Sprint turned me away - I'm waiting for Verizon

[Tedcas]

I had no issue when I got the Pre on release day. I have a 617 area code from Boston, and purchased at a Mall in NH close to where I now live.

[PWSammy]

I live in area code 989 and that's the area code my phone has. My job is located in area code 248 (75 miles from home) - I bought my phone at a Sprint store in the 248 area code with no hassles or questions.

[hparsons]

Originally Posted by Tedcas

I had no issue when I got the Pre on release day. I have a 617 area code from Boston, and purchased at a Mall in NH close to where I now live.

Not denying what the OP said, because some of the stores do some strange things, but I was out of town when I bought my Pre, actually out of state. I bought one is southern NJ using a Ft Worth, TX (817) area code. No problems.

[ivhs72]

Originally Posted by Erik2009

The representative at my local store wasn't sure why the policy was in place. They said this policy applied only to the Pre, and he could have sold me any other phone without requiring me to change my phone number. Something about the Pre being on "lockdown."

They also said they had no idea when the policy would be lifted so that they could sell me the Pre. They recommended I try a "flagship" store (100 miles away).

The person in the store that told you this is an idiot, plain and simple. My experience two weeks ago shows that. I live in Oregon, my girl friend lives in Alabama. We had two phones on the same account with Oregon 503 area codes. Both our phones were SERO plans. I upgraded mine a month ago to a Sprint BB 8330 in Oregon. No problems but I had to switch to the Everything Plus BB Data plan. When I was visiting in Alabama, my friend liked the BB and we decided to get her one as well. We went into a Sprint corporate store to get one. Merged our plans into the Everything Plus Family BB Data 1600. The area that she lives in gets poor Sprint coverage so she got the Nextel 8350i BB. They changed out her i880 to the 8350i with no problems, no mention about 503 are code concerns. While we were in the store, I played with the Pre and the salesman tried to get me to switch to it. Said if they had stock he could do it right then. Again no concerns over area code or anything like that. I'm not sure why the first store you went to couldn't do it.

[IMethos]

If one store made you give up on buying the phone and wait 6+ months for it to go to vzw u never wanted the phone in the first place

[chodaboy]

I have a dumb question for all of you with phone numbers with area codes other than where you live (I do not move often). Do local people have to call long distance to talk to you?

Example: You moved to San Francisco 5 years ago, but you still have your New York City phone number. Do you local SF friends have to call long distance to reach you in SF?

[06MS6]

Go to Best Buy or Radio Shack?

Originally Posted by chodaboy

I have a dumb question for all of you with phone numbers with area codes other than where you live (I do not move often). Do local people have to call long distance to talk to you?

Example: You moved to San Francisco 5 years ago, but you still have your New York City phone number. Do you local SF friends have to call long distance to reach you in SF?

Yes

[mrloserpunk]

Att will not allow family plans with differant billing market area codes. In other words say you have a NY number and a CA number, we would require either a number change so they both are in the same billing market or 2 individual lines. I have lost a few sales because of that rule.

[Tedcas]

Originally Posted by chodaboy

I have a dumb question for all of you with phone numbers with area codes other than where you live (I do not move often). Do local people have to call long distance to talk to you?

Example: You moved to San Francisco 5 years ago, but you still have your New York City phone number. Do you local SF friends have to call long distance to reach you in SF?

We don't have a land line any longer (it seems like a big waste of $$) and yes, my neighbors across the street are charged long distance when they call, and they don't like it much. It is less of an issue these days with Long distance included mobile plans though.

[bdhu2001]

I was visiting family out-of-town when I purchased my Pre on launch day. I didn't have any trouble and I wasn't turned away. I would say that he must have been at a non-corporate store, but even they would want the sale and the money. I don't get it?

Originally posted by chodaboy:
. . .Example: You moved to San Francisco 5 years ago, but you still have your New York City phone number. Do you local SF friends have to call long distance to reach you in SF?

Yes. Local SF people would get charged for calling NY if they are using a landline. Most mobiles don't charge for long distance so they wouldn't be charged if they used their mobile.

[treo2die4]

Purchased mine on release day in Oregon. Had it activated with an Arizona phone number. Odd and sucks that others were having some much trouble.

[deparson]

Wow, that alone would rule ATT out for us!

Originally Posted by mrloserpunk

Att will not allow family plans with differant billing market area codes. In other words say you have a NY number and a CA number, we would require either a number change so they both are in the same billing market or 2 individual lines. I have lost a few sales because of that rule.

[deparson]

Edited for clarity...

Originally Posted by Erik2009

I'm a longtime Sprint customer, looking to upgrade a phone that is over four years old.

Because my telephone number has an area code from a different region, and Sprint will not allow sales to non-local customers at this time. My only option was to change my telephone number, or drive to a "flagship" Sprint store.

I left my local store, dismayed, and immediately called the "flagship" store. The very helpful associate at that store said she would sell me a phone, but they were going to run out of stock before I could arrive.

So, did you have your name put on the list at the flagship store so you would be sure to get the next available Pre? How do you like your new phone?

[paz00kie]

its funny that they wouldnt let you when like a new cutomer (ie. me) they ask what area code you want associated with your number..i live in 909 but got the pre in a 562 area code location..and i coulda picked anything..silly sprint

[condensed]

I called sprint customer service, no satisfaction. Called back and asked for Retention, Julie said she never heard of such a policy, she said someone would call me back within 2 hours. Of course, no one called. Now I'm back in 815 area code and the local store doesn't have any, neither does the radio shack.

[BAuclair85]

Originally Posted by Erik2009

I have no real desire to go to Verizon, because I'm sure customer service there is not that much better, and I'll probably end up spending more money there. At least it's got a better network.

As a 10 year Verizon customer who is listening to someone dog their supposed future carrier, at least you would have walked out with a phone had it been Verizon. Which you wouldn't have had to call a rep, but had you, they would have taken care of everything on the phone for you rather than playing stupid.

So incase you were wondering, the customer service is much better, as is the coverage. It's worth every penny you spend.

[mardbrown]

Your "local" sprint store has to be a third party dealer and in some cases there system does not allow certain transactions. Thats why they told you to go to a "flag ship" store which is corporate store. I found it really hard to blame the Sprint Corporate for this situation. Third party dealers can essentially pick and choose what theyre sevices are. Which is why I think they most 3rd party dealers suck. Its just the nature of the beast and is the reason why I only deal with Sprint Corporate Stores. (Ie-Most 3rd party dealers cant take payments..... Is that really bad customer service by Sprint) At a corporate store, you would not have had an issue.

[lordelfkin]

At 8:00am, bright and early, in my local Sprint store, I gave the Sprint associate my telephone number to begin the process of upgrading my phone. Right away, I was told I could not purchase the Palm Pre. The reason? Because my telephone number has an area code from a different region, and Sprint will not allow sales to non-local customers at this time. My only option was to change my telephone number, or drive more than 100 miles to a "flagship" Sprint store.

The reason you got turned away is because your CSA (area code) isn't in their market. More than likely you live in an affiliate market, the affiliates reserve the right to keep inventory for their area only... so if you are in one of these affiliate owned areas with an out of market csa you wont get local promotions etc.

[mdmogren]

What is a flagship store and what is the difference??

[bluesforsalvador]

Good luck at verizon,

Be prepared for them to charge you monthly to use the hardware your phone already has on it (which you already paid for).

Verizon is evil