How to Get Out of a Sprint Contract
Cell phone contracts or "service agreements" financially bind customers to service providers for a set period and serve as a retention method to stop customers from switching companies resulting in a loss of revenues. Although service providers, such as Sprint, create clauses and penalties to make contracts seem unbreakable, a competitive market coupled with instances of poor or bad service and negative customer feedback have forced providers to work with customers whenever a customer wants out of contract. With research and a valid reason, you can easily get out of your Sprint contract.
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Instructions
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Review the terms and conditions and/or early termination fees of your contract if you have a copy on file.
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Call Sprint if you don't have a copy of your contract. Ask a customer service agent to order a copy and to confirm the details of your contract over the phone.
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Claim that you have received poor service to immediately get out of your contract. Make your case to a customer service agent by expressing anger, frustration, dissatisfaction or pain through your tone. Let the customer service agent hear your emotional state. If your experience makes you feel like crying, cry. In addition, cite examples and statements of negative impact---examples showing and statements expressing the ways that poor service negatively impacted your life and why you feel you should not carry the burden of the contract or any early termination fees/penalties.
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Prove financial hardship with an agent. As with poor service, express your emotions and show the ways that the cell phone bill negatively impacts your life and/or why you can't pay it. Many service providers such as Sprint will work with customers during times of financial hardship to help break or renegotiate a contract.
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Visit or call other cell phone service providers to acquire "competitive" offers for similar or better service or to negotiate through promotions or contract specials. Some companies offer cash back to use toward cancellation fees or lower pricing that offsets the cost of any penalties.
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Contact Sprint and use any competitive offers to break your contract and/or as leverage to renegotiate a different one. Express your dissatisfaction with your current package or the packages and/or pricing offered by competitors.
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Tips & Warnings
Customer service agents are required to determine if a contract request means that you want to end your association with Sprint. If your reason doesn't involve contract renegotiation, say "for my records," as red flag customer statements such as "I'm unhappy with the service," "I'm reviewing competitive offers," or "I've decided to transfer to another provider" result in longer phone calls and attempts at contract renegotiation using "promotional" sales offers.
Always ask for and write down the full name of any customer service agent you speak with, as well as that person's operator ID, manager's name and direct extension or phone number (if available) to refer back to in the event of any miscommunications, unreturned phone calls or other mishaps that can happen when dealing with large companies over the phone. Never curse or yell at customer service agents, as doing so can paint your situation in an unsympathetic light. Never use cell phone contract buyout companies, contract exchange communities or advertisements to find someone to take or buy out your contract as, depending on the terms of your contract, Sprint can continue to hold you responsible for the contract even after buyout or exchange if the other party fails to pay.
