for Sprint, breaking up is hard to do

My Sprint Sanyo SCP-7300 cell phone sat on my desk going in and out of roaming on its own – without even being moved. Reception was better on my old Sanyo cell, but its screen melted down about 6 months before my Sprint contract ended.

Although the old Sanyo was the only Sprint phone I used in 5 years, when it broke I discovered that I would have to extend my Sprint contract for another 2 years to take advantage of the "free phone" offered with my most recent contract. Why? Because I didn't get my free phone during the first 3 months of the latest contract, one that I slipped into in order to change my rate plan. This explains why there are so many functioning used cell phones on eBay....

Because Sprint reception is so spotty in my office, home, and community - moving in and out of roaming by going to a different room or crossing the street - I bought the used 7300 on eBay and waited out the months until mid-July 2007, the end of my Sprint contract.

Which carrier to choose? Many local friends and business associates praise Verizon's service, so, initially, I planned to switch to Verizon.

Then the iPhone publicity started. And AT&T's website suggests excellent or good mobile service in my area. A week before my Sprint contract expired, and a week after the iPhone's debut, I bought an iPhone at cost in an Apple store without standing on a long line and after trying the phone to see if it lived up to the hype. My iPhone remained unopened until one day after my Sprint contract expired.

The iPhone exceeds my expectations - from the initial setup to ease of use to features I never thought I would need but now use and love. Reception is great; I get 4 or 5 bars around my office, home, and community. The iPhone feels so much like an elegant mini computer that I wonder if I will even lug along a laptop when I travel. I could go on praising the iPhone, but that's not what this post is about.

A few days ago, I received my final Sprint bill - for 15 cents for 1 SMS text message. : / I used to pay my Sprint bills online. Sprint let me login to my old account and see the advertising, but I discovered that I was no longer authorized to pay my bill online. Okay....

I tried calling the customer service number on my Sprint bill. I couldn't connect to a human Sprint representative until I revealed my old Sprint phone number. I finally got put on hold, with a message saying that there was a 20-minute wait. Okay...

I put the call on speaker phone and got back to work. For a while, muzak played and there was an occasional apology for placing a valued customer on hold. Eventually, the muzak and apologies stopped. One hour and 38 minutes later I realized that while I had not been disconnected, Sprint billing did not want to talk to me. So I hung up...

Rather than spend a lot of time figuring out how to talk to a human being at Sprint to see if I can transfer 15 cents from my checking account over the phone (or if they might waive the fee? Unlikely!), I decided to spend less time writing this post, and write a check to Sprint for 15 cents and mail it to Sprint with a 41-cent stamp.

I'd hate to have my credit ruined because I defaulted on my final Sprint bill....