Sprint no longer recognizing zip code

Is it possible that because they don't fly in to St Croix that the zip code for Christiansted wouldn't be in the system?

IslandHops, you are so correct about some U.S. companies forgetting that the USVI is a U.S. territory & is part of the USPS. They act like this is foreign country belonging not remotely related to the U.S. in any way, shape, or fashion. Samsung is a perfect example --can't register on line your Samsung product on their web site because it won't accept any of the St Croix zip codes.

Another time when when we bought something on line from a U.S. company, the shipper couldn't do a shipping label on line (system didn't recognize 00820 as valid zip code) & had to personally go to the post office, manually fill out a shipping label in order to mail the package.

BTW RockyDock, Sprint is a phone company not an airline --think you read this as Spirit.

Jumbie -STX

I'm accustomed to companies refusing to ship here (even though they ship via USPS), and have had several cancelled transactions as a result. Amazon affiliates seem to be the worst for this, but luckily there are a few that will ship here via priority and/or media rate. And if you really want something there is always the VI Cargo option.

The Sprint issue could be just an oversight in their validation software caused by a cube-dweller, or it could be indicative of them dropping service/support for the VI (which would seem unlikely). No answer from them regarding the issue yet...

You do not want Caribbean Sprint, accounts get hacked here all the time. We had a great plan that was about 12 years old, 2000 minutes for about $60 for both of us, with unlimited data and messaging but after our account got hacked for the fifth time it's was just not worth the massive pain in the butt.

If you want sprint keep your stateside number. I know several friends with stateside numbers and sprint and they have no trouble.

The problem is not the company so much as it's the software they use.

I've had companies plug in 00820 and tell me I live in Helsinki, Finland. The program AARP uses sends some of their publications for us to Zimbabwe (sp?)

There isn't a Sprint store in STX? There's one in STT, so I generally go there whenever I need something, and they've always done an excellent job no matter what the issue. Give them a call at 340-776-0770. I use a stateside number for my phone, but 340 for the data services because taxes are a lot lower (Sprint in STT pointed this out to me). You can also get Sprint at Radio Shack. For me, calling a toll-free number or ordering online is my last choice, because you're just another number.

Update: The Sprint site is now half fixed. It will recognize the zip code for new customers, but will not accept the zip/phone number combination for existing customers.

As a developer, that use to program sites accepting addresses, I'm going to chalk this one up as oversight. It's not really the company forgetting, but more when people build the sites / promotions (I did promotional sites) targeted to US citizens, they always forget about US territories, especially if they don't plan to target military personnel.

I'm not sure it's a matter of companies not wanting to serve territories, versus plain economics. As one of the first 50 employees of Sprint PCS in the mid '90s, and several other wireless carriers, I can tell you that the annual budgeting process goes something like this:

* Each year the company allocates X dollars for system network improvements, network expansion, and the other business expenditures, both capital and expense
* Each market must compete for their share of the allotments by demonstrating a significant return, measured by a multitude of factors. (New cash flow, fewer customer complaints, better back-office systems, network performance improvements, etc.)
* When all markets have responded, the results are all compiled and compared on a nationwide level
* Since coverage is a big issue, I'll use it as an example of the decision process
* Let's say Los Angeles wants 100 new base sites and their top 10 sites bring in an average of 1500 customers/site at an annual net income of of $1,000 per customer. Miami's top 10 sites will bring in 1,000 customers/site at $1,200 per customer, and so on.
* When STX puts their request in for 3 new sites with an average of 100 new customers per site at $1,000 per customer, you can see that the company will put the new capital at the sites which make the most money. On the flip side, when the tourists from LAX and MIA come to STX and start complaining to the point that the new roaming revenue (or PR goodwill for non-roaming customers) this might make a difference. Oh yes, did I mention that it costs a LOT more to build those same 10 sites in STX than MIA or LAX?

In summary, capital allotment is a complex process and due to the remote nature and small population of the USVI, we come up on the short end of the stick.

Hope this helps you understand why the USVI isn't a priority.

There isn't a Sprint store in STX?

There is, it's in Peter's Rest near Subway.

I noticed this several weeks ago. I went on to their site, logged in, and tried to check my options for upgrades and check when my contract was up for renewal. When I put in my St. John zip, it said there was no service here. In the past, when I've ordered phones online and had them shipped they have used UPS to send them to me. We don't have UPS service...so they get sent to a local courier (coincidentally named Sprint) and I get them that way. I checked the bill for shipping and it was something like $185. Of course, if they shipped it to me USPS it would have been about $10. And to complicate things, the shipping address was a PO Box. Good thing the local service knows that that is the only kind of service we have on St. John...but it sure does delay things and cost an arm and a leg. The real kicker is that I would have to go to St. Thomas to go to a Sprint store. I was hoping that by the time my contact expired they would have thing sorted out online....but it doesn't sound good. My contract is up in a couple of weeks. Not looking forward to trying to get it taken care of over the phone or having to have something cross shipped.

I also found out that if I change my billing address that I get charged state taxes for that state. I do have one stateside credit card but I end up paying a ton of taxes on my monthly bill if I use that card.