This customer service number is set up for individuals with phone service through Sprint. When I dialed the number, I was immediately greeted by an automated message informing me that Sprint is now a part of T-Mobile. One result of this merger is that this customer service line now exists only to provide assistance to legacy Sprint customers.
Following the automated greeting, I was prompted to enter my 10-digit phone number. At this stage, if you enter a phone number not serviced by Sprint, you are informed that you should hang up and try dialing your own phone provider. The system then automatically disconnects the call. While it is impressive that the automated system is able to immediately identify whether a particular phone number is serviced by Sprint, the automatic disconnection without additional options was less impressive.
I wanted to determine whether there was any way to speak to a representative, add new phone service, or switch an existing phone number to Sprint through this customer service line. I re-dialed the number and bypassed the initial prompt by not entering a phone number.
After a short wait, the automated system provided me with a menu of options, including the ability to check my account balance, make a payment, or make changes to my phone plan. However, upon choosing any of these options, I was again prompted to enter my 10-digit phone number (or my Sprint account number). If you do not enter a valid Sprint number at this point, the system will automatically disconnect the call.
If you are not a current Sprint customer, there is no way to use this customer service line to get information about Sprint’s service offerings. This makes some sense, as Sprint is now part of a larger company. However, the line’s automated message could provide this information in a clearer fashion.
If you are a current Sprint customer, you are still able to be connected to a customer service representative through this phone number. I was able to speak with a representative after entering a valid Sprint account number. The representative was friendly, but he also informed me that due to Sprint’s merger with T-Mobile, his ability to provide customer service was limited. He would be able to take a payment or answer a service-related question for an existing Sprint customer. However, he would not be able to assist with any changes or additions to a phone plan; most customer service options are in the process of being migrated to T-Mobile.
This customer service line would be more useful if it provided up-to-date information as part of its automated greeting. Simply letting customers know that anyone with questions or a desire to change cell phone service should contact T-Mobile instead would be beneficial. Nevertheless, for legacy Sprint customers, this line still offers the ability to get assistance with your current phone plan, at least for a little while longer.