The reason they're offering snaps at the store level is this...We have to go by an "approved exchange list" there are different categories according to what type of phone you have. For instance, a Samsung Instinct is in a category of it's own, they're not a smartphone but they're not as low level as a rant or rumor etc. So if you have an instinct you're only going to get another instinct (yes we still have a million refurb m800's but we can give you an s30 or even the instinct HD but there are no other options because that's what's on the list. So when I have a customer come in with a mogul that is unrepairable I have to look at this list and I can only give the customer what is in that category. Currently those devices include the snap (obviously), the samsung intrepid (basically a snap w a stylus & touch screen), the 6700 (Apache) believe it or not is also still on the list (and I have an immaculate refurb), and the touch pro (worst phone ever hardware-wise). The TP2 is NOT on the list and we were given strict orders to NOT upgrade mogul or touch pro users to the TP2. Only in extreme circumstances and with the approval of my district manager (who even had to get clearance from corporate) was I able to do this once for a guy that had been through 9 (yes nine) touch pro's. I own a mogul and if I were to need a replacement I would get either another mogul or if I could live without the slide out keyboard I would take the Intrepid (only handset with winmo 6.5 that sprint carries right now too). Just so you know, I (and all my co-workers) agree that a snap is not an equivalent handset but if the customer doesn't like the intrepid, doesn't want to downgrade, and won't accept a refurb, then I have no other options for them. We HAVE to go by this list and that's why they're giving out snaps, it's how corporate has it set up.
If anyone's reading this post, I am a technical service rep for Sprint (and an avid phone hacker
) so if there's ever anything I can help with as far as information or links or known issues and fixes or cab files or whatever, just give me a shout @ srensber/hotmail. I have been a leech on the forums for some time and need to start giving back. I can also look up your MSL/picture mail passwords/programming info (MDN) etc. if you need it. Just please everyone for my sake and all the other techs..BE NICE when you go in with a broken handset. If you are I will bend over backwards for you. It's the people that walk in and go "Yeah, my phones messing up so I just need to get it replaced" that drive me to levels of anger I rarely reach. What people don't realize is that over 90% of their issues can be repaired by resetting the device to factory defaults. I LOVE IT when they scream enough that I give them a brand new phone and it does the exact same thing their other one was doing! It's fun because it proves the device wasn't faulty to start with. It was just some stupid 3rd party app that they re-loaded on the new one or they jump out to "mixertones' or "fun4mobile" and grab free ringtones that are awesome because they corrupt your phones file system half the time...DON'T USE THESE WEBSITES FOR RINGTONES. I WILL NOT SWAP OUT YOUR PHONE IF IF SEE THESE IN YOUR BROWSER HISTORY!! Also even if you have insurance I am REQUIRED to do the factory reset to see if it corrects the issue before I can replace the handset. Also if you've gotten your phone wet i WILL find it. Most customers don't know that every single manufacturer puts tiny little strips of litmus paper on several locations (some easily seen under the battery or beneath the track ball if it's a blackberry), and some not easily seen such as on both sides of the mainboard inside. If the phone's been wet, the strips turn pink or red so I will find it. If I don't find it and swap out your phone, when I RMA the phone and send it back to sprint...they go through them and if they find liquid damage THEY WILL POST A CHARGE TO YOUR ACCOUNT sometimes weeks or even months after you've done the swap.If your phone is shutting off or re-booting on it's own and it's not a brand new phone, than 99.9999999% of the time it's gotten wet so you might as well not even bother taking it to the store and just call Asurion. Even if you have insurance, If I find ANY sign of physical damage or liquid damage I no longer have the option to swap your phone you have to go through insurance and have them send you one. So if you know it's been dropped or gotten wet don't bring it to the store expecting to get another one. It's a tough job as peoples phones are hands down the most personal devices they own now and they're supposed to be able to do so many things these days. I literally have people wanting me to give them a new phone because when they go to facebook they can't play "farmville". Seriously, it's a phone..does it make and receive phone calls? U getting your sms/mms? Then shut up or get a phone that has an ACTUAL BROWSER. Most of the cheaper symbian etc. phones are running some janky ass "polaris" browser that has absolutely no flash or java funtionality. Those browsers are really only good enough to maybe google something once in a while. Enjoy your TP2 they're nice but almost all new HTC devices this year are going to have "Snapdragon" 1Ghz cpu's which is twice as fast as the TP2 (which has the exact same cpu as the touch pro). So I'm personally waiting on the first HTC winmo device with the snapdragon chip rather than buy an oversized touch pro with a little more memory and the same suck-ass touchflo today plugin running on it. Seriously it looks really cool, I know, but if you aren't constantly killing apps, soft resetting, or pulling the battery regularly your phone will run like shit. If you do a lot of text messaging especially, touchflo can't handle it. I have a customer with a TP2 that is constantly giving him issues but he sends almost 3000 sms per month and never erased any (another thing that could fix a lot of problems yet people never do). So feel free to throw me any questions and I will be glad to help but don't ask me to look at billing issues, I'm a tech and don't have the ability to access that and make changes. Also if you wish Sprint had better customer service over the phone? We do, it's just not widely know. We have regular customer service (dialing *2) then we have a level II tech support team that is provided as a resource for us technicians when we can't resolve the issue. I've learned a LOT from these people and they're blackberry and windows mobile and palm certified. It's a number that's mostly for techs but it's available to the public too, sprint just doesn't give this number out, you can only get transferred to them through the regular cust. service number. Anyway it's 1-877-809-6696, rarely do I get someone that's not extremely knowledgeable but it happens once in a rare, rare, while, 99% of these people are sharp..trust me.