Database Users

The truth on sprints new TEP program

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.
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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 have to pay for touchscreen problem?

i have had an evo since the day it came out, and about a month and a half ago i dropped it on the ground. the screen shattered, and i didn't have insurance. at the time the sprint guy said it wasn't a big deal, because the cost for repair was about the same either way. i paid about $130 and it was fixed half an hour later.
lately, about a month and a half later, i noticed some weird issues with the touchscreen. it was jumping around as if i had my finger on it when i wasn't touching it. i formatted the sdcard, did a factory reset, wiped everything, and loaded a stock rooted rom on it. it was fine for a couple hours, then i noticed the issues again. random scrolling, opening apps when i wasnt touching the screen, etc. i noticed the Y and G keys are now not working. i downloaded a screen test app that records where you have touched the screen with a white line. while sliding my finger up and down all across the screen, there is a noticeable band running vertically across the general area of the Y and G keys that does not record any touch activity even if i slide my finger there.
i took the phone to a sprint store and showed them. they asked if i had insurance and i said no. they said "well you could get insurance and then have it repaired for $35." i asked "why should i have to pay to have something repaired that i didn't break? the replacement screen is obviously defective." the guy said "well you should have insurance." and i again said "why do i need insurance for something that went bad on its own?" and he said "you had the repair done over 30 days ago so you'll have to pay to have it repaired again."
i have no idea why i should have to pay for repairs for a phone, regardless if i have insurance or not, when i didn't do anything to damage the phone. im going to go to the actual repair store here in chicago, but i doubt theyll say anything different. if they can't repair it for free, im seriously considering switching to a different phone company. this ridiculous service/repair policy along with the horrible battery life (the guy actually asked how my battery life was and tried to sell me an extended battery, and also tried to sell me a case... neither of which i care about), ridiculous $10/month fee, and lack of built-in tethering makes me want to switch back to tmobile which was a great company when i had the G1.
does anyone have any tips they can give me to get this fixed for free? or is that a hopeless idea?
thanks.

When you had the repair done, I'm sure there was a warranty period on the repair itself. Do you have any documentation showing what that timeframe is? It seems to me that if the screen repair warranty is up, you may be stuck paying for the new repair. Have you tried calling sprint with *2 and explaining the situation? I went through a similar situation with the screen developing a large white spot. It took many calls to *2 until somebody was willing to work with me. Try that. If you are not getting the answers you want, hang up and call right back. My persistence worked out eventually, but like I said, it was a time-consuming ordeal. Good luck.

i understand that there was a warranty associated with the last repair, but it still doesn't make any sense to me that a problem i am having with the screen has nothing to do with anything i did. the shattered screen is not the problem (the screen did not get shattered again, which was what the original repair was for). the touchscreen is simply not working properly. am i supposed to get insurance, pay for that each month, and then pay $35 now and again every 45 days if the problem continues? doesn't make much sense to me, but that seems to be how sprint operates. i will take your advice and call *2 after i get turned away at the actual repair facility that i'm on my way to now. thanks for your advice.

Go to another store and show them the problem but do not mention anything about the screen being replaced before, unless they noted your account. Hopefully they could replace it/fix it under warranty

Welcome to Sprint's "screw the customer" routine. Ive dealt with similar issues in the past.
Like others have said, the repair they did should have a warranty to it, just like if you go to get your car fixed, it usually has a 90 day warranty on the fix itself. Go back to where they fixed it, and talk to the manager. Explain your situation, that the repair obviously was faulty.
If that doesnt work, call *2, and ask to speak to account services. Explain your situation to them, how you are not at fault here, and shouldnt be treated this way as a valued customer. Tell them you will cancel your service if they dont help you resolve this issue. When you tell them that, they will bend over backwards to keep you, and hopefully send you a repacement phone.

I would say your best bet is calling *2 several times and trying to get a person who will help. Usually if you bounce around enough you may get lucky. Although, I have noticed that over the last 6 months they have really tightened down and become less willing to make exceptions. But these situations is what the insurance is for. If your phone was defective in the first 30 days, Sprint would repair it or replace it for free regardless of insurance, after that it's on the customer if you don't have insurance, regardless of the issue. If you had insurance right now you could get it replaced free with no deducible. I had a similar problem with my original EVO that I had since launch day last month. The touchscreen would just start clicking in the middle of the screen all on it's down. I have the insurance, so they replaced it with no questions asked. Your situation is sort of like a laptop, they only come with a certain warranty, and then if it breaks after that it's on you to fix it unless you have extra insurance or an extended warranty regardless of why it malfunctioned. I'm not a big fan of extra insurance either, but on a phone it is really worth it. Also, I am pretty sure ALL phone companies have the same sort of policy when it comes to fixing phones, so I doubt going to a different carrier would help you any. If your phone breaks without insurance through any provider after 30 days its coming out of your wallet. I would say, you might as well get the insurance and pay the $35 to get it fixed. That sounds like a good deal to me, because last night I broke the glass on my second evo, and with insurance the deductible to replace the phone is $100... so $35 sounds like a deal to me. If you don't want to do that, the only other option I see is going on eBay and buying a new screen/digitizer for $49 and putting it in yourself.

wmblalock said:
I would say your best bet is calling *2 several times and trying to get a person who will help. Usually if you bounce around enough you may get lucky. Although, I have noticed that over the last 6 months they have really tightened down and become less willing to make exceptions. But these situations is what the insurance is for. If your phone was defective in the first 30 days, Sprint would repair it or replace it for free regardless of insurance, after that it's on the customer if you don't have insurance, regardless of the issue. If you had insurance right now you could get it replaced free with no deducible. I had a similar problem with my original EVO that I had since launch day last month. The touchscreen would just start clicking in the middle of the screen all on it's down. I have the insurance, so they replaced it with no questions asked. Your situation is sort of like a laptop, they only come with a certain warranty, and then if it breaks after that it's on you to fix it unless you have extra insurance or an extended warranty regardless of why it malfunctioned. I'm not a big fan of extra insurance either, but on a phone it is really worth it. Also, I am pretty sure ALL phone companies have the same sort of policy when it comes to fixing phones, so I doubt going to a different carrier would help you any. If your phone breaks without insurance through any provider after 30 days its coming out of your wallet. I would say, you might as well get the insurance and pay the $35 to get it fixed. That sounds like a good deal to me, because last night I broke the glass on my second evo, and with insurance the deductible to replace the phone is $100... so $35 sounds like a deal to me. If you don't want to do that, the only other option I see is going on eBay and buying a new screen/digitizer for $49 and putting it in yourself.
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Under the new Sprint policy revealed here on XDA, isn't a non-TEP screen replacement, or anything else, $35 per job?

Update:
I went to a Sprint repair store (can't go to the original one because I moved across the country). They took the phone to the back room and came out five minutes later. The guy said "the tech said to get that touch screen test app off your phone because it isn't a good representation of what's wrong" ... I said "okay, well that section of the screen is clearly not accepting touch input" and he said to call a 1800 number to do a factory reset (?!) so I left and called that number and it was disconnected. haha.
I called *2, went through a bunch of menus, and it told me to call some 1800 number from a different phone. I got some guy who walked me through a factory reset which of course did not work. He said he would connect me to tech support, who I thought I was already talking to. Told her the problem and that the reset didn't work. She said it was a hardware problem and I said yes, and said I know it isn't her fault but that I didn't think it was fair for me to pay for a defective screen. She said she was making some notes in my account and was going to transfer me to an escalation manager. That person listened to my complaint again which I tried to word in a polite way. I didn't threaten to cancel my account but was ready to say something. I told her I would like to have a replacement phone since this one seems to have issues. She asked if it had been replaced before, I said no. She asked for my mailing address and email and put me on hold for about five to ten minutes. During that time, I got an email outlining my exchange order.
The exchange order notes that I could have to pay $75 to $125 for the replacement as well as some other fees, but she never mentioned anything about me paying at all so I'm prepared to call up and complain again if they try to charge me. I mean, I realize that's a policy but they never mentioned fees on the phone. I mean, i might as well have paid the $35 if I didn't mind fees.
Another thing to note is that when the guy at the store came out of the back room he had the battery cover off my phone and said the sensor showed it had gotten wet. I have never gotten it wet, and he said it was my fault if I kept it in my pocket. I will call and complain again if they charge me for returning a wet phone, because its not my fault if its such a poor design that minor sweat or pocket humidity can make it malfunction! I don't mean to nitpick but come on HTC...

one thing i HATE about calling any tech company getting shifted around to this person then to this person etc etc

wrb123 said:
i have had an evo since the day it came out, and about a month and a half ago i dropped it on the ground. the screen shattered, and i didn't have insurance. at the time the sprint guy said it wasn't a big deal, because the cost for repair was about the same either way. i paid about $130 and it was fixed half an hour later.
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Did you ask them what kind of warranty they provided with the repair?

No, I didn't (and still don't) think it mattered. If I break something, like I did, I expect to pay for it or have insurance cover it. Since I didn't have insurance, I was okay with paying. While I don't expect a repair to last forever, I think it is reasonable to expect the phone be repaired to like-new condition or with a new screen. Then, if I use the phone normally, with or without insurance, I expect the phone to function normally for at least the length of the contract.

Expectations and reality are two different things. Why don't you call the store and ask them how long they warranty their repairs and go from there.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

I don't know what this guy is talking about! First with how much this phone cost why wouldn't you have insurance on it! It only equals 85 bucks for the year way less then the price of a new or used phone even with the 100 you have to pay to get a replacement your still making out good! I jumped in the pool with my phone and even though it still worked I got a replacement for a 100 no hassles! And my screen went hay wire on the replacement and when they couldn't repair it I got another one for free! I dropped my phone and damage the front facing camera took it to the Sprint store and got it fixed for free! So stop being cheap and get insurance
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I am already getting a replacement phone for free, without insurance, if you read the entire thread.
As far as "being cheap" and "just getting insurance" you are citing two incidents where you caused damage to your phone. I agree that you or I should be expected to have insurance to cover damage to our phones that we cause. I am talking about a screen defect (I didn't drop my phone a second time and crack the screen a second time - the screen stopped accepting touch input in a huge area). people should expect more from electronics manufacturers and the phone companies that essentially work with them by accepting and promoting new phones. Electronics used to last, even when they had moving parts. Now we have a generation of people who are fine with devices that frequently go bad and having insurance to cover it. It seems to me Sprint and HTC are the cheap ones, pumping out thousands of the next "iphone killer" with poor batteries, screens, usb ports, etc.

The "issue" you are having with Sprint is that they no longer cover in warranty repairs at no cost. The phone comes with a 1yr warranty thru HTC. If you would like free in warranty repairs call HTC. Good luck with that one by the way. Normally you are responsible for shipping the device to the manufacture and you would be obviously without your phone for the duration of the repair. The manufacture usually inspects the phone much more closely as well. When I worked at another carrier we used to receive photos of corrosion internally of equipment that they determined was not repairable. Even though the external indicators showed no such damage.
If you have TEP $7/month you would receive replacement equipment for in warranty repairs if it can not be repaired by an in store technician. TEP covers all manufacture warranty and non-warranty items in house. If it is board level damage, water damage, lost stolen, or broken beyond repair it will be replaced by asurion for the $100 deductible.
Any warrantied item without insurance will cost $35 for sprint provided repairs. Exception being software updates. If the phone is out of warranty all repairs, software updates, etc will cost $35.

The incident when my phone went on the fritz and was doing the same screen things yours was I got a replacement free of charge!
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

My "issue" is also that sprint was providing in warranty repairs for one year when I bought this phone. Now they're trying to change that and then saying "oh just get insurance because its a good idea and would cover this." No. I'm getting a free replacement which is what I deserve. There is another thread that explains this change in policy.

bnick007 said:
The "issue" you are having with Sprint is that they no longer cover in warranty repairs at no cost. The phone comes with a 1yr warranty thru HTC. If you would like free in warranty repairs call HTC. Good luck with that one by the way. Normally you are responsible for shipping the device to the manufacture and you would be obviously without your phone for the duration of the repair. The manufacture usually inspects the phone much more closely as well. When I worked at another carrier we used to receive photos of corrosion internally of equipment that they determined was not repairable. Even though the external indicators showed no such damage.
If you have TEP $7/month you would receive replacement equipment for in warranty repairs if it can not be repaired by an in store technician. TEP covers all manufacture warranty and non-warranty items in house. If it is board level damage, water damage, lost stolen, or broken beyond repair it will be replaced by asurion for the $100 deductible.
Any warrantied item without insurance will cost $35 for sprint provided repairs. Exception being software updates. If the phone is out of warranty all repairs, software updates, etc will cost $35.
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That's a good explanation of what changed. It actually used to be like this way back in the day wth Nextel before the merger - you could get a warranty replacement for free, or you could pay $35 for the convenience of walking into the store and picking it up the same day. I'm not sure when it changed to free warranty repairs but you have to pay more for out of warranty repairs (first it was $35 or $55, depending on what's wrong, then later $99 for dumbphones and $119 for smartphones), but now it's essentially back to how it was to begin with.
Overall, It's probably a better value, and you're probably still better off without insurance. Think about it this way - suppose you keep a phone for 2 years, and it breaks once a year - once under warranty and once out of warranty. With the new plan, that's a total cost of $70 ($35 + $35). With the old plan, the first repair would be covered and the second wouldn't. so that'd be $119. Now obviously, that's a hypothetical, you probably don't need to get it repaired that often. but personally, I find that I generally don't need any repairs until I've owned it for a year or so anyway. So it's better for my purposes, although others might disagree.
Regarding TEP - in the long run you're not saving money unless your phone is lost or stolen, and even then you're out $100 for the deductible. Suppose you're phone is stolen once in the same hypothetical 2 yr period (since after 2 yrs you could get a discounted upgrade): You'll save $449.99 on a new phone at MSRP, but you will have paid $268 in premiums and the deductible. If your phone isn't stolen / water damaged / completely destroyed, you're out $168. I don't know about you, but in the last 11 yrs that I've owned cell phones, I've never had that happen - I've needed repairs, but have never been in a situation when I'd need to place an insurance claim. And the $35 you'll save on a repair with tep is only 5 months' premium - surely nobody needs a repair every 5 months!
The bottom line is that all insurance is a losing proposition in the long run - if it weren't likely that you'd pay more in premiums than you get in claims, insurance companies wouldn't make any money. Personally, i only insure those things that I absolutely can't afford to replace out of pocket - my car, house, health life, etc.
Anyhow, sorry to go on like that, but it's just a topic that's been bouncing around in my head recently.
(and a bit of fair disclosure, I'm a Sprint Nextel employee, but what I write here is purely my personal opinion)

Raheem387 said:
The incident when my phone went on the fritz and was doing the same screen things yours was I got a replacement free of charge!
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Good deal
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Good luck, I have to wonder though if the fight, frustration and possible disappointment is really worth it.

Evo Charging Problem

I have a loose micro usb port on my evo, it only charges a certain way..have to position it just right and wrap the cord around the phone. You can imagine how annoying this becomes...
Im afraid to switch to a new evo because im rooted...And really would not want to go through the process of rooting a new model..i hear its a hassle really..to get s-off.
So im thinking of using a service online to get my evo repaired...
What do you guys suggest D:?

I had the sane issue and took mine in and got a replacement. If you have insurance its free or at the most it will be $35. Its a sure bet while the online repair is not.
I feel like a new root will be out before you know it.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

dakidobf said:
I had the sane issue and took mine in and got a replacement. If you have insurance its free or at the most it will be $35. Its a sure bet while the online repair is not.
I feel like a new root will be out before you know it.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
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Problem is i cant stand sense >___>;

Looks Like I am headed for a replacement myself.

XxsydenxX said:
Problem is i cant stand sense >___>;
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I'm in the same boat in not really liking Sense. If all else fails, you can install the stock 2.2 launcher and use that rather than Sense instead of rooting. You'll still have some Sense elements, but it isn't nearly as in your face.

Yeah I had the exact same problem with my 1st evo but after awhile it stopped charging all together so don't wait to long to replace it mine was such a hassle to get a new one the reps kept saying I damaged it but called sprint and they ordered a new one for me the next day
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My charging port just went bad, took it up the sprint store and they said it was physical damage and i have to pay 100, iv had the evo since release day, i didn't do anything wrong and it started going bad, call sprint and talked to like 3 reps and a supervisor and they said if the sprint store said it was physical damage then you will have to pay 100 for a new one, I think this is more wear and tear or manufacture defect. I bought an external battery charger until next pay day but I think sprint should replace it for free, I have total protection insurance and I'm a premier customer

I've heard many, many people getting it fixed for free, as it is a fairly widely known defect affecting some EVOs. I'd try another repair center, or else go to a independent store, they're usually more lenient, especially for intermittent issues.
If they insist it's user damage, ask them how they differentiate that from the defective connector/solder joint issue plaguing many models in your hw rev? Unless you have obvious massive, smashed damage to your port, they can't, and they're just shirking off shoddy manufacturing onto you.

TheMatrixx said:
I've heard many, many people getting it fixed for free, as it is a fairly widely known defect affecting some EVOs. I'd try another repair center, or else go to a independent store, they're usually more lenient, especially for intermittent issues.
If they insist it's user damage, ask them how they differentiate that from the defective connector/solder joint issue plaguing many models in your hw rev? Unless you have obvious massive, smashed damage to your port, they can't, and they're just shirking off shoddy manufacturing onto you.
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+1 sounds like you need to try another sprint store. I have a feeling they vary from place to place. Take for instance me, I dropped my evo and got some gashes in the face plate but all else is fine. I went to a repair center near me and the guy told me he didn't have the parts to fix it but he could just order me another one. I said no thanks I didn't want to change it, went to another place and they said it will cost me 35 bucks to fix because it is cosmetic damage and not covered under the protection plan.
Sent from my Evo while i should be working

Charging Port Repair Issue- Cheaper than Asurion

For anyone who has a bad charging port like me and dont feel like giving up their 003 Hardware Evo for the new pain in the ass root method. Here is an alternative and its only $60 fix and shipped back to you. I was told shipping to them is on you. I am thinking bout giving them a shot.. Fix Charge Port

i guess i'll ask them if they can fix. that drcellphone place screwed me over. is this them?

Laserbeak43 said:
i guess i'll ask them if they can fix. that drcellphone place screwed me over. is this them?
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This is a know and covered warranty issue. Sprint customer care or your local Service & Repair center will replace your device free of charge and usually within 24 hrs. You will most likely be shipped a hardware versior 004 device with a 2.3 locked bootloader. It doesn't matter if you have TEP or not.

walkingsaltine said:
This is a know and covered warranty issue. Sprint customer care or your local Service & Repair center will replace your device free of charge and usually within 24 hrs. You will most likely be shipped a hardware versior 004 device with a 2.3 locked bootloader. It doesn't matter if you have TEP or not.
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Actually, it depends on the type of damage.
If the solder joints are cleanly broken and the copper pad is intact underneath, it's a known issue and Sprint will replace it.
If the solder joints are mangled and the copped pad is pulled up along with it, then it's customer abuse and is referred to Asurion.

Sunsparc said:
Actually, it depends on the type of damage.
If the solder joints are cleanly broken and the copper pad is intact underneath, it's a known issue and Sprint will replace it.
If the solder joints are mangled and the copped pad is pulled up along with it, then it's customer abuse and is referred to Asurion.
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I have the above issue where the charger is broken off cleanly. However, when I took it to a repair shop they stated that because thecharger had broken off the motherboard, they were not allowed to fix it. When I called Sprint, they told me repeatedly that broken charger ports are user damage. I told them that I read online that people were saying this is a known issue and they told me it was not.
Is this really a known issue, and how could I get them to acknowledge this?
Thanks!

I took mine in to the local repair shop. they charged me $35 and got me a refurb in less than a week.

Sorry to revive an old thread
But has anyone tried to get a Sprint replacement without insurance after the one year warranty period?

Yes...I've had 2 get replaced the same way...first, call sprint ,don't go to a store, don't even bring up the insurance...get to tech support...second, and most important, don't say broke off...all you have to say is the phone is no longer charging...say you've tried other batteries and chargers...lastly, say you've got no transportation to a repair center and demand they send a replacement in mail, they won't want to, but you can keep saying that's the way you want it...my girlfriend just had hers replaced this way couple weeks ago...good luck, no 2 sprint operators will be the same...any problems and just call back and get someone else...

Mine appears to have broken now after a year I don't want a locked boot loader though! I wonder if I yell at them and say this is my second evo with the same issues if they would replace it with a 3d evo....
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My charge port broke a month ago and I have had my Evo over a year. I first called Sprint to tell them that my phone no longer charged and that I had read online that the phone was known to have charge port issues. Rep told me to go to a local Sprint repair shop and they would replace. Went to one shop and they opened it up and said the port came off the mobo (duh) but that they would not replace it (I don't have phone insurance). They never even looked up my account to see that the phone Rep put in my account that it would be replaced. I went to a second Sprint store and they opened it up, saw the port off the mobo, and ordered me a refurb instantly. Cost me $35 (I believe it would have been free if I had insurance).
Not sure if it matters, but the first store I went to was an official Sprint corporate store (they are the ones that bounced me). The second store was a "preferred retailer" and they took care of me quick. First refurb I got had some screen issues. Got a second refurb and it has some light bleed at the far bottom of the screen but I can't even see it with my case on.
Also, the refurb I have now is a 0004 and I had it rooted in less than 10 minutes and put Mik's rom on it.

playya said:
For anyone who has a bad charging port like me and dont feel like giving up their 003 Hardware Evo for the new pain in the ass root method. Here is an alternative and its only $60 fix and shipped back to you. I was told shipping to them is on you. I am thinking bout giving them a shot.. Fix Charge Port
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Click to collapse
I had mine fixed using Dr.Phonez well half of it it charges now but i can't connect to my laptop to sync my stuff. This sucks.

Charging port broken off from motherboard - Sprint won't replace

I've been having issues with my charging port for some time now. I've had intermittent issues where the port would not charge and then today, it finally broke off apparently. The Sprint corporate store said they could not fix it and to call Asurion. I'm sure I have the same issue a lot of Evo users have had in that I'm sure they are going to want to charge me the $100 deductible.
How can they call this physical damage to the phone? Plugging it in is a normal activity and there are plenty of documented cases of the charge port coming loose or breaking.
All I want is for Sprint to replace my Evo so I can be on my way. I'm having nothing but bad luck in my endeavor. Has anybody successfully gotten Sprint to replace their phone without going through Asurion? What did you do or say?

I have the same issue. Your phone is probably covered under manufacturer warranty still. Contact HTC. Takes two weeks.
I haven't sent mine in yet. I purchased a battery charger and spare batteries until I figure out how to live with my phone.
Good luck!
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hgelpke said:
I've been having issues with my charging port for some time now. I've had intermittent issues where the port would not charge and then today, it finally broke off apparently. The Sprint corporate store said they could not fix it and to call Asurion. I'm sure I have the same issue a lot of Evo users have had in that I'm sure they are going to want to charge me the $100 deductible.
How can they call this physical damage to the phone? Plugging it in is a normal activity and there are plenty of documented cases of the charge port coming loose or breaking.
All I want is for Sprint to replace my Evo so I can be on my way. I'm having nothing but bad luck in my endeavor. Has anybody successfully gotten Sprint to replace their phone without going through Asurion? What did you do or say?
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Click to collapse
I've heard of Sprint doing that, claiming it's 'physical damage' and and that they refuse to fix it. Asurion, if you have it, is actually quick, you'll have your phone in a day or two. However, you get dinged with the $100 deductible. If you are unsuccessful at getting Sprint to replace it, I gaurantee you that you could find an electronics repair place and have them re-solder the charging port. Supposedly, for someone who knows how to do that type of thing, it's a simple and quick task to do. I'm sure it would be far less than 100 bucks to have it re-soldered. Also, I was reading a thread about this very topic, where someone who did have a lot of electronics experience, said that the solder joints on the charging port are terrible, and a poor overall design to boot.

I wonder... being that any sort of plugging in of a cable puts stress on that charging port, do you suppose that a charging cradle is better or worse for the phone? I'd guess better.....?

FYI- I had the same exact issue and the Sprint Corporate store replaced it for me no questions asked. I wasn't even able to unroot because the battery died.
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Mine broke also and they gave me a new one. But it couldve been that it was during my first month.
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If you don't have tep sprint doesn't care what happens to your phone...they won't replace it.

cbradberry said:
FYI- I had the same exact issue and the Sprint Corporate store replaced it for me no questions asked. I wasn't even able to unroot because the battery died.
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
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Same deal for me.my charger port broke while rooted.I just took it to a repair store not the corporate one, they looked at it then pulled up my account information then activated an evo they had behind the counter and I walked out, that easy! Sorry your having problems, if I was you I'd try a different store. I used the store in Tavares, Florida so you can look them up to see exactly what type of store they are. Good luck to ya!

easy answer: its physical damage, if something is broken then it is not covered by warranty. doesnt matter how it happened, if its broke you did it. use asurion.
real answer: its a grey area. sometimes these ports do break off, and while yes technically it is not covered by warranty or esrp, generally if the phone shows no other signs of physical damage a tech will replace the phone for you. keep in mind that the letter of the law states it is not covered though, so if that store choses not to replace it they are properly doing their job. the techs and stores have repair quotas, and exchanging those phones does cost sprint a lot of money.

if the port is just lose it would have been fine, but its its completely off the board its considered physical damage because it could have been from normal wear and tear or you could have used a pair of pliers and pulled it out. you can try htc but its gonna take for ever and you still have to pay for the parts.

sprint fixed mine in jan...no 35.00 charge (i dont have insurance) it broke again this past week. The ordered a replacement phone. Will be here monday...no 35.00 charge.
Guess it just depends

I took mine in the day after it started acting up - not rooted. I just took it to the Sprint store closest to me. I have insurance & was past my 30 days. I told the guy, he didn't even ask questions about it. He filed it through Asurion and told me to come back the next day after 2:00. It didn't cost anything. But then again... he was flirting with me, so that could have something to do with it.
I'd just try another store, I think it depends on who you get behind the counter with stuff like this. And if you know any pretty girls that will go for you - try that. I've had 3 EVOs and didn't pay for any of my replacements.

kellybrf said:
easy answer: its physical damage, if something is broken then it is not covered by warranty. doesnt matter how it happened, if its broke you did it. use asurion.
real answer: its a grey area. sometimes these ports do break off, and while yes technically it is not covered by warranty or esrp, generally if the phone shows no other signs of physical damage a tech will replace the phone for you. keep in mind that the letter of the law states it is not covered though, so if that store choses not to replace it they are properly doing their job. the techs and stores have repair quotas, and exchanging those phones does cost sprint a lot of money.
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Click to collapse
Sorry, but I have to call BS on most of this (not what you are saying, but rather Sprint's policy)
These devices have a 1yr manufacturers warranty. Sprint should take the hardware for the customer and swap it with HTC....so it shouldn't be costing Sprint a dime (except for labor, which is payed for already).
And frankly if Sprint doesn't want to be the middleman for manufacturer swaps then they need to stop putting their name on the hardware.
Its the same issue I have with the different Corporate vs Franchise Sprint stores...seriously, if you put a sign saying "Sprint" on your store, then you should be prepared to represent them 100% by offering the same services. Sometimes its like showing up to a McDonalds and being told that only the real locations have fries.
[/rant]
Sent from my device.

I've had my Evo since launch day and my charge port was having the same issues.
Called HTC about the warranty and they said it would not be covered.
Took it to Sprint and they swapped it out for the $35 fee since the device was still under the manufacturer's warranty period. I think some stores know this is a recurring issue with this phone and are not putting up much of a fuss over replacing them.
My advice, keep trying different stores until you find one that does it.

ramiss said:
Sorry, but I have to call BS on most of this (not what you are saying, but rather Sprint's policy)
These devices have a 1yr manufacturers warranty. Sprint should take the hardware for the customer and swap it with HTC....so it shouldn't be costing Sprint a dime (except for labor, which is payed for already).
And frankly if Sprint doesn't want to be the middleman for manufacturer swaps then they need to stop putting their name on the hardware.
Its the same issue I have with the different Corporate vs Franchise Sprint stores...seriously, if you put a sign saying "Sprint" on your store, then you should be prepared to represent them 100% by offering the same services. Sometimes its like showing up to a McDonalds and being told that only the real locations have fries.
[/rant]
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Exactly!
DEMAND a repair or exchange.
Sent from my device.
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Call customer service and ask for Account Services. Tell them your situation, and how this IS a manufacturer defect. Tell them you will cancel your account if they dont do anything about it. They will either send you one, or put a note on your account for the store to replace it.
IF by chance that doesnt work, email [email protected]. That's the Executive Offices, the same people you would talk to if you were to file a complaint with the BBB, only this takes a day to respond, not weeks like the BBB.

fix it yourself

i had this same problem. i took it in a week earlier when the port was just wiggly and the store said they couldnt do anything.
a week later the phone wouldnt charge at all. i take the phone and and the tech takes it
he took the port out of the phone and taped it to the reciept and said that the phone was damaged beyond repair.
i ended up calling sprint form the parking lot and found a sprint person who would setup an invoice to send me a new phone and id mail back the broken one. however the tech at the store refused to take the "damaged beyond repiar" tag off my phone.
after 2 hours on the phone and at the store it ended up getting replaced.
i was massively pissed.
tl;dr: try a different store.

sitlet said:
Call customer service and ask for Account Services. Tell them your situation, and how this IS a manufacturer defect. Tell them you will cancel your account if they dont do anything about it. They will either send you one, or put a note on your account for the store to replace it.
IF by chance that doesnt work, email [email protected]. That's the Executive Offices, the same people you would talk to if you were to file a complaint with the BBB, only this takes a day to respond, not weeks like the BBB.
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Click to collapse
What a bad mentality to have... Account services will do everything in their power to help resolve your issue, however they have no ability whatsoever to send a replacement device, they will need to contact a store or tech support to have your device fixed/exchanged. If they deem the device unrepairable, you will have to use insurance or go through the manu warranty.

DirtyShroomz said:
What a bad mentality to have...
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Yes I agree, but sometimes it is unfortunately a last resort that works. :/ But to put this all to rest just try another store and keep trying. Its worked for me and countless others. Some people just dont give two $h!ts about anyone or there problems and wont go above and beyond to help.