Within hours of offering a US$100 service credit to customers switching over to the Palm Pre on Tuesday, Sprint – the exclusive Pre carrier – pulled the Pre promotional offer, saying that it had been posted in error!

The ‘Pre purchase’ deal, which was posted on Sprint’s Website on Tuesday, was essentially an attempt to lure customers of rival carriers – the seemingly attractive deal asked customers of other carriers to purchase a Pre, to avail the service credit, and post their old number to Sprint!

Describing the offer on its Palm Pre page, the Sprint Website said that it was available till October 31, and the announced service credit would be spread out over a three-month period.

Though the offer did not say whether the $100 credit would replace the $100 mail-in rebate, which comes with the purchase of the Pre, or add to it; there was a mention that the deal could not be availed alongside other discounts or rebates.

However, turning back on the deal, Sprint spokesman, James Fisher, said in a statement: “After further internal review today, the offer of a port-in service credit of $100 to new customers who buy the Palm Pre has been pulled because it was put into the system in error.”

Nonetheless, Fisher added that Sprint intends crediting the offer for customers who signed up for it while it was available online.