Sprint Hangs Up on Problem Customers
Sprint is attempting to rid itself of customers who frequent its customer service lines by informing them that it would cancel their service effective July 30.
In letters that were apparently sent out on June 29, the company indicated to these users that "the number of inquiries you have made to us during this time has led us to determine that we are unable to meet your current wireless needs."
Such a move would seem to only make problems worse for the nation's third largest carrier. The company has had trouble holding on to its customers, and lost 220,000 subscribers during the first quarter.
It is unclear how many customers received the letters, although Sprint claims it was a small group. The company said it made the decision to end the contracts of customers who frequently called their customer service lines in order to serve others -- ostensibly less-frequent dialers -- better.
The decision has left some with a bad taste in their mouths, with a few claiming that their reasons for the frequent calls were actually due to Sprint's own problems.
One said she had to call repeatedly to fix a billing problem. Such problems are not new to Sprint; the carrier has become a frequent target of customer ire for network problems and what some describe as rude customer service.
Several users of an online forum where the story first broke, Sprintusers.com, are writing to Sprint chairman and CEO Gary Forsee to complain about the practice.
It should be noted that Sprint is offering a service credit to those whose accounts it is terminating, and is not charging an early termination fee.