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Captivate bricked by update, warranty denied

Hopefully this is not a trend...
My daughter, who is away at school, received a notice on her phone a couple of weeks back that there was an updated available. She was a bit nervous about doing it so waited until she was home over the weekend a week and a half ago and asked me about it. I told her to go ahead and do it. She hit the button to install the update. It downloaded, displayed an error message and the phone turned off. It wouldn't turn back on. We searched a bit, tried all the known key combinations to reset it, but it was a brick.
So the next day I headed over to the AT&T store. They tried a few things and agreed that it was dead. They checked the phone over and stated there was no physical or water damage. They contacted the warranty center over the phone, arranged for the return and handed me the phone handset to agree to terms. Turns out the only way they would warranty the phone is if I sent them the phone and agreed, in advance, to pay $459 if they decided it was not a warranty issue. I asked for clarification, repeated what had happened, and they just kept saying that was the requirement. I mentioned that the store rep and manager had already checked the phone, that there was no physical or water damage, and tried to understand why I would still have to agree to these terms. I asked if they would just agree to send the phone back if there was any other problem. They just kept repeating the same thing, I had to agree to the $459 potential charge with no recourse. They kept stating that I "would probably not be charged." I would not agree and asked the agent and manager on duty if there were any other options. They mentioned an AT&T service center about a half an hour away.
The store wrote me a referral to the service center and told me they could replace the phone on the spot. So off I went. A half an hour car drive and a wait in line and I was informed by the service center staff that they do not stock the Captivate and it would have to be returned to a warranty center. I said, do it. They said, no, I have to return it and that meant -- you guessed it -- agreeing to the same terms. Needless to say I was a bit frustrated at this point. So a half an hour drive home to cool off... or not.
The following day I started searching and found stories of people getting warranty service through Samsung. Wondering what their warranty terms are, I phoned Samsung's number. After repeating the phone death story, they said it was a warranty issue and emailed me a shipping label to send it back. Happy that things were looking up, I boxed it up and sent it off.
Fast forward a week and I just received a notification from Samsung that the phone is being returned, unrepaired. Here is the verbage used:
"Original Problem:
Technical Inquiry
Power
No Power Up
Problem found:
CORROSION, LIQUID DAMAGE
ABUSE / CORROSION
Solution:
BER
BER (Beyond economical Repair) Comments:
An attempt was made to repair your phone which was liquid damaged. This repair was unsuccessful due to excessive corrosion, or the failure of related components. The factory warranty has been voided."
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I get on the phone with Samsung, inform them the phone has never been wet, that both I and the AT&T folks looked at it and the water indicators showed no exposure. They explained that their service personnel do "a very thorough inspection" and that is their determination. Done. Discussion ensued, but there was absolutely no willingness on their part to take another look at the phone, explain further, or otherwise help.
So I'm out $200 plus a two-year contract or ETF fee with AT&T on a three month old phone. My daughter is quite meticulous with this sort of thing and trustworthy and tells me the phone has not been wet. I believe her. The liquid indicators agree. The phone died during an update that I now see is notorious for bricking phones. Both AT&T and Samsung would rather push it off on a customer than stand behind their product. I've been a Cingular/AT&T customer for over ten years, but apparently that's irrelevant.
So that's my story. Consider yourself warned.
BTW, if anyone figures out how to "unbrick" a phone in this state (won't turn on at all after failed update) I'd love to hear about it as the phone is physically fine.

Should have dealt with wal-mart, I got my captivate from wal-mart and for whatever reason my usb port stated that it was connected all the time. I could not boot my phone without physically plugging in and waiting for the battery charge indicator to come on. If I tried to get into recovery mode it would automatically boot into download mode so this told me that there was an actual physical problem with my usb port somewhere somehow. Took it to wal-mart explained to them what was going on they replaced it on the spot no questions.

That's odd. Happened to me too and att store exchanged it right away. Did you purchase it from att or a retailer? If from att, call cs, they will replace it. If you didn't buy from att, you are stuck with samsung...
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

You get 1-year warranty from AT&T, not Samsung. And the terms you mentioned are normal terms for warranty exchange. Typically, they mail you the replacement, a refurb, with mailing labels and instructions for you to mail back your old phone. Track the mail and make sure your phone arrived at AT&T facility and you're done. If the phone is lost in the mail or you failed to mail it back in time, you will be charged by that amount.
Nothing special. That's how warranty exchange works all the time. Many here has made exchanges couple times.

qwertyaas said:
That's odd. Happened to me too and att store exchanged it right away. Did you purchase it from att or a retailer? If from att, call cs, they will replace it. If you didn't buy from att, you are stuck with samsung...
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Yes. Purchased at AT&T retail store. Returned there with the problem. They would not replace it at the store. Their terms were that I had to agree to potential $459 charge with no recourse if they determined that it was not a warranty issue before they would issue an RMA. Spoke with CS on a telephone while in the store. The store employees had already checked the phone for damage and found none.

foxbat121 said:
You get 1-year warranty from AT&T, not Samsung. And the terms you mentioned are normal terms for warranty exchange. Typically, they mail you the replacement, a refurb, with mailing labels and instructions for you to mail back your old phone. Track the mail and make sure your phone arrived at AT&T facility and you're done. If the phone is lost in the mail or you failed to mail it back in time, you will be charged by that amount.
Nothing special. That's how warranty exchange works all the time. Many here has made exchanges couple times.
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I've never been asked to agree to the replacement price of a new item before they even looked at the inoperable one. A reasonable bench charge, sure, but that they will just charge me for a new one if they so decide with no further notice. I don't think so. And I was returning the phone first, there was to be no cross shipment. Those terms are why I turned to Samsung as the manufacturer and based on their warranty which you can find here: http://www.samsung.com/us/support/s...d_mdl_cd=SGH-I897ZKAATT&prd_mdl_name=SGH-I897

a golden rule to buying from ATT just so you will know. Always buy the 4.50 a month insurance they add it to your bill and you hardley even notice the difference...that way if there is an updat to the phone and you try it and it bricks you phone you can get it replaced for about 50.00 through there insurance dept.

stewart2568, Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think I'll be buying any more phones from AT&T, though.

stewart2568 said:
a golden rule to buying from ATT just so you will know. Always buy the 4.50 a month insurance they add it to your bill and you hardley even notice the difference...that way if there is an updat to the phone and you try it and it bricks you phone you can get it replaced for about 50.00 through there insurance dept.
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Actually the replacement fee with AT&T insurance on the Captivate is $ 125.00.

jmore said:
I've never been asked to agree to the replacement price of a new item before they even looked at the inoperable one. A reasonable bench charge, sure, but that they will just charge me for a new one if they so decide with no further notice. I don't think so. And I was returning the phone first, there was to be no cross shipment. Those terms are why I turned to Samsung as the manufacturer and based on their warranty which you can find here: http://www.samsung.com/us/support/s...d_mdl_cd=SGH-I897ZKAATT&prd_mdl_name=SGH-I897
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It pains me to say it but AT&T warranty department is much better than Samsung warranty department. You're just simply mis-understood the terms. A lot of ppl here on the board get their replacement just I described above.There is no cross shipping. They ship to you first, then you mail your back. Of course you have to agree to certain payment in case you never mailed yours back. And they always insist on inspect the phone for water damage before finally grant you warranty. That's just normal practice of buziness. You certainly have the option to ask the phone back instead of pay the $500 charge if they deny your warranty.
So far I didn't see any evidence that AT&T denied your warranty. You're just in a panic mode. Dealing with inpetent Samsung support doesn't help much. FYI, the phone you bought is AT&T branded which means AT&T take care of all the support and services. You can talk to Samsung all you want, you will just get run around like already have.

This is like how Samsung wanted to charge me for their product failure. It was just a month after I got my Captivate and one of the volume rocker buttons got stuck. I called Samsung to have it fixed, and they said it was "physical" damage. The guy said he could transfer me so I could find out how much it would cost, but that he needed to take my credit card first... WHY would customer service take your credit card number BEFORE they told you the cost??
Anyways, it caused me to open the phone up myself just to fix the button, instead of Samsung having my credit card number before I knew what I'd be paying them.

foxbat121 said:
It pains me to say it but AT&T warranty department is much better than Samsung warranty department. You're just simply mis-understood the terms. A lot of ppl here on the board get their replacement just I described above.There is no cross shipping. They ship to you first, then you mail your back. Of course you have to agree to certain payment in case you never mailed yours back. And they always insist on inspect the phone for water damage before finally grant you warranty. That's just normal practice of buziness. You certainly have the option to ask the phone back instead of pay the $500 charge if they deny your warranty.
So far I didn't see any evidence that AT&T denied your warranty. You're just in a panic mode. Dealing with inpetent Samsung support doesn't help much. FYI, the phone you bought is AT&T branded which means AT&T take care of all the support and services. You can talk to Samsung all you want, you will just get run around like already have.
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I asked for clarification on the terms, explained them back as I understood them, and the phone representative confirmed that I had to agree to the charge if they determined it was not a warranty issue. I specifically asked about the option of them just returning the phone instead of charging me for a new one and two different individuals, one on the phone and one in the service center, told me that they could not modify the terms in that way. Interestingly, I asked the phone rep for a copy of the terms in writing, as I was dumbfounded by her reading of them, and she refused to provide me a copy saying she did not have the capability to do so. (huh?!)
I have to disagree about panic mode. I am irritated, but have basically written off my loss at this point. You are right that AT&T did not deny the warranty, as I wouldn't agree to the terms up front to even get to that point. The phone is clearly branded by both AT&T and Samsung. Samsung didn't give me much run around, just went through their process and gave me the response "The factory warranty has been voided." Nice. Once I get the phone back, I will be doing a tear down to see if I can find any evidence of water damage or corrosion. I know that the indicators showed none before the phone was shipped to Samsung and from my discussion with them apparently still didn't when they had it.
I really only posted here so that others could be made aware. If these sorts of problems are common, perhaps something can be done. I've asked both AT&T and Samsung reps for further recourse and have been offered none. So in my case, I'm at a dead end. I'm moving on, checking on my ETF and considering my options regarding a new phone or a new carrier.

Im really sorry to hear you were treated so unfairly. Im an AT&T rep for Radioshack, and I know a few tricks for anyone who has this problem or any other unjust hardware exchange problems.
First, like that other guy posted, shop at Sams Wal Mart or Radioshack for cheaper prices, no mail ins and painless exchange policies.
Second, if you still can't get an exchange, call customer service and chose option 4. (Cancel service) This ofcourse is a bluff. Tell them that they can help you or your family is going yo Verizon. This is how I got them to exchange my Tilt I bricked for 80$ instead of 450$.
Third, If you go to the right Radioshack, they will ship it, straight to Samsung free of charge. Most stores don't know how but all have the ability. Just tell them to ship under NARDA.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

jmore said:
Hopefully this is not a trend...
My daughter, who is away at school, received a notice on her phone a couple of weeks back that there was an updated available. She was a bit nervous about doing it so waited until she was home over the weekend a week and a half ago and asked me about it. I told her to go ahead and do it. She hit the button to install the update. It downloaded, displayed an error message and the phone turned off. It wouldn't turn back on. We searched a bit, tried all the known key combinations to reset it, but it was a brick.
So the next day I headed over to the AT&T store. They tried a few things and agreed that it was dead. They checked the phone over and stated there was no physical or water damage. They contacted the warranty center over the phone, arranged for the return and handed me the phone handset to agree to terms. Turns out the only way they would warranty the phone is if I sent them the phone and agreed, in advance, to pay $459 if they decided it was not a warranty issue. I asked for clarification, repeated what had happened, and they just kept saying that was the requirement. I mentioned that the store rep and manager had already checked the phone, that there was no physical or water damage, and tried to understand why I would still have to agree to these terms. I asked if they would just agree to send the phone back if there was any other problem. They just kept repeating the same thing, I had to agree to the $459 potential charge with no recourse. They kept stating that I "would probably not be charged." I would not agree and asked the agent and manager on duty if there were any other options. They mentioned an AT&T service center about a half an hour away.
The store wrote me a referral to the service center and told me they could replace the phone on the spot. So off I went. A half an hour car drive and a wait in line and I was informed by the service center staff that they do not stock the Captivate and it would have to be returned to a warranty center. I said, do it. They said, no, I have to return it and that meant -- you guessed it -- agreeing to the same terms. Needless to say I was a bit frustrated at this point. So a half an hour drive home to cool off... or not.
The following day I started searching and found stories of people getting warranty service through Samsung. Wondering what their warranty terms are, I phoned Samsung's number. After repeating the phone death story, they said it was a warranty issue and emailed me a shipping label to send it back. Happy that things were looking up, I boxed it up and sent it off.
Fast forward a week and I just received a notification from Samsung that the phone is being returned, unrepaired. Here is the verbage used:
I get on the phone with Samsung, inform them the phone has never been wet, that both I and the AT&T folks looked at it and the water indicators showed no exposure. They explained that their service personnel do "a very thorough inspection" and that is their determination. Done. Discussion ensued, but there was absolutely no willingness on their part to take another look at the phone, explain further, or otherwise help.
So I'm out $200 plus a two-year contract or ETF fee with AT&T on a three month old phone. My daughter is quite meticulous with this sort of thing and trustworthy and tells me the phone has not been wet. I believe her. The liquid indicators agree. The phone died during an update that I now see is notorious for bricking phones. Both AT&T and Samsung would rather push it off on a customer than stand behind their product. I've been a Cingular/AT&T customer for over ten years, but apparently that's irrelevant.
So that's my story. Consider yourself warned.
BTW, if anyone figures out how to "unbrick" a phone in this state (won't turn on at all after failed update) I'd love to hear about it as the phone is physically fine.
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Assuming that the phones hardware is is working condition you should first try to put the phone in download mode. To do this first hold down BOTH volume keys simtulaniously and plug in the usb coard to the charging jack on the phone while it is attached to a computer. If you see a yellow man holding a shovel with yellow writing saying download you can recover this device. If you get this far post here and we can show you how to reinstall the ROM.
Best of luck

Samsung was right... AT&T warranty terms still ridiculous
Samsung was right and has my sincere apology. I got the phone back from Samsung service and disassembled it. It looks like liquid got into the USB port. It appears to have been a very small amount, perhaps a single drop. There is some corrosion internally on the connector between the back of the port and the PCB. That is the only damage I see, but it would have been enough to short the connection. There was no indication of water elsewhere in the phone.
I am still dumbfounded by AT&T's warranty policy. I have spoken with two more individuals at AT&T about the policy and they stand firm. You must agree to a full charge replacement of the device before they will even determine if it is under warranty or not. If they determine it's under warranty, all is well. If not, you pay for a new device, whether you want one or not. :-(
Anyway, sorry Samsung. A few more details about what you found would have been nice, but you're still OK with me. I have nothing nice to say to you, AT&T.
Oh, and keep that little door over the port closed when you can... it could save your phone.

Still sounds fishy to me. You had a working phone before the update, so why is the cause of the failure water damage. Was your daughter doing the update outside in the rain?

I deal with AT&T all day, on a day to day basis. They are pain as many of you already know. You might want to try this, if you have a Facebook account, become a fan of their page and then post up your experience/situation for everyone to see. It might just put some heat on them. Hopefully, a competent Rep could help with a resolution. Just a suggestion.

I actually prefer AT&Ts warranty as opposed to using a manufacturer. At least they send you the replacement phone first so you are not out a phone for at least a week.
I remember sending my Xperia X1 into SE, it took 3 weeks and when I finally heard back from them they they informed me my phone had liquid damage. Similar story: they sent pictures of the corrosion back with my old phone and there was a tiny spec of rust.

rajendra82 said:
Still sounds fishy to me. You had a working phone before the update, so why is the cause of the failure water damage. Was your daughter doing the update outside in the rain?
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As odd as it sounds the voltage level could of fluctuated up high enough to cause the short and fry the port among other things.

jmore said:
It appears to have been a very small amount, perhaps a single drop. There is some corrosion internally on the connector between the back of the port and the PCB. That is the only damage I see, but it would have been enough to short the connection. There was no indication of water elsewhere in the phone.
Oh, and keep that little door over the port closed when you can... it could save your phone.
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I had the same problem as another poster, with the toilet incident.. except the water wasn't so clean *cough*
Anyway, I have the same recommendation.
KEEP YOUR CHARGING PORT SHUT WHEN NOT IN USE!
I'm positive it would have saved my phone from water damage for the tenth of a second it took me to ninja snatch it from submersion. Same situation; none of the litmus papers (water damage indicators) were red.
The only additional advise i can give is to buy the third-party insurance that AT&T offers at some locations at the time of purchase (or know someone that will sign you up for it afterwards). It covers water damage it's $5.99/month and the deductible is $75 for smartphones.
Oh and don't bother with the Mobile Locate service AT&T offers..Theft Aware does that and way more, AND it's like $6 ONCE!
EDIT: yea i thought about that too. It seems kinda strange that it only went berserk during the update. Maybe a wire in the phone only gets used when doing something like an update and when it had voltage applied to it..it fried

Best buy protection plan, any users?

Just wondering if anyone else went in on this plan. For $10 a month the phone is covered and insured with no dedudtible for any reason (as long as you bring ima piece of the phone in. Also is covered for scratches or anything else. Anyone have this or have negative reasons on it? JW as I'm fairly skeptical even though I put in for it. (Cancel at any time)
Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk

I'm glad there are other people that brought this up. I have this too and fully intend to utilize it, as the damn platinum case has scratched my phone and I'm anal about that. They will surely lose money off me from this. I'm wondering how hard a replacement will be to get with the black tie protection. Also, once you make a claim, can you make another down the road or is it one and done?
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

I bought it. for $10 a month with no deductible I totally think it's worth it. and it's so much easier just bringing it in the store as opposed to having to send it to tmobile.

I'm glad you guys have utilized the plan. As a mobile manager for best buy i can assure you that your phone will be covered for repairs and accidental damage. Water damage is covered also. I recommend filing a claim for battery replacement right away since it is part of the coverage, so now you'll have an extra battery (which you only paid $10 for). Let me know if you guys got any questions.

I did too. I got the impression that the it would always be required to be sent out to see if it can be fixed or needs replacement. Not like the iPhone where they give a refurbished at the register. But, better than tmobiles warranty. Probably keep it no longer than 6 months.. diminishing returns and all that.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

We usually give you a comparable loaner phone depending on which model you have. Obviously it won't be a high end android but it's better than nothing. Here's the loaner phone lineup in my store.
Sprint - Samsung Intercept, HTC Hero or LG Optimus
T Mobile - MyTouch Slide, LG Optimus T
At&T - HTC Aria
VZW - Moto Devour, Moto Droid

Greenarcher707 said:
I recommend filing a claim for battery replacement right away since it is part of the coverage, so now you'll have an extra battery (which you only paid $10 for). Let me know if you guys got any questions.
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How do you do that?

When you make a claim they have to order a phone? As in it's done through the mail?
The warranty is nice but since I've already gone through 3 exchanges for defects, I'd be worried about getting another with banding, creased glass, or unresponsive back button if I can't actually see the phone in person.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

Thanks greenarcher. I didn't know that.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

I bought a SquareTrade warranty. $99 for 2 years, and you can get a refund anytime and the unused portion is refunded back to you.

anyone have horror stories with the Black Tie Protection plans?

Anymore info on the black tie plan? I've got my new accessories on order and I need to know if there's any stipulations with the warranty
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App

robstunner said:
How do you do that?
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Call the 800 number on your black tie protection brochure and request for a battery replacement. They will mail you the battery, no other steps needed. Verify your mailing address to be on the safe side.

Jayrod1980 said:
When you make a claim they have to order a phone? As in it's done through the mail?
The warranty is nice but since I've already gone through 3 exchanges for defects, I'd be worried about getting another with banding, creased glass, or unresponsive back button if I can't actually see the phone in person.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
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You will have to visit a Best Buy store so you can get a loaner phone while your device is out for repair. We have a strict no lemon policy so if it's considered defective 3 times / or deemed unrepairable you are eligible for a replacement for the same phone or get credit towards a device of your choice.

looking for a horror story? right this way sir....
i had a problem with white spots on my screen and the usb port on the phone not charging. i took it into best buy so the could send it off for repair. what these guys are failing to tell you about the loaner phones is that a $150 deposit is required. anyhow, 2 weeks later i get a call that my phone is in. well, the screen issues weren't even addressed and while the usb port now charges, i can't transfer data using my pc. so i had it right back, while still in the store. they said it would have to be sent out again, but will be marked for escalation, which i'm told means it will be sent overnight, bumped up in que for immediate repair and sent back overnight. flash forward one week and i find out that my phone was sent through general mail, meaning it took the phone one week to arrive at the tech center. i asked why it wasn't overnighted. yesterday i got an email from a geek squad representative saying that while they apologize for the inconvienence, the store's request that my phone be escalated was denied. no reason given when asked why. so i am going to be without my phone for at least a month, which i am finding out is the norm when dealing with BB and black tie protection. my advice would be to avoid BB altogether.

if we dont opt in for the store insurance, do we call google or samsung if the phone breaks down from anything besides user wear?

BrianDigital said:
if we dont opt in for the store insurance, do we call google or samsung if the phone breaks down from anything besides user wear?
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yes, they may or may not re-direct you to samsung though.

jackpearce said:
looking for a horror story? right this way sir....
i had a problem with white spots on my screen and the usb port on the phone not charging. i took it into best buy so the could send it off for repair. what these guys are failing to tell you about the loaner phones is that a $150 deposit is required. anyhow, 2 weeks later i get a call that my phone is in. well, the screen issues weren't even addressed and while the usb port now charges, i can't transfer data using my pc. so i had it right back, while still in the store. they said it would have to be sent out again, but will be marked for escalation, which i'm told means it will be sent overnight, bumped up in que for immediate repair and sent back overnight. flash forward one week and i find out that my phone was sent through general mail, meaning it took the phone one week to arrive at the tech center. i asked why it wasn't overnighted. yesterday i got an email from a geek squad representative saying that while they apologize for the inconvienence, the store's request that my phone be escalated was denied. no reason given when asked why. so i am going to be without my phone for at least a month, which i am finding out is the norm when dealing with BB and black tie protection. my advice would be to avoid BB altogether.
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Thats a little hard to do if you live in America and want a Nexus S. People often forget that stores are chains and that while service might be horrible at one location, it will be different at another. I used to work for BB (I quit because I hated the corporate morality towards their employees) but our store had amazing customer service which is still does (I bought my Nexus S there). However, the BB in the next city of sucks donkey balls. We very often had people coming from that BB into ours and telling us how incompetent we were until they realized we were different than the other store.
I've known a lot of people who have had great luck with black tie. And a few who had bad luck. Its people, not the company. If you have an issue with a location, complain to corporate or don't buy from that one and go to another.

Go to BB own website. Visit their community forums, especially the Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies. You will find that black tie protection and BB customer service is going down the drain at a record pace. Not every complaint is legitimate for sure, but notice that on not 1 single complaint does BB take responsibility for anything. It is always just a mistake, a error on someone else's part or it is beyond their control. Never a "whoops, sorry about that. Here, let us make that up to you."

jackpearce said:
Go to BB own website. Visit their community forums, especially the Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies. You will find that black tie protection and BB customer service is going down the drain at a record pace. Not every complaint is legitimate for sure, but notice that on not 1 single complaint does BB take responsibility for anything. It is always just a mistake, a error on someone else's part or it is beyond their control. Never a "whoops, sorry about that. Here, let us make that up to you."
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Have you ever heard a corporation say that publicly? I saw and made sure every customer walked out happy when I worked there (again, I left because of corporates attitude towards us, the employee). I happily got the protection because I know the store to which I would be going and I know they will have my ass.

[Q] Why am I responsible for shipping charges for Dust under screen repair??

A decent amount of dust has showed up in a spot about 1/2 inch from the very top at the edge top right corner of the screen. Since I purchased the phone at Walmart they said talk to TMO or HTC. I called TMO and they told me dust under the screen doesn't seem to qualify as "manufacture defects" so they wont exchange it for me there, they said call HTC. I call HTC and they fill me in on all the details associated with the repair process etc.. My question is this: why am I responsible for shipping charges on a manufacture defect? On top of that, if they don't deem unwarrantable then I am charged a $39 or less triage fee.... Why am I also gonna be out of a phone for the next 6-10 days without compensation?
I just don't understand the logic behind this. Anyone have any advice, or explanation?
Thanks,
Joseph

mesajoejoe said:
A decent amount of dust has showed up in a spot about 1/2 inch from the very top at the edge top right corner of the screen. Since I purchased the phone at Walmart they said talk to TMO or HTC. I called TMO and they told me dust under the screen doesn't seem to qualify as "manufacture defects" so they wont exchange it for me there, they said call HTC. I call HTC and they fill me in on all the details associated with the repair process etc.. My question is this: why am I responsible for shipping charges on a manufacture defect? On top of that, if they don't deem unwarrantable then I am charged a $39 or less triage fee.... Why am I also gonna be out of a phone for the next 6-10 days without compensation?
I just don't understand the logic behind this. Anyone have any advice, or explanation?
Thanks,
Joseph
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Click to collapse
No dust under my screen I'm sure shipping will not cost much...be sure to get INSURANCE. Have you tried simply exchanging the device for another one at Walmart?

nccu_eagles said:
No dust under my screen I'm sure shipping will not cost much...be sure to get INSURANCE. Have you tried simply exchanging the device for another one at Walmart?
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I am sure shipping wont be costly, its just I don't see how or why I should have to pay for it. And Walmart after 15 days from purchase wont touch it, or so they are telling me?
If I go in and complain, while still being respectful or course, do you think Walmart or TMO will exchange it?

mesajoejoe said:
I am sure shipping wont be costly, its just I don't see how or why I should have to pay for it. I have no need for Insurance, but I do see how it is helpful for others. This is a warranty issue not a cracked screen or something I caused. And Walmart after 15 days from purchase wont touch it, or so they are telling me?
If I go in and complain, while still being respectful or course, do you think Walmart or TMO will exchange it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I meant shipping insurance just in case USPS/FEDEX/UPS loses the package. I live in Charlotte, NC and there are a bunch of Walmart's here. I would clean up the phone really good and try to return it even if it's for store credit and then drive to another Walmart and purchase a new Sensation with the store credit. Did you buy it full retail price or did you do a contract? If you did a contract then you are out of luck with store credit because it wouldn't be enough to purchase a new phone. Otherwise you could call TMO and ask for a warranty exchange and tell them the phone won't power on. They will ship you a new unit and you would just mail back the current unit. I have done a warranty exchange a million times.

Yeah I realized what you meant by insurance after I responded. I bought it on contract, and its past Walmart's 14-day return policy so they might not take to that so much lol. I have done a few in the past with TMO over the phone without any problems and a few in-store as well, as I have always purchased them through the store. I just might have to try TMO over the phone again and get them to send me one like you suggested. Thanks for your advice I really appreciate it.

mesajoejoe said:
Yeah I realized what you meant by insurance after I responded. I bought it on contract, and its past Walmart's 14-day return policy so they might not take to that so much lol. I have done a few in the past with TMO over the phone without any problems and a few in-store as well, as I have always purchased them through the store. I just might have to try TMO over the phone again and get them to send me one like you suggested. Thanks for your advice I really appreciate it.
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That's the best way to get them to respond quick TELL THEM THE DEVICE WON'T POWER ON. They will then ask you to verify that the sticker under the battery is still white and then they will ship you a phone. Make sure you call from a phone different from your Sensation i.e a land line LOL and you will be ok.

That's weird. When the Nexus One's had issues with dust getting under the screen the problem was fixed for free assuming you hadn't rooted the device.
I know I personally had a rooted device get dust, cost 100 if I recall to have it fixed. Happened again in a week and they didn't make me pay for shipping or anything to send it back again.

[Q] What to tell t-mobile to get a warranty replacement?

So my mom managed to bend the prongs in the charging port so she cant charge her MT4GS.... She went into t-mobile and they said that they wont replace it because it was her fault. Is there something else we could say like it always drops signal or something so they will replace it for? She spent a lot on this phone back in August and she would hate for it to be useless already.... -_-

Tell them that the touch screen isn't responding and freezes a lot that's it.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

And do it over the phone instead of going in.

Thats not right Xo My dad works in construction. He got a Otterbox Defender Series for his GSII. He wanted to test is out, ran it over with a semi. Screen broke got a huge crack #phone worked perfectly# they replaced it. Just say that your earphone jack wont work. The camera freezes. Youve restored it. Then it worked for a while, but it started acting up. Blame it on the software.
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using XDA App

Since this device charges over the micro-usb connection, you're telling me she managed to break the internal connector?
That takes talent. You have to really try to break that. Really force the UBS plug in backwards.
I hate to tell you but unless she has insurance on it, she's screwed. Even if they process a warranty, if they find physical damage (and what you described is certainly physical damage) they will consider the device out of warranty and charge her account the out of warranty fee.
These devices are reviewed by a team given specifications by the manufacturer to look for specific things that the manufacturer deems physical damage, liquid damage, excessive use, etc.
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using XDA App

itsomaryo said:
.... She went into t-mobile and they said that they wont replace it because it was her fault. Is there something else we could say like it always drops signal or something so they will replace it for? ....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't want to come off as a **** and tell you to suck it up and pay for it, but the thing is, she did break it and T-Mo or HTC shouldn't be on the hook for the cost of replacement.
Blue6IX said:
...
"big snip"
...
If this is in fact the case, USB host support will probably be much trickier to implement, and a lot more risky to use. A hardware pathway will always be what it is. Software is more fickle, and has to be very closely checked and managed when dealing with something like this. If it's software that's regulating your power flow, you can very easily send too much to the wrong place and permanently break something.
Breaking a whole series of phones because we were too eager to release software that wasn't tested thoroughly enough would be a heavy blow to manufacturers agreeing to ship devices with S-OFF bootloaders.
I don't know if people have read up on that struggle, but one of the primary concerns against doing so was people overclocking their devices way above manufacturer specs, breaking them because they didn't know better, and manufacturers seeing a dramatic increase in returns. The cost to the companies like HTC for dealing with irresponsible end users was always one of the shields thrown up to justify shipping S-ON.
Since this is an overclock thread, and discussing USB host support is something else that could physically damage/destroy the device hardware - this is worth mentioning and making people aware of.
Search around on XDA and you'll see threads here and there over the last few years about what we've had to go through to get phones shipped S-OFF. The MT4GS wasn't, but the time is now for that to start happening. In the future most (if not all) phones will be coming S-OFF fresh out of the box.
I strongly urge anyone involved in overclocking or USB host support to be very cautious about what they are doing, and very aware of the potential damage they can do not just to a few peoples phones (which is bad enough) but to un-do years of hard work and lobbying by the open source community as a whole.
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Click to collapse
While i'm waiting for a big download to finish on my slow-as-dialup (literally) home internet connection, i'd just like to repost here part of what I just posted in the dev section.
Phone manufacturers seeing an increase of returned phones that they have to eat the cost for because of something brain-dead or irresponsible the end user has done really hurts everyone.
The cost of phones go up, and while in this case specifically it has little to do with us finally getting S-OFF bootloaders on retail phones - the RMA total is just a number and isn't always broken down to specific causes when used as a statistic.
Any phones being returned that shouldn't be gets tallied up on a specific section of the balance sheet of a phone manufacturers (and to a smaller degree, cellular providers).
Now that we are finally starting to get phones shipped with S-OFF bootloaders, and the need for the amazingly brilliant work the Revolutionary release represents is fading, something like this is one small blow to that achievement.
The level of brilliance, creativity and dedication that had to come together for the MT4GS to get an aftermarket S-OFF bootloader blows my mind. The people who came up with the Revolutionary exploit are the kind of people that rocket scientists get intimidated by intellectually. (no exaggeration, they are the literal select few)
Think about how much more would be available to us as a community that we could do with our devices if people like that could focus their time on developing end-user applications or other software for the phone. Instead they are set with the next-to-impossible task of making it possible for all the rest of us to develop for these devices.
I know you don't see it as a big deal about finding a way for T-Mo or HTC to eat the cost of the broken phone, but the ripple effect of many people doing what is being suggested in this thread impacts issues most people would never think about, probably not even aware of.
I know it sucks to be saddled with the cost of breaking such an expensive piece of equipment. ultimately, though, the responsibility needs to rest on the shoulders of the person who actually caused it to happen.
What I would recommend is to look into an aftermarket repair service. There are some really good ones out there that specialize in high-end phones like the MT4GS.
This link:
verne2k said:
afaik no its not
http://www.ifixsmartphone.com/smartphone_repair/MyTouch_4G_Slide_teardown.html
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Is to a place (in california, I think) that repairs phones - and shows a step by step on how to replace the screen on the MT4GS specifically.
I would start on their site, and see what it would cost to repair the USB port on the phone. It might not turn out to be that much, but this would be a great first step to take in finding out.
Like I started with, didn't want to just come out and say "too bad", I wanted to really explain why it's not a good thing for all of us to try to find a way to make the manufacturer pay for something that isn't their fault. I hope that providing you with a starting point to finding the resolution of the problem softens the blow a bit of having to hear that.
I wish the best of luck to you, and if you do get it repaired, maybe share the experience and the cost here for others to be made aware of.

I walked into my local tmo store, said "my phone is all messed up from the ota update, it doesn't even boot up all the way, I need it replaced under warranty since its been less than a year"
They asked for an address. I got the new phone in the mail a couple days later then brought my old one in so they could send it back for me.
They didn't even check out my phone in the first place. Look for the lazy employee
Sent from my RubiX CubeD MT4GS using XDA App

also a temporary fix would be getting an external battery charger.

Ya I've done 4 exchanged for my chicks mytouch and they never ask to ts.. we just say it keeps getting a deadstop on the screen..
Sent from my RubiX CubeD MT4GS using xda premium

Just tell them it's having an issue that you know they can't/won't spend the time to replicate.
My phone randomly restarts
My screen goes blank and I have to take the battery out
When I click the camera it always tells me "Cannot connect to camera"

OP, your mom broke the phone - plain and simple. It's not a hardware failure, and as much as it sucks she needs to suck it up and buy a new one.
People bullshitting warranty returns on items they broke only drive up the costs for everyone else.

Alright.. well I'll be straight up honest with you.
I can't imagine how that happened to your phone. Obviously it is a user mistake, and thus it doesn't legitimately qualify for a warranty replacement.
You have the choice to take it in to get fixed, I'm sure there are many people who can do the repairs in your area. It might cost you upwards of $50 (don't quote me on that)
You can call T-mobile, and BS your way through the warranty department to get them to send you a new one, like everyone else has said. From an ethical stand point, you don't need me to tell you that's wrong, because it's lying and essentially cheating. If you choose to go that way, you will be required to pay $15 for shipping and handling, however that does not stop there. T-mobile WILL inspect your phone. Most of the time, people get away with it, but I have had a friend who tried to cut through the system and got caught (he cracked his screen and filed it as the OTA update ruined his phone). The consequence is simple, you pay full price for your replacement phone (which would be several hundred dollars). Moreover, your replacement phone isn't even a new phone, it is a refurbished device which might only just look new. Back in the day when I still had my G1, the sliding hinge came loose like it did on a bunch of them so I got a warranty replacement on it. The one they sent me came with two dead pixels on the screen, but I just didn't want to fork out another $15 to get a replacement.
So really, you can pay the money to get it fixed, and it'll still be your phone, the new phone that you paid for. Or you can cheat and send it back, pay the $15 and risk getting caught and having to pay a couple hundred for a refurbished phone.

Yeap, Its ALWAYS better to do it over the phone. Sound frustrated but not angry and they'll always kiss your butt.

Actually they chargre 130 if the phone has damage and u lie to get a warranty replacement. They don't charge full price
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda premium

androidfeen809 said:
Actually they chargre 130 if the phone has damage and u lie to get a warranty replacement. They don't charge full price
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda premium
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Click to collapse
I can confirm this. However, in my case it was legit. I was charged for the water detector sticker being pink although it was never dropped in water and the reason for my returning the phone wasn't water related at all. The hinge was loose as hell on my phone and I wanted this taken care of. The only reason why the sticker was pink was due to having wet hands when inserting my battery into the phone since I don't ever charge my phone via USB and use a separate wall charger and just swap batteries when I need to charge my batteries.

Well sorry to the people who are against wasting warranty replacements but money is tight and the replacement is on the way and believe me I was post when I found out she some how broke the USB port -.- but she said my little sister tripped on it while it was charging and that's when it broke!
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using XDA App

Wierd enough i just came home to find my warranty replacement from asurion.... And to my suprise they sent me a new phone in the mytouch box with the important stickers on the side of the box. I lost my phone and i decide to file a claim which i had to pay 130. However the first phone they sent me was a refurbish one it did not came in the mytouch box and looked used. I found out it had 4 missing pixels so i call asurion to get a warranty replacement and they send me a new one. Now i get to keep the 2 batteries and 2 chargers because they say they only want the phone not the battery or back cover or charger. Anyone experience something like this before?
Like really they decide to send me a refurb phone after i paid for a new phone because i lost my phone and i get a brand new warranty replacement? Wtf thats just so wierd to me
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda premium

androidfeen809 said:
Wierd enough i just came home to find my warranty replacement from asurion.... And to my suprise they sent me a new phone in the mytouch box with the important stickers on the side of the box. I lost my phone and i decide to file a claim which i had to pay 130. However the first phone they sent me was a refurbish one it did not came in the mytouch box and looked used. I found out it had 4 missing pixels so i call asurion to get a warranty replacement and they send me a new one. Now i get to keep the 2 batteries and 2 chargers because they say they only want the phone not the battery or back cover or charger. Anyone experience something like this before?
Like really they decide to send me a refurb phone after i paid for a new phone because i lost my phone and i get a brand new warranty replacement? Wtf thats just so wierd to me
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Warranty replacement is different...you had an insurance claim and yes Asurion will usually send a refurbished but I have yet to get a refurb that wasn't obviously flawed within an hour of use...you call and complain they will overnight a new one at that point. Warranty would be if it broke and not your fault...and I have only had to pay 5 bucks for the both my replacement phones but I think it is cause i have the full insurance plan...warranty should cover all fees to replace but oh well. You agree when they go to send you a replacement that there is not physical damage or such so don't be surprised when you get a nasty charge on your bill....

beezie916 said:
Warranty replacement is different...you had an insurance claim and yes Asurion will usually send a refurbished but I have yet to get a refurb that wasn't obviously flawed within an hour of use...you call and complain they will overnight a new one at that point. Warranty would be if it broke and not your fault...and I have only had to pay 5 bucks for the both my replacement phones but I think it is cause i have the full insurance plan...warranty should cover all fees to replace but oh well. You agree when they go to send you a replacement that there is not physical damage or such so don't be surprised when you get a nasty charge on your bill....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well it was for dead pixels on the screen so the phone isnt damage or anything. They cant charge me anything.
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda premium

androidfeen809 said:
Well it was for dead pixels on the screen so the phone isnt damage or anything. They cant charge me anything.
Sent from my myTouch_4G_Slide using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Sorry i was talking about the OP on that one

50.00 deductible for 600.00 phone, should I be worried?

Today, while running with my son on a nature trail, a freak accident happened. The stroller hit a rock in such a way it launched my phone from a holding pouch into the air and onto the ground shattering the screen. (i run over 75 miles a month for the last two years, so never dreamed of this happening) I was devastated, especially since it's a month old and since i'm one NEXT i can't really afford an extra 200 bucks. I went onto the phoneclaim website and tried to file a claim, initially telling me my deductible was 199.99 but my g3 wasn't listed and it told me to call to file the claim.
So, I call the number, speak to someone. She asked me about the damage, and what accessories if any i was claiming. I told her just the phone, no accessories or sim card - since that stuff was in tact. After putting me on hold, she asked me about the color of the phone, repeated the LG G3, asked me to verify identity questions (which amounted to my street address) and said that my deductible was 50.00 which would be applied to my bill. Now, i said
"not that i'm complaining, but this is the 32gb white LG G3 we're talking about, correct? "
"she replies yes sir"
"I said not only did the at&t rep tell me 199.99 when i signed up for the insurance, but the website also told me 199.99 when i entered in my number"
"she said I wouldn't complain either sir, it states 50.00 here with 1-2 business days shipping"
So, what are the odds something bad is going to happen here?
Ie: the wrong phone replacement, not a phone at all, but like a battery or something... i dunno.
Just can't wrap my mind around everyone saying 199.99, then being told 50.00 for 600 phone. ....
should I be worried?

Did they send you a confirmation email? If not, call back with the case # and get them to email that to you.

Storm T said:
Did they send you a confirmation email? If not, call back with the case # and get them to email that to you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They did, but all it states is that the claim is been received and being processed and a tracking number will be provided once it ships.

I'd imagine you're good to go at $50 since she told you that.

Storm T said:
I'd imagine you're good to go at $50 since she told you that.
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Click to collapse
It's a good thing I went back to the site.
They had me for a replacement of the G3 VIGOR, not the G3 D850. When I called back, they asked me a ton more questions plus i have to sign an affidavit and send in a copy of my license. Then she told me an adjuster would call me and let me know if it would be replaced or not. She also said had i not called back i wouldn't have even gotten a new phone because the last person screwed up.
But, seriously... what am I paying insurance for if they will let me know about the replacement... i'm pretty sure we pay insurance for this exact issue.
I dunno, what a headache.

That sucks! I've replaced one that way before and I never had to give them a copy of my license? I'd sure be *****ing. Good luck!

Unfortunately this happened to me a week after I had my phone. The deductible was 165$ & they tried to give me an lg g2. Luckily I called back and had it fixed. It was a quick yet expensive lesson. And yes, I had to do the same with my license and an affidavit. Hope it goes well for you.
Sent from my LG-D850 using XDA Free mobile app

petros855 said:
Unfortunately this happened to me a week after I had my phone. The deductible was 165$ & they tried to give me an lg g2. Luckily I called back and had it fixed. It was a quick yet expensive lesson. And yes, I had to do the same with my license and an affidavit. Hope it goes well for you.
Sent from my LG-D850 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No such luck for me. I've had my claim denied twice now. I've filled out three affidavits, sent in various pics of the phone and barcodes, license etc. I've mad a trip to the AT&T store all to no avail.
The reasoning is all very vague, like telling me my time of occurrence and date of last usage don't match, or that they've even tried telling me i don't own a G3 lol.
Worst experience ever...
I'll end up trying to contact LG and see if i can just get them to replace the screen for the 200 bucks it will cost or whatever.
sigh.

st0nez0r said:
No such luck for me. I've had my claim denied twice now. I've filled out three affidavits, sent in various pics of the phone and barcodes, license etc. I've mad a trip to the AT&T store all to no avail.
The reasoning is all very vague, like telling me my time of occurrence and date of last usage don't match, or that they've even tried telling me i don't own a G3 lol.
Worst experience ever...
I'll end up trying to contact LG and see if i can just get them to replace the screen for the 200 bucks it will cost or whatever.
sigh.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's weird that they say your " time of occurrence and date of last usage don't match"
Are you rooted and did you remove lots of apps like carrierIQ?
Do you think they are just BSing you?
Lol this makes me want to cancel my insurance...
Sent from my LG G3

Craleb said:
That's weird that they say your " time of occurrence and date of last usage don't match"
Are you rooted and did you remove lots of apps like carrierIQ?
Do you think they are just BSing you?
Lol this makes me want to cancel my insurance...
Sent from my LG G3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that you mention it. I am rooted, i removed the bloat and carrierIQ the day I got the phone.
I might just have to send my phone to LG for a screen repair and call it a day. I'll keep you all updated when they deny my claim again tomorrow lol.

Insurance on anything that depreciates like a smart phone is a scam. I would never and have never gotten phone insurance. I keep one old phone at all times just in case this happens.

t1n0m3n said:
Insurance on anything that depreciates like a smart phone is a scam. I would never and have never gotten phone insurance. I keep one old phone at all times just in case this happens.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would normally agree. I've only ever gotten insurance once, and it was for this phone. I also kept my galaxy s3 just in case this very thing happened. But, since i'm on the next program, i'll be damned if i'm paying 600.00+ for a phone that i can't use, even if it means i have to fork out extra for a replacement.
All that said, they actually approved my claim after several denials - nothing ever changed with the paperwork.
Now i just have to keep my fingers crossed that i get a new g3 replacement (or damn near like new referb). I hope it's not a heap of junk replacement like i've read in other stories about asurion.
Now, i've actually heard great first hand things about square trade insurance, cheaper payments, cheaper deductible, and no questions asked claims. some folks my wife and I work with use it and had nothing but good things to say about them, which is where i'll be headed to after my replacement.

*Shrug* Whatever floats your boat. Cracked screen repair for the G3 is about $150 direct from LG. They are going to send the phone to LG to repair it. Probably at a volume discount. They probably make a ~$100 profit on the G3 every time someone uses their warranty. Every phone claim is a profit for the company. If it is not, then they deny the claim. This is why I call it a scam. You are paying them monthly for the privilege of maybe having to let them profit off of you.
---------- Post added at 04:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:08 PM ----------
st0nez0r said:
Now, i've actually heard great first hand things about square trade insurance, cheaper payments, cheaper deductible, and no questions asked claims. some folks my wife and I work with use it and had nothing but good things to say about them, which is where i'll be headed to after my replacement.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't heard of this before, this looks like much less of a scam than the Assurian BS scam.
Interesting! Thanks for mentioning it.

I just get a rubber tpu bumper case and a screen protector and forget the insurance

Hi st0nez0r,
We’re glad to hear that ultimately we were able to get this resolved and a replacement device is on its way to you! This is not a typical experience and we’d hate to lose a valued customer. While we understand that paperwork is never fun we have the affidavit process in place for your protection. This helps prevent fraudulent claims against your account and helps keep premiums from rising. We recognize the cost associated with replacing a device which is why it’s our goal to help our customers save money while also getting them reconnected quickly should they experience a covered loss. In addition to covering physical damage, we also cover liquid damage, loss and theft; where most do not.
While we do use both new and certified-like new devices, keep in mind, all replacements come with a 12 month limited warranty. Should you experience any warranty failure, we’ll replace the phone at no additional cost.
We appreciate you sharing your experience, as it helps us to improve the services that we offer. Please let us know if you have any other questions or if we can be of further assistance.
Thanks,
Asurion Social Media Team @AsurionCares
www.phoneclaim.com

AsurionCares said:
Hi st0nez0r,
We’re glad to hear that ultimately we were able to get this resolved and a replacement device is on its way to you! This is not a typical experience and we’d hate to lose a valued customer. While we understand that paperwork is never fun we have the affidavit process in place for your protection. This helps prevent fraudulent claims against your account and helps keep premiums from rising. We recognize the cost associated with replacing a device which is why it’s our goal to help our customers save money while also getting them reconnected quickly should they experience a covered loss. In addition to covering physical damage, we also cover liquid damage, loss and theft; where most do not.
While we do use both new and certified-like new devices, keep in mind, all replacements come with a 12 month limited warranty. Should you experience any warranty failure, we’ll replace the phone at no additional cost.
We appreciate you sharing your experience, as it helps us to improve the services that we offer. Please let us know if you have any other questions or if we can be of further assistance.
Thanks,
Asurion Social Media Team @AsurionCares
www.phoneclaim.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This was quite unexpected but appreciated.
Honestly, In terms of cellphones, dealing with Asurion was one of the worse experience I've ever had in the history of owning a cell phone. While I understand the need for paperwork and whatever various methods you use to combat insurance fraud,
beyond those measures is where I had the real problems:
Dealing with rude/obnoxious customer support representatives (just one, but one too many.)
The run around game. Sending me to an AT&T store to obtain info, then to be belittled by another rep for doing what I was initially asked to do. (referring to the same rep as above)
Lack of information and communication during the process. In some cases I didn't get a call or email explaining why my claims were initially canceled. I had to call back for that info.
The website is not all that great either. one example would be filling in your first/last name, phone number, email, and social just for an update. How about a tracking number process or something.
No option to contact/talk to support after paperwork is submitted for review. If you have questions/problems you can't speak to anyone during that process. You're greeted with a phone message stating your stuff is under review and that you'll be contacted. then hangs up on you. I guess this is in place so work can actually get accomplished without being overwhelmed by calls, but still...
In the end I did receive a brand new replacement device. The return process was also a snap.
I've learned my lesson at any rate. I invested the extra money in a spigen slim armor case and tempered glass protector.
Thanks for replying to this post.

I almost had a similar experience with Asurion, but ultimately a good one. It all started with initiating my claim over the phone, just to discover no record of my claim upon following-up. The follow-up rep offered to resubmit or direct me to the website, where I'd be able to print documents required and receive confirmation/ updates upon successful submission.
After downloading, printing and competing the affidavit, I was able to scan and upload, along with my ID. This took less than 15 minutes.
I had a brand new phone, shipped from AT&T within a couple days. I've been a wireless dealer, and the Asurion representative's explanation about hurdles preventing fraud are entirely valid. The $200 deductible + my first monthly premium is not a scam- they ate maximum money on my claim, particularly as my replacement was NOT refurbished. I'm still only paying AT&T for one phone. Asurion bought the majority of the other. My deductible will be used to minimize the loss, likely through repair and reuse for a future claim. Loss/theft is an even bigger loser. Their money is made from premium revenue that exceeds claims expenses.
While it sounds like they could tighten up their call centers, if Asurion has replaced your $600 phone, they've certainly not robbed you.
Sent from my LG-V410 using Tapatalk

This is why I never use the carrier insurance it sucks and the more the customer service... All my devices I always go with SquareTrade, only $5.00 a month and $75.00 deductible.