July 10th, 2007
Consumer watchdog agency: Sprint's terminations are "outrageous treatment," and customers should be paid
According to the chairperson and executive director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board, Sprint Nextel customers whose service is being terminated at the end of this month are not being treated fairly and should receive compensation for this “outrageous treatment” by Sprint Nextel.
Sprint Nextel has informed an undisclosed number of customers that their service will be terminated effective July 30, 2007 because those customers either filed too many complaints or they made too many phone calls outside their calling areas. (Many members of the U.S. Armed Forces were among these “roaming” customers, but their termination letters will be rescinded, according to a spokesman for Sprint Nextel.)
For customers who will lose service on July 30th, Sprint Nextel is offering to remove any phone charges remaining on their bill.
“Sprint Nextel must do more and pay these customers just as Sprint Nextel subscribers are required to pay an early termination fee when they cancel service before the end of their contract,” said CPB Chairperson and Executive Director Mindy A. Bockstein.
Customers should receive the same compensation that Sprint Nextel receives after a customer cancels their contract before the expiration date: a $200 fee for the early cancellation of a standard two-year contract.
“These former Sprint customers will have to purchase new phones and incur other expenses and inconveniences if they want to continue receiving wireless service,” said Chairperson Bockstein. “Sprint Nextel should do more to improve the quality of its customer service and this is a good place to start.”
Loading ...Russell Shaw is an enterprise computing journalist, analyst and author based in Portland, Oregon. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
