Database Users

Sprint Stiffing Pre-Order Customers! (Defective Phones, Rant)

So here's the deal, since I got my Evo the back cover hasn't fit properly - I don't mind too much so I placed a small sheet of paper which gave the back the proper curve and fixed it.
But now I've got a new issue starting to appear - The screen coming loose towards the bottom!
My friend got an Evo and his is flawless, why should I suffer from pre-ordering!?
I work in Chicago, and naturally I went to a Radioshack close to where I actually live - no Evo's, can't help me.
I call Sprint, they tell me go to where I bought it or all the can do is sent me a re-certified phone - that's bull****, the phone is brand new & not even two weeks old yet.
I go to the Radioshack where I bought it - No Evo's, all they can do is call me when one comes in. Also claim they haven't been sent any since launch.
So here it is, I'm a new Sprint customer who just switched from Verizon and they are already leaving me dry. I've got 30 days to cancel all this, yet they don't seem to care enough to get me a new phone.
My phone is brand new and defective, how the hell does Sprint think they can send me some re-certified model!?
Do they have some deal where if they don't send phones back to HTC they get a discount? I mean seriously, if this phone isn't under a manufacturer's warranty against defects it damn well should be!
This also doesn't cover the fact when I preordered, Radioshack told me there was no $10 data fee - not to mention failed to tell me about activation fees and Sprint surcharges!
I asked about it, almost insisting they could be wrong, yet they kept reassuring me there was no charge. I put $50 down on a non-refundable gift card to pre-order, bull**** they didn't know/disclose all costs when I asked! (Their disclosure of costs was "taxes")
If I don't get my NEW phone before 29 days, I will cancel the whole thing and rant anywhere and everywhere until I am heard!
EDIT: Let me put it this way, for all those who don't understand...If Sprint guaranteed me a new phone when there's availability, that would be 100% fine with me, this is not the case, they want to send me a re-certified phone right after I just bought one brand new!
EDIT #2: Here's my logic...the phone is provided by Sprint (to Radioshack), Sprint pays a spiff (to Radioshack), my service is through Sprint (which is paying off the phone), and my contract is through Sprint.
Why does the fact that I bought it at Radioshack even matter!? Sprint is at the core of all of this.
It's like saying a have a 1 year warranty on an Sharp TV that Sears sold me and trying to take care of it through Sears...after that 30 days it's not Sears' problem. The service through Sprint is ongoing and this phone is part of it, how is Sprint not responsible?

You have got to be kidding me with this post right? I guess you assume the magic phone maker ferry is going to make YOU a phone just so YOU can be happy, but everyone else has to wait until they get re stocked because they sold out of all their phones.
Please, just cancel it already, people like this ruin it for the rest of us. How can you not understand that being back ordered means NO ONE is getting new ones right now, they can't just make it appear out of nowhere. Yikes.

lol wow lets give baby what he wants....

Neotelos_com said:
So here's the deal, since I got my Evo the back cover hasn't fit properly - I don't mind too much so I placed a small sheet of paper which gave the back the proper curve and fixed it.
But now I've got a new issue starting to appear - The screen coming loose towards the bottom!
My friend got an Evo and his is flawless, why should I suffer from pre-ordering!?
I work in Chicago, and naturally I went to a Radioshack close to where I actually live - no Evo's, can't help me.
I call Sprint, they tell me go to where I bought it or all the can do is sent me a re-certified phone - that's bull****, the phone is brand new & not even two weeks old yet.
I go to the Radioshack where I bought it - No Evo's, all they can do is call me when one comes in. Also claim they haven't been sent any since launch.
So here it is, I'm a new Sprint customer who just switched from Verizon and they are already leaving me dry. I've got 30 days to cancel all this, yet they don't seem to care enough to get me a new phone.
My phone is brand new and defective, how the hell does Sprint think they can send me some re-certified model!?
Do they have some deal where if they don't send phones back to HTC they get a discount? I mean seriously, if this phone isn't under a manufacturer's warranty against defects it damn well should be!
This also doesn't cover the fact when I preordered, Radioshack told me there was no $10 data fee - not to mention failed to tell me about activation fees and Sprint surcharges!
I asked about it, almost insisting they could be wrong, yet they kept reassuring me there was no charge. I put $50 down on a non-refundable gift card to pre-order, bull**** they didn't know/disclose all costs when I asked! (Their disclosure of costs was "taxes")
If I don't get my NEW phone before 29 days, I will cancel the whole thing and rant anywhere and everywhere until I am heard!
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My situation is similar. I planned on switching from AT&T to Sprint, however, now, I don't know what to do. I have two defective EVOs, bought from Best Buy, and I have called every Best Buy in a 1 hour driving radius from my home in order to locate one (5 or 6 of them), none had any AND they refused to even take down my information to call me when they came in. Basically, they just told me to screw off. I am free to call back whenever I want to check, but they refuse to hold it in store even if I find one. Apparently it's a first come first serve basis, since they already have my money, what do they care?
Best Buy told me to use my warranty, Sprint won't do me any good because I don't want a recertified phone, as mine isn't even two weeks old yet.
And it's sad, because I really like my Sprint service, but I don't have time to screw around driving all over the face of the planet, escalating issues, etc. I just want two working phones, and that's all. I don't want credits, I don't want freebies. I'll even buy two new screen protectors with my own money.
But, 30 days is fast approaching, and once that mark hits they're no longer liable to care at all about my issues, and I have a feeling that's just what will happen.
I'll try over the next two weeks to locate a replacement. Otherwise, I'll just have to cancel (and I feel bad for Sprint, as it's not really their fault).

I understand all that, but where in the contract does it say the 30 days is waved from such circumstances?
Where does it say after 30 days I will still be eligible to trade for a new phone?
You both seem to be missing my point, the contract says 30 days if you have issues or want to cancel, it doesn't mention circumstances such as this.
What makes you think they wont give someone bull**** about the 30 day policy?
I've been ****ed over at least once by every phone provider I've had, I don't put anything past them.

return phone and port out within 30 days, wait for EVO stock to come back in, port back in. You also got free service for the days you were with Sprint anyway so who cares.

themyst said:
return phone and port out within 30 days, wait for EVO stock to come back in, port back in. You also got free service for the days you were with Sprint anyway so who cares.
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Does it effect credit score?

roybotnik said:
You android users are ****ing pathetic. You think everyone should have to hack their phone and superglue the screen on after paying $200 for it. I can see why the poster is pissed. HE BOUGHT SOMETHING AND ITS ALREADY FALLING APART. You have to sign up for a 2 year contract to get this thing and it falls apart in the first few weeks?
If the poor quality of the phone doesn't make everyone return it, then I'm sure the android fanboys telling everyone to 'suck it up' will. This type of stuff is the reason android will never be taken seriously.
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This is not even close to accurate in so many ways. First of all, he isn't complaining that he doesn't like the phone, he's complaining that he has a defective one and they don't have one in stock immediately to replace it.
Second, I guess you should tell that same horrible argument to the iphone, blackberry, porsche, ferrari, lambo, etc. owners that buy their high priced items only to find out there is a problem of some kind. There will ALWAYS be problems. That's why we have warranties and replacements, you just gotta be a little patient sometimes. This whole I WANT IT RIGHT NOW OR I'M GONNA RAISE HOLY HELL attitude is why companies have stopped caring if they fix things or not, there will always be nitwits and numbskulls who complain even if theirs is the only one to ever have an issue. "It's junk, take it back, don't get one, mine failed!" get real, grow up, and go back to apple land so steve jobs can control everything you do.

swatpup102 said:
This is not even close to accurate in so many ways. First of all, he isn't complaining that he doesn't like the phone, he's complaining that he has a defective one and they don't have one in stock immediately to replace it.
Second, I guess you should tell that same horrible argument to the iphone, blackberry, porsche, ferrari, lambo, etc. owners that buy their high priced items only to find out there is a problem of some kind. There will ALWAYS be problems. That's why we have warranties and replacements, you just gotta be a little patient sometimes. This whole I WANT IT RIGHT NOW OR I'M GONNA RAISE HOLY HELL attitude is why companies have stopped caring if they fix things or not, there will always be nitwits and numbskulls who complain even if theirs is the only one to ever have an issue. "It's junk, take it back, don't get one, mine failed!" get real, grow up, and go back to apple land so steve jobs can control everything you do.
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Read the post edit, maybe it will clear things up for your ignorant mind!

Neotelos_com said:
I understand all that, but where in the contract does it say the 30 days is waved from such circumstances?
Where does it say after 30 days I will still be eligible to trade for a new phone?
You both seem to be missing my point, the contract says 30 days if you have issues or want to cancel, it doesn't mention circumstances such as this.
What makes you think they wont give someone bull**** about the 30 day policy?
I've been ****ed over at least once by every phone provider I've had, I don't put anything past them.
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The thing is, if you are paying for your insurance plan, they will cover it as long sa you have the phone and replace it 100 times if they have to or upgrade you to the next model up. It's a feature sprint is great with and will go out of their way to help you with. If your phone can't be fixed by simple methods in the store, you get a new one. Problem is, at the moment, there aren't any left in stock, so you may have to wait a little bit to get one. If you like the phone except for the hardware trouble, don't sweat it, they'll give you a new one as long as you own in and as long as you have the insurance plan for 7 a month. If you don't, then add it before 30 days and don't worry about your phone ever being defective.

roybotnik said:
U mad?
It's a ****ing phone. I can see why the poster would be pissed. His device (and SO MANY others) failed almost immediately after buying it and now he has no replacement.
It really doesn't matter what you think - in the end it's a horrible business decision by Sprint. They give people the option to cancel in thirty days, then sell people a phone that breaks in 2 weeks. I think the expectation of having it last longer is not extraordinary.
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That has 0 to do with sprint though, this will be HTC's problem. I'm not mad at all, I'm dumbfounded by the ignorance of people that are posting on some of these issues. Anything you buy could have trouble, if the company that sells it to you is willing to stand behind it and replace it for nothing, why sweat it? It's not like they are saying you're screwed haha you have to pay to fix with ti or live with it broke, they'll fix it for him free of charge, they just have to have one in first.
How in the world this justifies a post of how horrible sprint is and how they are stiffing their pre order customers I have no idea, how can you replace a defective item if you have nothing to replace it with?

swatpup102 said:
You have got to be kidding me with this post right? I guess you assume the magic phone maker ferry is going to make YOU a phone just so YOU can be happy, but everyone else has to wait until they get re stocked because they sold out of all their phones.
Please, just cancel it already, people like this ruin it for the rest of us. How can you not understand that being back ordered means NO ONE is getting new ones right now, they can't just make it appear out of nowhere. Yikes.
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either u HELP the OP or just go else where.if u dont have anything good to say jus dont say anything at all,just leave the thread.

GHOST99K said:
either u HELP the OP or just go else where.if u dont have anything good to say jus dont say anything at all,just leave the thread.
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That's pretty uppity to say, considering the OP was worthless in making the post to begin with and flat out wrong in saying sprint won't help their customers. I am def trying to help him, by showing that sprint will fix it as soon as possible and for free, but some people just don't get it.....

The issue imo is people come in with both guns blazing acting like add holes and wonder why it rubs people the wrong way.

swatpup102 said:
That's pretty uppity to say, considering the OP was worthless in making the post to begin with and flat out wrong in saying sprint won't help their customers. I am def trying to help him, by showing that sprint will fix it as soon as possible and for free, but some people just don't get it.....
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You didn't say that even once and nor did Sprint.
I bought a new phone, I want a NEW replacement...that's all I don't care if I have to wait a month as long as I get what I should very well be entitled to (and the current phone doesn't die completely during that month)!
EDIT: Come to think of it you're changing your attitude drastically after seeing other feedback, it disgusts me, you want to put others down and can't take the heat in return.

Neotelos_com said:
You didn't say that even once and nor did Sprint.
I bought a new phone, I want a NEW replacement...that's all I don't care if I have to wait a month as long as I get what I should very well be entitled to (and the current phone doesn't die completely during that month)!
EDIT: Come to think of it you're changing your attitude drastically after seeing other feedback, it disgusts me, you want to put others down and can't take the heat in return.
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Say what?? Tell me, can you do a google search? Can you see sprints insurance policy? Better yet, can you make it to a sprint store and talk to a rep? They will tell you, if the phone is defective and you have insurance on it, they will replace it for you. If it's something you caused, such as losing it or absolutely destroying it, you pay a deductible and then get the phone replace. Obviously you've never been with sprint before, because not only do they stand behind this policy, they do it with 99% of the time no trouble. A quick trip to sprints site and google will verify this.
The attitude towards this issue hasn't changed at all, I simply don't get why someone would state in a thread that sprint is stiffing pre order customers. How can you possibly replace the first run defective issues if you DON'T HAVE ONE TO REPLACE IT WITH. When they come in, you'll get one, it's really not that complicated.

Look guys just my opinion. Don't like it tough.
People that have been doing this awhile know two things:
BuY from a private sprint store and you can run into trouble
Buy from retailer x and if it breaks you can't expect retailer y to fix it
So we act like cheap ****s and buy from retailers that don't have the rebate and we end up being stuck with said retailer should something happen. You can always send your device in to htc for repairs.
if it were me I'd return it, and buy from a sprint corporate store and let it be lesson learned. When you buy **** from third parties and it doesn't work out there can be issues. Sprint can't tell if that device came from ebay, bb or shack. I don't se how they are responsible for fixing what you retailer should fix.
If you want sprint to fix it, buy it from them.
Sprint doesn't make the device so before you start comparing apples and oranges think about it.

swatpup102 said:
How can you possibly replace the first run defective issues if you DON'T HAVE ONE TO REPLACE IT WITH. When they come in, you'll get one, it's really not that complicated.
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I shouldn't have to have an insurance plan to replace a defective phone that's entitled to be replaced in the first place.
I may end up adding it, but it's ridiculous I should even need it for this particular instance!

Aridon said:
Look guys just my I opinion. Don't like it tough.
People that have been doing this awhile know two things:
BuY from a private sprint store and you can run into trouble
Buy from retailer x and if it breaks you can't expect retailer y to fix it
So we act like cheap ****s and buy from retailers that don't have the rebate and we end up being stuck with said retailer should something happen. You can always send your device in to htc for repairs.
I itf were me I'd return it, and but from a sprint corporate store and let it be lesson learned. When you buy **** from third parties and it doesn't work out there can be issues. Sprint can't tell if that device came from ebay, bb or shack. I don't se how they are responsible for fixing what you retailer should fix.
If you want sprint to fix it, buy it from them.
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Sprint retails to them, what the hell do you mean they can't tell where it came from!?
They register the device right in the store on contract, Sprint pays them a spiff...

Neotelos_com said:
I shouldn't have to have an insurance plan to replace a defective phone that's entitled to be replaced in the first place.
I may end up adding it, but it's ridiculous I should even need it for this particular instance!
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That's such a horrible mindset though. you're telling me you should be able to buy a defective computer, or car, or whatever, and with no insurance plan be able to just have it replaced whenever you want?
If you don't want the $7 sprint insurance, yet another quick search would show you that HTC has a 1 year warranty on the phone. you can send it back to HTC, and they'll send you a new one when it comes in stock. Or, you cna do what most people have figured out, and for $7 for the life time of the phone, take it to the local sprint store and get a new one for free. You think you can buy a laptop with no extended plan from the place you bought it and have them replace it for free if it's defective? You have to send it to the manufacturer to do so, same as this HTC phone. Or, add the insurance, and never worry about it no matter what.
I just don't see why this is so complicated! Go ahead and send it back to HTC if you don't want to spend the extra 7 a month, you can do that if you want, just be prepared to be without one for a few weeks, just like any other product that has this happen....
To me, you sound like the type that would go to a car dealer and buy a car, and if it has an issue after the first month or so you DEMAND a new car RIGHT AWAY instead of letting the dealer at least have a chance to look at it and see if it's something that can be fixed without much trouble. I can't stand those kind of people.

Best Buy Warranty ?

So my EVO's charging port is messed up and loose and i have to put pressure on the charging cable for it to recognize it and charge.
My question is this...since this is a hardware problem, should I worry about trying to unroot it and such, or just let it be? Obviously, it being rooted is not the reason for the hardware failure. I have the best buy "no questions asked" warranty, not the Sprint. Just wanted to see if anybody had been in a similar situation to me. Thanks
Also, is there something I should look for if I do get a replacement as to better screens and or builds?
Sent from my Baked Snack using XDA App

I would put it back to stock and take it to a Sprint Store. (Don't tell them you have the Best Buy insurance) If they decide it's a warranty issue, you will likely get a new phone on the spot if they have any in stock. If they don't have any, they can order you a new one. If they say it's "damage" and not covered under warranty, then take it to Best Buy. Just be aware that you will probably be without your phone for about a month if you take it to Best Buy.

...it's white. Does that change anything with sprint? Why does it take a month from best buy? Stock issues?
Sent from my Baked Snack EVO using XDA App

well with best buy rather than fixing it right then and there they ship it off to get reapired and you have to wait for it to come back

Oh I see, so do you all feel it's unnecessary to have the best buy warranty. It's $10 opposed to sprints like $7 I believe.
Also, if I just do the OTA .29 will it unroot me and I be GTG? Thanks
Sent from my Baked Snack EVO using XDA App

i know with the sprint insurance it covers Damage beyond repair/water damage and lost/stolen still worth having and it extends the manufacturers warranty.
don't know about unroot.

Sprint might call it physical damage. We have certain criteria to label it as that but from what you're describing its very possible the local sprint store will call that physical damage. Definitely return phone to stock though... good luck hope you get new one
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

here is how it works
As far as the whole root thing, it depends on the geek squad agent that you are dealing with. Some can say no you are rooted please GTFO or some can just help you as they understand
They will type your warranty information into the computer and it will tell them whether to ship it or to replace immediately. With the evo it is currently shipping to this cell repair service center and it takes about a month for it to get fixed. You do NOT get a loaner. Well you can, but you have to pay 100 dollars and you give the phone back and get your money back.
I'd look at your bestbuy receipt and see if there are any serial numbers on there related to your EVO phone. If not, then take it to sprint as they may do an on the spot exchange. Make sure you get the same type of phone (IE white/black)
BestBuy warranty is good mostly for accidental damage as you don't have to pay 100 dollars but the 1 month long wait is sucks.
One cool thing though, is say a year and a half from now you do something to your phone and it is not fixable (Non economical), guess what happens?
You get to get a new phone that is "same technology switch".
i know someone who has an HD2 and it broke, and they get to get the phone's value. They paid 200 dollars but that is contract price, instead they got 499 credit to any new phone which they got the TMOBILE VIBRANT
That is why bestbuy's warranty is good.

Man just take that **** back to best buy I took mine back with a different ROM they dont check!

amirborna said:
here is how it works
One cool thing though, is say a year and a half from now you do something to your phone and it is not fixable (Non economical), guess what happens?
You get to get a new phone that is "same technology switch".
i know someone who has an HD2 and it broke, and they get to get the phone's value. They paid 200 dollars but that is contract price, instead they got 499 credit to any new phone which they got the TMOBILE VIBRANT
That is why bestbuy's warranty is good.
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This is not accurate information. while part of it is that if your phone is uneconomical or unrepairable you will get a new one that is a switch for like technology.... It does not mean you get the price you paid for it credit to do what you will. while this sometimes happens i wouldn't expect it.
What you get for your warranty if they cant repair it is a phone that has similar features to an evo. So if in 1.5 years from now they dont have the evo and they have a phone with comparable features to the evo for 100$ you will get the 100$ phone. you wont get the 500$ non contract price the evo cost now to pick out a phone as you choose.
this goes for all best buy warranties it guarantees if they cant fix it you will get a product with COMPARABLE FEATURES it doesn't guarantee price. many many many people have gotten angry over this in stores when i ran a geek squad when they bought something (say a laptop) for 1700$ and 2.5 years later get a laptop that cost 600$ that while still better then the one they had ... isnt the 1700$ laptop they want.
So i wouldn't go in expecting 500$ if you have a warranty like the above poster tries to imply. i would expect a phone comparable to the evo (if it costs 500$ then great but in a few years it is doubtful).

Ok, confused on what to do. Mine is white and I know when i got it that it was a best buy exclusive color, but wondering if any sprint stores have them now. I don't want to walk in a sprint store and feel like a fool when they say 'bro, this is obviously a best buy phone..take it there'
I would love to not have to wait a month for a new phone, but I will do whatever I have to I guess
Sent from my Baked Snack EVO using XDA App

i was told this when i got my best buy insurance.
even if i had scratches on my phone they would give me a brand new one no questions asked. its insurance not a warranty
the only time you would have to wait is if the screen is cracked then they ship it out
just tell them the charging port is broken and if they have it in stock they should give you one right then and there

patcat2 said:
i was told this when i got my best buy insurance.
even if i had scratches on my phone they would give me a brand new one no questions asked. its insurance not a warranty
the only time you would have to wait is if the screen is cracked then they ship it out
just tell them the charging port is broken and if they have it in stock they should give you one right then and there
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they say a lot of things but did you read the brochure they gave you for your insurance? It specifically says int he brochure that they have the right to try and repair any defects. The reason most people get screwed on "insurance" from stores etc is because they listen to a sales person and dont read the information packet. i suggest you take a look at it sometime it is eye opening for what it covers and what they are required to do and many times is vastly different then what you are told when you buy it sadly.
I wont go as far as to say they are all crap but i will say they arent normally as great as many sales people will have you believe and you should read and decide if you are ok with the actual coverage and not what thy told you because when it comes time to use it .. they are going to go by what is written and NOT what was told to you
just saying

im actually friends with the kid and he takes advantage of his insurance as well hes returned 13 iphones from best buy. 2 of the times he bricked his device.
IF for some reason they dont take your device back throw it against a wall and wait the 2 weeks for one to be shipped to you but i highly recommend telling them about the charger port i can guarantee you will get a new one
you are paying for the insurance you should take advantage for it
and yes i did read the brochure. i dont sign contracts and not read them.
Coverage: This Plan covers parts and labor costs to repair your product in the event your product fails to properly operate due to:
a) a defect in materials and workmanship;
b) normal wear and tear;
c) dust, internal overheating, internal humidity/condensation;
d) a power surge/fluctuation.
e) defective pixels for those products that have a pixel-based display. Pixel repair will be based upon three (3) defective pixels located in a group less than
one half (1/2) square inch or five (5) defective pixels throughout the entire display area.
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your charging port problem falls into categories A and/or B maybe even D.. it is non-repairable so they will give you a new device right there

awesome..i am going to take it by there tonight as it is ROOTED/ROM'd and see if they can replace it on the spot for the problem i have. It is a legit problem as well, i do not remember hitting it or pressure applied to it for it to be broken. Obviously there was some pressure at some point to break it, but i just know i looked at it one day when i took it off the charger and it wasn't charged and that got me looking to see what was wrong.
Thanks everyone for the input. I will update everyone after I stop in BB

Best Buy is garbage.

I like best buy.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

How can you say it is non repairable? talked to friends that currently still work for geeksquad (i used to run the geeksquad near me before i moved off to better pastures in the it world) and they say the evo is not a devo item (if you dont know what that means a devo item will never be repaired they ship it back to the manufacturer) and that currently the procedure is to ship them out to the repair center and then if the repair center deems it not fixable they will replace it.
even in the portion you copied and pasted in it says they will try to fix it. I am not sure where you are getting your information that it is not repairable or what makes you think that they wont try to repair it.
you kinda proved my point with the copy and paste about repair so i will leave it at that. your assumptions after that they will automatically replace it like i said may happen however there is a very good chance it wont and they are not required to by their "insurance" which is in fact a warranty no matter what they or you want to call it. you should stick to advising based off what the document says and not what you have heard from a sales person or a friend because each store is different and heck each employee/manager is different and the only thing that will hold true is what is written in the brochure as that is all they are currently required to do to fulfill their end

So one has to think, this Best Buy insurance is a bunch of ****. Pay Sprint the 7 bucks and tell BB to f' themselves.

well for service i think you will get quicker service from sprint insurance.
the con is 7 dollars a month for 2-3 years is a lot more then you pay for best buy service and yous till have to pay 100$ for the replacement though it does cover being lost and stolen as best buys does not.
so it depends on what is important to you. There are times you COULD get an instant replacement of your phone through best buy it just inst the norm and not required so even if you do once doesnt mean you will again and also doesnt mean just because one phone is flagged for auto replacement that all phones are. which is what i was trying to point out.
i personally go with sprints over bst buys but mainly because it covers the phone if it is lost/stolen. if i didnt care about that it is a toss up. At least some best buys let you "rent" a loaner phone while its shipped out. if you phone is completely dead though sprints you get nothing till you get the new phone.

Can I use an unactivated Epic 4g?

Search wasn't working for me so I am going to try my luck with a new topic
My Epic broke a few weeks ago and was denied warranty service, so I suspended my phone service and I will replace my broken screen myself with one from another unit. Assuming Samsung wiped my device during their diagnostics test and my phone would require activation upon boot, will I be able to use my phone without cellular data/voice until I decide to resume my service?
I've read up that the G1s and Droids can be used unactivated by touching the screen corners and I have a link that says the Fascinate can be used with a dialer code (http://androidforums.com/fascinate-tips-tricks/171348-bypass-fascinate-activation-screen.html)
Would any of those work?
Pic of the broken sAMOLED:
http://tibwolf.smugmug.com/photos/1090857987_wGDm8-XL.jpg

Assuming I'm understanding your question right, the answer should be yes. Sprint sent me a replacement phone when mine was just SUCKING BATTERY. I "switched" the activation from one phone to the other a call to Sprint. When the service was switched, I turned the old phone back on, and it worked on wifi only (no cell or data connection). I'm assuming that signing back in to the market via my Gmail account would have worked fine, but I can't tell for absolutely certain as I didn't actually try it. SHOULD work though. If someone has a more concrete answer, that'd be great.

Why not pay the $35 at a sprint store for repair? We have to do these and evo's often.
And on topic yes market and email etc work on wifi without being activated.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk

You should be able to. I was using my hero as an mp3 player for a little while after I got my epic. The only problem I ran into was I couldn't sign into the android market on my hero if I was using the same gmail address on my epic
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

Sprint fixed my strewn for free. They actually gabe me a new phone at the store since they didn't have the parts. I called and made an appointment but they don't know what happened to my part
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

I don't have TEP so the Sprint store wanted nothing to do with me.
I bought a replacement shell with screen on ebay for $35 so I will repair it myself. Samsung wanted $150 to repair it and every single Samsung rep I've talked to on the phone said that their warranty never covers a broken screen under any circumstances.
Hopefully I can make sure I have a working phone before I go off to bootcamp
Thanks for the input guys

tibwolf said:
I don't have TEP so the Sprint store wanted nothing to do with me.
I bought a replacement shell with screen on ebay for $35 so I will repair it myself. Samsung wanted $150 to repair it and every single Samsung rep I've talked to on the phone said that their warranty never covers a broken screen under any circumstances.
Hopefully I can make sure I have a working phone before I go off to bootcamp
Thanks for the input guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you already bought the screen, this isn't really necessary, but I work at Sprint and with TEP it is a free repair. Without it is $35. I promise! In another thread someone argued that this was not true, but it surely is. I'd be happy to take a pic of an eticket for someone without tep and it clearly shows the $35 charge populated for cracked/damaged screen.

I should mention I didn't purchase any insurance on the phone at all ($71.76 a month after all fees and taxes)
The manager at the Sprint store I went to, which also happens to be the only store in the area authorized for repairs, said that TEP would have been $35 out of pocket, and regular insurance would be $100. Once I said I had no insurance he pointed to a phone and said it was Samsung's problem

tibwolf said:
I should mention I didn't purchase any insurance on the phone at all ($71.76 a month after all fees and taxes)
The manager at the Sprint store I went to, which also happens to be the only store in the area authorized for repairs, said that TEP would have been $35 out of pocket, and regular insurance would be $100. Once I said I had no insurance he pointed to a phone and said it was Samsung's problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If they are corporate or preferred then they are seriously misinformed. The insurance is only for lost/stolen, liquid, or device is in 3 or more pieces. All housing/screen other than that is covered for free if you have TEP or ESRP, but if you only have ERP or NOTHING, then its $35 charge with the option to add tep after the repair or replacement.
I'd complain if they are a corporate or preferred store. If that's the case they are basically saying that they didn't feel like dealing with you, or they have not been properly trained on the new policies.

tibwolf I'm in the same situation as you ... can you tell me how it went? How difficult was it to actually replace it? I couldn't find instructions on the web.

I had my Epic for over two weeks before I activated it and it worked fine as everything but a phone. There were no tricks involved at all - I even did the Google setup so I could access the market, Gmail, etc.

I got mine @ the Bestbuy mobile store. The rep there said that Android based phones have to be actived to be used and that was the reason I couldn't play with a real one before purchasing. He would let me play with a Blackberry though.

Overstew said:
I got mine @ the Bestbuy mobile store. The rep there said that Android based phones have to be actived to be used and that was the reason I couldn't play with a real one before purchasing. He would let me play with a Blackberry though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For him to say "android" based phones have to be activated is false. i had my htc hero without being activated and performed a factory reset and i just walked through the setup with wifi and I could do everything on the phone except the phone. When i bought my epic 4g, It was not activated yet I turned it on and messed around with it.
I hope this helps you out!
p.s - i dunno if this matters but both phones had been previously activated but were unactivated through sprint.
Sincerely,
D3luSi0n4L

I can confirm that you can sprint does repair cracked screens for $35 ( I also smashed mine with no (none of any kind) insurance. You can also use your phone through wifi by skipping activation.

You can bring it to sprint even if you have no account with them?
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

ramsestut said:
If they are corporate or preferred then they are seriously misinformed. The insurance is only for lost/stolen, liquid, or device is in 3 or more pieces. All housing/screen other than that is covered for free if you have TEP or ESRP, but if you only have ERP or NOTHING, then its $35 charge with the option to add tep after the repair or replacement.
I'd complain if they are a corporate or preferred store. If that's the case they are basically saying that they didn't feel like dealing with you, or they have not been properly trained on the new policies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
^This. There was a recent policy change and this is now the policy. If it is repairable, the repair is free with insurance or $35 without. If it is non-repairable, water damaged, or stolen, then you can get a replacement under insurance and nothing without insurance.

Overstew said:
I got mine @ the Bestbuy mobile store. The rep there said that Android based phones have to be actived to be used and that was the reason I couldn't play with a real one before purchasing. He would let me play with a Blackberry though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a Best Buy guy tell me the same thing and I had to correct him. Best Buy in my area doesnt know much about the phones they sell. I had my Epic for awhile and never had it activated, but I could use it on wifi for everything other than calls. I finally decided to acitvate it and switched back and forth for some time, flipping between my Evo and Epic. Both worked over Wifi, and still functioned without wifi, when not activated on Sprint. Same with my old Hero.

DiGi760 said:
^This. There was a recent policy change and this is now the policy. If it is repairable, the repair is free with insurance or $35 without. If it is non-repairable, water damaged, or stolen, then you can get a replacement under insurance and nothing without insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this include parts? Also what kind of things can they replace? The bezel around my screen on the sides has hairline scratches that kinda bug me, I wouldn't mind paying $35 it they'd completely replace it. Please let me know asap!
Thanks!
D3luSi0n4L

Asurion will <not> cover nexus one purchased through developer program

I am posting a new thread because the other related threads were misleading at best and I searched high and low for this info and finally took a chance to confirm it.
When I lost my nexus at the beginning of the month, Asurion told me they would not replace it, my only choice was a vibrant.
I tried the MT4G for this month (CA has 30 day remorse) and prefer the N1.
Called again and told them the last info I could find from August was that N1 was available from google through the developer program. I could not find any answer to the question "Is the Nexus One really still available?"
I spent the $25 to join the developer program and the answer is "YES"
I can order up to 10 at full retail.
Of course, if this were uninsured, I would just buy one off the street and I will drop the insurance because it has been a royal waste of time, but as soon as I scrape up an extra $600 (because it will likely take a while for Asurion to reimburse me), I will get it.
I went all the way through the purchase process up to the place order button, so it looks like there is no backorder or anything.
It appears the only requirement to join the developer program is a google account (can be an apps account but only certain kinds) and $25.
Edit - Fockers backed out on my "deal" only offering POS vibrant. certainly not same capability or features as N1.

Fail to see how this indicates that Asurion will cover your new N1... How about we wait and see what happens in the end.

daijizai said:
Fail to see how this indicates that Asurion will cover your new N1... How about we wait and see what happens in the end.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They will reimburse you up to the retail value of the phone, minus deductible, if you don't wish to use one of the options they provide you. If you want to spend the $ to join as a developer, the OP is right - they will cover you.

so are you saying they will only offer the vibrant and not the mytouch 4g?

The OP is saying that he will pony up $600 out of his pocket for a new Nexus One, which will then be reimbursed by Asurion, minus $140 deductible.

hhmm.
1. At what point can the insurance be added?
I bought my Nexus when it came out earlier this year.
I am not a developer, just a damned happy user.
2. At what point can I pay the $25 developer fee?
T-Mobile told me that they would NOT insure my Nexus cause, because I didn't have insurance on my previous phone (G1), and also because I didn't but it through them.
I really dont NEED the insurance. Jeez, I've never even dropped my Nexus. It's still pristine
But I'd rather have it and not need it ... than to need it and not have it.

When I bought my phone from Google, I called T-mobile when I recieved it and put insurance on it.

OrganizedFellow said:
hhmm.
1. At what point can the insurance be added?
I bought my Nexus when it came out earlier this year.
I am not a developer, just a damned happy user.
2. At what point can I pay the $25 developer fee?
T-Mobile told me that they would NOT insure my Nexus cause, because I didn't have insurance on my previous phone (G1), and also because I didn't but it through them.
I really dont NEED the insurance. Jeez, I've never even dropped my Nexus. It's still pristine
But I'd rather have it and not need it ... than to need it and not have it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. If I remember correctly policy says within 30 days, but I would call them anyways as they still might. When I got mine they wanted to physically see the phone first, just to make sure they weren't insuring air or an already broken phone. Made sense since I didn't buy it from T-Mo they couldn't just look it up. Bought mine on launch day, and had ins. by the end of the week. $140 deduct is way cheaper than $579 again. It did take a week to get everyone on the same page (Asurian and T-Mo) since the phone was so fresh it wasn't in any of their published list of phones yet.
2. Anytime. It's just to register as a developer. If you never buy a phone or make an app im sure Google is happy to keep your $25. Just buy the phone whenever you're ready.
I got the insurance because warranties are for *ussies. I like to void them (XBMC, DD-Wrt, cars, etc) and planned to with my Nexus as well. Since warranties are intended to only ever cover manufacturer defects, not user error, if I bricked it or fried it it's insured. Look into it, and if you can get it do it. It's only like $4.95 a month. And you're right: If you don't have it, you'll need it. And if you have it, you wont need it.
And don't fear dropping it, I have. Too many times. Almost shed a tear the first time. Til I realized this thing is so damn-well built, I have but only 3 scratches. And it has taken a couple of ugly falls.

marquez1369 said:
so are you saying they will only offer the vibrant and not the mytouch 4g?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, thats what they did to me.
player911 said:
The OP is saying that he will pony up $600 out of his pocket for a new Nexus One, which will then be reimbursed by Asurion, minus $140 deductible.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They didn't let me take this path and I called 3 times talked to different people. In the final call, I said I'd prefer a G2 since it is very similar amd this very nice/polite guy went to the supervisor (so he said) and 10 mins he came back and said they woudlnt do it bcause the G2 has a keyboard and the N1 doesn't. The G2 covers the G1 he said.
So, I have now a vibrant which I am starting to like except for the GPS which is worth &^#$. However the Vibrant experience made me decide to get a Nexus S when it comes out (GPS fixed-hopefully, camera flash, 2.3, SAMOLED, etc etc).
Messing with the vibrant firmware is a tricky road though.
Funny thing, I bought a G2 and disliked it to death (except the HSDPA+), returned it in five days, tried an HD7 and settled on the Vibrant at the end.

marquez1369 said:
so are you saying they will only offer the vibrant and not the mytouch 4g?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is correct at this time. I found someone to lend me the extra $500 and called asurion to make sure I had the process right and fockers said "we show reimbursement is denied for this phone because we can't go to the google site and buy it"
It's completely f'd up. The damn phone is available at retail for the same purpose it was originally sold (developer phone) and they are saying "nope".
My claim can stay open through late april, so I am going to hold on until I can find a way to force them to get me an N1 or get something better than a POS samsung vibrant.

negroplasty said:
They will reimburse you up to the retail value of the phone, minus deductible, if you don't wish to use one of the options they provide you. If you want to spend the $ to join as a developer, the OP is right - they will cover you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks like they are not going to let me do it without a fight. I have a decent loaner phone so I am not in a huge hurry.
Has anyone had success getting asurion to cover an N1 purchased from anywhere besides google's website?
This seems like typical insurance ripoff crap. I think I will have to consider squaretrade or one of the other "write a check" type providers for my next phone. I sure won't do assurion anymore unless it is just until I get another policy in place.

wonder if they'll offer the nexus s as a replacement instead of the vibrant/G2

resinous said:
wonder if they'll offer the nexus s as a replacement instead of the vibrant/G2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost certainly not. They don't even offer the G2, only the POS vibrant.
About two weeks before my claim, they changed the way they work with T-Mobile.
They only authorize phones that T-Mobile sells and T-Mobile ships out the replacement handsets from their own warehouse.
This doesn't make sense for a phone that is unlocked and is just using T-Mobile service, but asurion seems to be saying they only provide replacement phones that are sold by carriers no matter what you think you are insuring with them.

resinous said:
wonder if they'll offer the nexus s as a replacement instead of the vibrant/G2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL. Heck, Tmobile USA won't even be insuring the Nexus S!

675 Trip said:
Almost certainly not. They don't even offer the G2, only the POS vibrant.
They only authorize phones that T-Mobile sells and T-Mobile ships out the replacement handsets from their own warehouse.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. Happened to me, the first vibrant had a greenish screen so I cried foul but came with a *T-Mobile* 1yr warranty in the box, so they bounced me to TMO who shipped me a replacement one, refurb as well. Came from the same address and in the same box as the original.
They were nice during the whole very long process (seems I was lucky, I saw tons of people on the web claiming they were quite rude).
I'm not hating the Vibrant so far -although I tried to reject it in every possible way-. Has a nice screen and doesn't have the 3G issue I had until the last day and my GF's still has. Miss Froyo and an easy way to install roms. Has a freakin' awesome camera....

galaxys said:
LOL. Heck, Tmobile USA won't even be insuring the Nexus S!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
shame. wow not even allowing people to replace with a G2

How much are Vibrants going for on Ebay? Perhaps get the Vibrant and sell it. Cash money toward a Nexus
OR
Just call can keep complaining. Say you were instructed to buy the phone and get reimbursed. Tell them you "now" have the phone and are awaiting reimbursement.
ELSE
Tell them you want all of the money you paid to them refunded since they are running a fraudulent scam of a business.
I just went through something like this (not exactly) with Asurion. You pay $5 a month. I had a Motorola Cliq and it was junk. Regardless I smashed it. The deductible was $120. wtf. I could buy a new one for less as my line was eligible for an upgrade.
Needless to say I purchased a MyTouch 3G Slide, in which case my GF left 4 days later. Moral of the story: Don't buy chicks phones and don't pay for Asurion crap. I broke the motorola on accident btw.

bought a brand new N1 the day google announced the NS and right away i called Asurion and added the the insurance.

GHOST99K said:
bought a brand new N1 the day google announced the NS and right away i called Asurion and added the the insurance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly and if you try to make a claim, they will offer you a Samsung Vibrant AND THAT'S IT!
I need to find my actual contract to see if there is any fine print I can take advantage of. Online I read something in one policy that they would replace it with a device with the same capabilities. I am not sure that is in mine.
You're better off buying a squaretrade policy, it looks like, and just holding the assurion policy for the 30 day grace period before squaretrade takes effect. If you buy squaretrade same day as purchase, no waiting period.
If squaretrade can't fix or replace, they write you a check.

New Epic! Finally

Well, on January 19th I cracked the screen on my Epic when it fell off my truck. It's been at best buy since then, well they finally called me today to tell me they're junking it out and they have a replacement ready for me.
Well, I live in upstate NY and have been in Chicago all week, so hearing that voicemail today I got all excited and went straight to the store to pick up my new Epic (Ready to throw my old stand in Hero against the wall). I get to the store and they don't have any in stock! Idiots...so after 30 minutes on the phone, i'm going to another store aobut 15 miles away to pick up a new Epic...FINALLY!
Just would advise anyone thinking of Best Buy as your insurer to think twice...I know I'll most likely cancel this service as soon as I receive my new Epic. I'm sure many people have had great experiences with them, but this has totally turned me off...geek squad is a joke as they don't know what they are doing and they each seem to have their own take on what their policy is.
well, i'll shut up and look forward to getting back into the fun with my Epic again....I miss this sooo much!
Chris

Over a month for a replacement? LOL

Thanks for the heads up on Best buy. I'm on my third Epic and the turn around at the Sprint store was always one day.

Dude stick with the sprint insurance. I went through 2 phones and both times got them the very next day.

Definitely going the Sprint route next time around. BB is a joke, the Geek Squad in store staff is terrible as they don't even know their own policy...One of the PT girls in the mobile department was the one who told me to call their 800 number because they should be replacing the phone after 30 days. It bothers me that the only person who is of help is a college girl who I imagine works part time...I'm definately going to find the store manager and her mobile manager to thank her for her help....as for their geek sqaud, they can eat it!
Chris....oh yeah, can I start up sprint insurance at this point? Not getting the phone from sprint?

I cracked my screen too a couple days ago at 6pm I made my insurance claim. I had a new phone at my door by 10 am. So fn nice.
Epic 4g

At least you got a brand new phone. I love the price and turn around on my Sprint insurance, but I'm about to recieve my 3rd refurb because the previous two had hardware defects. At this point I'd wet myself if someone told me I could have and actual, new phone.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App

After the fourth you can.

styckx said:
Over a month for a replacement? LOL
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I was thinking....wow. I have never bought a cellphone from best buy but is this normal for them? I have only bought computers from them. Just from my experience with best buy and a laptop I use to have I will never let geak squad touch anything of mine and won't buy their insurance
Sent from my EB13 Samsung Epic

The thing to realize about the best buy "black tie" insurance is that no matter what you do to your phone they'll either repair it or give you a new one no questions asked or fees charged, one month turn around excluded it's a pretty great idea.

The idea is great, but the execution is extremely poor...as in the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing.
I store near me seems to be one of the worst, from reviews I've read of the location.
I stopped by their store on monday to see, since that was the day AFTER it was promised to be ready on my invoice...nothing. BUT they promised to escalate with an email (more on that later).
The next day I left for Chicago to visit some family, and the first thing I did on wednesday morning was stop by a local best buy out there, heck there were 2 within 2 miles of where I was staying.
The store I stopped into was somewhat helpful, more so than my home store...they geek that looked at my info said he could escalate the case, but couldn't exchange in their store since the work order wasn't generated in their store...when he offered to escalate with an email I told him that was done 2 days ago...he pulled up the screen and said nothing was in the system, and generated an email to escalate.
Even after calling their 800 number minutes later to get clarification on their policy of handsets being replaced in the homestore, the lady on the phone pulled up the file and said "oh you were just in our chicago store" noting the excalation...I asked her if there was one from my home store, she said nope!
A-holes!
On paper this plan is well worth it, the problem is execution!
Chris

I guess the question then is, do the new epics come loaded with eb13 or di18?

this is a little off topic but best buy insurance sucks i had a laptop that stayed there for a month and got it back and half of the problems sitll there they fixed my screen but i had no sound though the audio ports and battery lasted for 10 mins... so i just ordered the parts (ebay) myself and fixed it myself

Black tie definitely sucks! My wife and I both have epics, she has black tie and I have the TEP. Well she dropped her phone a while back and cracked the screen, took it to best buy for repair. It took them over a month for it to get repaired. The idiots sent it off with the wrong serial number, so the repair shop sent it right on back. She sent it off in November and didn't get it until past the new year...
If you need a loaner phone from them while it gets repaired, you'll have to pay a $100 to use that loaner phone. Sure you'll get it back when you return the phone but what's the point of paying 10 a month?
I on the other hand, had issues with my headphone jack, went into the sprint store and right then and there they tried fixing my phone. It coudln't be fixed on site, so they just gave me a new phone. I was in the store for just about an hour. It's the way to go.
One more thing the TEP covers that Black Tie doesn't is lost or theft. If you lose your phone, your screwed under black tie. Under the TEP, you'll have to pay the $100 deductible, but at least you won't have to rebuy the phone at full price. She's switching over to TEP for sure now. Just like the previous poster stated, great idea, poor execution...

cswee1932 said:
Definitely going the Sprint route next time around. BB is a joke, the Geek Squad in store staff is terrible as they don't even know their own policy...One of the PT girls in the mobile department was the one who told me to call their 800 number because they should be replacing the phone after 30 days. It bothers me that the only person who is of help is a college girl who I imagine works part time...I'm definately going to find the store manager and her mobile manager to thank her for her help....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was she hot?

Jayavarman said:
Was she hot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually she is! But she also was more help than the people who should know more than her!
On a side note, the store is near the state university, that should also answer your question.
Chris

Jayavarman said:
Was she hot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually she is! But she also was more help than the people who should know more than her!
On a side note, the store is near the state university, that should also answer your question.
Chris

063_XOBX said:
After the fourth you can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this directed at me? Please do explain!

I have had the bb black tie for years now any issues with any phone they just give me a new one. Plus I got my epic for 10.24 the cost of the black tie. For me its been great kind of like getting upgraded phones for free. And im still up for a sprint 2 year upgrade on 11-11-11.
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App