New TEP Policy

[mdizzle99]

I haven't seen anybody post anything about this yet on this forum, so thought I'd throw it out there. I may have just missed it though, in which case, just merge this thread and forget it. Thanks.

Apparently Sprint is coming or has come out with a new TEP insurance policy. This link outlines it fairly well, and then here is a quote from somebody who works at sprint who seems to know what they are talking about (to add clarity). Enjoy.

Sprint to make changes to services and repairs, soon to be cheaper to be clumsy


"ok, I know we already have a topic about sprints tep changes, but as I read through it I was so tired of reading all these assumptions and people stating incorrect things, so to clear it up. Also remember this may not be regional, I don't know how sprint is rolling it out, at least in the south east (im in NC) its all rolled out as of oct 23rd.

First off im a service and repair technician at a corporate store. We rolled this out on the 23rd (at least in the southeast, idk of other areas around the US)

pricing is still the same, 7$ a month. But now it covers almost everything except liquid damage, board damage, lost and stolen.

So if someone comes in with a completely shattered evo screen (as I saw 3 today), if they have TEP we replace it with a brand new screen, if we don't have one we exchange in store, if we don't have one, we order a replacement. Basically we now cover physical damage in store. The only time we don't is if its board damage, say the phone got ran over, obviously the board is destroyed. But as far as cracked screens, broken hinges etc... its all covered.

ALSO now for people that do not have TEP, before if they had physical damage we would charge them 120$ in store for repair, now its only 35$ to repair say a broken screen (good news!), except thats for every visit, sprint is now not authorizing the 1 year manufacturers warranty in store, so say your blackberry trackball pops out and you don't have TEP you can either pay sprint 35$ or go to blackberry. But the nice thing is its 35$ for ALL repairs, except the liquid, board damage etc..

I just felt the need to post this because I was tired of reading incorrect posts. Hopefully this makes sense, because I typed this in minor frustration lol. But I think this is great (for the customer, I see alot of phones now lol) But its REALLLLY putting value in sprints TEP now

So if any questions please ask away."

-originally posted by samrozzi

 

[Droid_Genius]

Thanks for the heads up....great info

 

[sitlet]

except thats for every visit, sprint is now not authorizing the 1 year manufacturers warranty in store, so say your blackberry trackball pops out and you don't have TEP you can either pay sprint 35$ or go to blackberry.

So sprint isnt honoring the manufacturer warranty anymore? Thats bull... Now anyone with a factory defect must send their phone away to HTC or Blackberry, and wait 2-4 weeks for it to be fixed, all without a working phone...

 

[dvrcowboy]

DAMN!!!! I just gave asurion $100 last week for a replacement

 

[geomens]

So sprint isnt honoring the manufacturer warranty anymore? Thats bull... Now anyone with a factory defect must send their phone away to HTC or Blackberry, and wait 2-4 weeks for it to be fixed, all without a working phone...

I had a first hand experience today. Sprint asked for $35 to replace my phone which is rebooting and HTC asked that I send it to them for repairs. No $35 but you will be without your phone for as long as it takes them to repair it.

 

[marctronixx]

this cat is a repair center tech and clears up some points on the new policy.

worth a smoking over...

The truth on sprints new TEP program - xda-developers

 

[Seddy]

I got an email about this new $35 gimmick and if you ask me, its going to make alot of customers unhappy. I already get cursed out when I tell a customer they HAVE to take it into a store for a replacement (new policy as well - unless you dont have a repair store within 50 miles) and this is only going to make matters worse. I currently have TEP and Best Buys insurance on my Epic and I would take TEP off all together IF Best Buy covered lost/stolen phones. And with my luck, the day I take TEP off would be the day my phone got stolen.

 

[Aero1]

Sprint is making some changes in its warranty program.

Starting this week it will begin charging $35 to repair in warranty devices for warranty covered problems, whereas for the past 20 months it has been free.

There is some improvement for TEP ($7 Sprint Insurance payers) in that Sprint will once again start to replace physical damage (not lost units, but units returned broken by user in less than 3 pieces) under TEP without user having to go through Assuron with its $100 deductible.

Overall these changes increase the value of TEP to the consumer. Tep apparently was suffering in sales because buyers were realizing for the past year and a half that Sprint was fully warranting phones for free.

http://www.phonenews.com/sprint-re-clarifies-35-warranty-fee-calls-it-a-service-offering-13349/

Flyer: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KUODMNAN

 

[badankles]

so no more lost, theft, accidental damage or liquid related damage replacement? these are the reason why i got it in the first place instead of best buy. going to check out square trade.

 

[Aero1]

I got an email about this new $35 gimmick and if you ask me, its going to make alot of customers unhappy. I already get cursed out when I tell a customer they HAVE to take it into a store for a replacement (new policy as well - unless you dont have a repair store within 50 miles) and this is only going to make matters worse. I currently have TEP and Best Buys insurance on my Epic and I would take TEP off all together IF Best Buy covered lost/stolen phones. And with my luck, the day I take TEP off would be the day my phone got stolen.

The way I read it this makes TEP much better than it was a week ago.

It used to be that with TEP, if you yourself damaged the phone sprint would replace it with no deductible as long as it wasn't water damage. Ie if you dropped it and cracked screen, you got a new phoen with no deductible. They stopped that about two years ago. Now it is back. If you return the phone in three pieces or less, with no water damage, and have tep you now no longer pay a deducible starting this week. In short the deducatable nwo seems to be only for total destruction, water damage or complete loss.

I have never had TEP,or any insurance and have saved thousands over the years in differential between what TEP would have cost and what I actually paid on ebay buying replacement phones -- BUT half of my phone lose have been drops.

So it is definitely not bad news for TEP holders as they get increased benefit without increased cost. The ones losing are those without insurance (like myself) who for the past year and a half enjoyed the benefit of Sprint warranting our phones for free with not TEP.

 

[Aero1]

so no more lost, theft, accidental damage or liquid related damage replacement? these are the reason why i got it in the first place instead of best buy. going to check out square trade.

NO. You get all those if you have TEP. TEP coverage and benefit is increased with no decrease in benefit for TEP buyers with the new policy.

The only decreased benefit is for people without TEP.

If you have TEP, the only change at all is that lost, theft, accidental damage or liquid related damage all used to have a $100 deductible and now most "accidental damage" does not.

Repair or replacement changes with TEP

Last week TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free
This week TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free

Last week TEP -- Water Damage: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Water Damage: $100 Deductible

Last week TEP -- Theft/Loss/complete destruction: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Theft/Loss/complete destruction: $100 Deductible

Last week TEP --Accidental Damage in 3 pieces or less*: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Accidental Damage in 3 pieces or less*: Free
----------------
Last week NO TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free
This week NO TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: $35

*board undamaged

 

[nchargreed]

So sprint isnt honoring the manufacturer warranty anymore? Thats bull... Now anyone with a factory defect must send their phone away to HTC or Blackberry, and wait 2-4 weeks for it to be fixed, all without a working phone...

Agreed! That IS BS!! I will be contacting Samsung to verify that Sprint is no longer doing their warranty work. I would think that manufacturers will suffer from this. I mean does Samsung even HAVE a technician team that covers warranty work? Phone carriers have always been responsible for this kind of work.

 

[Antilamr]

NO. You get all those if you have TEP. TEP coverage and benefit is increased with no decrease in benefit for TEP buyers with the new policy.

The only decreased benefit is for people without TEP.

If you have TEP, the only change at all is that lost, theft, accidental damage or liquid related damage all used to have a $100 deductible and now most "accidental damage" does not.

Repair or replacement changes with TEP

Last week TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free
This week TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free

Last week TEP -- Water Damage: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Water Damage: $100 Deductible

Last week TEP -- Theft/Loss/complete destruction: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Theft/Loss/complete destruction: $100 Deductible

Last week TEP --Accidental Damage in 3 pieces or less*: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Accidental Damage in 3 pieces or less*: Free
----------------
Last week NO TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free
This week NO TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: $35

*board undamaged

This is just another way that Sprint is trying to increase their bottom line on the backs of their existing customers. How many people drop/break their phones vs. the number of phones that have defects from the manufacturer(lock ups/design or OS related issues etc..)? Look at the car manufactures as an example. Warranty repairs are not reimbursed at the same rate as non-warranty repairs. This coming just 2 months after Sprint broke their commitment to every plan holder that had more than 2 phones and weren't charged for the extra phones. Now all plans with over 2 phones are getting charged for the 3rd and up phone, Corp or family plans, doesn't matter. Speaking from experience on this one. I think Sprint is looking at short term gains but in the long term will be hurt badly by these changes once the competition gets more competitive with faster network offerings.

 

[Mr. Ed]

thanks for posting this!

 

[badankles]

Does this provide cause for no penalty out of contracts prior to this change?

 

[AHWagner]

I feel like its better and cheaper to have no TEP then to have TEP .....or am I totally wrong?

 

[geomens]

NO. You get all those if you have TEP. TEP coverage and benefit is increased with no decrease in benefit for TEP buyers with the new policy.

The only decreased benefit is for people without TEP.

If you have TEP, the only change at all is that lost, theft, accidental damage or liquid related damage all used to have a $100 deductible and now most "accidental damage" does not.

Repair or replacement changes with TEP

Last week TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free
This week TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free

Last week TEP -- Water Damage: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Water Damage: $100 Deductible

Last week TEP -- Theft/Loss/complete destruction: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Theft/Loss/complete destruction: $100 Deductible

Last week TEP --Accidental Damage in 3 pieces or less*: $100 Deductible
This week TEP -- Accidental Damage in 3 pieces or less*: Free
----------------
Last week NO TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: Free
This week NO TEP -- Warrantable problem repair: $35

*board undamaged

And you are telling this is better? So HTC makes crappy phones and because someone did not buy TEP, they have to pay $35 to have the benefit of the warranty?

After my contract, I am gone from Sprint. I have 4 lines and have been with them for 9 years. I use to buy TEP but as a personal choice, I no longer buy it and if I knew Sprint was going to change their policy so that they can charge even for warranty repairs because you don't have TEP, I might decided to go to another carrier.

It is such nickeling and dimeing that brings great companies to their knees.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

Sprint does not have to perform free warranty repair onsite. Usually you have to deal with the manufacturer on warranties, such as washers, dryers, toasters, TVs, etc. You usually do not take it to the store where you bought it from to get the warranty service. They all require you to send the unit to the manufacturer to get the warranty service.

The $35 fee is a courtesy fee for Sprint to do the repair onsite, as opposed to having you mail the phone back to the manufacturer for repair.

Previously Sprint did the free warranty repair as a complete free courtesy. Now they're offering the $35 fee as a small convenience fee. They could just tell you to F off and send the phone to the manufacturer for warranty service, and be completely justifed in doing that as it is the norm for how warranties work in general.

 

[geomens]

Sprint does not have to perform free warranty repair onsite. Usually you have to deal with the manufacturer on warranties, such as washers, dryers, toasters, TVs, etc. You usually do not take it to the store where you bought it from to get the warranty service. They all require you to send the unit to the manufacturer to get the warranty service.

The $35 fee is a courtesy fee for Sprint to do the repair onsite, as opposed to having you mail the phone back to the manufacturer for repair.

Previously Sprint did the free warranty repair as a complete free courtesy. Now they're offering the $35 fee as a small convenience fee. They could just tell you to F off and send the phone to the manufacturer for warranty service, and be completely justifed in doing that as it is the norm for how warranties work in general.

I agree completely but the difference is a washer does not require a carrier to work. Users are more familiar with the carrier than the manufacturer of the phone that is why all the carriers opt to handle the repairs without any cost to the user, unless this has changed with all carriers now. So if Sprint tells me to pay $35 when my phone requires a warranty work, they are within their right to do that and I am within my right as user to decide who I do business with next time.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

I agree completely but the difference is a washer does not require a carrier to work. Users are more familiar with the carrier than the manufacturer of the phone that is why all the carriers opt to handle the repairs without any cost to the user, unless this has changed with all carriers now. So if Sprint tells me to pay $35 when my phone requires a warranty work, they are within their right to do that and I am within my right as user to decide who I do business with next time.

Of course you're well within your rights to decide where to get your service. Just expect to pay more with the other carriers each and every month, just because you're offended at the possibility of having to pay a $35 fee to get a phone repaired once in a blue moon. (I'm giving the benefit of the doubt and assuming other carriers provide onsite warranty repairs for free...something that may not be true.)

Me? I'm sticking with Sprint and saving at least $40 - $50 per month, and maybe I'll pay a $35 fee once every few years if I need to. Never have needed to yet.

 

[kat3k]

Wow, I don't understand the complaining about having a small "deductible" under some circumstances to have a $500-$600 phone replaced. Be careful, people, and if the worse happens, you have major protection with the insurance. Somebody thinks they drove over their phone and is worried they might get a refurb or have to pay a deductible? But everybody wants our service rates to stay low and our benefits to stay high. Insurance is just that: protection against loss. That's why they don't just call it "Free Phones For Everyone @ $7/mo".

 

[Aero1]

Sprint does not have to perform free warranty repair onsite. Usually you have to deal with the manufacturer on warranties, such as washers, dryers, toasters, TVs, etc. You usually do not take it to the store where you bought it from to get the warranty service. They all require you to send the unit to the manufacturer to get the warranty service.

The $35 fee is a courtesy fee for Sprint to do the repair onsite, as opposed to having you mail the phone back to the manufacturer for repair.

Previously Sprint did the free warranty repair as a complete free courtesy. Now they're offering the $35 fee as a small convenience fee. They could just tell you to F off and send the phone to the manufacturer for warranty service, and be completely justifed in doing that as it is the norm for how warranties work in general.

this is all untrue. Sprint is a warrantor. Just because the Manufacturer also gives a warrty does not change the fact that from April 2009 to October 25, 2010 Sprint expressinly marketed the fact that they warrant phones activated on Sprint for one year from first activation -- even with no TEP.

And they cannot legally charge the $35 to non tep subscribers, since they expressly promoted to buyers they would undertake warranty repair or replacement expressly with no fee when they removed the fee in April 2009 and generated written sales material and advertising on their site stating they warranted the phoens activated on Sprint for one year without TEP. They removed tha language Oct 25 2010, so the $35 fee only applies to purchase after Oct 25.

I spoke with Sprint corporate this morning about it and they confirmed that stores are not supposed to be charging the $35 to pre- Oct 25 buyers and Sprint would refund any and every pre OPct 25 buyer who is mistakenly charged udner Sprints free no TEP warraty.

 

[Aero1]

Wow, I don't understand the complaining about having a small "deductible" under some circumstances to have a $500-$600 phone replaced.

"Complaining" about the wirthdarwal or a warranty terms offered at time of purchase as an incentive to purchase -- and the mistaken attempt by some stores to retroactively apply it - wihc is illegal under false advertising and the Federal warranty act?

Woudl you complain if a a car dealership advertised their own warranty terms and withdrew them? (yes)

 

[nchargreed]

this is all untrue. Sprint is a warrantor. Just because the Manufacturer also gives a warrty does not change the fact that from April 2009 to October 25, 2010 Sprint expressinly marketed the fact that they warrant phones activated on Sprint for one year from first activation -- even with no TEP.

And they cannot legally charge the $35 to non tep subscribers, since they expressly promoted to buyers they would undertake warranty repair or replacement expressly with no fee when they removed the fee in April 2009 and generated written sales material and advertising on their site stating they warranted the phoens activated on Sprint for one year without TEP. They removed tha language Oct 25 2010, so the $35 fee only applies to purchase after Oct 25.

I spoke with Sprint corporate this morning about it and they confirmed that stores are not supposed to be charging the $35 to pre- Oct 25 buyers and Sprint would refund any and every pre OPct 25 buyer who is mistakenly charged udner Sprints free no TEP warraty.

This type of bullying is what Class Action Law Suits chew up and spit out. Sprint better be careful with this one!

 

[gme109]

I feel like its better and cheaper to have no TEP then to have TEP .....or am I totally wrong?

That all depends on how clumsy or unlucky you are. If you totaled your phone just once, and did not have insurance, you'd pay $500 to $600 for a new one. I'd rather just pay the $7 a month and not worry about it. Especially now with the new rules covering minor damages for free.