Horrible Iphone 5 Experience - Screwed by Apple & Sprint

N

Nick9075

macrumors newbie
First Iphone 5 was defective. The lightning cable would barely charge the phone and then the phone would immediately die when disconnected.

Took it back to Apple store. swapped it out for a new one. The second one will not activate on the sprint network. I have been on the phone for hours with Sprint Customer Service, technicians who all tell me a different story -- last technician told me to go back to the Apple store and have them 'swap sim cards' (I didn't think CDMA & Sprint used SIM Cards).. Apple basically laughed at me when I went back and asked them to do this.

So basically I have an Iphone which cannot be activated & no one knows why (or how) and lost my upgrade (so now I have to pay out $700 + for a phone & eat the $450 I lost and be laughed at & condescended at the Apple store like I am some type of scammer).
Well hopefully I can do a chargeback to recover at least the $450 and then have to fight with Sprint about getting a service credit (since I am paying $130 a month for service that I absolutely can't use) and somehow get the upgrade that was forfeited.
I will never step foot in the Apple store again after the way I was treated especially the haughty, holier than thou attitude & unwillingness to help
 
UFBoy2323 said:
Sprint CS sucks. All you need to do is return the phone. Then repurchase a different one.
Click to expand...

I lost the upgrade and the Apple store basically told me I will have to talk to sprint. Sure I will need to repurchase and spend $700+.. Hopefully I can get the $450 back by disputing the charge or will have to go thru that mandatory binding arbitration.
 
Nick9075 said:
I lost the upgrade and the Apple store basically told me I will have to talk to sprint. Sure I will need to repurchase and spend $700+.. Hopefully I can get the $450 back by disputing the charge or will have to go thru that mandatory binding arbitration.
Click to expand...

When you return the phone the upgrade should be added back to your line within a couple days. Then repurchase at the lower price.
 
Nick9075 said:
I lost the upgrade and the Apple store basically told me I will have to talk to sprint. Sure I will need to repurchase and spend $700+.. Hopefully I can get the $450 back by disputing the charge or will have to go thru that mandatory binding arbitration.
Click to expand...

First off try to ditch the negative assumptions on your part. I understand you're frustrated but if you assume the worst, that's what you'll get.

Let me break it down.

1) Basically it looks like you have a defective phone. Don't be so quick to condemn Sprint. They didn't build it, and it's a really bad time to buy a newly revised iPhone. The number of people with problems is staggering simply because of the massive phone sales. Everyone is overwhelmed. Of course you're going to get different answers, they don't have any experience with the new phone yet. It's the risk you take, and the price you pay for being an early adopter.

2) Sprint is not going to cheat you out of your upgrade. Go in with the phone and _be nice_. Give them a chance to help you. They will, if you're easy to deal with. If you are negative, they will view you like the other difficult people they see, and you will have a problem.

3) Once they give you another, ask for help activating it right in their store. It's win-win for everyone & you've not made it worse by being a tough customer.
 
It shouldnt be that hard.
Go back to Apple and have them help you activate it.
And yes the i5 needs a sim even on Sprint and Verizon.
Usually Apple techs can call Sprint and have it setup and running for you.
Just be patient, it will work out. Its not the end of the world. Relax, controll and calm yourself down.
 
Nick9075 said:
I lost the upgrade and the Apple store basically told me I will have to talk to sprint. Sure I will need to repurchase and spend $700+.. Hopefully I can get the $450 back by disputing the charge or will have to go thru that mandatory binding arbitration.
Click to expand...

You will not havemto spend 700. Return your phone, within a few days you will have your avaiable upgrade back and then you can repurchase a new one at the 200 subsidized price.
 
Something similar happened to me. My replacement was showing "invalid SIM" and not activating. Went to the sprint store. Tech had to spend some time on the issue, but the ultimate result was that the apple store guy who had swapped my SIM didn't put the new iPhone onto my sprint account. Fairly straightfoward fix (put the phone on the account)
 
99.9% of people who were "screwed" by a large reputable company were in fact only screwed by their own small disreputable brain.
 
Wow.. seems to be ALOT of apologists for Sprint & Apple here. I went to the Apple store and I was pretty nice but I can tell BS a mile away as well as these lame excuses from Sprint & Apple...

A) The $700 & $450
$700 -- Price I will have to pay for a new phone since according to Sprint (and I quote) I am not eligible for an upgrade at this time.
$450 - Money lost on the Iphone 5 so far which (after spending yet another hour at the Apple store with them telling me it was in the que for activation & I just need to Wait) I will get back even if I have to goto Arbitration or Court.

The Issue
B) What the issue seems to be is that they cannot put the ESN of the Phone into the system or associate it with the SIM Card in the phone therefore I am getting an invalid SIM message. Apple probably swapped the first defective phone to another defective phone that someone returned before.

I don't have any phone or service and my people calling me get a message saying that my number is not in service. I do have a Blackberry from my job which I need to use exclusively now..
 
Nick9075 said:
A) The $700 & $450
$700 -- Price I will have to pay for a new phone since according to Sprint (and I quote) I am not eligible for an upgrade at this time.
$450 - Money lost on the Iphone 5 so far which (after spending yet another hour at the Apple store with them telling me it was in the que for activation & I just need to Wait) I will get back even if I have to

The Issue
B) What the issue seems to be is that they cannot put the ESN of the Phone into the system or associate it with the SIM Card in the phone therefore I am getting an invalid SIM message. Apple probably swapped the first defective phone to another defective phone that someone returned before.

I don't a phone or service and my people calling me get a message saying that my number is not in service. I do have a Blackberry from my job which I need to use exclusively now..
Click to expand...

Honestly, if you still don't understand what you have to do - your hopeless.
 
lls4f said:
Something similar happened to me. My replacement was showing "invalid SIM" and not activating. Went to the sprint store. Tech had to spend some time on the issue, but the ultimate result was that the apple store guy who had swapped my SIM didn't put the new iPhone onto my sprint account. Fairly straightfoward fix (put the phone on the account)
Click to expand...

Yes but no one can do this.. You went to a Sprint store?? I tried several stores here in the Boston area --- they wouldn't help me because it wasn't purchased directly thru Sprint..
The next thing will be how to get (all of ) my money back and then how to get Sprint put the upgrade back on my account. We will see how that goes next week. I shouldn't have to waste an hour each time at the Apple store and on hold with Sprint for an issue no one can figure out
 
Nick9075 said:
First Iphone 5 was defective. The lightning cable would barely charge the phone and then the phone would immediately die when disconnected.

Took it back to Apple store. swapped it out for a new one. The second one will not activate on the sprint network. I have been on the phone for hours with Sprint Customer Service, technicians who all tell me a different story -- last technician told me to go back to the Apple store and have them 'swap sim cards' (I didn't think CDMA & Sprint used SIM Cards).. Apple basically laughed at me when I went back and asked them to do this.

So basically I have an Iphone which cannot be activated & no one knows why (or how) and lost my upgrade (so now I have to pay out $700 + for a phone & eat the $450 I lost and be laughed at & condescended at the Apple store like I am some type of scammer).
Well hopefully I can do a chargeback to recover at least the $450 and then have to fight with Sprint about getting a service credit (since I am paying $130 a month for service that I absolutely can't use) and somehow get the upgrade that was forfeited.
I will never step foot in the Apple store again after the way I was treated especially the haughty, holier than thou attitude & unwillingness to help
Click to expand...

It's always been pretty clear cut to me at least ...

Hardware/Software issue? Go to Apple
Service/Activation issue? Go to the carrier

Clearly you have an activation issue, so Sprint will need to resolve this. Go into a store, you may need a new SIM (I'm assuming this has LTE so it has a SIM), and for someone to look into it for you.

----------
Nick9075 said:
Yes but no one can do this.. You went to a Sprint store?? I tried several stores here in the Boston area --- they wouldn't help me because it wasn't purchased directly thru Sprint..
The next thing will be how to get (all of ) my money back and then how to get Sprint put the upgrade back on my account. We will see how that goes next week. I shouldn't have to waste an hour each time at the Apple store and on hold with Sprint for an issue no one can figure out
Click to expand...

Read what I just posted above.

And to be fair, it sounds like Sprint is screwing you over, not Apple.

Apple really has zero percent involvement in the activation process.
 
Call Apple Customer care and talk to their managers. Tell them to send replacement. Your phone is not working and it is their damn duty to fix it.
 
Call Apple Customer Support right now: 1-800-MY-APPLE (800-692-7753)

Don't waste another moment on anything else.

If your story is legit AND you behave like a civil humanoid on the phone, I'm confident you will be WELL taken care of.
 
All of the suggestions made here have been tried.

I went to the Apple store for the activation issue and spent over an hour there, they (supposedly) spoke to a Sprint Rep who said that it would take 48 hours from the time I got this phone.

I also spoke to tech support at Sprint who basically I would have to goto the Apple store.

Again, I went to several Sprint stores in the Boston area and tried to discuss this issue but they wouldn't do anything because the phone wasn't purchased directly thru Sprint.
 
Nick9075 said:
All of the suggestions made here have been tried.

I went to the Apple store for the activation issue and spent over an hour there, they (supposedly) spoke to a Sprint Rep who said that it would take 48 hours from the time I got this phone.

I also spoke to tech support at Sprint who basically I would have to goto the Apple store.

Again, I went to several Sprint stores in the Boston area and tried to discuss this issue but they wouldn't do anything because the phone wasn't purchased directly thru Sprint.
Click to expand...

I don't see where you spoke to Apple Customer Support.
 
Why not just return the phone? Then transfer sprint service over to your old phone. Once they update stock tonight at 10:00 reserve one for tomorrow and try again.

Hopefully it was a one time issue and this will give you a fresh start.
 
Mbman81 said:
Why not just return the phone? Then transfer sprint service over to your old phone. Once they update stock tonight at 10:00 reserve one for tomorrow and try again.

Hopefully it was a one time issue and this will give you a fresh start.
Click to expand...

Because I am not eligible for an upgrade since I used the upgrade to purchase this phone from Apple. How will Sprint 'recognize' that the Iphone is returned to Apple?

Now, I have to get Sprint to somehow 'override' the system (and get them to do this) so I can use my upgrade eligibility for another phone (which certainly will not be an Apple device)..

I tried a Sprint store near me and the guy interrupted me saying "we don't do tech support" you have to call customer service.

----------
spiralynth said:
I don't see where you spoke to Apple Customer Support.
Click to expand...

I think spending over 2 hours in the store over 2 visits, and having them attempt to activate the phone (but actual results are what matter) and getting misinformation either intentionally or whatever counts for the above
 
If you return the phone to Apple your upgrade will be restored. I returned my iPhone 4 for antenna issues and my upgrade was reestablished. What is the extra $450 you keep mentioning?
 
I guess it's impossible to activate your iPhone then.
You should give up ever having a cellphone again.
Weird thing others have all their activation issues resolved but for you it cannot be done.
For some people everything is a huge thing and a mountain to overcome...
How is it always newbies with 2 posts with these crazy stories and in the end is always I'm not getting an iPhone again, Apple sucks and we are all apologists for trying to suggest to him reasonable solutions.
Get an android dude.
 
Nick9075 said:
Wow.. seems to be ALOT of apologists for Sprint & Apple here. I went to the Apple store and I was pretty nice but I can tell BS a mile away as well as these lame excuses from Sprint & Apple...

A) The $700 & $450
$700 -- Price I will have to pay for a new phone since according to Sprint (and I quote) I am not eligible for an upgrade at this time.
$450 - Money lost on the Iphone 5 so far which (after spending yet another hour at the Apple store with them telling me it was in the que for activation & I just need to Wait) I will get back even if I have to goto Arbitration or Court.
Click to expand...


No, it doesn't work that way. Once you return the phone, you will get your upgrade back. Unless you personally insulted Dan Hesse, or something.

If I were you, I would just return the phone to Apple, wait 48 hours or so for your upgrade to return (or take your return receipt to Sprint store if it doesn't), then order a new phone and start over from scratch.

I know customer service can be a pain with all the waiting and frayed nerves involved.
 
I don't get what your babbling about, just return the Damn phone simple. All this fussing and bellyaching not needed. Return it get ya money back n try again after your upgrade is set back to your account. U need a Zantac or Prozac u way to emotional over a phone!
 
You might try Retentions: 866-866-7509 or 800-777-4681
Retentions has the authority to fix things.

If those numbers don't work call Customer Service (any Sprint number) and ask to be transferred to Account Services.

You might also try dan@sprint.com
 
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