being sky high. Factor in rent and everything else mentioned here and it should be obvious that finances should be dealt with extremely carefully and thought-out with the "What If?" state of mind.

Sorry Op...I have nothing helpful to add because everyone here has pretty much told you the honest truth.
[EVO 4G General] jonathaflores:
+1 same here, I am a college student, working my ass off in a restaurant, full time, have money save because I dont know what can happen tomorrow,you got to understand your finances , dont blame sprint for something they dont control!!,
[EVO 4G General] Freelancerx:
oh snap!

you shouldve accompanied with this....
[EVO 4G General] sourmath.com:
everyone in this thread enjoys the company of sweaty old men including op, proceed.
[EVO 4G General] campchi:
i've been with sprint for almost 8 years, and have not once have any problem with their CS. i've been thru rough time 2 years ago, didnt pay my bills in full, but was service was not disconnect, so if you at least manage to make partial payment, instead of full payment, they will not charge you any reactivation fees, only late fees. good luck in dealing with them.
[EVO 4G General] afflaq:
I've been with sprint for a little over a year and had nothing but good luck. They've provided me with an airave for my house where I have horrible coverage, covered the monthly fee on it as well as the initial fees, and replaced my busted palm pre under warranty when it started suffering from the oreo effect. Just got my evo a couple of days ago from a buddy who went to googleio and had it up and going within 20-30 minutes of receiving it.

My only beef with sprint is the massive difference in the knowledge of tech/customer service reps. There's next to NO consistency, so I sometimes end up calling 2-3 times before I get someone who's competent enough to talk to.
[EVO 4G General] toenail78:
also if u can barely afford to pay ur sprint bill then start paying it on time to avoid the late fees..

i just want u to know this has been the greatest read by far on xda.. thank you!
[EVO 4G General] gx1400:
Appreciate it. I posted expecting everyone to call me a grumpy old man. I mean I may be cynical but at least I'm right!
[EVO 4G General] Jye75:
I'm sure it depends on what you need done. I've been with Sprint for 16 years, and I've not once had a problem getting anything done through CS. Then again, unlike the OP, I'm not trying to get something for nothing.
[EVO 4G General] itmustbejj:
You just gotta know how to work the system. My best advice is test all the Sprint stores in your area and start going to the one where you can find a cool rep and go to them every time. It's always better to deal with in store reps than on the phone. If you have to go to the phone, know that you can bypass the first tier customer support who is pretty much a waste of time. There are direct numbers to technical support and executive services (the high ups).

Also learn how to play their game better than them. If you have the time I seriously recommend listening to this taped call this guy made with Sprint CS. He played them like a fiddle and renegotiated his contract for like 40 bucks less a month while under contract AND WITHOUT AGREEING TO A 2 YEAR EXTENSION. This guy is my new hero:

http://onemansblog.com/2007/06/09/how-to-negotiate-with-sprint-pcs-during-a-contract/
[EVO 4G General] coolqf:
Tundricles, it sounds like you're in over your head with expenses. It happens when you lose your job. Step 1, cut as many expenses as possible. You have options. Take advantage of the EVO shortage and sell your phone on eBay. You'll get about $450. This is enough money for you to 1) pay the cancellation fee ad your initial investment on the phone, or 2) get a cheaper phone from ebay and downgrade your plan.

A contract's a contract, and right now you're breaking it. Negotiate with your expenses or cut. It's your choice.
[EVO 4G General] redrazr7791:
No you and I think the same way I believe. I hate to sugarcoat life and would rather present brutal honesty to people, then to present them the "rose-colored glasses" point of view.
[EVO 4G General] Jye75:
Selling the EVO to someone without having paid off the account, you must find a buyer willing to pay you and also trust you to get the phone cleared so the buyer can then activate it with a clear ESN.
[EVO 4G General] gx1400:
Indeed. For me its a consequence of "the Knack" (Dilbert fans anyone?). I'm an engineering student.
[EVO 4G General] beesneazy:
T mo bending over backwards to keep you happy? Doesn't sound like the t mobile I've heard of.

Sprint has always been cool, but we've been with them for a while too. Maybe that helps.
[EVO 4G General] camoody1:
Well, I don't think I'd consider them Gestapo tactics... I think we throw words like that around far too frequently in the modern age. Think before you say things like that.

However, I do wish the OP a short-time off work and I hope you find a new and better job quickly.

Good luck to you!
[EVO 4G General] BrianDigital:
awesome so u were broke when u switched phone carriers, then were planning to return the phone before the thirty day trial then didn't. Why are u posting this here? copy this post over phandroid they are more setup for idiotic postings such as this. Im glad you got screwed if your short on money and you decided to go buy new expensive things then good. It's call natural selection
[EVO 4G General] Petronic:
This village has it's fair share too.

Actually, that has nothing to do with natural selection. He's still very much alive and able to spread his DNA.
[EVO 4G General] toenail78:
i have to disagree, i prefer dealing with the phone reps, it seems that the instore reps do what they can to make managment look good instead of the customer
[EVO 4G General] itmustbejj:
Well I have a good relationship with my instore rep so YMMV. I generally take the "if dad says no, ask mom" approach and will keep asking between in-store, echat, customer support, tech support, executive services til I get the answer I want.
[EVO 4G General] Doward:
Been with Sprint for 7 years now. Never a problem.

If you think Sprint's CS sucks, you should try any other carrier and compare.

I've heard nothing but problems from any of my friends with ATT / Verizon. Oddly, no complaints against MetroPCS yet, but eh, that's what my mother uses, so I can't comment there.

As for Sprint? Well, they gave me my extra $75 credit early (wasn't due until November) so that I could utilize a full $150 credit when I got my launch-day (#1 in line, no less) Evo 4G.

To the OP - yeah, you screwed up. In your boat, obviously living paycheck to paycheck, I would have held off on getting the Evo in the first place. Putting yourself in debt over a phone is pretty dumb, imho.
[EVO 4G General] BrianDigital:
F

Hard to get dates when you can't handle bills
[EVO 4G General] Petronic:
You ever watch Jerry Springer? Those people seem to have no problem breeding.
[EVO 4G General] Jye75:
That's because they all live in the same house already... same DNA!! :D
[EVO 4G General] Christendom:
I was originally a Nextel customer, and then ended up getting adopted in with Sprint during the merger. So far, they have been fairly decent with me. Obviously call center customer service is never going to be an amazing experience, no matter what company. They did go as lowering my upgrade time so I could get the evo at a cheaper price.

You got in over your head. Of course a company is not going to work with you if you haven't even made a single payment yet.

Try Metro bud, they seem more your style.
[EVO 4G General] redrazr7791:
+1 to this :D
[EVO 4G General] Petronic:
My approach is to just call. You'll generally get a woman. Hang up if you don't get one. Be overpoweringly friendly. Start off with something simple and dumb, but be ridiculously charming the entire time. Use her name as often as possible. Make just enough dumb smalltalk to be personable without wasting her time - silly jokes and one-liners are great here as long as their brief and topical.

The key is to get her giggling. Flirt like you're trying to pick her up.

Only after you've established that opening rapport (it shouldn't take more than a minute or you're just wasting her time) should you even mention what you're actually calling about.

Don't act angry or even upset, just mention it as if you're disappointed about it. Pout if you can pull it off without being obvious. Don't be afraid to be cheesy as long as you aren't pushing it.

It's basic social engineering, but most CS reps are capable of helping you out in many situations - you just need to make them want to do it.

It's absolutely important that if there's any mistake that's been made on Sprint's part, you communicate clearly that you aren't blaming her for this. She's on your team, and it's you and her against Sprint. You're empowering her to make things right for her newfound friend.

Done properly you'll make her day happier while also getting a rep who's looking to do anything that she can to help you out.
[EVO 4G General] weidnerj:
It is when a phone is stolen or account hasn't been paid, the phone company will put the ESN on the blacklist, so that it can't be activated.

Best thing to do is ask for the ESN and either call sprint, or go through the process online to switch phones, but cancel out of it prior to activation to see if Sprint will active the phone you are considering buying.
[EVO 4G General] notown775:
dude, hate to sound like a ****, but this sounds like an FML moment, where you totally deserve it. Sorry man, like the guy said in early post.. manage your money.
[EVO 4G General] toenail78:
hate to say it but thats exactly how to play the game... when i get a dude i try and get my way but it never works.. i usually just call back and indupt getting a woman and thats when i get my way.. wow, i never even realized that!
[EVO 4G General] chococrazy:
Tundricles did you get my PM with the #'s?
[EVO 4G General] heygrl:
T-Mobile is always understanding about this type of thing. Even AT&T.
[EVO 4G General] Sporkman:
gotta call BS i missed 1 payment ! in 2 years they canceled 3 phones and sent me a pill for 1500$ at&t will never get any more of my money
[EVO 4G General] heygrl:
You obviously didn't make payment arrangements
[EVO 4G General] bnick007:
FYI

Sprint terms and conditions

http://shop.sprint.com/en/legal/legal_terms_privacy_popup.shtml

Your Payments; Late Fees

Payment is due in full as stated on your bill. If we do not receive payment in full by the date specified on your bill, a late payment charge, which may be charged at the highest rate permissible by law, may be applied to the total unpaid balance. We may also charge you any costs we pay to a collection agency to collect unpaid balances from you. If we bill you for amounts on behalf of a third party, payments received are first applied to our charges. You may be charged additional fees for certain methods of payment. We may charge you, up to the highest amount permitted by law, for returned checks or other payments paid by you and denied for any reason by a financial institution. Acceptance of payments (even if marked 'paid in full') does not waive our right to collect all amounts that you owe us. We may restrict your payment methods to cashier's check, money order, or other similar secure form of payment at any time for good reason.

BTW

Manage your money or it manages you. Take a look at dave ramsey and total money makeover or financial peace university. He has a great podcast available.
[EVO 4G General] dougdascenzo:
You keep talking about how it is not in the contract that you have to wait 90 days for these "payment plans", is there something in the contract that says if you can't pay your bill they have to continue to provide you service and let you pay it on a plan of your choice? If I missed this, than my mistake.

Personally I have had PLENTY of problems with the service in Sprint stores in my area as they are all seemingly independently owned, though they are branded Sprint and you would think Sprint might care how they are being represented. However, I have had nothing but positive experiences for probably around a year now dealing with the actual Sprint CSR reps over the phone.
[EVO 4G General] Vdek:
Dude, you want a payment plan on a monthly plan? How do you plan on paying for the remaining twenty three months....

Sent from my HTC EVO with the xda app.
[EVO 4G General] Crotchety:
Sheesh...

lol man some of you guys are harsh. Yeah he needs to manage his money better and no it certainly is NOT Sprint's fault that he's in this situation, but some of the added "words of wisdom" in a few of the replies are pretty cold blooded.
[EVO 4G General] bigluje:
Been with sprint 11 years never been cutoff even when I was 2 weeks late. Budget your money, most true techies have more than one phone anyway. So clearly you are a novice. Slow your role. Now as for customer service, you may have a point. But as far as buying phones, Sprint has always been the best hands down, better data plans and more variety than the big 3.
[EVO 4G General] itmustbejj:
welcome to the world of internet forums, where people leave their compassion at the door.
[EVO 4G General] BrianDigital:
how is this thread still going
[EVO 4G General] redrazr7791:
:D:D:D:D:D:D
[EVO 4G General] saechac:
i dunno if anyone told you, but you can sell your htc evo and pay for the cancel fee and get some money back for the htc evo.
[EVO 4G General] wasd321:
not if those dsn numbers are bad