My sprint store won't replace my Hero with dust under the screen >_<
So if I brick it, they will, correct?
Would brick by pulling battery during radio update or something.
Yeah...this is against your contract and such...if they can prove you bricked it they can say no...
This is incredibly unethical and results in higher costs for all of us. I understand you're upset that you have dust under your screen, but intentionally bricking your phone to get a replacement, that cost only gets passed on to everyone else.
I guess that you could argue that the product was defective and they ought to replace it anyway, but a little dust under the screen isn't the end of the world is it? I've got chipped paint on my back button and the case has a small crack where the mini-usb plugs in, should I brick my phone just to fix those minor issues?
ASULutzy said:
This is incredibly unethical and results in higher costs for all of us. I understand you're upset that you have dust under your screen, but intentionally bricking your phone to get a replacement, that cost only gets passed on to everyone else.
I guess that you could argue that the product was defective and they ought to replace it anyway, but a little dust under the screen isn't the end of the world is it? I've got chipped paint on my back button and the case has a small crack where the mini-usb plugs in, should I brick my phone just to fix those minor issues?
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I'm completely OCD about these things. Once I notice an issue that I didn't cause, it bothers the complete hell out of me.
Just take it to a local repair shop and pay the cost to have it cleaned/screen replaced.
intx said:
I'm completely OCD about these things. Once I notice an issue that I didn't cause, it bothers the complete hell out of me.
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Asides from all of that, as already mentioned this is unethical, and also illegal, you would be committing fraud. This is something in the same vein as insurance fraud. I don't condone such things. There are guides on the internet on how to openup your phone and clean out the dust, probably guides on how to stop it from happening again, look them up and give that a shot if the dust bothers you so much.
rayborn said:
Just take it to a local repair shop and pay the cost to have it cleaned/screen replaced.
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I absolutely refuse to pay extra money to fix a defect in a phone I've only had for a few months.
So take it to a Sprint shop and they'll blow out the dust for free.
intx said:
I absolutely refuse to pay extra money to fix a defect in a phone I've only had for a few months.
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Then open ur phone and clean it urself, seriously why do ppl think their entitled to sh*t nowadays? if you can flash ur phone then open the shell and clean it out.
entropism said:
So take it to a Sprint shop and they'll blow out the dust for free.
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He said he did that and they wouldnt.
How do u guys get dust under the screen? Om. Truck driver and see tje worst conditions ever, from scorching heat to freezing cold with everything in between n my phone still looks bew after a few months and many drops andi cary it in my pocket.
I would have to agree that the best option, (being money free) is to follow a guide to open up your phone and cleaning it yourself unless of course you would be voiding your warranty. However that seems to be not the case here.
to brick it, flash a gsm radio or rom. BUT "if" they catch it you will be charged for a new phone.
Nate14 said:
I would have to agree that the best option, (being money free) is to follow a guide to open up your phone and cleaning it yourself unless of course you would be voiding your warranty. However that seems to be not the case here.
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no need to clean it, just call sprint and they will send you another phone. i did and i got a new one a week ago. sprint knows about the dust defect.
Uhmmm. The answer to your question is yes. The bricked hero is going to go into a bucket of hero's at the HTC repair center and probably be recycled. There is no forensics team waiting to check every phone because of HOW it got screwed. I would keep it all stock though so if they do read it they wont see something that hasnt been released yet.
I would say the radio update trick may brick it but it would be best if the phone didnt even power on.
Also, don't feel bad. I am ocd about this stuff too and if I had dust under the screen in one hand, and a company like sprint trying back out of responsibility in the other, I would do the same thing. I could go on and on but its up to you to decide what the "right thing" to do is. And I personally feel that they should cover this stuff, so I have no moral or ethical problems with forcing a company to own up and care about their customers. Just be sure to take it to a sprint store you have never been to before.
FYI- I am a Sprint employee.. and I can tell you that as long as you're going to a COMPANY OWNED Sprint store, they will clean the dust out for you at no charge since you're still in warranty. If they do not, ask for a manager and let them know you don't want to have to email [email protected] (yes this actually works, and his executive escalation office really does read these emails.) If it is a repeated issue, they will eventually replace the phone for you, but it will likely be a reconditioned model (which are just as good as new.) The Hero comes apart very very easily and is very simple to clean. Good luck!
a99tandem said:
FYI- I am a Sprint employee.. and I can tell you that as long as you're going to a COMPANY OWNED Sprint store, they will clean the dust out for you at no charge since you're still in warranty. If they do not, ask for a manager and let them know you don't want to have to email [email protected] (yes this actually works, and his executive escalation office really does read these emails.) If it is a repeated issue, they will eventually replace the phone for you, but it will likely be a reconditioned model (which are just as good as new.) The Hero comes apart very very easily and is very simple to clean. Good luck!
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sprint tried to clean my dust but refused to take apart the hero in fear of breaking it or getting fingerprints on the lcd. the blew out what they could and hooked me up with a new phone, no questions asked.
flexgrip said:
Uhmmm. The answer to your question is yes. The bricked hero is going to go into a bucket of hero's at the HTC repair center and probably be recycled. There is no forensics team waiting to check every phone because of HOW it got screwed. I would keep it all stock though so if they do read it they wont see something that hasnt been released yet.
I would say the radio update trick may brick it but it would be best if the phone didnt even power on.
Also, don't feel bad. I am ocd about this stuff too and if I had dust under the screen in one hand, and a company like sprint trying back out of responsibility in the other, I would do the same thing. I could go on and on but its up to you to decide what the "right thing" to do is. And I personally feel that they should cover this stuff, so I have no moral or ethical problems with forcing a company to own up and care about their customers. Just be sure to take it to a sprint store you have never been to before.
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In other words, your telling him its ok to commit fraud, which is a felony. Its because of people like you, that a cell phone costs $500, pc's cost $1000's, insurance rates are high, health care is so expensive, etc.......Fraud accounts for probably a good majority of the cost of products and services. Imagine what it would be like if everybody actually took responsibility for their actions...Ah well..that'll never happen in this society that thinks it's entitled to everything for free.......
intx said:
My sprint store won't replace my Hero with dust under the screen >_<
So if I brick it, they will, correct?
Would brick by pulling battery during radio update or something.
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Use the OPEN enrollment on sprint to get TEP. (they have special now till the end of the month).. then take it in have them 'diagnose' it, and the worse case you pay 50 deductible to get it replaced, keep TEP until your satisfied.
I can usually get out of the TEP deductible by just going to a repair center and waiting for them to fix it.
Maybe that will work.. I had gone through 8 sprint moguls on TEP and never once had to pay the deductible by doing things this way.
TEP on smartphones is $100 not $50 deductible.
OK, first off... The OP never said he tried to fix it, he said he tried to REPLACE it. For all we know, he didn't go to a corporate repair store, just a sales location.
Second, for Fixxxer: if you went to a repair store and they felt uncomfortable opening up your hero? Change stores IMMEDIATELY. They're trained and paid to open up phones, if they can't do that, they're worthless.
Finally, Kkruse: The deductible is $100, hasn't been $50 for smartphones in over a year. Besides, a deductible should only be used for the following: Water damage, physical damage (I'd rather pay $120 on the spot to get it fixed), theft/loss, fire damage, complete devastation (aka motherboard shattered into more than 2 pieces). If you use the deductible for dust, send me the $100 instead, it'll get more use. Half of your insurance goes to free in store repairs. Guess what dust is covered under?
Related
ok I know for a fact they will replace your htc hero (it'll be refurbished, but if your dust is as bad as it is on mine then it's worth it).
this is what I did (it's long kinda, i'll put a tl;dr at the bottom) to get a refurbed phone from sprint for no money.
skip to bottom if you want summarized version
-spent about 30 minutes in a sprint live chat, the denied any problems with the phone and tried blaming it on me, I said their forum is full of cases of people with the issue, they told me they don't support online forums. I said then why do you guys have one. they asked for a link to the thread (i linked to one with a bunch of complaints about it in one thread) and told me to just go to the repair center and they would fix it for free, no problems at all.
-went to the sprint repair center, they said sure it'll take about 30 minutes BEFORE my phone went to the back by the techs they opened it up and said it had water damage. I stood there dumbfounded, not once had my phone been near water. He said it was from sweaty palms or sweat on my head. I said come on dude the phone has no problems other than the dust, the water detecting strip isn't even all red it's no big deal, he wouldn't budge though. he told me to go pay 100 for a refurb (deductible)
-called sprint *2. summarized what just happened they said oh no they should have been able to fix it for you. I asked what now ? they said they could have a refurbed phone sent out to me instead of having me go back there. HOWEVER if there was water damage they would charge me (I'm sure there isn't though, the strip isnt' fully activated yet).
summarized
tl;dr - If you have dust, take your phone to the repair center, they can take it apart safely, without voiding the warranty. If you have a custom rom, just take out the battery before giving them the phone. If you have ANY signs of water damage, call *2, explain that you just tried to have the dust blown out at a repair center and they refused due to a minute amount of water on the sensor. they will ship one to you in 2-5 days.
I guess this is mostly my little rant on how much sprint likes to pawn their responsibilities of on the next person. Everytime i go to the damn repair center they say water damage !
yeah i just got my replacement the other day becuase of dust only mine was new not refurb.
I'm assuming it'll be refurbed, but it may be new, I will post what it is when I get it (probably monday or tuesday).
I'm going to have to do this soon, mine is filling up.
So the solution is replaced phones/cleaning out. But they have not fixed this problem? Makes no sense.
Did you guys ever think of cleaning your houses? wtf? I've had 2 heros since it came out, and neither of them have any dust what so ever
auxny said:
Did you guys ever think of cleaning your houses? wtf? I've had 2 heros since it came out, and neither of them have any dust what so ever
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So the issue is unclean houses? Your logic at the very least is interesting. And you having two clean heros does make you an expert, I mean that is a big sample size. Those filthy dusty pigs!
i agree
For the Brave who want to clean their own...
androidforums.com/sprint-htc-hero/22036-sprint-htc-hero-disassembly-diy.html[/url]
auxny said:
i agree
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Yeah and the fact that none of their other electronics have dust in their displays is pure luck. Sprint should just email all those whiny bastards and tell them to take a shower every once and awhile.
bob2300nx said:
Yeah and the fact that none of their other electronics have dust in their displays is pure luck. Sprint should just email all those whiny bastards and tell them to take a shower every once and awhile.
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It's like your in my head d00d. instead of replacement phones, they should get you guys a hover vacuum
I have had a zagg case on my hero since day one and dust has filled the lower screen and top left part of the screen as well. I don't live in a dusty house, not that it would matter really since I'm hardly home.
Also, yes you could disassemble your phone, but that could void the warranty, and this was is free and you could get a new phone from it.
Tell ur mom to start cleaning out your pants pockets better.
Stop placing the damn phone into those filthy pockets till she learns to do the laundry correctly.
Or better yet, how about YOU take a min to clean them before YOU put them on......dust problem solved......your welcome!!!
auxny said:
Did you guys ever think of cleaning your houses? wtf? I've had 2 heros since it came out, and neither of them have any dust what so ever
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dang every time you post you make your self look like an ass lol
this is the internet, young sir, so only a no life loser would care if they look like an ass online, so skeet skeet your face!
Or a complete prick...
rockage said:
ok I know for a fact they will replace your htc hero (it'll be refurbished, but if your dust is as bad as it is on mine then it's worth it).
this is what I did (it's long kinda, i'll put a tl;dr at the bottom) to get a refurbed phone from sprint for no money.
skip to bottom if you want summarized version
-spent about 30 minutes in a sprint live chat, the denied any problems with the phone and tried blaming it on me, I said their forum is full of cases of people with the issue, they told me they don't support online forums. I said then why do you guys have one. they asked for a link to the thread (i linked to one with a bunch of complaints about it in one thread) and told me to just go to the repair center and they would fix it for free, no problems at all.
-went to the sprint repair center, they said sure it'll take about 30 minutes BEFORE my phone went to the back by the techs they opened it up and said it had water damage. I stood there dumbfounded, not once had my phone been near water. He said it was from sweaty palms or sweat on my head. I said come on dude the phone has no problems other than the dust, the water detecting strip isn't even all red it's no big deal, he wouldn't budge though. he told me to go pay 100 for a refurb (deductible)
-called sprint *2. summarized what just happened they said oh no they should have been able to fix it for you. I asked what now ? they said they could have a refurbed phone sent out to me instead of having me go back there. HOWEVER if there was water damage they would charge me (I'm sure there isn't though, the strip isnt' fully activated yet).
summarized
tl;dr - If you have dust, take your phone to the repair center, they can take it apart safely, without voiding the warranty. If you have a custom rom, just take out the battery before giving them the phone. If you have ANY signs of water damage, call *2, explain that you just tried to have the dust blown out at a repair center and they refused due to a minute amount of water on the sensor. they will ship one to you in 2-5 days.
I guess this is mostly my little rant on how much sprint likes to pawn their responsibilities of on the next person. Everytime i go to the damn repair center they say water damage !
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unlike vzw, sprint techs dont use the indicator strip as evidence of water damage. it can be a clue, but when they take the phone apart they have to find corrosion on the board to claim liquid damage. believe it or not they actually get paid to fix phones (and are tracked on when they fix a phone versus referring to insuance or having to exchange it) so the techs want to fix as many phones as possible. the hero dust issue is a very easy repair too.
also, theres no such thing as "not enough" water damage. when moisture gets on the strip it turns colors, plain and simple. yes, if it is submerged then it will get more red than if its just a drop of water, but a drop of water is all it takes to fry electronics. now chances are the warehouse wont look at it enough to charge you, but do be weary if the techs makred the device damaged beyond repair which they should have if they denied the repair in the first place.
unlike vzw, sprint techs dont use the indicator strip as evidence of water damage. it can be a clue, but when they take the phone apart they have to find corrosion on the board to claim liquid damage. believe it or not they actually get paid to fix phones (and are tracked on when they fix a phone versus referring to insuance or having to exchange it) so the techs want to fix as many phones as possible. the hero dust issue is a very easy repair too.
also, theres no such thing as "not enough" water damage. when moisture gets on the strip it turns colors, plain and simple. yes, if it is submerged then it will get more red than if its just a drop of water, but a drop of water is all it takes to fry electronics. now chances are the warehouse wont look at it enough to charge you, but do be weary if the techs makred the device damaged beyond repair which they should have if they denied the repair in the first place.
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the tech didnt get to look at my phone it was someone at the front counter he opened it up without saying anything to me and said oh theres water damage. the whole strip isn't red is what I meant. I never dropped it or came close to water so I'm positive it doesn't have water damage on the inside.
the person said that if the indicator is red AT ALL they can't touch the phone because they don't want to take a risk, they recommended that I took the phone to a third party store where it isn't guaranteed. I called sprint right after the tech store and they agreed with me though.
Sprint techs don't get paid to repair phones, well, not per phone. We get paid an hourly wage.
Some third parties will pay their employees per phone, but corporate employees don't get paid per phone repair.
I wish we got something per repair. I repair 3-400 phones a month. Even if we got a dollar a repair it would be nice.
I also have this problem. In the same house, my other phones are very clean on the lower screeen. Many GSM users of Hero have the same problem too. I only use my hero for 3+ months. I can see dust on my screen.
i know how the dust in getting in our phones, there is a defective seal between the body & the lcd. how do i have proof? i went to install a screen protector today and the solution leaked underneath the lcd and leaves staining and a fog. i had to put my hero in a bag of dry rice to preserve & dry it. no other phone i have had, had this issue when installing a screen protector, im only using a small amount of water spray too, not a ton.
nebenezer said:
I hope you got pictures, and then called your lawyer!!
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come on man, im serious here, this is an issue that htc should of fixed. they wouldn't sell those screen protectors to damage your phone. i only used a very small amount of the spray they provide, you have to use the credit card to squeeze the bubbles out.
fixxxer2008 said:
come on man, im serious here, this is an issue that htc should of fixed. they wouldn't sell those screen protectors to damage your phone.
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I actually agree, for some reason I am just unable to pass up an opportunity to give you $h1t
Fortunately I have been one of the lucky few who have no dust under my screen and my call/end button paint shows no wear at all. My hero looks as new today as it did on 3/12/2009 when I got it.
I was serious though about getting photographic documentation, not sure what you would do with it but if you ad an opportunity to tell someone who could do something about it you would be glad you took the pics (ie, emailing someone at htc or sprint, or even proving the defect to customer service in order to get a replacement)
*edit- You bought the screen protector from HTC? I put a full zagg shield on mine a couple months ago and was very paranoid about the solution getting down in the crack between the bottom of the screen and the button plate but I was lucky, no problems.
nebenezer said:
I actually agree, for some reason I am just unable to pass up an opportunity to give you $h1t
Fortunately I have been one of the lucky few who have no dust under my screen and my call/end button paint shows no wear at all. My hero looks as new today as it did on 3/12/2009 when I got it.
I was serious though about getting photographic documentation, not sure what you would do with it but if you ad an opportunity to tell someone who could do something about it you would be glad you took the pics (ie, emailing someone at htc or sprint, or even proving the defect to customer service in order to get a replacement)
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i may give sprint a call tonight, just upsets me is all. i love the phone but damn i didn't need this today. come to think of it, i may give htc a ring, im sure they must be aware of this, maybe i can get a new phone from them?
fixxxer2008 said:
i may give sprint a call tonight, just upsets me is all. i love the phone but damn i didn't need this today.
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dude, I think you need some perspective. You have insurance, right? Forget the deductible, if you go in and use the correct words in the correct order you can easily walk out with a brand new phone... just saying.
nebenezer said:
dude, I think you need some perspective. You have insurance, right? Forget the deductible, if you go in and use the correct words in the correct order you can easily walk out with a brand new phone... just saying.
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probably, yes.... i just checked the phone and the fog is gone but there is a highly noticeable water stain under the lcd at the top left corner of the phone. im trying to dry it out as we speak. too late to go to sprint today but i may call them and htc to see what they are willing to do. i assume the invisible shields do not void your warranty at all since some sprint stores & best buy carry them?
fixxxer2008 said:
probably, yes.... i just checked the phone and the fog is gone but there is a highly noticeable water stain under the lcd at the top left corner of the phone. im trying to dry it out as we speak. too late to go to sprint today but i may call them and htc to see what they are willing to do. i assume the invisible shields do not void your warranty at all since some sprint stores & best buy carry them?
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The experience you had today will in no way void your warranty unless you let it. You are the customer, be a customer who's business they want to keep and they will bend over backwards to help you, I have proven this theory many times
ebaDamagePlan said:
should have*
or
should've*
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ok, it should of been fixed the minute they knew about the dust getting under there. i think i have proof of a defective seal, when a small amount of spray causes staining & fog underneath. i just called htc and their warranty department is closed, figures!
fixxxer2008 said:
probably, yes.... i just checked the phone and the fog is gone but there is a highly noticeable water stain under the lcd at the top left corner of the phone. im trying to dry it out as we speak. too late to go to sprint today but i may call them and htc to see what they are willing to do. i assume the invisible shields do not void your warranty at all since some sprint stores & best buy carry them?
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Eh...good luck. You've got water underneath your screen via a third party screen protective solution.
The liquid wouldnt have entered your screen had you not administered it. Water can creep through even the smallest of openings.
I highly doubt things are going to work in your favor if you enter a Sprint store. I'm not aware of any corporate Sprint location that advocates a screen solution that requires even the smallest amount of liquid since liquid damage is something that must be handled by the insurance company, Asurion, that many wireless providers work through.
Its worth a shot. Just dont be completely disappointed if the Sprint store doesnt respond in your favor.
Quis89 said:
Eh...good luck. You've got water underneath your screen via a third party screen protective solution.
The liquid wouldnt have entered your screen had you not administered it. Water can creep through even the smallest of openings.
I highly doubt things are going to work in your favor if you enter a Sprint store. I'm not aware of any corporate Sprint location that advocates a screen solution that requires even the smallest amount of liquid since liquid damage is something that must be handled by the insurance company, Asurion, that many wireless providers work through.
Its worth a shot. Just dont be completely disappointed if the Sprint store doesnt respond in your favor.
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Sprint stores as well as Best Buy both install screen protectors, so I doubt that would be an issue.
Umm...not to be rude here, but that's been a known issue for a while. It's not new. Anyone who's had the dust issue (myself included) has known about the seal under the screen leaking.
Yes it's defective. If you put up enough of a fuss they'll replace it with a refurb which will likely have the same problem.
I'm one of the lucky ones. I bought mine at best buy, got it replaced, and haven't had the problem since. It appears HTC had a bad batch (well a lot of them, really) for about 6-8 months. They fixed the problem after that, but the good ones are mixed in with the old ones. It's a crapshoot as to whether you'll get one without a dust problem.
I always get screen protectors that have built in sticky solution. never had the dust problem either.
Sent from my HERO200 using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
wcgbmd said:
I'll just put it like this, its not that I don't believe people are having these issues its just that they are exaggerating it completely out of proportion.
I have a Htc Hero(With Google) made in 2009, came with the 1.56 RUU Installed. I have 1 (READ 1) dead pixel on my entire screen, the case has no paint chips, no dust under the screen, buttons show no wear(its not paint...), my speakers work and sound great, I get a full signal in 90% of places, Calls never drop, hardware is fast if you know what your doing and tweak it, you can run 2.1 perfectly if you know what your doing, no battery issues whatsoever.
So yeah... a dead pixel... I'm completely returning my hero to Sprint for that. (not)
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I also have a dead pixel. And I'm not returning it for that reason, either.
But I feel I need to set you straight on a few issues.
#1. The dust issue is real. While I personally didn't wait until I had half my screen covered with it to replace it, I've seen pics (here I believe) where the phone is virtually unusable due to the dust. I had a small amount of dust. But why shouldn't I return it? Why should I spend a bunch of money on a defective piece of hardware? If it's not properly functioning when brand new I'm returning it. Which is what I did, and lucked out.
#2. Button wear. I've never had this problem (only had the phone a couple of months) but my wife has. Whether it's paint, or dye, or what have you, those things can and do flake. There are also images of it on these forums if you search for them.
#3. Never had a speaker problem.
#4. You seem to be extremely fortunate about where you live/drive/work then. Because signal issues happen if you do any travelling.
#5. I don't get people with battery problems either. I have the stock battery and can go all day (12-14 hours) and use 50% or less of the battery.
Anyhow, I doubt the people that are having the issues you mention are exaggerating, and at least in the case of the flaking buttons and dust I know from experience they're as bad as people make it out to be.
chfields said:
Sprint stores as well as Best Buy both install screen protectors, so I doubt that would be an issue.
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exactly, plus they sell them as well. it wouldn't void my warranty under water damage because the water indicator sticker is intact and there are no signs of water damage. i doubt a small amount of solution would seep under the screen unless it was defective. im about to call sprint and demand a brand new hero or a samsung moment as im on my 3rd phone now. besides the fact the 3rd phone they sent me was suppose to be new and it's a refurb with over 700 calls made from it. im really about to not buy htc or sprint anymore and maybe move to another carrier.
chfields said:
Sprint stores as well as Best Buy both install screen protectors, so I doubt that would be an issue.
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I'm not aware of any corporate Sprint Store that would install a screen protector that uses any form of a liquid. The screen protectors that Sprint stores sell are a stick film. Nothing that requires liquid to apply.
Best Buy stores do sell and install these...but you're not going to Best Buy for a replacement unit generally. I'm sure they'll turn you away.
well forget sprint, they said the most that will happen is to give me another refurbish, they need to all be on the same page. some say you get new phones and some say they give you used ones. after 3 phones im entitled to a new one or another comparable model. so i guess my last hope is to call htc on monday, after that im dropping my contract and going to t-mobile or verizon. maybe the issue is they give people used phones and not new ones, they need to start backing up their warranties because it seems to me they are just cheap as hell.
fixxxer2008 said:
yeah but it's a legit complaint, im not just ranting. the dust & seal issue are known issues on the net. to me sprint just doesn't care about their customers. every one of their workers give you different answers, no one is on the same page.
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Had the phone since day -2 and have yet to have one speck of dust under the screen yet. And mines the without google branding. You probably just need to stop whining or stop messing up YOUR phone =P
fixxxer2008 said:
exactly, plus they sell them as well. it wouldn't void my warranty under water damage because the water indicator sticker is intact and there are no signs of water damage. i doubt a small amount of solution would seep under the screen unless it was defective. im about to call sprint and demand a brand new hero or a samsung moment as im on my 3rd phone now. besides the fact the 3rd phone they sent me was suppose to be new and it's a refurb with over 700 calls made from it. im really about to not buy htc or sprint anymore and maybe move to another carrier.
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Who said you were entitled to a "New" Hero? Did you get it through insurance? If not, then you're not entitled to a "New" Hero.
VinceOB said:
Who said you were entitled to a "New" Hero? Did you get it through insurance? If not, then you're not entitled to a "New" Hero.
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all replacements were done through sprint and my 2nd one was a brand new phone. the tech told me last week that if my 3rd one acts up im entitled to a another compatible phone model such as the moment. now they are telling me something different. to me the $7 insurance i pay for every month is apparently worthless.
fixxxer2008 said:
all replacements were done through sprint and my 2nd one was a brand new phone. the tech told me last week that if my 3rd one acts up im entitled to a another compatible phone model such as the moment. now they are telling me something different. to me the $7 insurance i pay for every month is apparently worthless.
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Yep the 3 phones for virtually nothing compared to how much you would of had to pay.
Why do we even bother with the $7?
ok, I know we already have a topic about sprints tep changes, but as I read through it I was so tired of reading all these assumptions and people stating incorrect things, so to clear it up. Also remember this may not be regional, I don't know how sprint is rolling it out, at least in the south east (im in NC) its all rolled out as of oct 23rd.
First off im a service and repair technician at a corporate store. We rolled this out on the 23rd (at least in the southeast, idk of other areas around the US)
pricing is still the same, 7$ a month. But now it covers almost everything except liquid damage, board damage, lost and stolen.
So if someone comes in with a completely shattered evo screen (as I saw 3 today), if they have TEP we replace it with a brand new screen, if we don't have one we exchange in store, if we don't have one, we order a replacement. Basically we now cover physical damage in store. The only time we don't is if its board damage, say the phone got ran over, obviously the board is destroyed. But as far as cracked screens, broken hinges etc... its all covered.
ALSO now for people that do not have TEP, before if they had physical damage we would charge them 120$ in store for repair, now its only 35$ to repair say a broken screen (good news!), except thats for every visit, sprint is now not authorizing the 1 year manufacturers warranty in store, so say your blackberry trackball pops out and you don't have TEP you can either pay sprint 35$ or go to blackberry. But the nice thing is its 35$ for ALL repairs, except the liquid, board damage etc..
I just felt the need to post this because I was tired of reading incorrect posts. Hopefully this makes sense, because I typed this in minor frustration lol. But I think this is great (for the customer, I see alot of phones now lol) But its REALLLLY putting value in sprints TEP now
So if any questions please ask away.
Thanks for clearing that up. I am switching to Sprint next week so this news has been welcomed.
good post ! tyvm
no problem. I hope this makes sense, I just went on a quick typing rant and haven't really read over it. But I think this REALLY adds value to TEP and makes it worth it. And to the people who said sprints technicians don't know anything they are worthless. Honestly.. Just because your local store may be bad, or not up to par doesn't mean they all are. At my store we try to be as fair as possible, but when someone comes in every 2 weeks for the same problem for the past 5 months, yeah we may refuse to repair, or notate the account for repeat offenders. But at the store and District I work in, we all do the best (also were the number 1 store for customer service in the District so that may help)
If you don't have insruance, does the phone need to be on your phone line? Lets say i have a phone in my cabinet with a broken screen, could i go and get it fixed for 35$?
For $35 I might just take the case off my EVO and let her run around naked!
Thanks for clearing that up! I live in the South east as well. +1
yes we can repair the phone but it has to be on the account, and active for atleast 30 days.
So I know this is off topic but how do technicians treat Evos with hosed 4g keys cause I want to root and pay $7 for insurance but fear hosing my 4g which I use.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
Great information, thanks. One question though: what if you do have liquid damage and you pay for TEP? What is the repair cost then? What about lost phones? Also, like already mentioned, what about rooted phones? This is insurance after all and not warranty.
I ask because I have Best Buy Black Tie Protection now' but with these changes to TEP I'm thinking about canceling the Best Buy plan and switching to TEP. Thanks for your info.
what about everyday wear and tear i have scratches from dropping my phone a lot on the bottom of the phone can that be fixed for free?
Is their insurance still through Asurion? I went ten years with never losing or damaging a phone and the one time I lost my HTC touch I was charged $100 for a piece of crap that had a busted speaker and a glitchy looking screen. And to top it off the girl at sprint who looked at my phone said the busted speaker wasn't too bad and that the speaker phone still worked fine...
I am not impressed with Sprint's insurance at all.
ok, well if liquid you go through asurion, 100$. Same for lost or stolen. As far as the 4g queston, not sure what you mean by hosed 4g?
and for the question about cosmetic damage, thats the one thing im not 100% sure about, I will have to get more info on that.
And yeah still through asurion. But now the only time you go through them is if;
liquid damage, lost, stolen, board damage.
samrozzi said:
ok, well if liquid you go through asurion, 100$. Same for lost or stolen. As far as the 4g queston, not sure what you mean by hosed 4g?
and for the question about cosmetic damage, thats the one thing im not 100% sure about, I will have to get more info on that.
And yeah still through asurion. But now the only time you go through them is if;
liquid damage, lost, stolen, board damage.
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Hosed 4G means the RSA keys are damaged and it won't authenticate. Each phone has it's own key, so it's not something that could likely be fixed in store.
Would a phone get replaced under that circumstance?
hmm maybe since im not familiar with the term, But we have seen phones with 4g not connecting or not able to establish a connection and sometimes we have to exchange it (which thats covered), but lately we've been pretty good at restoring data to the devices but a pain in the ass, so exchanging is usually easier
i had a small crack on the top right of my phone (next to front camera) for a month now (a drunk drop getting out of the car)
it wasnt a big deal.
well yesterday i was holding my daughter and was taking my evo out of my pocket......it fell on the tile face down.
i picked it up and my screen was shattered but the phone still works.
anyway i went to sprint today and got a new screen put on my phone for free within 40 minutes. i also have the $7/mo insurance plan
best part is i have a CM6 root/rom on my phone and they didnt say a thing.
i have an 003 version and since the new screen was put on, no more light leakage either
I still don't understand why a customer needs to be charged $35 for warranty work though.
Shattered screen? yes
Defect in phone? no...should be a free repair if it's under the 1 year warranty
Well I know now after reading this Im happy I told Bestbuy to shove their insurance and switched back to Sprints !
m4rk0358 said:
I still don't understand why a customer needs to be charged $35 for warranty work though.
Shattered screen? yes
Defect in phone? no...should be a free repair if it's under the 1 year warranty
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Your not. Call the manufacturers, use their warranty and take a month off without a phone.
exactly dirtyshroomz. Because yous till have the 1 year through company. But we will do things like software defects, and basic s/w based things at no charge
I just dropped my phone and the hinge flew open. On the side near the power button, the joint pulled away and now the phone doesn't slide correctly since the hinge is dislocated. Can I fix it myself? It doesn't seem to have broken anything, just pulled out of socket or something. I'm not really sure how the hinge was connected in the first place so I don't know whether it just needs to be pushed back in or what. I attached some pictures of it too.
Based on that first photo it appears that you sheared a pin off somehow - the one that the main crossbar hooks onto. If that's the case, I don't know how you'd easily repair it.
Ooowwcchh....!
Well I have insurance with t-mobile, but I'm rooted running CM6.1 so I don't want to try to get it replaced and get screwed over. Any advice for that?
mcs6 said:
Well I have insurance with t-mobile, but I'm rooted running CM6.1 so I don't want to try to get it replaced and get screwed over. Any advice for that?
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Talk to Customer Service (dial 611) and tell them the hinge came apart (I wouldnt mention dropping it unless its obvious that its been dropped) and they'll offer to send you a new one. If they wont send you a new one (which would surprise me, they're pretty good about stuff like that, especially known issues like the hinge) then you'll need to make a claim on your insurance. If they send you a new one without making an insurance claim then you can wait until you get your new one, make a back up, and then return your phone to stock/unroot before you send it back. There are threads here explaining how to do that. I've never made a claim through my insurance with TMobile, so I'm not entirely sure how that works. You might have to unroot/return to stock before you take it to the store. If you can call your insurance and make a claim then it might work the same way and you can wait until they send the new one.
Edit: After looking at the pictures, it doesnt look like there's obvious damage, so you should be home free on not admitting its been dropped.
I just threw up a little.
sent from my V I S I O N.
70% of the dummy g2s in stores look like that, it scared me away at first when I was looking at buying a g2
mcs6 said:
I just dropped my phone and the hinge flew open. On the side near the power button, the joint pulled away and now the phone doesn't slide correctly since the hinge is dislocated. Can I fix it myself? It doesn't seem to have broken anything, just pulled out of socket or something. I'm not really sure how the hinge was connected in the first place so I don't know whether it just needs to be pushed back in or what. I attached some pictures of it too.
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Posting pictures of it won't help you. You need to take it apart and reinstall the hinge. If it broke a pin or something, find something to replace it, then reassemble. Don't listen to anybody who says you can't fix it... EVERYTHING can be fixed. Especially simple/stupid mechanical things.
Looks like you broke it in the spring box, heres a pic of it from the inside, there are guides on tearing apart your G2 but I dont know how that will affect the insurance, if you have to return it under insurance and your worried about being rooted there are guides to unroot the phone.
Yeah, it seems like it's definitely worth it just to unroot and return it like I never rooted it to begin with. Tearing it apart is sketchy and I don't know how successful I'd be in the first place, I'd probably just screw it up more.
So I'm assuming this is the go-to guide for unrooting: http://theunlockr.com/2010/12/01/how-to-unroot-the-t-mobile-g2-htc-vision/
Anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks guys for all the input
mcs6 said:
Yeah, it seems like it's definitely worth it just to unroot and return it like I never rooted it to begin with. Tearing it apart is sketchy and I don't know how successful I'd be in the first place, I'd probably just screw it up more.
So I'm assuming this is the go-to guide for unrooting: http://theunlockr.com/2010/12/01/how-to-unroot-the-t-mobile-g2-htc-vision/
Anyone have any experience with this?
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Note that your warranty doesn't cover this type of damage.
Why wouldn't it? Are you saying that because I dropped it or because it's physical damage regardless?
Also, does anyone know what the deductable is for getting it replaced if I go the insurance route?
mcs6 said:
Why wouldn't it? Are you saying that because I dropped it or because it's physical damage regardless?
Also, does anyone know what the deductable is for getting it replaced if I go the insurance route?
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Warranty only covers DEFECTS. It doesn't cover things that you cause. You dropped it, thereby causing the physical damage, you therefore have no warranty. Its all gone. None left.
insurance deductible is $130. better off calling tmo and just saying you have a loose hinge, since it's a known issue, they'll replace it. Don't say it's popped out.
Woops don't know what happend to the pic I posted but here it is again:
that looks awful to try to fix...I was watching the video that someone made about taking the hinge apart and it looked really intense. How would I got about even finding a new pin/spring or whatever?
I wouldn't mention anything about dropping it and just say it has a loose hinge, worse comes to worse blame it on the shipping and an already loose hinge.
SuperDave81 said:
insurance deductible is $130. better off calling tmo and just saying you have a loose hinge, since it's a known issue, they'll replace it. Don't say it's popped out.
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they wont replace it... at least they did not to me... they went on and on that is the way the hinge was designed and crap like that...
i think you are better off if you just pay the 130 deductible, and just report the phone lost and a new phone will be on its way next business day.
dhkr123 said:
Note that your warranty doesn't cover this type of damage.
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Not necessarily true.
As long as there is no evidence that the device has been dropped/abused/dunked into a bucket of water T-Mobile might try to protest but ultimately this can be deemed as a defective device.
You pay for insurance. Its a disaster clause too. Not a warrentee. You could brick your phone and tell them about it and they will replace it. Its the point of insurance. Warrentee is different. Keep in mind, you pay 130 deductable to replace a phone. Don't worry about cm6. They are also not allowed to assume you will root your new phone either. So even if they boot to a cm6 logo they still have to replace your phone since you pay for insurance and the deductible.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App
Edit: I was damn tired when I wrote this. Dunno how much sense it makes..
I found out some info from TMO customer care yesterday that is interesting and worth knowing.
TMO cut the cost to replace a rooted vibrant down to $115 on April 1st, but the insurance still costs $130. So if anyone finds themselves in my situation (totally and utterly bricked in every sense of the word and still rooted) or a similar situation, it would actually be cheaper to just send it in without insurance, even if the damage indicator is red.
However, if they don't get the phone back within 7 days, then the price is still $455 to replace the phone.
This info is for T-Mobile USA. I have no idea if international branches of T-Mobile have adopted the same policy, and I have no idea if this applies to other phones as well (I am just restating what the customer care rep told me.)
So I can crack my screen completely and it will only cost 115 still? Or is that just for rooted devices? Because if you hard-brick the device, TMobile has no way of knowing that it was rooting considering they can't even turn it on.
Also just got mail that the insurance is increasing by $2 to $7.99 but you get free Mobile Security from Asurion included in that....Samsung Vibrant is only included in PLAN D of the insurance which is $130 deductible and a claim limit amount of $1000.
Confused. So hypothetically if I destroy my phone to the point it doesn't even power on, I can call them and send it in to get a refurb one for $115?
Does it apply only if its bricked? If it's broken physically...like screen or something internal, can I still do that?
Mine says LOSS THEFT DAMAGE or MALFUNCTION...Drop in water COVERED..Keypad stop working COVERED..etc etc..
Okay, I can see how my 1st post could have been a little confusing. Here's what you should do if you need to send in your vibrant.
First and foremost, if you CAN flash back to stock, DO IT. That is still the only sure-fire way of not having to pay anything and still get a new/refurbished Vibrant out of it.
Second, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has hardware damage (red damage indicator, damaged screen, exc.), but can still be repaired. So, if your phone has a cracked screen, for example, it's a better idea to send it in without insurance because insurance costs $130 plus an additional $8 per month. (NOTE: The FFC mod is an irreversible mod. You have cracked open the phone and therefore T-Mobile considers that "physical damage." You cannot swap out the camera for the stock one and re-paint the camera hole and lens.)
Third, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has been rooted or modded in any way in terms of software.
However, the chances of T-Mobile finding anything out about software modification is unlikely. At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator. After they have done that, what they are SUPPOSED to do is attempt to find any data on the internal SD card that would reveal whether the phone was rooted or not (working superuser app, exc.). However, this process is long, tedious and boring as hell so what a lot of employees do is just skip the part where they examine the internal SD card and just format the thing without looking at it. To prove it, when I sent in that hard-bricked vibrant, it had a GT-I9000 bootloader on it plus CM7 and numerous ROM.zip files on it. I was not charged anything for that Vibrant.
Moral of the story: Don't buy the insurance for the Samsung Vibrant under any circumstances. Unless it goes down in price (which I seriously doubt it will), it is a complete waste of money. You will save money by going uninsured. Also, don't freak out if your Vibrant has software on it that you can't get rid of for some reason. In all likelihood, T-Mobile won't find anything.
Second moral of the story: DO NOT think that you will only get charged $115 if you choose NOT to send the broken Vibrant back to T-Mobile. They will charge you the ridiculous amount of approximately $455.18.
P.S. If anyone finds out the way that T-Mobile is able to open up the phone without tripping the damage indicator, PLEASE TELL US! If that info gets out, then I will do that FFC mod so fast you won't know what hit you!
I just walked in my tmobil store and told them my phone was messing up. And they sent me a new one. No cost at all to me except for that 8.00. So in my opinion insurance is good. For us if we have the old insurance is fantastic.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA Premium App
Do you get a brand new phone as a replacement if you have insurance?
Refurbished, most likely previous phones that were sent in from people like yourself and fixed up.
yah mine was refurbished, but brand spanking new! in my opinion the insurance is the best deal tmobile has!
I actually prefer the refurbished units since they are actually tested and everything should work on it (including GPS, mine locks 8 birds within 3 seconds).
30000 said:
Okay, I can see how my 1st post could have been a little confusing. Here's what you should do if you need to send in your vibrant.
First and foremost, if you CAN flash back to stock, DO IT. That is still the only sure-fire way of not having to pay anything and still get a new/refurbished Vibrant out of it.
Second, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has hardware damage (red damage indicator, damaged screen, exc.), but can still be repaired. So, if your phone has a cracked screen, for example, it's a better idea to send it in without insurance because insurance costs $130 plus an additional $8 per month. (NOTE: The FFC mod is an irreversible mod. You have cracked open the phone and therefore T-Mobile considers that "physical damage." You cannot swap out the camera for the stock one and re-paint the camera hole and lens.)
Third, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has been rooted or modded in any way in terms of software.
However, the chances of T-Mobile finding anything out about software modification is unlikely. At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator. After they have done that, what they are SUPPOSED to do is attempt to find any data on the internal SD card that would reveal whether the phone was rooted or not (working superuser app, exc.). However, this process is long, tedious and boring as hell so what a lot of employees do is just skip the part where they examine the internal SD card and just format the thing without looking at it. To prove it, when I sent in that hard-bricked vibrant, it had a GT-I9000 bootloader on it plus CM7 and numerous ROM.zip files on it. I was not charged anything for that Vibrant.
Moral of the story: Don't buy the insurance for the Samsung Vibrant under any circumstances. Unless it goes down in price (which I seriously doubt it will), it is a complete waste of money. You will save money by going uninsured. Also, don't freak out if your Vibrant has software on it that you can't get rid of for some reason. In all likelihood, T-Mobile won't find anything.
Second moral of the story: DO NOT think that you will only get charged $115 if you choose NOT to send the broken Vibrant back to T-Mobile. They will charge you the ridiculous amount of approximately $455.18.
P.S. If anyone finds out the way that T-Mobile is able to open up the phone without tripping the damage indicator, PLEASE TELL US! If that info gets out, then I will do that FFC mod so fast you won't know what hit you!
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Well I didn't get insurance to replace my phone in case of damage via rooting. I got insurance to repalce my phone if I lose it, drop it in water, or if it gets stolen.
Also, what damage indicator are you talking about?
anthonys2r said:
Refurbished, most likely previous phones that were sent in from people like yourself and fixed up.
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Thanks, I have the insurance but haven't used yet. If you get a refurbished phone after paying deductible then its not with it for me, might just cancel mine
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
SamsungVibrant said:
Also, what damage indicator are you talking about?
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it's the liquid damage indicator. it's the white square underneath the battery right by the battery connection. it turns red if it gets wet.
VICosPhi said:
Thanks, I have the insurance but haven't used yet. If you get a refurbished phone after paying deductible then its not with it for me, might just cancel mine
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
If you pay deductible, you get a new phone not refurb. Only time you might get refurb is when you do a warranty exchange. Warranty exchanges are at no cost. Insurance is 7.99 a month but like any insurance, its there in case you need it. You loose, break, get it wet or it gets stolen then you are covered. Just like car insurance, you could pay insurance for years and never use it, but then again if you are in a wreck or it gets stolen, then you are happy u did. Without insurance, you are screwed. Remember warranty is only for a year w/o extended warranty. Insurance extends your warranty for life of phone
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
+1 on what he said!
funeralthirst said:
it's the liquid damage indicator. it's the white square underneath the battery right by the battery connection. it turns red if it gets wet.
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I know about the liquid indicator, but that's not what 30000 was talking about. 30000 was talking about a different damage indicator.
30000 said:
30000 said:
At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What damage indicator?
Marvlet said:
If you pay deductible, you get a new phone not refurb. Only time you might get refurb is when you do a warranty exchange. Warranty exchanges are at no cost. Insurance is 7.99 a month but like any insurance, its there in case you need it. You loose, break, get it wet or it gets stolen then you are covered. Just like car insurance, you could pay insurance for years and never use it, but then again if you are in a wreck or it gets stolen, then you are happy u did. Without insurance, you are screwed. Remember warranty is only for a year w/o extended warranty. Insurance extends your warranty for life of phone
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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This is not true, there is a 95% chance that you will get a refurb. All T-mobile reps will tell you that you will either get a refurbished or new device. They will also tell you right after that, that you will most likely get a refurb. I've talked to them for hours and fought with supervisors and such just trying NOT to get a refurb. I know most people think that the refurbished phones are inspected, this is also a load of bs. They are not inspected, they fix the problem that was there and make sure that and ONLY that is fixed. They do not check any other part of the phone.
mugenfiji0327 said:
This is not true, there is a 95% chance that you will get a refurb. All T-mobile reps will tell you that you will either get a refurbished or new device. They will also tell you right after that, that you will most likely get a refurb. I've talked to them for hours and fought with supervisors and such just trying NOT to get a refurb. I know most people think that the refurbished phones are inspected, this is also a load of bs. They are not inspected, they fix the problem that was there and make sure that and ONLY that is fixed. They do not check any other part of the phone.
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Click to collapse
Insurance and warranty exchange are 2 different things. With warranty exchange its new or refurb, cant guarantee one or the other. Most times its refurb. With insurance which is NOT thru T-mobile but thru Assurion, when you file a claim and pay the deductible, you get a new phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Marvlet said:
Insurance and warranty exchange are 2 different things. With warranty exchange its new or refurb, cant guarantee one or the other. Most times its refurb. With insurance which is NOT thru T-mobile but thru Assurion, when you file a claim and pay the deductible, you get a new phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Nope failed again. I will call Asurion right now and go through the process of having my phone replaced and record it just to prove it to you if you would like me to. They do not send out new products man, I know this for a fact. Think about it man, if they sent out new devices everytime someone called in for a problem, none of the companies involved would make any money on that phone which is what they want, MONEY. That includes T-mobile, Asurion and Samsung. Every electronics store I have ever bought from uses them as their insurance program. Best Buy,Verizon,T-Mobile etc. Every time I've had something replaced through any of those companys it has and ALWAYS WILL BE a refurb. I work for Verizon and guess what, everytime someone comes in for us to call Asurion for them or even if they call themselves they still get a REFURB. I used to work for Best Buy and on top of that I worked in the Geek Squad for Best Buy and did most of the insurance claims when people came through. Guess what, all of my customers got REFURBS. I'm done arguing with you and I think I have made my point.