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Just a friendly heads up -- if anything happens to your $400 phone as purchased through brightstar or given to you via Google at a developer's forum, T-Mobile's insurance carrier Asurion will not replace the device with another developer phone. Instead you'll get a stock G1 back. I'm speaking from experience here after exhausting all avenues of redress with Asurion. Don't waste your $5.95/mo, instead purchase it on a credit card and let that coverage handle the replacement.
wow really?!?!?! i thought that if i bought an iPhone and jailbroke it and then returned it to AT&T they would send me another jailbroken iPhone. or if i bought an asus computer and sent it to HP they would send me another new asus. this is really weird that t-mo would replace a phone that they don't carry with a phone that they do. if only some smart person had said on a developers forum:
"don't be an idiot like me and send you phone somewhere other than the place you got it for repair"
mods please close this useless thread
What, exactly, does a jailbroke iPhone have to do with this comment?
-bZj
hahah
OR-
buy a "stock" G1 for $150 and "root" it lol
in his defense he probably got it from t-mo at a developers conference. no need to be testy to the guy.
tubaking182 said:
wow really?!?!?! i thought that if i bought an iPhone and jailbroke it and then returned it to AT&T they would send me another jailbroken iPhone. or if i bought an asus computer and sent it to HP they would send me another new asus. this is really weird that t-mo would replace a phone that they don't carry with a phone that they do. if only some smart person had said on a developers forum:
"don't be an idiot like me and send you phone somewhere other than the place you got it for repair"
mods please close this useless thread
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Click to collapse
This post has nothing to do with an iPhone... he is simply stating that if you purchase an ADP1, use it on T-Mobile, get the insurance through T-Mobile, and ask for a replacement through T-Mobile... they give you a G1.
There is a different in hardware between the G1 and the ADP1. There is no hardware difference between a jailbroken iPhone and a non (unless, of course, you are one of the few that jailbroke by resoldering the radio. If so, kudos to you, but you voided the warranty by opening it).
Gary13579 said:
There is a different in hardware between the G1 and the ADP1
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Click to collapse
Not really, unless you consider a dark grey shell and a silkscreen design "different hardware".
Although id have to agree that the Asurion insurance is pointless if the OP expected an ADP1 back. Generally third party insurance policies will work with a repair depot and put the return hardware into a scrap pool to be refurbed and handed out to new insurance claims. The repair depot technician probably thought the ADP1 was just a G1 with a fancy custom shell (which aside from the unlocked SPL, is pretty much what it is).
Gary13579 said:
This post has nothing to do with an iPhone... he is simply stating that if you purchase an ADP1, use it on T-Mobile, get the insurance through T-Mobile, and ask for a replacement through T-Mobile... they give you a G1.
There is a different in hardware between the G1 and the ADP1. There is no hardware difference between a jailbroken iPhone and a non (unless, of course, you are one of the few that jailbroke by resoldering the radio. If so, kudos to you, but you voided the warranty by opening it).
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Click to collapse
lol, you clearly did not understand his post at all
and care to explain what the difference in hardware is? apart from the battery cover, a developers G1 and a stock G1 are identical, hardware wise.
jashsu said:
Not really, unless you consider a dark grey shell and a silkscreen design "different hardware".
Although id have to agree that the Asurion insurance is pointless if the OP expected an ADP1 back. Generally third party insurance policies will work with a repair depot and put the return hardware into a scrap pool to be refurbed and handed out to new insurance claims. The repair depot technician probably thought the ADP1 was just a G1 with a fancy custom shell (which aside from the unlocked SPL, is pretty much what it is).
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Yes, but it is still a hardware difference . Or do you consider battery covers software now?
Meltus said:
lol, you clearly did not understand his post at all
and care to explain what the difference in hardware is? apart from the battery cover, a developers G1 and a stock G1 are identical, hardware wise.
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Click to collapse
Uh, no. You are getting the exact same phone back from Apple in that instance, just different software. In this instance, you are getting a different model of the phone back.
I don't mean to argue, but there is no need to bash him. He was just trying to warn ADP1 users.
Quite frankly, I'm surprised that tmobile would even offer insurance on a device that they didn't sell... in the least, I wouldn't expect them to honor it. If it was a warranty issue, you should have sent it back to brightstar or directly to HTC, if it was something stupid like water damage, be happy that you got anything back AT ALL.
lbcoder said:
Quite frankly, I'm surprised that tmobile would even offer insurance on a device that they didn't sell... in the least, I wouldn't expect them to honor it. If it was a warranty issue, you should have sent it back to brightstar or directly to HTC, if it was something stupid like water damage, be happy that you got anything back AT ALL.
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Click to collapse
Seriously I agree.. I am surprised they warranty'd it at all, Although in the tmo system I bet everything just said it was a g1 ehh??
on top of that Asurian is the same warranty provider that at least Verizon & Sprint uses as well & Since nobody carry's a developer phone I am fairly sure they dont them to send.. In my opinion that would be common sense to assume you wouldn't be getting the same back unless they returned your original in nonworking condition..
Dev phone warranty claims need to be filed with brightstar.
email [email protected]
include your imei# and a description of the issue.
They will contact you with troubleshooting steps or RMA info.
Enjoy!
lbcoder said:
Quite frankly, I'm surprised that tmobile would even offer insurance on a device that they didn't sell... in the least, I wouldn't expect them to honor it. If it was a warranty issue, you should have sent it back to brightstar or directly to HTC, if it was something stupid like water damage, be happy that you got anything back AT ALL.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I agree with this. But still, no need to flame him for trying to warn us.
plazmagog said:
Dev phone warranty claims need to be filed with brightstar.
email [email protected]
include your imei# and a description of the issue.
They will contact you with troubleshooting steps or RMA info.
Enjoy!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what I have heard, their warranty is a LOT stricter. The only thing they'll replace is physical hardware problems. If the phone bricks, you're SOL.
warranty issues
auctually im on my 5th g1 now through warranty meathod.
i got my g1 for free. i am good friends with a "blackberry/pda specialist" at tmo. this is from her.
1. we dont handle warranty exchanges. htc does.
2. yes we send you the phone, but we ont recieve your old one.
3. software problems.. ok to exchange
4. hardware problems ... ok to exchange
5. cracked screen or water damage ... 100.00 fee to warranty exchange and problem must be before water damage happened.
6. when your old phone gets to htc we only verify it was sent and recieved by us, we just ship them to htc then.
7. it doesnt matter what phone you send us back as long as its tmo branded.
im not going to give anyinfo but idid this and have never paid for my g1.
well let me clarify...
i bout a full retail g1
ok so now i have a g1 listed on my account
returned and bout el chepo nokia but kept the 1 gb sd card
called customer svc.
said problem with my g1 (ie. stuck on g1 screen)
paid 10 bucks for shipping and was sent a refurb g1 replacement
called back with *battery issues* not charging
was sent a battery
called htc and was sent a battery door
ok so i bout a data cable 15.00 + 10.00 for battery cover + 10.00 shipping from tmo = 35.00 not bad for a g1
if you try this i am not responsible for any resulting action you face, as i have friends at tmo and know tmo's policys and scripting and troubleshooting practicies
sorry about my spelling.
Why so harsh? The OP was trying to be helpful. Your post only serves to discourage others from posting something helpful. I am confident the mods here are capable of moderating without your evaluation of whether a thread should be closed or not.
tubaking182 said:
wow really?!?!?! i thought that if i bought an iPhone and jailbroke it and then returned it to AT&T they would send me another jailbroken iPhone. or if i bought an asus computer and sent it to HP they would send me another new asus. this is really weird that t-mo would replace a phone that they don't carry with a phone that they do. if only some smart person had said on a developers forum:
"don't be an idiot like me and send you phone somewhere other than the place you got it for repair"
ods please close this useless thread
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Click to collapse
Puore
i agree with digital_1 stop flamming people. and i agree with your pain. the adp1 is very hard to brick and even though the g1 can be jailbroken and modded its still not as easy to develop on a modded g1 as the adp1. sorry about your loss dude.
wlee1985 said:
i agree with digital_1 stop flamming people. and i agree with your pain. the adp1 is very hard to brick and even though the g1 can be jailbroken and modded its still not as easy to develop on a modded g1 as the adp1. sorry about your loss dude.
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The cool battery cover makes it easier?
mianosm said:
The cool battery cover makes it easier?
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lmfao....gnr.....smh
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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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Click to collapse
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.
What does getting the 6 dollar insurance cover?
- Fly like a G2
Lost, stolen, broken, dropped, water damage... it covers everything. But to get a replace you will have to pay a deductable. I believe its 130??
Sent from my T-Mobile G2
Yup, $130 incase the phone is stolen/lost. The warranty also extends to 2 years instead of 1. And they will service it free of charge if there is physical damage. I took it for the G2 due to the hinge, so over 2 years if the hinge gets REALLY bad I can get a replacement.
The warranty isn't for two years, its for as long as you have it out as long as they support it
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
I love ins. When someone smarter then I figures out root and I brick my phone trying it will only cost me $130 to replace. At least I won't send it in and pretend like I didn't try to root it
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Just a thought but is it possible to pretend its lost/stolen and get that replacement phone? That way I can get another G2 for my girl can't afford for retail price since I used all my credit line..
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
That's illegal and it's called Fraud. Pretty sure it's a hefty fine + jailtime if actually convicted.
But how do they know? You can say it got lost at a theme park right?
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Not the best idea
@noodles2224
Yea you could say some lie like that BUT remember that #1 insurance companies are giving you a 500 dollar phone for 130. So they make it their business to know what happend to your phone. I had to file a claim for a lost g1 and they made me get police reports and everything before they helped me out. #2 every phone has an IMEI number unique to itself and it is registered on the network when the phone is in use (I'm not 100% sure of how it works but they know if that phone is being used or not.) AND if the insurance company finds out that the phone YOU purchased (with its unique IMEI number) that is now claimed to be stolen is being used they might go and find out who is using it or who knows...
I wouldn't risk the fine or jail time or court just for a phone for your girlfriend if you want her to have one sooo bad then you can save up for it or at least tell her you'll give her half or some thing...
Besides I wouldn't see the g2 as the best upgrade option I'm bummed out that it was released with an 800mhz processor... WHY? All the new high end phones are using 1ghz... but w.e. everyone has theyr likes and dislikes... I'm personally waiting for something else...
Sent from my T-Mobile G1 using XDA App
There's another warranty thats 1.99 a month and it covers all the same thing the 6 dollar rate does except for lost or stolen phones. Its only available up to 2 weeks after you purchased the phone. I think it's more likely to have a phone that has broken hinges and buttons instead of losing a phone.
noodles2224 said:
But how do they know? You can say it got lost at a theme park right?
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Hmm... Why don't you try it and find out? I mean what's the worst that can happen? It's easily worth losing a year of your life to jail to save $250!
kludgineer said:
Hmm... Why don't you try it and find out? I mean what's the worst that can happen? It's easily worth losing a year of your life to jail to save $250!
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Click to collapse
Actually, not even that with the $130 deductible, you would only save $120.
But sticking to the original question it covers a lot and its easily worth the $6 if anything happens to the phone physically (cracked damaged broken stolen ran over, abducted by aliens) the insurance company, asurion, will replace it for $130 deductable.
And if anything like software wise or memory card reader messes up or something inside that's NOT your "direct" fault tmobile will replace it for free. But it can't be physically damaged or cracked screen or anything it has to be something inside or even bricked, you can get away with some good excuses and making believe you don't know anything when they ask, did you try to root it? Uhhh... what's that? Lol
Sent from my T-Mobile G1 using XDA App
The other great thing about a carrier having your IMEI# is that they can render it unusable on their or any other network within North America. I am about 98% certain that when you report a phone lost or stolen to Assurion, or Tmobile that their policy is to Blackllist the IMEI # of the phone.
As far as I can tell it only works on this continent, you could get a blacklisted phone to work in Europe.
It is similar to how a phone is added into a network, like say you flash a Verizon phone to Metro, they have to add the IMEI into their system so you can use it. In this case they just make it so you can't use it.
Also they do know if you have used a phone. I had a Nexus one and a Vibrant. I lost my Nexus while using my Vibrant. When I placed the claim with Assurion, they wanted me to call Tmobile and find out the last day my SIM card was used in my Nexus. Tmobile new exactly the last day my sim was in the Nexus.
So they know. And now, you know that they know.
OMF!!!! Come on guys..........how many times are your phones taken or lost and they find it???? They do not care that's why thousands of us pay 6 bucks a month and make them money. So all you wanna be naysayers trying to be xda police let them get one for their girl and be positive. Ill just say this, you lost your phone and give yours to your girl and bam!!!! You will get special attention the night you give it to her =)
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
thats not true, they dont blacklist the devices. Only verizon and sprint do that.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
How about not stealing or commiting fraud because it is wrong? You want something; earn it.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App!
Tekk83 said:
There's another warranty thats 1.99 a month and it covers all the same thing the 6 dollar rate does except for lost or stolen phones. Its only available up to 2 weeks after you purchased the phone. I think it's more likely to have a phone that has broken hinges and buttons instead of losing a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://support.t-mobile.com/doc/tm23694.xml;jsessionid=KjZenf0v916OVRAXNs#4
In the table, it says that the warranty (1.99) covers only malfunction. And "normal wear and tear" is grouped with malfunction in the description at the top of the page. So hinge falling apart is normal wear and tear I'm assuming? what about scratches? And then how is Damaged defined? Any one have any idea? I don't want to pay 6 bucks when I can pay 2...
genethebean33 said:
OMF!!!! Come on guys..........how many times are your phones taken or lost and they find it???? They do not care that's why thousands of us pay 6 bucks a month and make them money. So all you wanna be naysayers trying to be xda police let them get one for their girl and be positive. Ill just say this, you lost your phone and give yours to your girl and bam!!!! You will get special attention the night you give it to her =)
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seriously that's why I had that idea of saying its lost and getting that replacement for her.. saves me and makes both of us happy
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
@noodles2224
But how do they know? You can say it got lost at a theme park right?
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had similar thoughts when I was younger and even talked to a T-Mo rep about it. I learned that if at any point you insert your own SIM card into the phone you claim was lost or stolen, you can expect a not-so friendly visit from the insurance company's lawyers or investigators.
Say you give your phone away to your girlfriend. The first thing they will do is check the SIM card and the account it is tied to. If you don't share the same address, or are linked in some way say through relatives or former addresses (anything a basic background check would show), then they will check the call history and see if you two know each other. It doesn't take a high school education to figure out if your phone was stolen or not. Claiming it was lost won't do much for you either.
I wouldn't be surprised if T-Mo can now remotely disable devices. If the phone is on and transmitting, it can be located pretty easily as well, whether that's for prosecution or recovering losses. I am pretty sure that if you make a claim with the phone in-hand and turn it on, you'll find yourself in trouble very quickly. If **** goes down, good luck convincing anyone, especially a lawyer or judge that your girlfriend stole it.
They don't take fraud lightly; I don't think you should as well.
I found out some info from TMO customer care yesterday that is interesting and worth knowing.
TMO cut the cost to replace a rooted vibrant down to $115 on April 1st, but the insurance still costs $130. So if anyone finds themselves in my situation (totally and utterly bricked in every sense of the word and still rooted) or a similar situation, it would actually be cheaper to just send it in without insurance, even if the damage indicator is red.
However, if they don't get the phone back within 7 days, then the price is still $455 to replace the phone.
This info is for T-Mobile USA. I have no idea if international branches of T-Mobile have adopted the same policy, and I have no idea if this applies to other phones as well (I am just restating what the customer care rep told me.)
So I can crack my screen completely and it will only cost 115 still? Or is that just for rooted devices? Because if you hard-brick the device, TMobile has no way of knowing that it was rooting considering they can't even turn it on.
Also just got mail that the insurance is increasing by $2 to $7.99 but you get free Mobile Security from Asurion included in that....Samsung Vibrant is only included in PLAN D of the insurance which is $130 deductible and a claim limit amount of $1000.
Confused. So hypothetically if I destroy my phone to the point it doesn't even power on, I can call them and send it in to get a refurb one for $115?
Does it apply only if its bricked? If it's broken physically...like screen or something internal, can I still do that?
Mine says LOSS THEFT DAMAGE or MALFUNCTION...Drop in water COVERED..Keypad stop working COVERED..etc etc..
Okay, I can see how my 1st post could have been a little confusing. Here's what you should do if you need to send in your vibrant.
First and foremost, if you CAN flash back to stock, DO IT. That is still the only sure-fire way of not having to pay anything and still get a new/refurbished Vibrant out of it.
Second, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has hardware damage (red damage indicator, damaged screen, exc.), but can still be repaired. So, if your phone has a cracked screen, for example, it's a better idea to send it in without insurance because insurance costs $130 plus an additional $8 per month. (NOTE: The FFC mod is an irreversible mod. You have cracked open the phone and therefore T-Mobile considers that "physical damage." You cannot swap out the camera for the stock one and re-paint the camera hole and lens.)
Third, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has been rooted or modded in any way in terms of software.
However, the chances of T-Mobile finding anything out about software modification is unlikely. At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator. After they have done that, what they are SUPPOSED to do is attempt to find any data on the internal SD card that would reveal whether the phone was rooted or not (working superuser app, exc.). However, this process is long, tedious and boring as hell so what a lot of employees do is just skip the part where they examine the internal SD card and just format the thing without looking at it. To prove it, when I sent in that hard-bricked vibrant, it had a GT-I9000 bootloader on it plus CM7 and numerous ROM.zip files on it. I was not charged anything for that Vibrant.
Moral of the story: Don't buy the insurance for the Samsung Vibrant under any circumstances. Unless it goes down in price (which I seriously doubt it will), it is a complete waste of money. You will save money by going uninsured. Also, don't freak out if your Vibrant has software on it that you can't get rid of for some reason. In all likelihood, T-Mobile won't find anything.
Second moral of the story: DO NOT think that you will only get charged $115 if you choose NOT to send the broken Vibrant back to T-Mobile. They will charge you the ridiculous amount of approximately $455.18.
P.S. If anyone finds out the way that T-Mobile is able to open up the phone without tripping the damage indicator, PLEASE TELL US! If that info gets out, then I will do that FFC mod so fast you won't know what hit you!
I just walked in my tmobil store and told them my phone was messing up. And they sent me a new one. No cost at all to me except for that 8.00. So in my opinion insurance is good. For us if we have the old insurance is fantastic.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA Premium App
Do you get a brand new phone as a replacement if you have insurance?
Refurbished, most likely previous phones that were sent in from people like yourself and fixed up.
yah mine was refurbished, but brand spanking new! in my opinion the insurance is the best deal tmobile has!
I actually prefer the refurbished units since they are actually tested and everything should work on it (including GPS, mine locks 8 birds within 3 seconds).
30000 said:
Okay, I can see how my 1st post could have been a little confusing. Here's what you should do if you need to send in your vibrant.
First and foremost, if you CAN flash back to stock, DO IT. That is still the only sure-fire way of not having to pay anything and still get a new/refurbished Vibrant out of it.
Second, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has hardware damage (red damage indicator, damaged screen, exc.), but can still be repaired. So, if your phone has a cracked screen, for example, it's a better idea to send it in without insurance because insurance costs $130 plus an additional $8 per month. (NOTE: The FFC mod is an irreversible mod. You have cracked open the phone and therefore T-Mobile considers that "physical damage." You cannot swap out the camera for the stock one and re-paint the camera hole and lens.)
Third, T-Mobile will charge you the $115 if they find that the phone has been rooted or modded in any way in terms of software.
However, the chances of T-Mobile finding anything out about software modification is unlikely. At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator. After they have done that, what they are SUPPOSED to do is attempt to find any data on the internal SD card that would reveal whether the phone was rooted or not (working superuser app, exc.). However, this process is long, tedious and boring as hell so what a lot of employees do is just skip the part where they examine the internal SD card and just format the thing without looking at it. To prove it, when I sent in that hard-bricked vibrant, it had a GT-I9000 bootloader on it plus CM7 and numerous ROM.zip files on it. I was not charged anything for that Vibrant.
Moral of the story: Don't buy the insurance for the Samsung Vibrant under any circumstances. Unless it goes down in price (which I seriously doubt it will), it is a complete waste of money. You will save money by going uninsured. Also, don't freak out if your Vibrant has software on it that you can't get rid of for some reason. In all likelihood, T-Mobile won't find anything.
Second moral of the story: DO NOT think that you will only get charged $115 if you choose NOT to send the broken Vibrant back to T-Mobile. They will charge you the ridiculous amount of approximately $455.18.
P.S. If anyone finds out the way that T-Mobile is able to open up the phone without tripping the damage indicator, PLEASE TELL US! If that info gets out, then I will do that FFC mod so fast you won't know what hit you!
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Well I didn't get insurance to replace my phone in case of damage via rooting. I got insurance to repalce my phone if I lose it, drop it in water, or if it gets stolen.
Also, what damage indicator are you talking about?
anthonys2r said:
Refurbished, most likely previous phones that were sent in from people like yourself and fixed up.
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Thanks, I have the insurance but haven't used yet. If you get a refurbished phone after paying deductible then its not with it for me, might just cancel mine
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
SamsungVibrant said:
Also, what damage indicator are you talking about?
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it's the liquid damage indicator. it's the white square underneath the battery right by the battery connection. it turns red if it gets wet.
VICosPhi said:
Thanks, I have the insurance but haven't used yet. If you get a refurbished phone after paying deductible then its not with it for me, might just cancel mine
Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
If you pay deductible, you get a new phone not refurb. Only time you might get refurb is when you do a warranty exchange. Warranty exchanges are at no cost. Insurance is 7.99 a month but like any insurance, its there in case you need it. You loose, break, get it wet or it gets stolen then you are covered. Just like car insurance, you could pay insurance for years and never use it, but then again if you are in a wreck or it gets stolen, then you are happy u did. Without insurance, you are screwed. Remember warranty is only for a year w/o extended warranty. Insurance extends your warranty for life of phone
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
+1 on what he said!
funeralthirst said:
it's the liquid damage indicator. it's the white square underneath the battery right by the battery connection. it turns red if it gets wet.
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I know about the liquid indicator, but that's not what 30000 was talking about. 30000 was talking about a different damage indicator.
30000 said:
30000 said:
At the T-Mobile processing center, they have some magic way of taking out the internal SD card without triggering the damage indicator.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What damage indicator?
Marvlet said:
If you pay deductible, you get a new phone not refurb. Only time you might get refurb is when you do a warranty exchange. Warranty exchanges are at no cost. Insurance is 7.99 a month but like any insurance, its there in case you need it. You loose, break, get it wet or it gets stolen then you are covered. Just like car insurance, you could pay insurance for years and never use it, but then again if you are in a wreck or it gets stolen, then you are happy u did. Without insurance, you are screwed. Remember warranty is only for a year w/o extended warranty. Insurance extends your warranty for life of phone
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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This is not true, there is a 95% chance that you will get a refurb. All T-mobile reps will tell you that you will either get a refurbished or new device. They will also tell you right after that, that you will most likely get a refurb. I've talked to them for hours and fought with supervisors and such just trying NOT to get a refurb. I know most people think that the refurbished phones are inspected, this is also a load of bs. They are not inspected, they fix the problem that was there and make sure that and ONLY that is fixed. They do not check any other part of the phone.
mugenfiji0327 said:
This is not true, there is a 95% chance that you will get a refurb. All T-mobile reps will tell you that you will either get a refurbished or new device. They will also tell you right after that, that you will most likely get a refurb. I've talked to them for hours and fought with supervisors and such just trying NOT to get a refurb. I know most people think that the refurbished phones are inspected, this is also a load of bs. They are not inspected, they fix the problem that was there and make sure that and ONLY that is fixed. They do not check any other part of the phone.
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Click to collapse
Insurance and warranty exchange are 2 different things. With warranty exchange its new or refurb, cant guarantee one or the other. Most times its refurb. With insurance which is NOT thru T-mobile but thru Assurion, when you file a claim and pay the deductible, you get a new phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Marvlet said:
Insurance and warranty exchange are 2 different things. With warranty exchange its new or refurb, cant guarantee one or the other. Most times its refurb. With insurance which is NOT thru T-mobile but thru Assurion, when you file a claim and pay the deductible, you get a new phone.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Nope failed again. I will call Asurion right now and go through the process of having my phone replaced and record it just to prove it to you if you would like me to. They do not send out new products man, I know this for a fact. Think about it man, if they sent out new devices everytime someone called in for a problem, none of the companies involved would make any money on that phone which is what they want, MONEY. That includes T-mobile, Asurion and Samsung. Every electronics store I have ever bought from uses them as their insurance program. Best Buy,Verizon,T-Mobile etc. Every time I've had something replaced through any of those companys it has and ALWAYS WILL BE a refurb. I work for Verizon and guess what, everytime someone comes in for us to call Asurion for them or even if they call themselves they still get a REFURB. I used to work for Best Buy and on top of that I worked in the Geek Squad for Best Buy and did most of the insurance claims when people came through. Guess what, all of my customers got REFURBS. I'm done arguing with you and I think I have made my point.
I posted the below in response to another thread but thought I might as well create a thread to get a more definitive answer on the issue of whether or not LG/Verizon/CarrierX will honor its manufactures warranty if you bought your phone 2nd-hand through Ebay/Craigslist/ect.
Here's my OP, did I just get lucky or is this really how the warranty program really works?
If I'm correct, I hope to dispel the misunderstanding many XDA'ers may have about their warranty and have the fully functional phone they deserve. But please correct me if I'm wrong.
topurdue said:
I didn't have a choice about taking it back to Verizon. I bought it off of CL and it was probably one the original owner had replaced. So, returning it isn't an option for everybody. I tried many things that didn't work also, but this app did and it's why I shared.
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incubus2 said:
I bought my Verizon g2 on swappa so I am in the same boat. I don't know what this magic app does but works for me. Thanks for sharing.
Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk
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I used to think the same thing but this is actually FALSE.
I bought my used G2 off of Ebay and was having problems with the speaker port. So I just brought the phone into Verizon, they confirmed the speaker port wasnt working, looked up my account (im sure they can see whether or not I bought it directly from them) and they had a new phone mailed out to me, no questions asked.
I believe its because the phone is still less than a year old which is covered under LG's manufacturers warranty program not Verizons. Therefore its LG's money, not Verizon's. Why wouldnt Verizon go through the trouble of keeping their customers happy when it doesnt even cost them anything.
Now it might be different once the G2 hits the one year mark. And maybe I just got lucky as I didn't volunteer any info about the Ebay purchase, cuz I was already getting what I wanted anyway. Either way, you have nothing to lose and a brand new G2 to gain if you at least try.
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My imported g2 d802, they wouldn't honour the warranty in the uk and couldn't tell me who to contact. Bought off eBay from someone who purchased it and didn't like it.
Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk
I have no experience outside of Sprint, but with the way my replacement program works, I pay $11/month on my Sprint bill and no matter WHERE my phone came from, defects are fixed(or the phone is replaced) for free. 1-year manufacturer coverage doesn't matter.
If I didn't pay for Sprint insurance, I'd have to mail the phone to LG's warranty department, and I'd have to be within one year. I was told the exception to this is a "known issue", kind of like a manufacturer recall, where so many people have the same defect that Sprint will perform swaps on behalf of the manufacturer even if you don't have insurance. These are rare, I guess because the mfr has to put out a bulletin or something like that admitting the flaw.
Of course, the insurance also helps if I drop or lose the phone. Which is not manufacturer/warranty-related.
It sounds like you might be enrolled in VZ's insurance?
Sent from my LG-LS980 using Tapatalk
When you buy phone that have suffix from your country you can make "purchase agreement" and it will be taken into account if you have everything.