NationStates Jolt Archive

On the news this morning was a story about parents who were desperate to locate their abducted baby. Their cell phone was in the stroller when the baby was taken, so they asked Sprint to use GPS to find it. The local police also asked Sprint to help. The company's response was to say, "Send us a form requesting this and $25."

The baby was later found about 2 miles away, but without any help from Sprint.

Anyone besides me find this virtually incredible?

Well. They are just trying to protect the privacy of the users.......

wasn't there another story about cheap Cell Phone services that didn't have 911 capability? Something about the customers need to pay a fee and activate the ability to call 911.

Just the usual corporate bureacracy doing it's thing.

Well. They are just trying to protect the privacy of the users.......
Uh ... yeah. The parents WERE the users! Sigh.

wasn't there another story about cheap Cell Phone services that didn't have 911 capability? Something about the customers need to pay a fee and activate the ability to call 911.
I think so. Seems I remember something like that.

Uh ... yeah. The parents WERE the users! Sigh.
And how would they know? Weird stories can be made up...

Just the usual corporate bureacracy doing it's thing.
Perhaps, but surely anyone hearing the parents would realize that the baby's life might be at risk? I like to think that had I been the person answering the parents' call, I would have tossed "corporate procedure" out the window. Frack some low-paying, tedious job!

Just the usual corporate bureacracy doing it's thing.
"Corporate Bureaucracy"...I love that word. Don't you love that word?

Hayek and Mises would have loved that word.

And how would they know? Weird stories can be made up...
The police were on the line too. :rolleyes:

Frack some low-paying, tedious job!
Will you do me a favour and just say 'fuck'?

"Corporate Bureaucracy"...I love that word. Don't you love that word?

Hayek and Mises would have loved that word.
Heh! Von Mises was kewl. :)

And how would they know? Weird stories can be made up...
if I need to make any request of my cell phone, I have to provide proof (last 4 digits of my ss#, billing zip code, Cell Phone Number... etc...) to my identity.

Perhaps, but surely anyone hearing the parents would realize that the baby's life might be at risk? I like to think that had I been the person answering the parents' call, I would have tossed "corporate procedure" out the window. Frack some low-paying, tedious job!

I guess they didn't see any money in helping out.

I guess they didn't see any money in helping out.
except the $25

This plea for help should have been immediately directed to a higher up at Sprint, that upon verifying the police request, could have immediately complied.
Today, people answering phones unfortunately often dont know how important they are to public/customer's image of the co. Any reason to say "No" they take. And too many cos are petrified of lawsuits to make any sort of decision without a board meeting with their legal dept first.

I would have made this work if I were the one at Sprint.
Verifying I was dealing with the police would have been very simple.

On the news this morning was a story about parents who were desperate to locate their abducted baby. Their cell phone was in the stroller when the baby was taken, so they asked Sprint to use GPS to find it. The local police also asked Sprint to help. The company's response was to say, "Send us a form requesting this and $25."

The baby was later found about 2 miles away, but without any help from Sprint.

Anyone besides me find this virtually incredible?
I'm not excusing Sprint, but you're not exactly being fair in your description of their reaction (http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_H_gps10.dd95933.html)
Jason Cochran had left his Sprint cell phone, equipped with a global positioning system chip, in the car on Dec. 23. But when the Cochrans and sheriff's deputies asked Sprint to use the GPS to find the Aviator and tell them its location, Sprint declined -- saying company privacy rules couldn't be breached, even to law enforcement, without signed permission from the customer.
The only mention of twenty five bucks in the article comes from the local politician who's trying to get some headlines. Sprint may have a charge like that--it wouldn't surprise me--but you're drawing some conclusions from facts not in evidence.

I'm not excusing Sprint, but you're not exactly being fair in your description of their reaction (http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_H_gps10.dd95933.html)

Jason Cochran had left his Sprint cell phone, equipped with a global positioning system chip, in the car on Dec. 23. But when the Cochrans and sheriff's deputies asked Sprint to use the GPS to find the Aviator and tell them its location, Sprint declined -- saying company privacy rules couldn't be breached, even to law enforcement, without signed permission from the customer.

The only mention of twenty five bucks in the article comes from the local politician who's trying to get some headlines. Sprint may have a charge like that--it wouldn't surprise me--but you're drawing some conclusions from facts not in evidence.damn... you're right. those parents should've calmed down, located a FAX machine and FAXed the signed permission to the sprint company for them to activate the GPS. :rolleyes:

If the CIA had asked, the same - well, I'm sure these silly rules would have been bypassed.

damn... you're right. those parents should've calmed down, located a FAX machine and FAXed the signed permission to the sprint company for them to activate the GPS. :rolleyes:
Fuck your rolling eyes--I said I wasn't excusing their refusal, didn't I? All I'm saying is that the local politician's portrayal of Sprint as doing this primarily for money isn't backed up. It's a throwaway quote in the middle of an otherwise important story.

This plea for help should have been immediately directed to a higher up at Sprint, that upon verifying the police request, could have immediately complied.
Today, people answering phones unfortunately often dont know how important they are to public/customer's image of the co. Any reason to say "No" they take. And too many cos are petrified of lawsuits to make any sort of decision without a board meeting with their legal dept first.

I would have made this work if I were the one at Sprint.
Verifying I was dealing with the police would have been very simple.
I know! Stoopid customer "service" people! Grrrr!

That reminds me of those Capital One commercials: ten thousand ways of saying "no!" Heh!

I'm not excusing Sprint, but you're not exactly being fair in your description of their reaction (http://www.pe.com/localnews/riverside/stories/PE_News_Local_H_gps10.dd95933.html)

The only mention of twenty five bucks in the article comes from the local politician who's trying to get some headlines. Sprint may have a charge like that--it wouldn't surprise me--but you're drawing some conclusions from facts not in evidence.
To coin a phrase: "I don't make the news, I just report it!" :D

Fuck your rolling eyes--I said I wasn't excusing their refusal, didn't I? All I'm saying is that the local politician's portrayal of Sprint as doing this primarily for money isn't backed up. It's a throwaway quote in the middle of an otherwise important story.

Either way...Sprint should have bypassed the system in this case. The politician is an asshole for this portrayal, but Sprint is at fault most.

"Thank you for calling Sprint customer service, How may I help you?"

"Oh my god they took my baby."

"I'm sorry to hear that ma'am, but other than this incident, how is your day going?"

damn... you're right. those parents should've calmed down, located a FAX machine and FAXed the signed permission to the sprint company for them to activate the GPS. :rolleyes:
That was my reaction too. But of course, where children are concerned I tend to get a bit testy! :)

If the CIA had asked, the same - well, I'm sure these silly rules would have been bypassed.
"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!" :D

Fuck your rolling eyes--I said I wasn't excusing their refusal, didn't I? All I'm saying is that the local politician's portrayal of Sprint as doing this primarily for money isn't backed up. It's a throwaway quote in the middle of an otherwise important story.
Now, now, now! Play nice! :p

"Thank you for calling Sprint customer service, How may I help you?"

"Oh my god they took my baby."

"I'm sorry to hear that ma'am, but other than this incident, how is your day going?"
Hehehe! :D

It now appears that the local government had refused to allow Sprint to build any more transmission towers. I wonder if that had anything to do with their obstinance?

Hehehe! :D

It now appears that the local government had refused to allow Sprint to build any more transmission towers. I wonder if that had anything to do with their obstinance?

I would have then zoned the ares with existing towers to make them illegal. Then knock them down without notice.

Honestly, I mostly blame whoever took the call from the parents and cops. They should be fired, and have some sort of obstruction of finding missing baby charged against them.

I would have then zoned the ares with existing towers to make them illegal. Then knock them down without notice.

Honestly, I mostly blame whoever took the call from the parents and cops. They should be fired, and have some sort of obstruction of finding missing baby charged against them.
Can you say "intellectually challenged," boys and girls? :D

Can you say "intellectually challenged," boys and girls? :D
Let's make an exception and screw PC... I prefer for this person to be called retarded.

Well. They are just trying to protect the privacy of the users.......
The baby could have been running away. The baby has a right to privacy.

Customer service people at every cell phone company I've ever dealt with have an average IQ in the low teens. Add to that the fact that Sprint/Nextel is one of the worst cell phone companies in the US and I'm not surprised in the least at this story.

Customer service people at every cell phone company I've ever dealt with have an average IQ in the low teens. Add to that the fact that Sprint/Nextel is one of the worst cell phone companies in the US and I'm not surprised in the least at this story.
and add to that, the fact that most Customer Services has been outsourced to India and other remote places...