[imsopretty08]

I would suggest dealing directly with Sprint. $200 activation fee?? Seriously?? At most its 36 and sometimes they will waive it for you. Good Luck!

[bordnerj]

I must be the luckiest SOB on the planet. I have dealt with sprint for over 5 years. Never have I had a major issue with sprint's CS. I seem to call them 2 or 3 times a year and they have never failed me. It might be because I deal with the business side???

I wouldn't go to best buy for cell phones. Go to the source.

[ilovemileyyy]

My Mom's on the phone with them AGAIN now. Wish us luck!
-fingers crossed- And P.S. Everyone saying to go to the Sprint store, we don't even have a gull fledged Sprint store. More like a Mall Kiosk.

[Gmac3#CB]

Sprint Has Very Good CS Now Your Mom Has A Credit Issue no doubt about it, they just dont say 200.00 to activate unless its a credit problem. I have 4 Lines With Great Credit And NO problem adding lines.Stop Bashing sprint when u went to best buy.......

[ilovemileyyy]

I'm pretty sure the $200 dollar security deposit is maybe cause of your credit, not ur mom's?
As for the sprint CS horror stories, every carrier has them. The people coming in here telling u sprint sucks and you shold stick with verizon, well, just pure ignorance.
Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Lol, I'm 14, I don't have credit.

[fclensy]

I would certainly go to a store and if they can't get this straightened out, ask for a manager. The activation fee is $35 and more often than not they waive that too. I highly doubt it was a deposit issue, as I didn't have to put one down, and my credit is less than stellar. (Read: I am a college student with 3 maxed out credit cards)

To the OP, stick it out with sprint. I have been a customer for 8 years and really haven't had a problem with them. Every wireless provider has their issues, (yes even VERIZON ) but sprint's outstanding prices make up for it.

I like to think of it this way. Even if I am on the phone with them for an average of one hour per month (never happened to me by the way) and I am saving $40 a month not being with verizon, then it is almost like I am getting paid $40 an hour. Do you make $40 an hour? If you are on your mom's cell plan I would assume not. Maybe that will ease your sprint headache... maybe not.

Any way good luck with everything!

[fclensy]

Also I forgot about the no sprint store situation. Maybe worth driving to a neighboring city that has one?

[ilovemileyyy]

FINALLY!
We got a nice rep on the phone. She did the credit check in 5 minutes, not 24 hours like the other guy said, and she said we're clear to go to Best Buy and buy a new phone, without even an activation fee. I hope things go good today!

[daboogas94e]

and why do you need a BB @ 14?

[Signlnco]

I would contact Sprint directlly on this. Back in Oct 2008, I switched from Verizon to Sprint and got 2 blackberries from Best buy and I only paid $70 for activation. $35.00 for each line (2 lines) on the 1500 family shared plan with unlimited data plan. Since then, I have had no problems with the Sprint Service and absolutely love the fact that you do not have to pay for the extra services as they are free on Sprint (GPS, Navigation, Sprint Premium TV, Free Unlimited Text messages and free Internet, Free Tethering, free roaming). On verizon these services would have cost over $300 each month, instead I pay $129.99 for everything on 2 Blackberries.

Try going to another Best Buy store, it may just have been that the salesperson does not know what they are doing.

With Sprint so desperate for customers, you think they'd be normal with adding on a line. But no, they're not. Today, I actually canceled my Verizon contract, and payed, to join a family plan with my Mom on Sprint. I finally got to get a Berry, and I was so excited. When in BestBuy, on the phone the Sprint rep said we had to pay A 200 DOLLAR ACTIVATION FEE. Activation fee, yes, not cancellation, or no contract phone price, but litteraly a 200 dollar Add-A-Line fee. Obviously my Mom said no way, and customer service was supposed to call her back by tonight. They never did. I now don't have a phone, just because Sprint wants us to pay to activate, and a ridiculous price at that. I don't understand what I'm supposed to do now.

[Gmac3#CB]

and why do you need a BB @ 14?

I Know Right

[TearBear]

As a mother, I have issues with a 14 year old having a cell phone much less a Blackberry. Why do you need a BB and why would your mother buy you one?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[rachel0179]

Well, none of you are HER mother so really what they do is their business, not anyone elses.

[wolf1989]

and why do you need a BB @ 14?

Yes I was wondering that myself. When I was 14 I had a tracphone that I payed for myself.

So if they were able to fix it now with SPRINT and not with the people working for BEST BUY then it shows it wasn't sprints fault.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[TvTechGuru]

I wouldn't be so quick to call Sprint the worst customer service ever based on your story. Every situation is unique. This doesn't qualify as bad customer service.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[zamey]

Ummm... HELLO HERE! They may have wanted this person's mother to pay $200 because her daughter doesn't have any credit / wasn't a previous customer with Sprint. It may have been a deposit she would have received back.

I'm not taking Sprint's side (as I have my own personal beef with them!), however, we should see the bigger picture before we swear people off as jackasses.

I'd say, if the company did not call your mom back, they aren't going to (clearly because their CS sucks). I'd say go back to your original provider, say that you left for another carrier but that carrier was terrible. 9/10 times they will refund you and set you up with a new phone / BB (I know this from personal experience as well as a friend's personal experience not long ago).

I'm also in much agreement to wonder wtf you need a blackberry for at your age. You go to school and go home, really. Not flaming you, just curious as to your TRUE needs to a complex little machine.

[daboogas94e]

no 14 yr old needs a BB.....if you need to talk to your friends that bad, call them when you get home

[ilovemileyyy]

and why do you need a BB @ 14?

Well, I like the keyboard and I like the functions. Were not exactly tight on money, so my Mom is very nice when I ask for things. Do you have to need anything, or can some things just be about want? By the way, I got one yesterday! It's sooo cool!

[ilovemileyyy]

Ummm... HELLO HERE! They may have wanted this person's mother to pay $200 because her daughter doesn't have any credit / wasn't a previous customer with Sprint. It may have been a deposit she would have received back.

I'm not taking Sprint's side (as I have my own personal beef with them!), however, we should see the bigger picture before we swear people off as jackasses.

I'd say, if the company did not call your mom back, they aren't going to (clearly because their CS sucks). I'd say go back to your original provider, say that you left for another carrier but that carrier was terrible. 9/10 times they will refund you and set you up with a new phone / BB (I know this from personal experience as well as a friend's personal experience not long ago).

I'm also in much agreement to wonder wtf you need a blackberry for at your age. You go to school and go home, really. Not flaming you, just curious as to your TRUE needs to a complex little machine.

Like I responded to someone else, if we can afford it because we're comfortable with money, than why do I have to need it? Why can't I just want it? Its even the same price as my old Verizon plan, or even cheaper.

[ilovemileyyy]

Well, none of you are HER mother so really what they do is their business, not anyone elses.

Thank you so much! And by the way, I'm a boy, but how does anyone know, right? But thanks for understanding.

[ilovemileyyy]

As a mother, I have issues with a 14 year old having a cell phone much less a Blackberry. Why do you need a BB and why would your mother buy you one?

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

My mother bought me one because she works hard for her money, hence, she is very comfortable with her financial state.

[lnichols]

I have always had great experiences with Sprint. Occasionally a billing problem for a month or two after I change a contract/plan with them, but nothing that I haven't dealt with with any other type of providers. I know Verizon FIOS/Phone CS is horrible. Nothing but problems with them. I always go to a Sprint store or call them directly though. You should only go to a BestBuy or some other big box place if you are a new customer, which is what they want with the deals they are doing anyway. If you are adding to or modifying an existing plan or contract then cut out the middle men. And as with any companies CS, you always resolve it then, if they say they are going to call you back that usually just means that they are near a shift change and going to drop you. You are better off to call right back and start over at that point. I have had to do this with companies on paid 24x7 support contracts, but I always get revenge when the survey comes.

I'm sure if you or your mom would have thrown as big of a fit to Sprint as you did to this forum that day or evening by calling them directly things would have been resolved much quicker.

Major rule of CS is a happy customer may tell one or two people they received good service, but an unhappy customer will on average tell 10 people of there bad experience.

[silx29]

you and your mommy went to a best buy store. Should have just gone to sprint retail store.

Seems as though your mommy has a bad credit. Just because she has platinum credit cards that doesn't mean her credit is good haha. **** I'm 20 and I have 2 credit cards that says plantinum in the front, and I only have 2 years of credit.

Wait few years and go get your own phone and your own line.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wpwren]

Well, none of you are HER mother so really what they do is their business, not anyone elses.

Could be too that the 14 year old is responsible enough in the mother's eyes, she would know.

I just got my 14 yr old a phone for xmas, the last family member of five to get on my Sprint data plan. It was getting to the point that her NOT having a phone was starting to not make sense.

When they're responsible at that age it's not a big deal to give them one, she got a Pearl. Now if any of them go over on the shared minutes then that's a whole 'nother story!!

gl with your BB

[ilovemileyyy]

Could be too that the 14 year old is responsible enough in the mother's eyes, she would know.

I just got my 14 yr old a phone for xmas, the last family member of five to get on my Sprint data plan. It was getting to the point that her NOT having a phone was starting to not make sense.

When they're responsible at that age it's not a big deal to give them one, she got a Pearl. Now if any of them go over on the shared minutes then that's a whole 'nother story!!

gl with your BB

Thank you very much! Not boasting or anything, but I am very mature for my age, and my Mom trusts me with just about everything. In her eyes, I am responsible enough to have one, and I will not prove her wrong!