Sprint loses early termination lawsuit, ordered to pay $73M -- but it's not over yet
By Nilay Patel 
posted Jul 29th 2008 2:16PM
posted Jul 29th 2008 2:16PM
Man, Sprint just can't catch a break lately -- the beleaguered wireless carrier was just told that it would have to pay some $73M in refunds to customers for improperly charging early-termination fees. The ruling, from a California state court, will basically set off a flood of similar cases if it stands -- but Sprint still has two weeks to respond to the ruling before Judge Bonnie Sabraw, and you can bet Yellow Swoosh will appeal if it loses in the end. Interestingly, Verizon was facing a similar lawsuit earlier this year and chose to quickly settle -- a lesson Sprint, with far less revenue and shrinking profits, might do well to learn from.[Thanks, Roger A]
Sprint, kicking yourself in the ass for not taking up Alltel on their offer, eh?
When is this company going to learn and just call it quits?
it's ok, they can spend some of that $670m they just got from tower co.
No, actually Sprint will need every dime of that to lease back the towers they just sold. More internal cost-cutting and increased subscriber costs ahead!
I saw this on my local news in San Francisco - the area the court case took place, and HAD to turn it in. I love Sprint - but damn, their ETF is one of the highest - like T-Mobile. Why does AT&T and Verizon have the lowest, and have both already moved forward with ETF Protate.
LOVE YOU SPRINT.
I agree, I don't know why Sprint hasn't gone to the prorate system yet... I'll be honest, I hope sprint does some serious advertising in the near future about their service now that Verizon and alltel look like there going to go through... I think Sprint could pick up a lot of customers because around my area, people who were on alltel were dissatisfied with VZW's service, which is why they're on Alltel right now... I don't think they're going to go back where they left... Hopefully Sprint will have a great deal on some plans to get customers in the stores... Maybe like Tmo with their unlimited family share plans? or possibly lower there simply everything for $89.99?
Sprint looks towards the future it was really obvious when ATT is trying to get the FCC to stop their merge with ClearWire... 4G is the next up and coming, and it seems to be a little more promising that LTE... Sprint will be the provider everyone wants to switch to for the most current high speed data in the next few years...
Maybe so, but their customer service is so very crappy that they've driven a big part of their higher-margin clientele away forever.
@ Rick
Sprint Care has a long ways to go, but they have made great strides in the past few months. It wont happen overnight but they are on the way to better, and then soon to be great. Watch.
the happyst day of my life was when my 2 year contract was up with sprint,crappy customer service to non exsistant celluar service,I like being able to sit in my house to talk not have to run to the middle of the parking lot to get reception so I can use it,Then when my two years werwe up,I called them not one ,not two ,but 5 times to shut my service off,they said we can not do that,I said what?I said that on this day you will shut my servixce off,that idiot on the phone said well i cant do that you have to call on the exact day at this time and we can do it then 4 calls later still had sprint service,I called again and said i will no longer be responsible for any phone service after my contract date is up you are paid to that point and after that i no longer desire your service,well they kept it on for another month and a half then started to call and threaten me about paying the bill,and since have sent it to a credit reporting agencey which i sent a letter explaining what had been done to me .sprint did not care,do not use this service,as connections were awefull and customer service even worse.and they will not turn your phone off at the end of your contract,they want you to just continue paying it ,if you want to or not.