Sprint loses another million customers

[knucklehead]

Sprint keeps losing customers while AT&T and Verizon gain. Revenue is down 12 percent. 

Stock is down to $3.21.

http://sprintconnection.kansascity.com/?q=node/859

How long can this continue?

[ShowME]

Dunno.  I understand people's perception of Sprint's bad customer service.  But I think the marketing should have been revamped long ago.  The PowerUp and then the Now Network campaign is freaking awful.  The need to be deceptive and lie in there advertising just like Verizon and ATT does.  It seems like every third party that survey's dropped calls comes up with a different carrier as the best.  Start running ads that says Sprint is the best plus hammer on one of the few positives your company has...broadband connection cards.  Don't let ATT just run commercial after commercial showing a guy near the north pole and he found the internet.  What a crock.  Make your own commercials/lies.  Upper management in Sprint still blows.  All upper management, especially the VP of General Business/Public Sector should have been canned long ago.

[aknowledgeableperson]

I am one customer Sprint lost.  Not so much because of Sprint but because I got a better deal with AT&T and better service at the lake.

[ignatius]

The 'Now Network' sounds like an idea from the board, not creative marketing people.  Very lame.

I've had Sprint since they started and they are definitely better than ever.  The customer service is clearly better but will take a long time for the image of poor service to improve.  I just drove to Fla last week (flew back) and was streaming internet radio on my Treo to car stereo the entire trip.  Worked great even in obscure areas.  They also have better roaming agreements than any carrier.

The network is great, it's the way the company is run that needs to improve and I think they'll turn around in another year.  It's the Nextel side though that is bleeding the customers.  Now that they have PTT on CDMA, they have got to move over as many Nextel users over as they can by not releasing anymore iDen only phones, they should be combo phones so that they can eventually shut off the iDen side that has no future.

Overall though, I think they are a better wireless _data_ company and they really need to capitalize on that.  They made a huge mistake merging with Nextel and it was obvious early on.  They should have merged with Alltel but now it's too late as Verizon sucked them up.

[staubio]

Overall though, I think they are a better wireless _data_ company and they really need to capitalize on that.  They made a huge mistake merging with Nextel and it was obvious early on.  They should have merged with Alltel but now it's too late as Verizon sucked them up.

This is spot on. I called it when the rumors came out. It never made sense to buy a network that was both outdated and completely incompatible with Sprint's. I think they were so eager to be in the buy-up game and not lose ground in the size wars that they took what they can get.

I use my phone more for data, texting and multimedia. Sprint always has pushed the envelope in this realm. Perception is lagging reality in the quality of Sprint's network and service. People still complain about deadspots that were resolved 5+ years ago.

[NOLA]

Is there still that dead spot by Briarcliff on I-29? 

The service and reception may be better.  The problem is, when I left sprint 2 years ago both were awful.  Now I'm on a provider that I have no reason to leave.    I'm sure there are other former Sprint customers in the same position.

[en08]

I'm living in St. Louis temporarly, and I used to have AT&T (I've also been with Verizon and T-Mobile back in KC and hated them both); I recently had it with their 300 dollar phone bills that came from mysterious overuse on my part and 1 bar of service or less in DOWNTOWN SAINT LOUIS, so I switched over to Sprint about two weeks ago. I used to have an iPhone (the only reason I was an AT&T customer as long as I was), but now I got an instinct, and I am going to say it was TOTALLY worth the switch. I always have four bars-- everywhere in STL, all on I-70 and it's great in KC too. I am VERY impressed with Sprint; their customer service is GREAT, their plans are even better (99 bucks/month for everything), their coverage is great, and they have really nice phones. I know that a couple of years ago sprint SUCKED, but they have totally turned around... I don't know why they need to lie, because in my oppinion they are far superior to all the other carriers.

[Midtownkid]

Thanks Sprint Rep!

[NDTeve]

Thanks Sprint Rep!

If anyone likes Sprint...they must be lying!!!

[ignatius]

Is there still that dead spot by Briarcliff on I-29?  

The service and reception may be better.   The problem is, when I left sprint 2 years ago both were awful.   Now I'm on a provider that I have no reason to leave.    I'm sure there are other former Sprint customers in the same position.

Yeah, they fixed that area.  I used to have it drop all the time there but it doesn't anymore.  It could also be newer phones with newer chipsets or more sensitive radio.  The bottom line is that I don't think Sprint's network is an issue anymore.  Support was an issue but seems to be functional now.  It's pretty much the Nextel side that is bleeding.  They need to find a way to dump the Nextel network ASAP as it has no future.

[KCPowercat]

If anyone likes Sprint...they must be lying!!!

I've had sprint since I owned a cell and have had no reason to change....so I guess I like it.  their phone selection is good and their service where I use it is good.  I did have problems downtown for awhile but they resolved those after a couple calls.

Maybe I would like another service more but really have no reason to change....I've heard from others that sprint's call quality is better and their data services blow all the others out of the water....and I've had zero problems with their C.S., which was their huge knock.

[Maitre D]

I've had Sprint for 10 years and I have no complaints really.  I rarely have dropped calls.



By the way - they finished 5th one year in customer surveys of their network.  (2004ish).  Virgin Mobile - which runs on Sprint's network - had outstanding network quality tho!



Which makes no sense.  And shows you how important marketing and customer service really are, when customers assess your actual product's quality.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I had Sprint for a good ten years - horrible customer service.  The straw that broke the camel's back was when I went to the store to buy a full priced phone and was told I had to have an appointment and would need to come back another day.  I have had Verizon for two years now and pay slightly more per month but the difference in support is 1000x better.  I have heard that Sprint's support ratings have improved over the last six months but it is going to take a lot of effort to reverse the well deserved bad reputation. 

[Maitre D]

I have Sprint largely because they're a local company. 


I try my best to support local firms, getting my taxes at HRB, greeting cards at Hallmark, etc.  Even when the product sucks (Applebee's), I don't see a huge disparity btw their stuff and Chili's.

[lock+load]

I have Sprint and have been largely unimpressed.  I drop calls all the time at my office (in midtown, next to the window).  I've had nothing but bad customer service experiences with them.  But, the discounts make the price so much less than competitors I don't switch.  Whenever the price difference is gone, I'll switch.

[NDTeve]

I have Sprint largely because they're a local company. 


I try my best to support local firms, getting my taxes at HRB, greeting cards at Hallmark, etc.   Even when the product sucks (Applebee's), I don't see a huge disparity btw their stuff and Chili's.

Agreed. Funny how people bitch on here about supporting local businesses and yet don't support the biggest one in town.

[ignatius]

I have Sprint and have been largely unimpressed.  I drop calls all the time at my office (in midtown, next to the window).  I've had nothing but bad customer service experiences with them.  But, the discounts make the price so much less than competitors I don't switch.  Whenever the price difference is gone, I'll switch.

How old is your phone?  When is the last time you called support?

I live Midtown and never had a single dropped call.  Probably your phone.

[lock+load]

How old is your phone?  When is the last time you called support?

I live Midtown and never had a single dropped call.  Probably your phone.

My phone is three years old.  I shouldn't have to call support.  The last time I did they told me I needed to turn my phone off at night.  Pretty lame solution.

I shouldn't need to replace a phone after three years.

[NDTeve]

My phone is three years old.  I shouldn't have to call support.  The last time I did they told me I needed to turn my phone off at night.  Pretty lame solution.

I shouldn't need to replace a phone after three years.

Old School. I like it.

[ignatius]

Just asking on support as it has indeed improved significantly the last 6 months.  Drops might be the model though as some are indeed poor at reception, especially Motorola.  I just have never had any issues with my Treo 700p and Midtown has always been solid as a rock for me over 10 years.  Samsung and Sanyo supposedly better too.  There was a significant improvement in chipsets in the last year.  Something may be simply wrong with your phone cause that doesn't sound right for Midtown.

(No, I don't work for Sprint, but did a short 3-month contract in 2000.)