Sprint is discontinuing it’s Ambassador Program – a nifty project where they sent new phones, with the Sprint service, every six months or so to a group of “influencers” in the technology space. Somehow I got on the list of people to get phones, and looked forward to some shiny new device coming twice a year.
They had unlimited free service. Since I already have a phone I like, I tended to give these out to visitors from abroad who needed a U.S. cell phone (probably not what Sprint was hoping for). That was about the extent of my participation in the program. If I had any specific feedback, it would be that the Sprint service is really, really spotty in northern California, and they don’t offer the iPhone, so I would never use it anyway.
I’ve been pretty hard on Sprint in my posts, and I was always a little surprised they kept me in the program. Well, today I’ve been booted, as has everyone else in the program. The party is over:
Greetings Ambassadors,
Thank you for your participation in the Sprint Ambassador program. We appreciate the candid feedback you have provided and are regularly using this information to offer our customers the best products and services available on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network.
After careful consideration, Sprint has decided to discontinue our Sprint Ambassador program so that we may focus on other key initiatives for gathering customer feedback. As a thank you for your participation, the devices you have received through the program are yours to keep. However, the service on those handsets will be terminated on January 31, 2008.
If you would like to keep the existing phone number on your handset, you have the following options:
• If you have an existing Sprint account in your name, you can simply go to Sprint retail store or call Sprint Customer Care at (888) 296-8806 to transfer the number over. You will need your phone number and account password to facilitate the transfer.
• If you do not have a Sprint account and would like to open a new one, we invite you to visit a Sprint retail store for assistance and select from the many service plans that we offer.
• If you would like to transfer your Ambassador phone number to another individual’s account, BOTH PARTIES will need to need to visit a Sprint retail store to ensure a smooth transition.
• If you would like to move your Sprint Ambassador phone number over to another carrier, you will need to have the carrier you select call our Corporate Account team at (866) 657-6843. Typically, a consumer that wishes to port their number would just need their account number and password. Ambassadors are considered corporate customers and, as such, cannot make changes to their account without going through the Corporate Account team.For the Sprint Store nearest you please visit www.sprint.com.
Again, to keep your current Ambassador phone number, you must act by 11:59 PM on January 30, 2008.
Once again, we truly appreciate your participation in the Ambassador program. If you have any additional questions, please send an email to AmbassadorProgram@sprint.com or you can reach Sprint’s Ambassador CARE team at (888) 296-8806.
Thank you!
Was it a useful marketing program for Sprint? I don’t know. Free products are great, but what people want is a great phone, perfect reception and decent customer service. Sprint doesn’t offer any of these. My advice is to fix those problems first, and send out free samples to bloggers only then.
Do you have any cool sprint phones you’d like to give me? =) Please?
I was also on the list for the Sprint Ambassador program and found it useful to try out all the new services they were launching. While it was hit and miss, being able to try out a service without worrying about the associated fees that one might rack up really allowed me to see what worked and what didn’t.
I’d like a cool sprint phone too please
reception in the LA area is great! 
I think Sprint have made a mistake. User feedback from the field is always useful for any product.
Yeah, I was in this for a while too. My feeling was they didn’t really support the program well, other than shipping phones around. Not much direct, individualized attention, not much engagement, not much asking for feedback. I ended up not even using the phones I was sent, and I don’t think I ever really talked about it with anyone.
It’s a shame that they are choosing to discontinue the program instead of trying to improve it…
I really liked the program and made sure to take advantage of it while it lasted. I did manage to use the phone to win a PS3 on play2text and some cool prizes on solow.com.
Have any nice phones that might work on Verizon? They share the same type of network, right?
Spotty service is an understatement–They are still Sprint PCS= Poor
Customer Service
Good move for Sprint. They can invest the funds used to support this program into expanding their coverage and other basic features.
I participated in two phases of the Ambassador program. (I believe there were three in total.) During the first phases, I provided active feedback to Sprint as they seemed more interested in my feedback the first time around. For this most recent phase, I received a few e-mail messages, but mainly announcing new features or programs. They did finally send out a survey which I completed.
What is everyone going to do with their phones? I sold mine on eBay last time as Sprint charged “only” a $35 activation fee. I don’t know if selling the phone is an option this time around.
Free phones? You, an AT&T user, were getting FREE Sprint phones every 6 months?????
OK, that’s it!!!
I am going to Verizon, or AT&T and I’m canceling my two phone lines (plus a data line) with Sprint.
Do you know how difficult it is to get an upgrade from this ugly company? I am hooked to the Palm Treo, and I’ve been a customer for OVER 10 years. 10 YEARS!!!. And I always have to beg for a discount when I’m upgrading my phone (Not to mention when my dear wife want to get a new phone that’s thin so it will fit in her back pocket).
Then you call customer service (because the Sprint Stores are as useless as suede underwear), the person has a phone in the lobby of the building, because you can hardly hear them, then they say:” I’m sorry, but your 10 years with us and the fact you are never late with your bills, and that you pay an average os $250 a month only allows me to offer you a $50 rebate that you have to mail in. If we feel in the mood for sex with a pallet of Travertine tiles, then we might honor that rebate”
And your telling me now that the easiest way to get new and free Sprint phones every 6 months was to be an AT&T customer?????
WTF!!!!
right on totada – man … you got sprint nailed … customer service sucks and customer appreciation is worse than that. I put them on my no call list too … I was even threatened by customer service representative about being charged $200.00 for cancelling my contract … who told me the cheapest phone I could get from Sprint would cost me $169.00 because I am not eligible for my next discount until Sept. SPRINT SUCKS !!!! I hope they read this.
well my mom has been with sprint for maybe about 5 years and all they have are crappy phone and we cant afford a nice looking phone. i always wanted a phone that was touch screen. the 3 phones im interested in are samsung exclaim, the touch diamond, and the HTC touch PRO. but we cant afford it. =( it would be nice to get a free phone like that.