Sprint Nextel. Sadly,

[Trumpet Trousers]

I have been a long time customer of Nextel which I signed up with years ago as a member of a corporate discount plan. I have recently moved from Massachusetts to Florida and sadly find that Nextel service in my new area is poor. Hearing that Sprint has excellent service in my new home area, I began researching my options of moving over to Sprint PCS, which has purchased Nextel. My sad discovery is that by trying to stay with Sprint Nextel means a choice of a large financial impact or continued poor service.

Here is what I found. Because I am with Nextel I was originally told how easy it is to switch between the two divisions. What ended up being the truth was far from easy, or more to the point inexpensive! While charging no cancellation fee, switching to Sprint does requires new phones, which is understandable. However, because I am already a Nextel customer I can only receive a nominal discount from Sprint. Here are some of the numbers I was quoted.

As a new customer I was told I could receive discounts and rebates to purchase a Treo 650 phone for $249.99. However, because I am a Nextel subscriber I was later told I would have to pay $599.99 and "might" be eligible for up to $150.00 as a mail in rebate, Which

 

[Malibu 310]

not to rain on your parade but now that sprint owns nextel you can't upgrade your nextel phone for the promo price anytime you want anymore (even if you sign another 2 year agreement) customer service said once every 2 years!

 

[firemedic0703]

Wrong, tackle...I just upgraded to the i850 with the promo price, and a new 2 year agreement, NO PROBLEM! I even did it off of the Sprint/Nextel web sight.

 

[bonjovifan]

This has always been nextels offical policy, they have just never enforced it, they have been starting to enforce it even before the merger, but it can still be overridden by a manager.

 

[patel j]

Nextel is soon to adopt the sprint "pay full outright price" and mail in rebate $75 for 1 year and $150 for 2 year. Oh and you will have to take a data plan with it. The slated change will be 1/06 If you hold out they will be releasing a few hibrid phones that do cdma on cell and iden on 2-way. Should be out 1st quarter of next year. Also I checked the pricing grids and the treo 650 is $549 plus the $150 or $75 mail in rebate as long as you do a data plan.