I really cannot believe this is legal. I haven't had any trouble with anyone else. This is what happened, I would appreciate anyone else's advice and sharing of experiences to see what I can or should do.
In March 2003, I got a 2 for one cell phone deal with Sprint with a one year contract. The contract was up in March 2004. I kept the service anyway. Last fall, I started having trouble with one of the phones. I asked them if I could get one of those deals where you sign up for another contract and get a free phone, like other companies have, and they said I would have to buy the phone first and then wait 6-10 weeks for the rebate! I told them I couldn't do without the money that long and what happened to the 'she's new' commericials saying new people weren't special, everyone was, they'd give a new person the phone free NOW but I have to do the fucking rebate shit? That sucks! So I decided not to renew the contract and live with the phones.
However, my husband's phone totally passed away. I called them up and asked them to drop it from the bill since it didn't work, and they told me I would have to sign a new 2 year agreement on the other phone if I did that since it was a change in service! I said, WTF? Do I get a new phone with this new contract, and they said no! I just couldn't cancel a broken phone without being obligated to a new contract, how fucked up is that??
So I kept the broken phone on there and payed anyway so I wouldn't have to be trapped in a new contract if I found a better deal, which I did. I found another company that gave me a free phone with a one year contract so I replaced his phone with that one. So all I had was the one, and it was acting up too. Just before Christmas, they cut me off for late payment. They then told me I was going to have to pay what I owed in back bills ($189) plus an additional $80 for next month's service which was not used yet since no phone was working. I told them at the time I could not afford it. I got a second free phone from the other company and said shit on them (I have talked to other people, this other company is NOT like that)
So I had 2 new phones and better plans with the other service, all I needed to do was drop Sprint so they'd stop charging me. Every time I called them to cancel, they'd accuse me of being under contract and I'd say, uh, no. Then they tried to convince me to stay and when I said no, they transfer me to a 'specialist' and tell me there is a long wait. I was either cut off or gave up before I ever got to this person.
So last night I finally got the person. It was worse than I thought! They informed me that I cannot cancel without bringing the account active again, which means paying them everything I owe, including the $80 I never used! I told them I would pay the past amount but NOT the new bill for Jan. service which was never used. He goes, well we always bill a month in advance, and I said, but I never used it, the phones don't even work and were turned off anyway, how can you charge me for something I never used, that's like charging me for a chair I didn't buy! He insisted I had to pay the entire nearly $300 bucks just to get it 'active' so they can cancel it, and if I don't they'll keep billing me for new service every month until I do, even though the phones don't work, and if I don't pay they will turn me over to collections and put it on my credit report! I cannot believe what an unfair communistic trap this is! What can I do? Ever heard of this?
In March 2003, I got a 2 for one cell phone deal with Sprint with a one year contract. The contract was up in March 2004. I kept the service anyway. Last fall, I started having trouble with one of the phones. I asked them if I could get one of those deals where you sign up for another contract and get a free phone, like other companies have, and they said I would have to buy the phone first and then wait 6-10 weeks for the rebate! I told them I couldn't do without the money that long and what happened to the 'she's new' commericials saying new people weren't special, everyone was, they'd give a new person the phone free NOW but I have to do the fucking rebate shit? That sucks! So I decided not to renew the contract and live with the phones.
However, my husband's phone totally passed away. I called them up and asked them to drop it from the bill since it didn't work, and they told me I would have to sign a new 2 year agreement on the other phone if I did that since it was a change in service! I said, WTF? Do I get a new phone with this new contract, and they said no! I just couldn't cancel a broken phone without being obligated to a new contract, how fucked up is that??
So I kept the broken phone on there and payed anyway so I wouldn't have to be trapped in a new contract if I found a better deal, which I did. I found another company that gave me a free phone with a one year contract so I replaced his phone with that one. So all I had was the one, and it was acting up too. Just before Christmas, they cut me off for late payment. They then told me I was going to have to pay what I owed in back bills ($189) plus an additional $80 for next month's service which was not used yet since no phone was working. I told them at the time I could not afford it. I got a second free phone from the other company and said shit on them (I have talked to other people, this other company is NOT like that)
So I had 2 new phones and better plans with the other service, all I needed to do was drop Sprint so they'd stop charging me. Every time I called them to cancel, they'd accuse me of being under contract and I'd say, uh, no. Then they tried to convince me to stay and when I said no, they transfer me to a 'specialist' and tell me there is a long wait. I was either cut off or gave up before I ever got to this person.
So last night I finally got the person. It was worse than I thought! They informed me that I cannot cancel without bringing the account active again, which means paying them everything I owe, including the $80 I never used! I told them I would pay the past amount but NOT the new bill for Jan. service which was never used. He goes, well we always bill a month in advance, and I said, but I never used it, the phones don't even work and were turned off anyway, how can you charge me for something I never used, that's like charging me for a chair I didn't buy! He insisted I had to pay the entire nearly $300 bucks just to get it 'active' so they can cancel it, and if I don't they'll keep billing me for new service every month until I do, even though the phones don't work, and if I don't pay they will turn me over to collections and put it on my credit report! I cannot believe what an unfair communistic trap this is! What can I do? Ever heard of this?