Sprint replacing Touch Pro with Touch Pro 2!

[mulhiny]

So I just went in today with a newly activated TP with the oily patch. This would be a first replacement. The rep offered me a TP2 right off the bat. He showed me the computer screen and the TP2 is the first device on the list. It is out of stock for replacement (he also showed me this). Not to seem very eager, (after all this is only phone #1) I simply accepted the refurb TP1. So here's my take on it as others have said : I believe EVERY store can offer a TP2 for replacement, you just need to wait till they are in stock (for replacement). Those who are being shot down or where the TP2 isn't even mentioned are IMO simply dealing with a rep that is aware that they are out of stock and there really would be no need to mention it.

[boiker]

My 3rd TP has been slowly getting hotter and draining the battery faster with shorter and shorter use periods. I had a full charge at 8am this morning and by noon it had shut off due to a critically low battery. Good coverage area with no apps runing. In fact, I didn't use the phone but once to check email! ...I digress.

The good news for me was that because of the above issue and a number of other annoyances with the Touch Pro phone, I get my choice of phone as a ESRP replacement. I was offered the Hero, Pre, Moment, and TP2. I'll explain how and why.

As I said before, I've had numerous issues and the refurbs are getting any better. Sprints position of offering downgrade replacements isn't acceptable to me and due to the grandfathered and unique nature of my service plan, the Blackberries would've required upgrade to a new everything plan. I was not excited at that prospect (both for a blackberry and for a more expensive plan).

The service rep at the store is the same one I've dealt with for all my repairs and she recommended I call CS to see if they would be able to offer any solutions to find me an equivelent, reliable and non Touch Pro phone. I got bounced through various reps and eventually was offered my choice of comparable phone and a service credit for my continued issues. This is important: Be polite, don't make unreasonable demands and explain your situation. If the soultions presented aren't fair, express your dissapointment, but do it with class and courtesy. This goes a long way.

I've got a tough decision in front of me. If I choose a moment, hero or pre for my replacement I have to change my plan. If I choose the Touch Pro 2, I don't.

Is the Touch Pro 2 that much better than the Touch Pro? I have played with the Hero, but noticed that it got laggy when multiple programs where running. I haven't played with the Moment or the Pre but they intrigue me. I haven't played with the Touch Pro 2. I have watched various video reviews and read many other reviews. Is the service plan increase worth an android phone or should I set on the TP2?

[Dr.8820]

Originally Posted by boiker

Is the Touch Pro 2 that much better than the Touch Pro?

if you liked the tp, you'll love the tp2. it's a tp with a bigger screen, but not the overheating.

[Jesse Buck]

My wife purchased a new TP1 in June, by Oct. the keyboard had failed. Fine. Warranty claim, refurbed device, but the refurbed phone won't receive calls consistently, 8 out of 10 calls won't come through (I have 3 TPs on the account testing side by side). I called back and the rep slipped that they could only process 3 warranty exchanges per year. I stated that replacing a broken device with another broken device wasn't solving the problem. I stated I wanted a NIB TP1 or a TP2 because I knew that many known issues had been cured in the TP2. I got the refurb same device or Curve/Tour/PalmPro offer but stated that they weren't comparable and a refurb was not adequate after such a poor first go around and after all I'm only entitled to 3/yr, I shouldn't have to use all three because Sprint TP refurbs are crap. Rep 1 was excellent, she spoke with her manager, approved the TP2 but said it was OOS and that I could check back each day until it was in. Called back day 2 and got a bullsh*t run around. My acct. was notated "customer requested nib tp or tp2 but item is out of stock, customer will call back periodically to check availability...", I had her name, id #, and state she was calling from. The representatives (and supervisor) on day 2 completely refused what I had been told was approved by representatives on day 1. I had to threaten cancellation, and talk to several more departments. Unacceptably poor customer service, why should I have to go through this twice with account notation. I spent maybe 40 min. troubleshooting with the representative on day one before she agreed to a NIB TP or a TP2, it took me nearly 2 hours on day 2 just to get back to where I was on day 1.

The fact that this is at Sprints discretion is horrible, they wasted my time for no reason. Their refurbed devices are obviously faulty and inconsistent treatment within the system is terrible. I would have gladly accepted a nib TP, the other 2 on my account work fine. Sprint has acknowledged the device (especially refurbs) has many issues so to offer an upgrade or a nib device makes sense. It is about supporting your product not getting something for free. Sprint could have spent money investing in R&D for the TP1 or invest in a better refurb dept. but chose to spend that money on R&D for the TP2 (I know its htc but must of spent some $ on development) and advertising the Pre. They left all TP1 owners w/ issues to suffer an endless tirade of poorly refurbished phones. People aren't scamming Sprint for an upgrade, hardware is basically the same, save for screen size and some things are lost, like the flash. Sprints problem is not acknowledging such a drastic rate of failure in their refurbs and then doing their best to cop out on responsibility.

Phone companies don't make their money selling phones, the service is where profit is. Most smartphone users have higher end plans and therefore make them more cash. It would be in Sprints interest to maintain good relations with these customers. Most TP1 customers are not as discerning as those on ppcgeeks.com, they are everyday schmucks who just bought the Ferrari of phones to be cool, they don't flash or look for apps anywhere but the Sprint Marketplace. Sprint is banking that most of these people won't notice what they are losing when trading for a Tour/PalmPro. For the rest of us, we must argue for a reasonable replacement. If the TP2 has been offered to other customers as a replacement there is a reason. It is a more stable, better developed phone but comparable in hardware. From what I've read they are banking on a lower return rate. By ever offering the TP2 as a replacement they are acknowledging that the TP1 is faulty in ways that have been fixed by the TP2. But whats happening is they are not acknowledging this to everyone.

Why should one customer get drastically different treatment then another? All cash is green, why give some a run around? The answer is...because sometimes they get away with it. Its the same reason you receive the "sorry but your rebate could not be processed" postcard. Most everyday schmucks go "Oh darn I wonder what I did wrong, better luck on the next rebate". They don't fight the system for what is rightfully theirs. Sprints responsibility is to provide the product as advertised. When the phone is poorly built or serviced inadequately that is Sprint not living up to their side of the contract. Ppcgeeks.com should take poll to see how many refurbs don't have to be returned. I've read most of this post and other insurance claim posts and it seems not many with a refurb are very satisfied. I will continue to call back for a week or so to check on OOS availability before I escalate it again. I want to state this again the TP2 is not enough of an upgrade in devices that you should feel bad about getting one. By ever placing the TP2 on the WEL list Sprint was acknowledging that it is a comparable device. The fact that they gave me two very conflicting stories means they are hiding this fact.

[Sinful1217]

Originally Posted by boiker

The good news for me was that because of the above issue and a number of other annoyances with the Touch Pro phone, I get my choice of phone as a ESRP replacement. I was offered the Hero, Pre, Moment, and TP2. I'll explain how and why.

Wow I can't believe they offered you a Hero or Moment. I'm in the same boat that you are and those cheapos didnt even give me any of those better phones as a option!! Way to go! Man the luck some people have!

[JSMZ]

punctuation is key, no one is even going to read that jumbled mess of text.

[shatner]

tried *2 talked to about 4 reps, finally Advance replacement they ordered me ANOTHER TP, I was thankful but dreading another refurb, I didnt want to press the "give me a different model" angle, but was being persistant that TP is the problem, and another phone would be a better option, however my damn TP restarted AS we were ending the ordering process, only reason I know it is coming is the confirmation email. I dont want ANOTHER set of new possible worse problems. I dont know what to do though other than let it show up and see how it performs.

The saga continues.

[tc3jg]

Yes Im going through the run around with asurion now this is my 4rth or 5th touch pro that I have had cant even keep a count on how may I have had I did lose one and yes that was my fault but that one actually didnt have any issues. SO I called as I am getting this weird thing where my text messages I send a text and it stays in my inbox like its a message im receiving. Anyway I called talked to a guy yesterday and he goes through the whole reset practice the phone works afterwards so he says to me if in 24 hours to 48 hours you experience the same problems call back and we will issue a replacement because you are within a yr warranty from us. He then says and I quote "sprint is not allowing us to issue TP2's as replacement devices for the TP as it is such a new device" ..IM thinking in my head this guy is serious wow he really just told me about the phone like hey yeah we have them but we cant give it to you....SO then he says" but we can offer you the treo pro, htc snap, or the blackberry (dont even remember what one he said because I HATE BLACKBERRY) SO then im thinking in my head ok dude I will talk to a different rep because when this phone ends up screwing up again and what do you know its messing up again so I called today and they are like yeah our systems are down because we are making it better for our customers blah blah im calling first thing in the moring and I will not get off the phone until they issue me a touch pro two or do something to compensate me because this phone is ridiculous.

[dkd711]

They didn't offer me a TP2 at all, I got offerd a BB, A HTC Snap, and a Treo Pro. I said hell no... SO they were gonna order me another Refurb TP until I asked if I can have a NEW one. He said sure since this was my 5th one this yr.... Hope everything works now that I got a New one instead of the crappy refurbs...

[BooDaddy]

I think a real factor in this ordeal is what type of store did everyone take it to? I had a problem with the charge jack on my TP a few weeks back, and I took it to a corporate store. The tech offered a replacement, and I asked him nicely "what are my odds of gettting a TP2?".
He then asked me how many times I had brung it in, when I explained this was only my first time, he said "well....I cant give you a TP2 just yet. If you keep having problems with this new TP, bring it in and we can swap you into a TP2"

So it sounds like the corporate stores are giving TP2's but only if you have had repeated issues with yout TP.