Help What if something on my Sprint Evo breaks??

[kevro_86]

Hi everyone. I have been with Verizon now for 9 years and am going to give Sprint's 30-day trial a shot staring with a couple of Evo's. After lamenting the $10 fee, I figured I'd at least check them out. If the data coverage is not acceptable, it'll be 30-days & out. If I am satisfied, I will move all my family lines over from VZW.

This 30-day thing is really the only thing that is giving me the courage to try the switch, but I realize that one thing that I may not be able to "try out" during this 30-day period will be how Sprint addresses a broken or defective phone.

I will present a couple of hypothetical situations and would like to know if anyone has experienced similar issues and how Sprint handled them.

1) Assume no insurance was purchased to cover the phone.

2) Assume no water damage, or other physical abuse to the phone.

3) The problem: Micro USB charging/data port will not charge the phone or transfer any data. Essentially, the port on the phone is useless. Assume that the data cable or chargers have been checked OK. Problem is definitely in the phone.

First scenario is that the phone is 10 months old, and still under manufacturer's warranty.

Second scenario is that the phone is 16 months old, and warranty is expired.

With Verizon Wireless, this type of situation has happened to me a number of times and the way they remedy the situation is with a like new replacement unit that is either changed out right there at the store, or 2nd day FedEx'd to my home, with return packaging pre-paid to send back the defective unit.

If the phone is within the 12-month warranty period, this replacement device is free.

If the phone is out of warranty, they charge a $50 "out of warranty replacement fee".

How would Sprint handle these situations?

Thanks!
Kevro

 

[Rigmaster]

Keep it simple. If you're worried about replacement, buy the insurance. If not, skip it. I've never purchased insurance on phones because I test them out as soon as I get them to find manufacturing defects and OS problems. I also utilize my credit card to double warranties. Thankfully, I've never had an issue. I also treat my phone like any electronic device, which means normal, protected use but not to the point of kid-gloving it.

You should contact Sprint about your questions so you can get answers from them. I like the forum, but if you're that concerned go to the source.

 

[slonlo350]

I've had good experiences, but as Rig said, go to the source. I had the keyboard on my TP die twice, both times I got a new one very quickly. Once in store, and once by mail. It was still in warranty though, but no insurance. I wouldn't be too overly concerned, but definitely ask Sprint.

 

[bwillie007]

I figure insurance is worthless. Say you have the phone a year, and it breaks down. It'll be worth like $150 on Ebay by then. They'll be some other hot shot phone out there. And you can get it for cheap. Can you imagine how cheap Hero's are going to be in a week?

 

[vkdroid]

Keep it simple. If you're worried about replacement, buy the insurance. If not, skip it. I've never purchased insurance on phones because I test them out as soon as I get them to find manufacturing defects and OS problems. I also utilize my credit card to double warranties. Thankfully, I've never had an issue. I also treat my phone like any electronic device, which means normal, protected use but not to the point of kid-gloving it.

You should contact Sprint about your questions so you can get answers from them. I like the forum, but if you're that concerned go to the source.

+1: Make sure you check with your credit card to see if they double warranties if you pay for the thing with your credit card. Usually adds up to a year automatically, I believe.

Also +1: I find that Rigmaster's method of handling electronics carefully but not insanely so works well for me too. It's kinda like those drivers who are super hunched over the wheel and drive super nervous. I just feel they're more likely to give me a lovetap.

 

[erikivy]

No offence, but your first post reminds me of my boss. I often accuse him of "analysis paralysis" because he tends to study things WAY too much before making a decision.


All your concerns are valid and you should certainly dig around until you get answers that satisfy you. But there comes a time when additional information on hypothetical, sometimes highly unlikely, scenarios just muddies the waters. As someone said above, why not pose your questions to Sprint and see what they have to say? If they can calm your fears, give it a shot. FWIW, I too am switching to Sprint for the EVO. And if they don't measure up, I'll tap out before the 30-day trial period ends. It's nice to be able to experiment with little or no risks.

 

[asaberan]

I figure insurance is worthless. Say you have the phone a year, and it breaks down. It'll be worth like $150 on Ebay by then. They'll be some other hot shot phone out there. And you can get it for cheap. Can you imagine how cheap Hero's are going to be in a week?

I wouldn't quite say it is worthless. Personally I go back and forth on the issue, but always seem to just carry insurance. It is a bit ridiculous to pay $7/month and then have to pay some ridiculous deductible if you lose it (although the deductibles used to be $35, now they're up to $150 in some cases I believe), but it does help with damage/repair. That said, getting to a "repair center" is a major pain in the ass these days with Sprint. My closest Sprint store (30 some miles away) doesn't have a repair center anymore and send me to some mom & pop shop down the road that is open seemingly 9 to 5 M-F. They used to have the online tool you could use to replace a phone, but people misused that so they took it away.

I have had insurance on phones for well over ten years and, to be honest, I don't think I have ever lost a phone that I can remember. I've actually used the repair option two or three times in that period. So essentially I've paid hundreds of dollars for nothing over the years. Hmm, maybe I will rethink this insurance thing. I'd hate to pay 500 bucks for an Evo though, if I lost it any time soon.

 

[sikclown]

I wouldn't quite say it is worthless. Personally I go back and forth on the issue, but always seem to just carry insurance. It is a bit ridiculous to pay $7/month and then have to pay some ridiculous deductible if you lose it (although the deductibles used to be $35, now they're up to $150 in some cases I believe), but it does help with damage/repair. That said, getting to a "repair center" is a major pain in the ass these days with Sprint. My closest Sprint store (30 some miles away) doesn't have a repair center anymore and send me to some mom & pop shop down the road that is open seemingly 9 to 5 M-F. They used to have the online tool you could use to replace a phone, but people misused that so they took it away.

I have had insurance on phones for well over ten years and, to be honest, I don't think I have ever lost a phone that I can remember. I've actually used the repair option two or three times in that period. So essentially I've paid hundreds of dollars for nothing over the years. Hmm, maybe I will rethink this insurance thing. I'd hate to pay 500 bucks for an Evo though, if I lost it any time soon.

I am required to have the insurance by my work so it is kind of a moot point for me but 168.00 over a 2 year period is worth it to me.. When I do have a problem with the phone I just go into a Sprint store.. they mess with the phone for a few but because I have insurance they just swap me out with a new phone (not a refurb). Maybe I have been lucky but that is my experience.. and on a 500.00 phone 168.00 is worth it to me.