The following post is provided for members in knowing all there is to know about the SERO (Sprint Employee Referral Offer) Program/Plan. Please read this post thoroughly before posting any questions in any of the forums mentioned throughout this post referring to SERO. The Staff of these forums can and will remove or ignore any additional posts that have already been outlined and explained within this post as well as to any outside referenced links.

What is SERO?

SERO is a heavily discounted plan for friends and family of Sprint employees. There are currently 3 different plans available: NOTE: (Individual plans only), There are no family plans on SERO!!!!! That means minutes cannot be shared)!!

1. Sprint Employee Referral Offer 500 (minutes) for $30.00 per month
2. Sprint Employee Referral Offer 1250 (minutes) for $49.99 per month
3. Sprint Employee Referral Offer 2500 (minutes) for $99.99 per month

It will show up on your bill as a Fair and Flexible plan, and not as a SERO plan. For a view of what it would look like on your bill see section: 1:33

What is included with the SERO plan?

1. Unlimited Sprint Vision or Power Vision (Vision for Vision phones, Power Vision for Power Vision phones)
2. Unlimited Mobile to Mobile (In network only, Sprint to Sprint, Sprint to Nextel, Nextel to Sprint, Nextel to Nextel)
3. Unlimited Sprint Picture Mail
4. Unlimited Roaming
5. Unlimited Nights & Weekends (either 6 or 7 PM, depending on when you started contract)
6. Nationwide Long Distance
7. Crystal Clear Calls
8. Voice Mail
9. Caller ID
10. Call Waiting
11. Numeric Paging
12. Three-Way Calling
13. Ready Link
14. Unlimited SMS (Limited Time Offer: Offer ends 5/31/2008, although word is it may be extended.)

Note: From now until 5/31/2008 get unlimited free text messages for the length of your contract! You need to either call (1-866-881-9571) to have this added on, or request it through ecare. This is good for new and old subcribers!! (code sero#serosms)

How much longer will SERO be available?

For now, new subscriptions for SERO are set to expire May 31, 2008 (although it likely will be extended).

How do I sign up for SERO?

SERO is mainly for new customers only. However, existing Sprint customers who are out of contract and renewing a two-year subscriber agreement are also eligible for this offer. (See part A). The program is also available for current Nextel subscribers (see part B).

A: If you are a New Customer or an existing Sprint customer who is out of contract:

There are three ways of doing this:

1. The easiest way is to do it directly through the SERO website. Go to www.sprint.com/sero and use the following e\-mail address : savings@sprintemi.com (TY Johhny G). If this doesn't work for you, just Google for an email address of a Sprint employee (Google @mail.sprint.com or @sprint.com.)
2. You can also sign up for a regular plan in any Sprint store, and hope that a retention specialist is willing to convert it to a SERO plan for you. This is definitely the harder way of doing it, and takes persistence on your part to be able to pull it off. To talk to an retention specialist, call Sprint (800-974-2221) and ask for retentions. Another # is: 866-250-2221. DO NOT DO THIS AFTER BUYING A PHONE FROM BB (BestBuy), Amazon, CUSA, etc or you will get hit with a collections bill for the full price of the phone!
3. For those of you who already are on Sprint: you can email Sprint eCare at ecare1@cc.sprintpcs.com and tell them you wanted to switch to SERO in store but they couldn't do in store and advised you to contact eCare with this code "#C SEROF&FEVDO$30.00". YMMV on this one (least effective way of trying to switch).

Note: When you order a PDA such as a BlackBerry, you do have an additional monthly BB charge (up to $40 monthly)!!

B: If you are a current Nextel subscriber (even if under contract):

Do the following steps:

1. First, go ahead and order a new SERO account with a new number by calling the number on the SERO page. Do NOT tell them you will be porting a number at this point
2. Next, call Sprint (866-853-4491 number w/out a wait) and tell them you are bringing your number from Nextel, and they will ask for your new Sprint number and the Nextel number you are porting. Verify the account information and they will request the number from Nextel.
3. It's that easy. In about 2 hours the switch will be activated and you will incur NO ETF from Nextel and the account will simply be closed from Nextel.

Do I have to sign a contract to get on a SERO plan?

Yes, you have to sign a 2-year contract. There is no way around that.

If I am already a Sprint customer, can I convert it to a SERO plan and keep my number?

Here is what Sprint has to say about that:

The Sprint Employee Referral Offer is for new customers only. However, existing Sprint customers who are out of contract and renewing a Two-year Subscriber Agreement are also eligible for this offer. Sprint Employees who are currently employee liable and receive the 23 percent discount are eligible to swap their plan by calling the Employee Accounts Group at (888)-876-8381.

Unfortunately, new Sprint customers are able to port their number from their existing carrier to Sprint when they sign into the plan but existing customers cannot port numbers from an existing Sprint account. Therefore, existing customers still in a subscriber agreement are required to activate a new line of service with a Two-year Agreement and are issued a brand new phone number. Furthermore, an existing customer may cancel the account early but a termination fee is required if the existing account is within the contract period.

An existing customer who has fulfilled the term agreement is treated like a brand new customer and is issued a brand new phone number. Some have had success keeping their phone number by first porting it to a pre-paid phone, and then porting it back to their new SERO phone. Others have had some success with being persistent with customer care.

Another option is transferring the remainder of your contract on a website such as THIS one. More info can be found HERE.

Many people have also been successful in getting their regular Sprint account converted to a SERO account (even while under contract). This takes persistence, and creativity. Remember, Sprint has absolutely nothing to lose by denying you. The trick is to find an excuse that gives Sprint the illusion that by denying you they will be out of something. What that something is, is up to you. Get creative here.