[jwolf7722]

Figure the blackberry smart people(im not one of them) would be able to help with this ? I recently switched to tmobile and ported my number from sprint. After talking to Sprint on clearing the ESN number so I can give the phone to a friend I was told it cant be done till the bill cycle ends. Does this sound correct? I figured it would be something really simple since my account is cancelled (well once the billing cycle ends in july). I have been told by Sprint that I can have it cleared, need to get tmobile to clear the phone, phone cant be cleared. What do you guys think?

[AnthroMatt]

As soon as the port goes through your number is canceled. If that was your only line with Sprint, it should be no problem to activate the phone on another line, since you do not have a line of service any more. The only exception would be if that Sprint requires your line to have a zero balance before the ESN is released for activation on another account. I can't see how this would be legal though. The phone is yours, not Sprint's. Either you pay your final bill or your don't, but that phone does not belong to Sprint.

[jwolf7722]

Its been a real pain and Sprint is standing firm on not cancelling my account or releasing the ESN number till the billing cycle is over. Weird.

[AnthroMatt]

Wirelessly posted (7130e: BlackBerry8703e/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)

Well your acct cannot be canceled until your balance is zero. But your line should be gone, mesning the ESN should be free.

[jwolf7722]

Sprint reps are idiots then. Ten of them today said the ESN number wont be free till the bill cycyle is done. This is the reason im no longer a sprint customer.

[AnthroMatt]

Yeah, I would say 90% of Sprint's employees are worthless. Though I often wonder how much of that is their fault, and how much is the fault of Sprint for failing to properly train people.

I actually had to tell an employee in a Sprint this week that my Sprint BB didn't need a SIM card. She thought all BlackBerries needed them. I told her all NEXTEL BB's need one. Not all BB's. Ugh!

[Dubdub]

Originally Posted by jwolf7722

Sprint reps are idiots then. Ten of them today said the ESN number wont be free till the bill cycyle is done. This is the reason im no longer a sprint customer.

If ten of then said the same thing, I wouldn't classify them as idiots. I would say that is the company policy and there isn't much any of us can do about it. Like it or not, you appear to be stuck until the end of the billing cycle.

Unless someone who posted actually works for Sprint, I don't think they have that much credibility with this issue. Sorry posters, but that is my opinion on this one.

[jwolf7722]

Didnt mean to call them all idiots. I will take that back. There customer service is horrible though. Is some of it overseas? Most of the time English isnt there first language.

[AnthroMatt]

Originally Posted by Dubdub

If ten of then said the same thing, I wouldn't classify them as idiots. I would say that is the company policy and there isn't much any of us can do about it. Like it or not, you appear to be stuck until the end of the billing cycle.

Unless someone who posted actually works for Sprint, I don't think they have that much credibility with this issue. Sorry posters, but that is my opinion on this one.

I'm sure it is company policy if they are all saying the same thing.

That doesn't change the fact that I think it is beyond just "wrong" that it is Sprint policy. The phone is not owned by Sprint. If there is an active line, I have no problem with requiring a phone to be associated with that line. But if the line is inactive, which it MUST be in this case if the port has completed, then the phone is not Sprint's to hold hostage, as they do not own that phone.

If Sprint's computer system required an ESN, they could assign a dummy ESN and let the person do with their phone as they please. But they have chosen not to, and to me that practice should be illegal since they don't own the phone.

[Dubdub]

Really doesn't make any difference what we think. I doubt if it will make any difference or change things. Plus it could be there for a good reason!

[Naked Wife]

Wirelessly posted (NakedBerry: BlackBerry7250/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/104)

I could see where Sprint would use this policy as an incentive for people who don't end up with a zero balance to pay their final bill. Even though they bill you a month in advance, maybe there will be overages or downloads to pay. I'm not saying I agree with the policy, but if I look at it from Sprints perspective, I can see what they might be trying to do.