The Sprint brand is damaged

[NGeorge]

It's disturbing to hear people that left Nextel (and there were millions of them) when it was imploding don't know/understand/realize that it was not the Sprint network folding. But yet, I have friends that left Nextel and would never ever try the Sprint brand because they believe they were one in the same.

 

Even the dim wits at my local Radio Shack would tell customers that since the merger Nextel and Sprint use the same exact towers.

 

We know the merger is history, we know the difference and what lies ahead but it's tough to change peoples perception.

 

Excellent point. I often thought they should have handled Nextel the way Telus in Canada handled Mike (their IDEN network) until they figured out how to get it in a position where they could migrate users to their main service (Mike just got there last year--Sprint still never really got there, but needs to free up SMR somehow)... Completely separate branding, stores, plan and web site. Then when by felt ready, they merged the web site into their own as a side section and closed the stores. Just last year they finally launched PTT over HSDPA, and now the press is on after keeping it in a holding pattern for 8ish years (maybe longer... Wasnt it 2003 when Telus bought ClearNet?). For the first 3 years at least the average Mike user had no real idea that thy were just a sideshow for Telus. It'd be interesting to see how bad Mike's churn was in relation to Nextel during that time--I know for sure that no one mistook th Mike network for Telus... For one thing they were in the position of having the weaker native network--Nextel had a stronger network in many places, and Sprint never really tried to match it on CDMA--that combined with merging the rands is what brought the confusion about.

[Geesmill]

Inertia is a powerful principle in both physics and wireless subscribership. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest. And that is true for many Sprint subs, too. I probably should port out from Sprint, as I strongly oppose unlimited data -- it is not sustainable and is rife with abuse. But inertia keeps me in the fold. I have a long history as a Sprint sub, Sprint is a local company, I advocate CDMA2000, and I detest the corporate ethics of VZ/VZW and AT&T.

 

AJ

I have to agree with AJ on VZW ethics. As someone who has worked for all three providers in an operations roll I must say Verizon certainly has their act together operationally, but VZW ethics and employee relations are a totally different matter.

 

AT&T compensation was the best and for a time I would have tattooed the deathstar on my forehead.

 

In the end, Sprint was the most interesting to be a part of. I hear that is changing as operations is now part of Ericsson, but it was fun at the time.

 

Now that I'm out of the wireless field I enjoy bumming around s4gru to keep up with the latest Network Vision deployments and I continue to root for Sprint.

[irev210]

 

It is SLOWLY improving... If I didn't have the cheap plan I have, I was seriously considering moving to AT&T for the Sony Xperia TL and sticking there until NV was fully rolled out, when I would look at my options again. I *do* want my smartphone to "just work now"--but I also have been able to hang on to one of Sprint's previous brand differentiators (a low price) -- which convinced me to stick it out for one more contract--but i can EASILY see how someone on a full priced plan, with a nice new LTE phone that can get no LTE would be angry, and bad mouth Sprint to everyone they meet... And THAT is why a new brand could be good--but only when it is truly worthy of someone giving them another chance--it's the old "fool me once.." line... If they screw up NV they're done for--and even me, a pretty diehard Sprint fan, will be off to AT&T, even paying higher prices, in 20 months if I don't see NV of the majority of sites or if I end up having a bunch of glitches or handoff issues.

 

You should consider doing what I am doing.

 

You can put your sprint plan in seasonal standby @ 8.99/mo and do prepaid t-mobile (starting at 30/month for 5GB 4G/100 minutes, ending at 70/month for unlimited everything)

[SGT516]

You should consider doing what I am doing.

 

You can put your sprint plan in seasonal standby @ 8.99/mo and do prepaid t-mobile (starting at 30/month for 5GB 4G/100 minutes, ending at 70/month for unlimited everything)

 

But that's assuming T-Mobile works for him.

 

I'm just below you in Providence and T-Mobile (to use a popular Don Imus saying) can't suck enough.

 

If Sprint is damaged goods then T-Mobile must be destroyed.

[S4GRU]

I have a love/hate thing for Tmo. Where it is good, it is great. However, to not have a ubiquitous 3G network over all or most of your coverage in 2013 is unconscionable. The number of 4G to 2G seams in my area is amazing. Also, Tmo tends to have worse indoor coverage than even Sprint. Well at least in my area.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 on Tapatalk

 

 

[Boosted20V]

I have a love/hate thing for Tmo. Where it is good, it is great. However, to not have a ubiquitous 3G network over all or most of your coverage in 2013 is unconscionable. The number of 4G to 2G seams in my area is amazing. Also, Tmo tends to have worse indoor coverage than even Sprint. Well at least in my area.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 on Tapatalk

 

I'm sure the 2100 mhz downlink in AWS is to blame for that.

[kckid]

You should consider doing what I am doing.

 

You can put your sprint plan in seasonal standby @ 8.99/mo and do prepaid t-mobile (starting at 30/month for 5GB 4G/100 minutes, ending at 70/month for unlimited everything)

 

Just ran across Platinumtel which is now resaleing t-mobile (I think) and their new rates are $40/mo unlimited.

[irev210]

I have a love/hate thing for Tmo. Where it is good, it is great. However, to not have a ubiquitous 3G network over all or most of your coverage in 2013 is unconscionable. The number of 4G to 2G seams in my area is amazing. Also, Tmo tends to have worse indoor coverage than even Sprint. Well at least in my area.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 on Tapatalk

 

So far, my experience with T-Mobile isn't going well... can't even activate.

 

We’re sorry, we’re still working to process your activation. Please wait a few moments and then try navigating to another web page. You should receive a text message to your device when your activation is processed.

 

Please wait while we find an agent to assist you...

All agents are currently busy. Please stand by.

You are currently at position number 113 in the queue.

An agent will be with you in a moment. Thank you for your patience.

 

 

Just ran across Platinumtel which is now resaleing t-mobile (I think) and their new rates are $40/mo unlimited.

 

throttle after 250MB? seems like a pretty bad value.

[Ascertion]

It's disappointing because I'm the only one at work that has Sprint (aside from one other guy). But anytime any of us get into a discussion of phones, they instantly diss Sprint. I tell them Sprint's upgrading the network and soon they'll be on par with Verizon but they throw that out of the Window with the excuse that it is "Sprint."

 

I agree completely with the OP and it's a shame that they are known by 90% of my co-workers as the worst carrier. I hope that when Sprint finishes, they'll jump ship from Verizon/AT&T to Sprint.

[SGT516]

I like Sprint (obviously) and I like the fact that I don't have to watch my usage. I know what my bill is going to be every month.

 

Word of mouth is still the best form of advertising there is and maybe it would behoove Sprint to bring back some type of referral program. I don't see any mention of it on the website anymore.

 

I own a small business that generates RMR from my customers and I offer billing credits when a customer refers someone to me and I get the account. It works out well for both of us.

[JeffDTD]

Ive said this before , but you have to remember that people who choose to pay more for a product are going to defend their decision to pay more with all means at their disposal. Verizon has seared into its customer base that it is the "end all, be all" of north american wireless carriers. I dont catch crap from ATT users or tmobile users.

 

Its not just sprint that gets picked on.

[xcharles718]

I'm pretty sure that there are some hardline extremis....err...Verizon Wireless customers that feel that Sprint is the Battlefield Earth of wireless carriers.

As far as they know, that extra cash means that they can look down on us...

[jamesinclair]

It's disturbing to hear people that left Nextel (and there were millions of them) when it was imploding don't know/understand/realize that it was not the Sprint network folding. But yet, I have friends that left Nextel and would never ever try the Sprint brand because they believe they were one in the same.

 

Even the dim wits at my local Radio Shack would tell customers that since the merger Nextel and Sprint use the same exact towers.

 

We know the merger is history, we know the difference and what lies ahead but it's tough to change peoples perception.

 

To be fair, many Alltel customers arent exactly big on Verizon.

 

 

 

One thing you folks arent talking about is customer service. Verizon has so many loyal customers because their customer service is leaps and bounds ahead of Sprint and AT&T (I have no experience with Tmobile to give an opinion).

 

HOWEVER, thats sort of changing. Verizon has been making cut after cut in features. Little things like how replacement phones used to ship overnight now are sent out via "smart post".

 

Then again, thats still better than Sprint. Sprint charges you $35 to replace a phone thats in warranty. Verizon, like any reputable company, charges zero. Zip.

 

Other recent verizon cuts are in how many credits reps can give, charges for things that used to be free (ie, changing phone number with phone rep), and elimination of loyalty programs like NE2. .....although sprint also eliminated theirs (thanks apple!).

[S4GRU]

 

To be fair, many Alltel customers arent exactly big on Verizon.

 

 

 

One thing you folks arent talking about is customer service. Verizon has so many loyal customers because their customer service is leaps and bounds ahead of Sprint and AT&T (I have no experience with Tmobile to give an opinion).

 

HOWEVER, thats sort of changing. Verizon has been making cut after cut in features. Little things like how replacement phones used to ship overnight now are sent out via "smart post".

 

Then again, thats still better than Sprint. Sprint charges you $35 to replace a phone thats in warranty. Verizon, like any reputable company, charges zero. Zip.

 

Other recent verizon cuts are in how many credits reps can give, charges for things that used to be free (ie, changing phone number with phone rep), and elimination of loyalty programs like NE2. .....although sprint also eliminated theirs (thanks apple!).

 

Personally, I have had good customer service with Verizon. But I hear complaint after complaint about their customer service.

 

Also, do not confuse Sprint customer service and Sprint policies. The Sprint policies you cite are problematic. However, these policies do not affect their customer service, which is an element delivered by their customer service employees.

 

In my experiences, Sprint has great customer service. And their customers must agree, because for the past several years, Sprint has ranked very high in customer service metrics, like JD Power.

 

Robert via Nexus 7 on Tapatalk

 

 

[SGT516]

One thing you folks arent talking about is customer service. Verizon has so many loyal customers because their customer service is leaps and bounds ahead of Sprint and AT&T (I have no experience with Tmobile to give an

 

Oh I don't know about that.

 

Sprint was terrible under Forsee but it was a top priority under Hesse and I think it's excellent. Verizon and AT&T were good also.

 

Sometimes people rate customer service low because they can't get what they want.

 

 

Sent using Tapatalk

[MacinJosh]

 

To be fair, many Alltel customers arent exactly big on Verizon.

 

 

 

One thing you folks arent talking about is customer service. Verizon has so many loyal customers because their customer service is leaps and bounds ahead of Sprint and AT&T (I have no experience with Tmobile to give an opinion).

 

HOWEVER, thats sort of changing. Verizon has been making cut after cut in features. Little things like how replacement phones used to ship overnight now are sent out via "smart post".

 

Then again, thats still better than Sprint. Sprint charges you $35 to replace a phone thats in warranty. Verizon, like any reputable company, charges zero. Zip.

 

Other recent verizon cuts are in how many credits reps can give, charges for things that used to be free (ie, changing phone number with phone rep), and elimination of loyalty programs like NE2. .....although sprint also eliminated theirs (thanks apple!).

 

At one time Verizon was good for Customer service, but then it went down hill for me and they just got downright mean. Then they lied to my friend and overbilled, said they would give credits and never did. Plus I have heard many complaints from other people about their customer service.

 

As for Sprint CS, yesterday I made another payment arrangement, and they put a temporary credit on my account to stop my auto-pay from trying to come out. Never had that happen before. Sprint is #1 in my book!

[koiulpoi]

Then again, thats still better than Sprint. Sprint charges you $35 to replace a phone thats in warranty. Verizon, like any reputable company, charges zero. Zip.

$50 as of today.

 

Do note that if you're not paying for VZW's "protection plan", in Year 2 they will not replace your device. If it breaks, is defective, etc, you get to upgrade (if eligable) or purchase a new device as MSRP. Or maybe buy a referb. That's it. Don't have the money? Too bad.

 

In my opinion, that is abysmally worse than Sprint, who will replace your phone in Year 4 for that charge, without changing your contract, etc.

 

But, like Rob said, Customer Service is different from Policy. Trust me - I've had my fair share of people claim "bad customer service" when I don't give them free cases/car chargers/etc.

[JeffDTD]

Jabs between any of the carriers over customer satisfaction is rather trivial when you look at the mean scores and the distance between #1 and #2 or #3. The margins are so small its laughable.

 

Ive had a few interactions with verizon when helping my parents and uncles and have found them to be well trained and consistant. Verizons corporate culture and its confidence in the products it sells is why customers who are disatisfied with verizon are not as nannied or coddled the way some carriers may. There are no freebies at verizon and they have no reason to reward loyalty.

 

I just dont view customer service quality among carriers even debatable anymore. Verizon takes it by 10 points on an 800 point scale. If we were in school, that would be a 94% vs a 95%

 

http://www.jdpower.com/content/press-release/iykfurZ/2012-u-s-wireless-customer-care-performance-studies--volume-1.htm

[NGeorge]

 

 

You should consider doing what I am doing.

 

You can put your sprint plan in seasonal standby @ 8.99/mo and do prepaid t-mobile (starting at 30/month for 5GB 4G/100 minutes, ending at 70/month for unlimited everything)

 

Yeah that ain't gonna happen... I actually keep a T-Mo phone in my glove box as a backup/loaner for friends, and as much as I'd love to root for them (the HSDPA+ really is great) they only have it directly in the cities... Outside of that, it's EDGE and even GPRS... I feel as though even though Sprint 3G is slow, they at least put the effort in to make everything EV-DO. It's a case of having really fast servce sometimes, then slower than crap--or knowing I'll at least have mid-range 3G wherever I go.

 

Furthermore they only offer AT&T roaming in some areas along the coast--and in Eastern Washington. Check out Western Washington state--their corporate HQ no less--and you'll see how they block all roaming in the greater Seattle area all the way down to Portland--coupled with a smaller native coverage area than Sprint, I just can't make it my only phone (I also hate how GSM phones taunt you with "SOS only" in areas where they don't have a roaming agreement--at least CDMA phones give you an option of making a call through the American Roaming Network.)

 

But thanks for the thought--if it ain't Sprint, it'll have to be AT&T or Verizon--and Verizon seems to be the "more evil" at this time by eliminating all individual plans... Both carriers offer decent service--and have always flip-flopped as to who has the better network... If t-Mo opened up AT&T roaming, they might be a better contender around here.

[SGT516]

 

Yeah that ain't gonna happen... I actually keep a T-Mo phone in my glove box as a backup/loaner for friends,

 

Are they still your friend after using it?

 

A back up T-Mobile device? That's odd, I thought if one used T-Mobile THEN a back up device from another carrier was warranted.

 

 

 

Sent using Tapatalk

[centermedic]

Sure, but why even let a completely overhauled network be tainted by past baggage (essentially the reputation created by the lackluster old network)?

 

Its a completely new and amazing product, it might be worthy of a re-brand.

 

Appearing as a completely new corporate entity in the minds of the casual consumer, completely free from all past baggage and any negative association from previous failures might be the way to go. It's usually easier to start over completely fresh than to repair a damaged reputation.

 

Most people have smartphones, but most of those people don't follow this industry closely. People do talk to their friends, especially when they have complaints about service. And Sprint is just coming out of a long period of time where the network performance was suffering etc.

 

It *MIGHT* be the optimal business strategy.

I think what gets overlooked is that you can change the name but people will still keep up with who you were. You don't have to be a tech head. Friends, family and other companies will strive to keep you informed.

[twospirits]

I think that after the deal is approved, Softbank will make marketing a top priority and try to change the perception those have with the Sprint band being bad.

[digiblur]

I think that after the deal is approved, Softbank will make marketing a top priority and try to change the perception those have with the Sprint band being bad.

 

They have a huge job ahead of them. Only people I ever hear anything positive about Sprint from are on this forum. I use them because I am cheap and so are they.

 

Sent from my little Note2

 

 

[Fraydog]

Rebrand as SoftBank.

 

Problem solved.

[JeffDTD]

This conversation circles the drain. Despite a very negative opinion of sprint in the interwebs, the cdma platform has and will continue to grow at a rate that is comparably proportionate to sprints size vs the big two. The mobile landscape will be even more about data in the next 10 years than it has been in the last five. How sprint performs in respect to price, speed, size and value will determine its future. Not a name. Or a color. Its part of the puzzle, but worthless until softbank has built an empire. And when they have , thats the time to assess a brand initiative.