Okay, I just need to vent a bit.
I bought an HTC Evo4G phone back when it first came out. I had a helluva time getting it activated thru Sprint... because they had signed me up for a second line of service rather than as an upgrade. It took a lot of frustration and perseverance, but I got it activated and squared away.
The phone worked perfectly. I had no screen lift, no cracks in or around the powerbutton or any other problems. I loved my phone.
Then, a couple/few weeks ago, it stopped charging. I took it in to my local Sprint store and they told me it was a known issue. They said that there was a manufacturing defect where the charging port breaks away from the circuit board and that it would be covered under warranty.
My first replacement phone (from the local Sprint Store) bricked for several minutes in the store during activation. No one knew what to do, but eventually the phone started working again. Unfortunately, the phone would constantly reload the calendar and home pages and reboot by itself at random times. A new refurbished phone was ordered from the store before I left.
My second replacement phone (again from the local Sprint Store) activated in the store without problem. I took it home, noting that the tin-ear foil was noticeably crinkled. Closer inspection revealed that there were also cracks by the powerbutton, the screen was lifting, and there was light leakage. The final straw was the phone's 3G signal constantly being lost. I would have to manually deactivate the mobile network and then reactivate it again to get an internet connection.
Instead of going to the local Sprint Store, I explained my issues with Sprint Corporate. They sent me to Asurion (I had been paying for the insurance since I got the phone) and promised to reimburse me for the replacement fee.
Asurion sent me a new phone (now my third replacement/fourth total Evo). I did a much better job inspecting the phone and found that the LDI sticker (water damage indicator) that is usually found on the back bottom right corner was missing.
I immediately called Asurion. The first representative expressed dismay, confirmed that lacking that sticker automatically voided the warranty. They transferred me to their warranty division. The person there said that because it was a new phone, it wouldn't have a sticker. He said that only refurbished phones had LDI stickers. I told him that I knew that wasn't true, as my first Evo was new and had those stickers. I recorded the conversation (after notifying him that I was doing so).
Not trusting him (this is my third replacement phone and I'm definitely more wary now), I called back. Again, the first representative said that without the sticker, the warranty was voided. He also transferred me and the next representative said that now that there was a record in their database about the sticker issue on my phone, that they would honor future warranty issues with it. When I asked for an email to confirm that, he refused. I asked to be upped to a supervisor.
The supervisor was very pleasant, but did confirm that without the stickers, the warranty was voided and immediately made plans to send my fourth replacement. However, she did warn me that the phone was backordered and that I would need to send both the 3rd and 4th replacement phones back to Asurion within the next ten days or I would be charged the $500 penalty fee.
I am just so frustrated right now!
I think the Evo is a wonderfully designed phone, it is just the quality is so crappy!
Anyway, I needed to vent. Thanks everyone.
I bought an HTC Evo4G phone back when it first came out. I had a helluva time getting it activated thru Sprint... because they had signed me up for a second line of service rather than as an upgrade. It took a lot of frustration and perseverance, but I got it activated and squared away.
The phone worked perfectly. I had no screen lift, no cracks in or around the powerbutton or any other problems. I loved my phone.
Then, a couple/few weeks ago, it stopped charging. I took it in to my local Sprint store and they told me it was a known issue. They said that there was a manufacturing defect where the charging port breaks away from the circuit board and that it would be covered under warranty.
My first replacement phone (from the local Sprint Store) bricked for several minutes in the store during activation. No one knew what to do, but eventually the phone started working again. Unfortunately, the phone would constantly reload the calendar and home pages and reboot by itself at random times. A new refurbished phone was ordered from the store before I left.
My second replacement phone (again from the local Sprint Store) activated in the store without problem. I took it home, noting that the tin-ear foil was noticeably crinkled. Closer inspection revealed that there were also cracks by the powerbutton, the screen was lifting, and there was light leakage. The final straw was the phone's 3G signal constantly being lost. I would have to manually deactivate the mobile network and then reactivate it again to get an internet connection.
Instead of going to the local Sprint Store, I explained my issues with Sprint Corporate. They sent me to Asurion (I had been paying for the insurance since I got the phone) and promised to reimburse me for the replacement fee.
Asurion sent me a new phone (now my third replacement/fourth total Evo). I did a much better job inspecting the phone and found that the LDI sticker (water damage indicator) that is usually found on the back bottom right corner was missing.
I immediately called Asurion. The first representative expressed dismay, confirmed that lacking that sticker automatically voided the warranty. They transferred me to their warranty division. The person there said that because it was a new phone, it wouldn't have a sticker. He said that only refurbished phones had LDI stickers. I told him that I knew that wasn't true, as my first Evo was new and had those stickers. I recorded the conversation (after notifying him that I was doing so).
Not trusting him (this is my third replacement phone and I'm definitely more wary now), I called back. Again, the first representative said that without the sticker, the warranty was voided. He also transferred me and the next representative said that now that there was a record in their database about the sticker issue on my phone, that they would honor future warranty issues with it. When I asked for an email to confirm that, he refused. I asked to be upped to a supervisor.
The supervisor was very pleasant, but did confirm that without the stickers, the warranty was voided and immediately made plans to send my fourth replacement. However, she did warn me that the phone was backordered and that I would need to send both the 3rd and 4th replacement phones back to Asurion within the next ten days or I would be charged the $500 penalty fee.
I am just so frustrated right now!
I think the Evo is a wonderfully designed phone, it is just the quality is so crappy!
Anyway, I needed to vent. Thanks everyone.
